ADVENTURER - Swinsty, Yorkshire

Over the last few months I have been making myself get out for longer walks with the principle intention of stretching my legs just that little bit more. I want to do the three peeks and want to be in a position to do it without looking like somebody who has just run a marathon whilst in a giant Buzz Lightyear costume. Anyway it’s been a lot of fun and has reminded me just what I use to do before this photography thing got in the way! Anyway, a really positive outcome has been that I’ve been forcing myself to do walks that I haven’t done before and my imaginary mental map of the my local stomping ground is really becoming enriched. Now obviously I have been taking my camera with me, but on several longer walks I have decided to leave the tripod in the car. This is really a difficult thing to do because the first couple of times I did it, I saw several shots that would have really ‘worked’ and I needed the dam tripod. My usual way of working has been disrupted to the point of frustration. Anyway, forcing myself through the mental turmoil has provided me with some surprising results. I have become to transformation my working methods and changed what I look for understanding I have to be technically creative in order to achieve good results. Anyway, it has been a very interesting experience in a few ways. Obviously I manage to get more distance covered and my work is quicker, but I’ve found plenty of ways to secure myself against walls, trees, ground and constructed several temporary tripods out of unusual equipment.

This is from an early walk in the mist and part of my dark moody way of approaching things to reflect the mood of the occasion. It’s just up from Swinsty reservoir and it’s a new favourite location of mine that I wouldn’t have dreamed existed only a few short weeks ago. I think I’m really an adventurer at heart and finding new and interesting places to occupy my imagination is something that I don’t ever think I will tire of! I just know there are millions of places like this and I’m going to have lots of fun trying to discover them, once my twisted ankle recovers!