Synchronicity – A walk in the local park.

So there we were 2kms into a simple walk around sheldon’s point when John points out, again that the universe listens. You see lately we have been on this big kick about how we put our energies out into the universe and it amplifies them and returns them. So if I want good things to happen then I have to think good thoughts. We all recognize this philosophy as the “Secret” or the “Law of Attraction”. We also know, that it works. We started off our journey by testing out the steadiness of a monopod vs the Tripod when trying to take a photo of an island over a mile away using a 400mm lens. We discovered that the monopod is helpful. However, it holds nothing on the tripod. Duh!!! right? Right!

So we walked around the woods, two middle aged men hauling tripod, monopod, cameras and my large out of shape carcass only to be greated and quickly passed by a couple of much younger, healthier women that made hiking through the mountainous terrain, from my lazy point of view, look easy.

After about an hour of hiking, wheezing and stopping to capture some footage of thefoliage, we decided to head back. Now, as a side note, at one point in our walk we passed what was very obviously a trail that headed back up toward the main road. The funny thing is that there was a very clear sign that said “No trail.”
Now, I wasn’t hallucinating, so I figured who ever wrote that sign might have been, dare I say, “not playing with a full deck.”

We proceeded to follow that trail back up to where the tree line meets the large gravel pit and then turns east and follows the edge of a beautiful field of tall grass, toward where we began this journey. While walking and talking, I stopped short. There, before us, high in the air, was a plume of smoke as black as tar and a obvious as the mid-day sun. There was a fire! It was way ahead of us beyond the next tree line. Curious like most boys are we started hiking faster. Amidst jokes of insurance claims if my jeep was burning and “Thank God I have my camera with me”, we were both becoming excited. I mean what sort of photo opportunities could be found near FIRE! Hmmm.

We got to the jeep, tossed our gear in the back and were off in the direction of the pillar of black smoke. half a mile down the road the smoke appeared to be coming from the trees behind a local business building, known as the “Old Doctor Roberts.”

As we got closer it became enticingly obvious what all the fuss was about. People crowded around the forest edge, the fire truck and hoses stretched out, a police cruiser and us. It was a car fire. Now currently I have no idea how that car got in the trees behind the building and blazing full out. But I saw an opportunity. I dialed up my ISO to 1000 to help with speed and I set my aperture to  F8 and I started shooting in Aperture mode. Using the 200mm-400mm I didn’t have to get to close. Special note here, I really value our firefighters and encourage everyone to stay out of their way.
I shot for a bit trying to get some faces and emotions, then I went for better angles to see the car. 80 some shots later, I ran over to John and said something like “Hey we are the only cameras here. Let’s go straight to the Telegraph Journal and see if they want these!”

At first he gave me that ever to popular look that says “What will you come up with next?” but then that look quickly changed to excitement. “Sure!”

To sum this up finally, we drove over to the news paper, walked in and asked a lady if they would like the photos. She returned a few minutes later with the photo editor for the paper who, gladly review the photos, copied 3 of them to his machine and said he wasn’t sure if the story would run, but if a reporter likes it, I might see the photos in the paper tomorrow! They would give me a photo credit if they use it.

Now, yes I agree, money would be nice, but to a photographer having his first photo published in the newspaper is exciting.

I tell you this entire story to illustrate this point.  Go out, take the chance to shoot, to walk, to talk, and above all be ready in the event something happens that should be photographed. Then be willing to go and ask someone to use your photos.

These words I have put here to inspire you.

David Sullivan
Odyssey Photographer

PS… I’m really excited about checking the paper tomorrow to find out if my photo ran in the paper!

UPDATE – They ran the photo! Yippee!!!! Check it out.

http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/city/article/1075513