Footsteps In The Field

The deep Bahia Grass is still laden with morning dew when I set forth. There are no other people in sight. I have seen no cars that might indicate there are even people in the Wildlife Refuge at this early hour. It is already hot. Daylight has just broken and a chorus of frogs, cicadas and various birds is building. Every now and then a welcome breeze teases me and whispers through the pine trees pushing away the oppressive humidity and some of the biting flies. I walk slowly, carefully and very quietly. My goal is to be part of this landscape while I’m here…to see, to hear, and to feel what those living in it do, however briefly and capture those moments with my camera.

Every time I set out with my camera my goals are the same. It doesn’t matter if I am exploring a local park, meandering down a river or in the middle of literally nowhere in a wildlife refuge. I want to experience nature, see the creatures who live there and capture them on camera if I can. I know that walking is healthy. I know that time in the woods is healthy. I have read about that and written about aspects of it here. But there are other things I discovered after hundreds of miles of hiking and thousands of footsteps in the woods.

One of the first things I came to understand is that discovering one’s own mortality was, ironically one key to being able to “see” nature’s beauty. This also explains why so many simply cannot see it or are willing to foul it. As a younger man, I was overwhelmingly busy. At one point, I had what amounted to two full time jobs within my agency, a family and maintained a rigid exercise regimen. I look back on it with some amazement, not certain how I accomplished any of it. There certainly was little time for nature’s beauty. As an older man now I have come to grips with the fact that life is not infinite. I mindfully seek opportunities and places to experience the amazing world around us. I have time for beauty and upon reflection, wish that I had come to understand this earlier in life.

Being in nature improves my mood and reduces the amount that I think about my pain. Every time I am out. The longer I am out and the more wild the place, the more pronounced improvement there is. I live with a chronic pain condition (previously written about). Most days now it is controlled so that it is a thrum in the background, a low level distraction. These forays no matter to a park, lakebed, or wildlife refuge always leave me feeling better. Could it do the same for you?

Standing next to a Live Oak Tree that has a trunk that is as big around as a Volkswagen Beetle, looking out over the vastness of the wetland at my local wildlife refuge, watching a pair of Bald Eagles wrestle mid air, or looking out over a valley between mist covered mountains. All these things have something in common; they are all awe inspiring and remind most of us that we are just very small parts of a very, very big world. We all need that reminder now and again.

Beauty is everywhere. Great raptors careening into the water after fish, or a silent butterfly flitting from flower to flower in a garden. Brown bears fishing in the rapids or a brilliantly colored dragonfly patrolling the still shallows nearby. It’s everywhere, but it’s outside and we have to step out and look for it. Even if we only look in our back yard.

I recently returned to social media (Instagram-Flawildlifephotos@Instagram) in an attempt to build subscribers for this blog. I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Although there is still plenty of trash out there, I have also seen compassion, common interests, and beauty. I have interacted with numerous other wildlife photographers (some professionals, some not) and seen some BRILLIANT photography. In doing so, it helped me reach my final conclusion…no camera, no photographer no matter how skilled can perfectly duplicate the experience of being there. They can artfully capture a moment, a catalyst to recall or evoke emotion. However, there is no doubt that it is an etherial wisp, a faint scent of the true moment. Some photographers have spoken of being so overwhelmed circumstances that they stopped shooting and just soaked in the moment (whatever it was).

Readers, we never truly know what our fellow humans are going through. If we treat each other with kindness and compassion, those small acts may save lives or have such lasting impacts that it is difficult for us to understand. Take care of yourselves, understand the sacrifices that our veterans and first responders have made and know your resources should you need them. If you like what you have read here, please consider subscribing and sharing. The “subscribe” button is on the right hand side and only requires an email.

May each of you reading find beauty where you are. Stay safe.