Tuesday, January 23, 2007

The Advantage of Walking

It’s amazing how things can look from a different perspective! Just the other week, I submitted a post about a creek that I discovered in my very own neighbourhood while out on a photographic excursion during an ice storm. While on another photographic excursion, I came across another scene that I had not noticed before… It was this railway track. Now, I knew it was here and I knew where it was going but I had no idea how beautiful it looked from this angle.

I took this photograph from a bridge…a bridge I had travelled across by car thousands of times before but had never walked across in order to view what lay on the other side. The road that you see run directly across the tracks is a road that I have also driven across thousands of times before but never took the time to look left or right for any length of time to see where the tracks came from or went to. There are also a number of tunnels that go under the track that I have driven under to get from Point “A” to Point “B” on many occasions and so, I would never have been able to see the tracks from that vantage point. I had often stood on the train station platform that you can barely see at the end of the tracks and expectantly looked down for an incoming train but never focused on the track’s surroundings. The point being is this, I knew the track well, I have seen many a train travel down it but I had never really observed one from this bridge where this photograph was taken from.

This photograph was taken while I was photographing some iced over nature. I had been out in the frigid weather for some while and due to numb fingers, I decided to call it day and head back to my car. On the way across the bridge, I couldn’t help but notice this train slowly moving away from me down the track. Not really wanting to but figuring that it was a good photo opportunity, I crouched down and snapped a few shots and made my way back to the car without giving it a second thought… until I saw the photo on my computer screen.

I was in awe. I was in awe of how beautiful that part of my town looked. I had lived in that area for over ten years but yet had never taken notice of how the tracks split a tree line in such a manner.

I suppose that If I have been learning any lessons from my photography ventures it is that sometimes you miss the beauty of nature when you spend more time travelling via car versus foot. Let me encourage you to take the time to walk around in your city and observe for yourself what sits just out of sight of the roadway and maybe then you can experience what I have experienced… seeing new and beautiful things in your community that you have never seen before or never would have had you not taken that walk down the road.

23 comments:

Becky Wolfe said...

That IS a gorgeous photo! The red hue of the light totally brings it to life. Amazing find! You caught it at the perfect moment.

And great advice. I am so looking forward to longer daylight hours so I can do that very thing!

The Lone Beader® said...

Beauty can find us just about anywhere=:)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful shot!

It's amazing how much more we see when it's from behind a lens. I started a daily photo blog a few months ago mostly to challenge myself to actually use the camera. I've learned to really look around me...we live in a beautiful world.

Lone Grey Squirrel said...

dave,
You must have quite a beautiful collection of winter photos by now. You definately have an eye for these compositions.

What you say about walking and noticing things is so true.

Anyway, dave, I already know we share some weirdness but I am tagging you for "6 Weird Things About Myself". Cheers.

abcd said...

looking at things from different angle and we will somehow discover new prospective.
Great blog. I look forward to your new post.

Sunil Parashar said...

The scene is simply beautiful{coz it's shot beautifully}.

You know we often go out searching for Diamonds when thousands lay in our own backyard.. :)~ There's lesson for each one of us in this post and experience of yours.

Have a Nice time Dave.

The Boy said...

Serendipity can lead us to more beauty than a 1000 art galleries if we only take the time to look.

Lovely shot!

Monika said...

Exactly!

Bernie said...

Sometimes, even when you think you're eyes are opened, they're not truly opened. Your blog speaks to me on so many different levels.

Dave said...

Good morning Becky!... Thank you. I agree..Daylight hours...Oh how I miss them! :-)

Peased to meet you the lone beader...You are right when you say that beauty is everywhere...We just have to look around us.

Susan... Thank you. Looking throguh a camera lens certainly focuses things that normally would be seen just as a passing monment.

Thanks LGS! (please note the sarcasm!) :-) Because of this tag, I have been wracking my brains as to what to reveal to others... I gotta be careful that I don't scare anybody off! LOL

HiPink Ginger!... I tend to look at a lot of things from a different angle. I think that is a good thing. :-)

Hi Sunil Parmar!...A very wise statement indeed... I just wish they were real diamonds! :-) But you are right... Sometimes we focus so much on things far away from us that we fail to see the value of things right under our noses.

the boy...Very nice to meet you...enjoyed your blog. Your comment is so right... beauty starts in the heart and radiates around us in people AND in beauty.

Monika!.. I am gald you agree with me...Good to hear from you! :-)

Good point bernie! SOmetimes it takes awhile for us to truly see.

Janice Thomson said...

This is indeed beautiful Dave...I would love to see a summer shot too! :)

Tasha said...

You are absolutely right. I take my camera with me when I go for walks. Sometimes I don't have my camera and wish I did. great pic:)

Anonymous said...

Great job! I made your picture my current desktop wallpaper. I was getting tired of Saturn anyways. :)
-P

polona said...

this is a stunning shot!
it's really amazing how looking at familiar scenes through the camera lens changes perspective.

Shionge said...

Greetings from Singapore Dave and I fully agreed that we would be amazed by the 'treasures' we discovered when we take a walk around the neighbour.

An awesome pic :D

Bardouble29 said...

What a gorgeous picture, thanks for sharing it....

Dave said...

Thanks Janice!... A summer shot of the train tracks or a summer shot of anything in my area?

Hi Tasha!... I know what you mean. Just the other month I wish I had my camera when I was really close to a hawk sitting less than 10 feet above me. I have learned my lesson!

Hi Proxima!... You are more than welcome to do so... Have a nice day! :-)

Nice to meet you polona... Yes, looking through a cemera lens sure changes things!

Hi Shionge!,... Yes, things sure come into focus when we pay attention to our surroundings. Thanks for visiting. :-)

Hibardouble!... You are very welcome! :-)

CS said...

What a beautiful photograph. I have decided that photography makes you see the world in a way you otherwise wouldn't.

Jo said...

Omigosh, Dave, that is so beautiful...! You have a real eye for photography.

Josie

Em said...

Sometimes just walking with a camera makes you look at things in an entirely different way!

Thanks for stopping by my blog. It led me here! I like it. Seems we have a similar profession and some similar interests. I'll be back!

Marie-Hélène Raletz said...

Beautiful picture, Dave!
I love the warm touch of colour amidst the pastel, quasi monochromatic tones.
A great serendipity moment.
Marie

Dave said...

Hi CSL!...Pleased to meet you. You are so right when you say that photography makes you see the world in a way you otherwise wouldn't. Thanks for your interest!

Josie...You are too nice...Thank you!

Em...There's something to be said of people of the same mind. Thanks for visiting!

Thanks Marie!... That is a great compliment coming from such a fine photographer like yourself! :-)

Janice Thomson said...

I meant of the tracks but right now a pic of anything with the slightest hint of summer or spring would chase away the rainy blues