Taking Pictures
Taking pictures
Or
Taking in the moment.
We drive down an endless gravel road, thick trails of dust suspended in the air, pot holes, sheep grazing nearby, creek crossings, mountain lines diving sharply into the giant valley we are driving through, and then we park. I open the car door and hear a hurricane of water, the sheer volume of the glacial river thundering over our voices as we cross over a hanging bridge to hike through a forest. We climb, up and up, our breath shorter and quicker, and finally... We reach the view point that overlooks a monstrous glacier resting on the crest of a mountain, with a waterfall cascading off the end of its’ ridge line, the constant flow of water with no where to go but off the side of the mountain. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a floating waterfall before.
In awe, I immediately reach for my camera, thoughtfully frame my shot, and click away. I look back at Jeremy.
“Don’t you want to take some pictures?”
“Not yet,” he says. He’s sitting on a bench, his eyes relaxed, sweat resting on his forehead, and he’s literally taking it in. I continue to stand, shifting my angles, adjusting my aperture, trying to find that one, perfect shot. But it is perfect already. Just look at it, Tera.
I learn from my husband, a lot, and on that day, without saying much to me, he just took it in.
Today, we took a boat cruise through Milford Sound. The boat approached a waterfall so closely, the mist swept through the top deck, and people began to laugh and shout excitedly, and then the phones came out. I looked back and observed every single person holding a device in front of them, viewing the waterfall through a digital screen. One moment, giddy laughter and wondrous excitement. The next moment, silence and photographs.
I can be that person much of the time. But as much as I love playing around with photography, I’m not sure if it always feels right in my bones to bring a camera out. I think I have to find a way to flirt with that fine line, and if I don’t capture the shot, no big deal. I experienced it. I felt it. I lived it.
Cheers,
Tera
