Why Can’t I Take a Damn Picture of a Tree?
Riding along this morning, I wondered why it is that certain things tug at me to stop and take pictures of them. More accurately, I asked myself why the hell it is that I can’t take a decent picture of a tree or a landscape or an animal. Everything I stop for is weird, motoring-related, a husk of its former self or is generally manmade.
And it isn’t that I don’t appreciate the beauty of the natural world. I’m awed by it. But I can’t seem to capture its greatness inside my phone.
Are our go-to subjects a reflection of who we are? Many of us motorcycle-types use our bikes as our own stand-ins. So what does it mean when we place our two-wheeled selves in those settings? Something? Anything? Nothing at all?
Depends. Traveling in a group is a restriction… so no. The Masked Rider prevails.
Traveling solo is only limited by your own comfort of risk/reward. And ties back home.
Riding solo is a reflection of self.
Landscapes are boring to most people and its all about the perfect light, at times you may have to wait for hours. The other thing is that unless viewed very large the detail is lost. Try part of a tree, the leaves or a view looking up. Maybe you’re just not a tree person?
Yes, I’m not so much a tree person. I’m a rock/stark landscape kinda girl.
Of course you mean Rock Star!
It’s meaning is clear to me. Without the two-wheeled stand-in, that building is just an interesting looking old building. With it, the building assumes a slightly different posture, becomes part of the adventure, no matter how small. Maybe the bike in the pic is a symbol that real life has halted, just for a bit. Those are my guesses. One thing’s for sure, that picture of a building would hardly be worth a second glance with a car in the frame.
It’s all about perspective and love. We want that which we love to provide the depth of what we are taking a picture of. Sure it might be an old mural, a giant muffler dude or a tree or stark landscape. But ultimately….. it’s about the bike, the real thing of beauty in our hearts. Don’t try and kid yourself, we all know what’s going on here.
You are like me in some ways. I hardly ever take a picture of people. Mostly landscapes and things. I also am not big on selfies. I tend to think selfies are mostly taken by insecure people trying to call attention to themselves. You also travel mostly alone. So do I. I like being by myself. I enjoy spending time observing my surroundings and stopping to think about what I’m seeing. Maybe a bit of a deep thinker. Most people need entertainment and are afraid to be alone. We’re not like that. We don’t need entertainment. We just need time alone, to think, and enjoy all the things around us.
I’m pretty sure that is why I enjoy your posts. I can easily relate with you.
Makes sense to me 🙂
I’ve shared before how much I admire your photography. I find myself at time trying to engage the subject matter you do. And am perplexed at how I don’t find it. And I’m astounded when I see you posting something from an area I’ve ridden through more than once and never saw the damned giant coffee pot or candy museum. All I seem to find are trees and rocks when I’m riding.
Not sure what it says about us personally but there’s an obvious draw to one subject over another. I know photographers who only see dogs. Others women and still others doorways. To find the answer would require therapy I fear.
While riding home near dusk I saw a big metal Bigfoot sculpture in someone’s yard. I didn’t stop. But I told myself, “Fuzzy would make a photograph of that.”
I believe I’m not alone in saying that it’s the weird, Americana-type stuff that keeps us coming back to read more. Anybody can take a picture of nature, but the pic will never do it justice anyway. With pics of the roadside oddities, we can live vicariously through your motorcycling posts. With some luck, we may even be able to add those oddities to one of our own rides some day.