Hiking season has begun! Sunrise is finally early enough I can be out in the woods most mornings for a three to five mile hike before I head off to work. Yay! I’ve missed my hikes.
Last fall, I stopped hiking regularly when Daylight Savings time ended and I went back to work full time, which happened nearly simultaneously. Without the morning hours free, I just didn’t have enough light to hike anymore. I thought that would change when I was able to go back to work part time again, but now I’ve got a new position at work, a promotion I’m very excited about, and I’ve made the choice to stay full time.
So… That means resetting my own expectations along with my schedule. It leaves less morning time for everything I like to do in the AM hours: journaling, creating art, blogging, hiking. I’m learning to adapt. Rather than feel constrained I’m going to make my choices work together.
From a photography standpoint, I’ve decided to do a Morning Hike series (#morninghike on social media) of photographs. I would like to create one finished photograph from each hike I do in the forest. I often photograph on my hikes but I don’t always share because they may not be exactly what was inspiring me creatively at the time. That’s a luxury I won’t have going forward… I want to hike, I want to create photographs, I don’t have all the time in the world… I need to bring these two things together.
Today’s photograph is from yesterday’s hike. Nice, huh? It was a gorgeous morning, and the photograph captures the feeling of it perfectly. It shares the optimism of spring; the promise of a new day.
I think this commitment is going to challenge my photography, and I will learn to express myself in new ways. But most of all, I will be combing two things I love more strongly, hiking and photography, rather than feeling like I am trading off one for the other. I love the feeling of “wholeness” that brings.
Congratulations on the promotion!! What I like about your new commitment is that you go rain or shine!
Thanks Jack! Today was sure a rainy one. Thank goodness for rain gear!
What a great practice — both for your health and your art!
This image has such a wonderful serenity — beautiful! Thank you for sharing it. Happy hiking!
Thanks Gina! I’m at day 4 and enjoying myself. It’s getting easier to get out every day, because I love it so much.
“Into the Woods” is my favorite so far. Have fun with it.
Thanks Bill! I’ll probably be doing less editing, just in the interest of time, in order to get one image done per hike. Should be interesting.
Forgive my ignorance, but exactly how does one find “#morninghike on social media,” specifically yours? Which social media?
From the image above, I can see why you enjoy your morning hikes so much, both taking them and photographing them. What a beautiful place!
If you search “#morninghike” on the social media I use (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Flickr), you’ll find all of the posts tagged with that hashtag. I’m not the only one using that hashtag, so you’ll see a few others too.
Congrats on your promotion, Kat, that! And you took a good decision with your photo challenge. I love your picture below, the trees makes a beautiful curve line and the light it gorgeous! Did you shot this with your iPhone?
PS : I love the idea of taking a picture a day while your hiking, I think I will do the same. 😉
Yes, that was with my iPhone! I don’t carry any other camera anymore. 🙂 I love that you will be doing the same! Share a pic or two with me from your hikes.