The journey
A photographic excursion, or any trip to somewhere new—particularly a new place that is extremely photogenic— can involve both joy and pain. It can be a great success photographically, despite some limits imposed by the unexpected, the challenging and even painful.
One trip, two parts
Traveling in October 2026 to far northern California to see the coastal redwoods—the Pacific coast plus the redwoods really—was just such an experience.I can divide the trip into two periods— before and after a serious fall in which I hit my head and broke three ribs and my right wrist. This all happened halfway through our eight-day journey.
A day to rest and recover
After a midnight time in the hospital in Crescent City on October 180 we came home and spent 10-19 just resting. No photos. In resting, I had good company.
Hobbling on
During the next two days I sort of made up for lost time, hobbling around when I could, shooting stable objects when I couldn’t. That’s landscapes, seascapes, cloudscapes, and trees.
And I mean TREES!
Redwoods are gigantic, ancient, and awe-inspiring. Their bark is fibrous, like nothing I have seen. Their “needles” are soft and complex, flexible, etc.
In perusing the thousands of photographs I came back with, I am reminded that we do not create the light in “PHOTO-graphy,” nor the subjects we try to capture. Capturing is all we can do, and that only when we are lucky.
I am thankful
I am lucky that my injuries were neither life-threatening nor totally disabling. Lucky to have continued shooting, though slower, more judicious, and thoughtful way—all good!
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