The wind in our hair… the sun on the rocks… the crisp, clear river rushing below… and a lone fly-fisherman snapping his line in the air as water droplets glint in the sun.
This is the romantic vision I had for my camping trip a few weeks ago.
I’m always telling you to take your camera with you wherever you go, because stock photo opportunities show up anywhere and everywhere.
So, when my friends offered to take me camping and teach me how to fly fish, I took my own advice. I pictured all of the stock photos I’d take of my friend’s hands holding a beautiful trout.
But what really happened?
- The dam let out water, and within an hour, the river was brown, muddy, and overflowing.
- It rained all day.
- The wind picked up so hard that it blew our tarp off or our cooking area.
Needless to say, we saw more s’mores than trout that weekend.
With a little creativity, though, there’s always something you can photograph. Luckily for me, my friends were still willing to don waders and show me their gear for a couple of shots:
But why stop at the initial plan, when you can think outside the box?
With photography – especially outdoors – things often don’t go as planned. You can’t let that stop you. The more you can stay positive, the more creative you’ll be. And the more opportunities you’ll open up for yourself to practice AND get photos you can sell.
When the trout appear next time, I’ll be ready!
[Note from Bonnie: This is a perfect thing to remember if you’re out shooting for this month’s Challenge, Parks and Rec. It may not be spring where you are. But how can you use whatever’s happening outside to your advantage? Members will find tons of ideas in your Parks and Rec Roadmap, on your members-only page. And if you’re not a member, yet, why not? This is your chance to get pro insight AND feedback on your shots. Get in here!]
