But then the universe said, “Not today, my friend.”

Creativity in the Wild Can Be a Challenge

I had this amazing idea for a new project, my special flavor of still lifes, created outdoors, in the perfect light, with all the treasures I found on my hikes. The possibilities were endless, and I was SO excited! (I even did a little dance in my head).

But… then the universe said, “Not today, my friend.”

Why?

Let me share the events of the day…

1. Tripod leg too loose—of course! And no hex wrench in sight. Scotty, my own personal boy scout to the rescue on that one.

2. My scrim? The wind treated it like a kite, despite all the clamps I had. Bright-side? Got more steps chasing it around the desert and hit 10,000 steps! One goal achieved…

3. Camera refused to tether to my computer. I like to see my set ups on a larger screen while shooting. I can then refine details and play with compositions. But – Nope – I kept getting what I affectionally call The Spinning Wheel of Death, taunting me with every attempt. The bastard!!

4. Finally, after 20,000,000 tries I managed to get it tethered… but, wait, what’s this? Another message – hard drive is full. Damn it!

5. Cleaned up the hard drive, it only take 48 mins…I’m good – plenty of space now! But wait—now my camera battery decides it’s time to take a nap. Nope it just died. Dead. Restart everything!

6. Losing light. Fast.

7. Oh, and did I mention I’m now hungry, dehydrated, and questioning every life decision that led to this moment? Who said this was an amazing idea?

So, here I am, still determined to capture that perfect shot… in the middle of this ridiculous chaos. I would not let it foil me though. I still managed to make ONE image I liked. I just hope I like it tomorrow when I finally let myself look at it.

This road-life isn’t for the faint of heart—but it’s always an adventure.