Know Your Territory - Being In The Right Place at the Right Time

 Many times I have adhered to an old Dewitt Jones axiom "Be willing to place yourself at the point of greatest potential". As a nature photographer I try to follow that bit of wisdom on a regular basis because capturing exceptional photographs requires I make exceptional efforts to capture exceptional quality light. There are a number of things that help that process along, one of the most important is to know your territory. By doing so you automatically create a ready resource of potential opportunity to be in the right place at the right time.

Just the other day I applied that theory to a spur-of-the-moment photo outing and managed to stumble into a fantastic photographic moment. The week had been quite summer-like with hot temperatures and high humidities along with a lot of clear skies and sun. Photo ops were limited as a result. However, by late afternoon on that one day the sky became filled with broken clouds some rising to great heights and carried with them textures and drama that serve a photographer's purpose.

I had just recently replaced my malfunctioning main camera with a new-to-me new-used camera upgrade and had not yet taken it out on a real photoshoot. Stepping outside I recognized the potential for the sky conditions and headed out. I have a good grasp of my home territory not only in the lay of the land, but in the season as well and with it being close to mid-June I was pretty sure there would be a wheat field or two still standing and I had just the place in mind.

I took about twenty-five minutes to make the drive and as I was heading over that way, I noticed the darkened sky to the southwest clearly indicating a thunder head was forming and possibly moving in my direction. Although I was not sure if there would be a standing wheat field where I was going, I knew it did not really matter as the location provides a rolling landscape bordered by wooded areas. As I rolled around the last curving rise leading up to the area, a bit of luck was with me for spread out across this undulating landscape was a beautiful golden field of wheat. Just beyond it the sinister darkness of a summer thunder head loomed across the sky and the wheat field was still filled with golden light from the late afternoon sun.

I pulled into a now familiar widespot off the country road offering a high vantage point overlooking the wheat field. I had to work quickly for the storm was rapidly approaching and that golden light across the field would soon be gone. A dozen or so quick captures along with a series of vertical overlapping images for panoramic stitching shots, and the storm closed in and with it the light disappeared. Five minutes was all I had to capture the moment, but those five minutes offered just enough time and quality light, I knew I had been in the right place at the right time.

Knowing your territory and the potential of a location is key to placing yourself in the right place. Reading the conditions and having a solid grasp of the capabilities of the camera provided the right combination of being able to capture place, conditions, and light. Sometimes luck plays a roll, most time though, intuition and experience will often rule the day.

A Short Day on Nolin Lake + Another Hilarious Zippo Lighter Moment

 Spent a few hours up on Kentucky's Nolin Lake exploring the Dog Creek Recreation Area and canoeing the Dog Creek arm of the lake. With temperatures only reaching up to 78 for the day, light breezes, and blue skies it was an almost perfect day to be out on the lake. Managed to see two Bald Eagles and other wildlife. Being a short day I only covered about 6 miles, but it was an enjoyable first day canoeing on Nolin Lake.

As part of this feature, another Zippo Lighter moment is included. It is by far the most hilarious misadventure moment within the annals of all the Zippo Lighter Moments that occured way back around 1989 or 1990 on a backpacking trip into the Ponca Wilderness Area inside Arkansas' Buffalo National River area.

Please join me on another summertime canoe outing and the telling of a classic Zippo Lighter Moment.