enframephotography

[photo] walk it out

one of my favorite things to do if i have the extra time is to take a photo walk. whether it’s around the neighborhood (you’d be surprised at the beauty you can find in your own backyard) or on a hike at one of the many nearby preserves here in arizona;  it’s one of my favorite ways to relax, unwind, slowdown . . .

photo walks are a great way to train yourself to slow down and notice details – lighting, lines, shapes, textures and really anything that catches your eye. it’s a wonderful way to learn to appreciate the little things…which is great training for life, too, yes?

a nice bonus is that a photo walk gets you outside and moving and exploring new places or familiar places in new ways.

if you have the time — even 15 or 20 minutes, go outside for a photo walk this weekend (or whenever.) don’t worry about the kind of camera you have. any camera will do and each one has it’s advantages. the camera on your phone is just as good for this kind of activity. if you don’t have a camera, use your mind’s eye. that can be just as beneficial! and don’t go out in hopes of taking a prize-winning picture. this is not the time for that. if you do get an amazing shot — awesome, that’s icing on the cake!

 

a photo walk is a great activity to do with kids, too! kids are brilliant at teaching us to “stop and smell the roses.” how often do they stop to crouch down and notice a funny shaped leaf or a worm crawling on the ground or a fascinating piece of (what we would probably consider) garbage? it’s inspiring, really, to see the world through their eyes and realize how much beauty we let go unnoticed as  we “grow up” (let’s not ever grow completely up, okay?) if you have an extra old point and shoot or even a disposable camera laying around, consider lending it to your child and invite them on the photo walk with you.

ON THE OTHER HAND. . . if you have someone that can watch your kids for you for a short time or the kids are at school or another activity, forget everything i just said and ….go on a photo walk BY YOURSELF! it’s a FANTASTIC way to spend a few minutes alone. and don’t you dare feel guilty about it for even one second!

have a wonderful weekend! enjoy the little things and go patriots! (i’m not really super-invested in the stupid bowl, um, i mean super bowl beyond the commercials, but if i’m picking a side it’s definitely the pats and anyway, putting “patriots” in this blog post would have to be helpful for seo, right?! . . . is that not how it works?!?)

here are a few shots from my photo walk this morning. we’re noticing shapes in the photo by design class i’m taking, so i was paying extra attention to that . . .

all the best,

rachel

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