Finding Your Muse....

On a recent Saturday afternoon -- last Saturday as a matter of fact, my wife and I headed down to Alpine Groves Park along our beautiful Saint Johns River. I took my Nikon D700 paired with only my old 70-300 VR lens to see what we could see, and do a little shooting. Alpine Groves is an old citrus farm, now turned into a County park -- old out buildings, a 100+ year old house -- butterfly gardens, stables, walking paths, playgrounds, all overlooking a bluff that rises from the east bank of the river.

I was surprised when we arrived to find the parking lots absolutely packed. Sometimes there are weddings and other family events held there, so we assumed there would be a contained group of folks and we could head for the dock out over the river (a year old addition). But, no--- alas the place was swarming with portrait photographers dragging families and holiday props and ladders and reflectors and tons of gear into every nook and cranny of the park for the ritual of the annual holiday family portrait session. I've never seen anything like it, short of the swarms of birders who show up every spring at the native bird rookery at the Saint Augustine Alligator Farm. This was an eye opener and a mind-changer for me... The porch of the house had at least three separate sessions in progress with young women hanging over the railing holding signs reading "Ho", or wearing Santa hats or elf ears... every bench in the park was stuffed with adorable families facing their 20-something photographers while attempting to control impatient pre-schoolers.

So we hit the trails, looking for a bit of peace in nature -- that lasted for about 100 yards before we ran into more of the same. The out to the dock, which was dotted with couples, families and their photographers, edging in for the best views, light, and angles.

So we left.

Call me a purist, but for me, photography is about art. Yes, these young, ambitious shooters are performing a service to a market that wants that service. They are making some money -- hopefully they are having fun. That said, it struck me full on in the face that this is not what I want to do with my photography. I have long been drawn to nature, especially to my river and the solitude of the surrounding Florida nature. Commercialism isn't my thing. I do my photography to immerse myself in the beauty and wonder of nature. To advocate by imagery on behalf of preservation of those decreasing pieces of my state that draw us here to begin with. To escape the pressure and stress and routine of my professional non-artistic career. I recognized then and there that I am a documentarian of the land, and will probably never be a commercial photographer shooting family portraits or weddings (though I have done both, and enjoyed it). It's a Zen thing for me. Let go of your pre-conceived notions of what you should be, and become what you must be.

This is one of the few photos I salvaged from that trip to Alpine Groves:

Falling: Autumn in Northeast Florida

You can find a gallery of my photos of Florida's beautiful Saint Johns River HERE

In the Beginning

I'm not exactly a young man. I will be 60 on my next birthday in March. I remember thinking when I was young that 60 was impossibly old. Decrepitude would have long ago set in. Senility and physical disability would have laid me low by now. Not so much... I still have an active and developing career as a Clinical Research and research ethics program Director for a major children's health system. I still perform acoustic music (solo and with a band) professionally on weekends. And I take pictures. Did I mention that I take pictures?

So 60 is the new 40 -- though I feel younger yet. Take decent care of myself -- regular exercise and I'm a vegan. Now I'm thinking about retirement. Sometime in the next 3 to 5 years with the earnest hope that my good fortune health wise will continue... What to do then?

Oh yeah -- that's me just above (more or less -- hair is a little longer and the beard is gone for now)...

I love the artistry of photography. Have for as long as I can remember. Started shooting with Nikon DSLR gear seriously in 2007 -- man, that's five years ago. Have done a few weddings. Mostly interested in nature and fine art work. Became a Florida Master Naturalist a few years back and often think that maybe, just maybe I can move people a little bit toward taking care of the planet -- especially the rapidly exploited remaining natural areas of Florida. Visual art can do that. I have done a good deal of work for the Saint Johns Riverkeeper and a number of other Florida and national environmental advocacy non-profits. Lots of concert work.

Thus, a couple of weeks ago I bit the bullet and acquired  my tax certificate from the State of Florida, and registered River Road Photography as a fictitious name -- did the mandatory publication in the local business daily... and as soon as I can make a personal visit to the Duval County tax office and get registered there, I'll be an actual sole-proprietorship, tax paying, professional photographer.

So this blog will follow the path of these continuing efforts. Many possible topics to write about from the potential to make a success of a weekend business while pursuing a busy existing career to chasing your dreams after  a "certain age" to marketing to technique to.... photos. Did I mention I like to take pictures?

Stay tuned.

Let's Just Start....

With a photo, shall we? Life is so busy and time is so short that finding time to discuss more at this point is difficult. But we will get there -- I promise you that......

This evening, near sunset at the County Dock on the Saint Johns River, Mandarin (Jacksonville), Florida...

Coming Soon....