Time for a rest
This last weekend I took a short break, a weekend of not thinking about photography holidays, Healing with Photography or how to move my businesses forward. Ah it was bliss and the perfect antidote to a very busy ten days where I didn’t stop from dawn till dusk and beyond.
My boyfriend and I headed off to a local coastal resort for some relaxation, nothing to think about but steam rooms and swimming pools, walks along the prom and a wee bit of window shopping.
Did I take my camera with me we? Well yes of course I did, I contemplated not doing so, though I knew I’d only wish it was on my shoulder, but did I ‘work?’……no!
The really nice thing is that my boyfriend enjoys photography, so much so he has invested in a new camera like mine so we can share accessories. I’m like a child in a sweetshop or make that toy shop. He has bought toys I’ve never seen before, a 600 mirror lens with a two times convertor. Now this is fun! He was able to pick out people walking along a mountain road, a mile or so away as the crow flies, that I wasn’t able to see with the naked eye. Private detectives eat your heart out!
We had a balcony room with a sea view and made lots of use of it, only unpacking our cameras when we arrived so we could race straight out onto the balcony to take advantage of our privileged view point before the light started to go. I find it so relaxing taking photos with my boyfriend, there is no sense of competition it’s the sharing of something you love with someone you love.
Since we’ve been out taking photos together my photographic mind is changing slightly. I see the results my boyfriend gets from looking at things differently to me and it inspires me. In Italy I found myself trying to pull off a similar tree shot to one he’d taken the weekend before, and failing miserably, though in my defence, the light was at the wrong angle for me and I wouldn’t walk too close as I was worried about finding snakes hiding in the grass.
A mind bending image
Do you find that working with other people helps you to develop new techniques? Years ago, when I was busy chasing the illusive ‘perfection’ I could never have been so relaxed doing my job next to someone else. I would have needed to have come back with the best photo of the day. Now I just have fun and here’s the real test, I am quite happy to look through my photos together before I’ve had chance to hoof out the mistakes, the over or under exposed.
On the Sunday we stopped at a quiet rocky beach with mountains on each side creating a natural bay, yachts were sailing on the water and people were on the beach trying their best to get kites to fly. The yachts had mountains behind them creating a lovely scene but for the fact the sunshine made the horizon far too hazy to take any decent photos, did I grumble? Well if I’m honest, I did mention it!
Yet this was a weekend off, I didn’t need that shot, it wasn’t the end of the world that I couldn’t get that image exposed as I would have wished. Just as the sunrise I got up to photograph from our balcony was little to write home about, instead I enjoyed the bracing wind and watching people walking their dogs along the prom whilst I had a quiet chat with the seagull that kept me company on the balcony ledge. This was a holiday and I was just grateful that my job allows me time to enjoy my skill as a hobby that helps me to unwind after a hectic couple of weeks. Roll on the next day off!
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Living in the beautiful rural county of Yorkshire it was perhaps natural for Ruth to have an affinity with the countryside and its wildlife. Creativity is Ruth’s driving force finding an outlet in television & radio she worked for many years as producer for BBC & ITV.
However a love of photography and for being surrounded by nature called her to go back to her photography training and bring pleasure and joy to people through her connection with our planet.
Staying in the moment when taking her images allows her to experience the natural magnificence unfolding before her eyes. It is this moment of mediation, of gratitude, that she evocatively conveys through her images.