I was up early…drank a quick cup of coffee and hit the road in my Subaru Forester. I had a couple of my cameras with me…my Fujifilm GFX50S II and my Fujifilm X-T4 with a Voigtlander NOKTON 35mm F1.2 lens. I was out looking for a photograph. Does it really work that way? Can a photographer actually “look for a photograph”…or does one just stumble across one? That is a really good question. Many photographers think they are so good, that virtually any click of the shutter produces a truly gem of a photo. I really hate to disagree with that train of thought, but that is rarely ever the case. Years of practice, good technique, and a trained eye to visualize a composition are certainly important tools to have, but are no guarantee of success! Sometimes you can put yourself at the right place at the right time…and you are able to make magic happen with the camera! I know one thing for sure…when I “stumble across” a cool photographic composition or opportunity, it is because I was out “Looking For A Photograph!”
I made my first stop of the day just outside the small mining town of Superior, Arizona. Picketpost Mountain loomed to the west. Although it was beautiful, the clear blue sky resulted in a bland and quite boring backdrop. I turned around and looked east towards Apache Leap…and there was a scene with some character…something I could work with. I decided to give my manual-focusing Voigtlander NOKTON 35mm a go with my Fujifilm X-T4. The view spoke to me…a Saguaro Forest with Apache Leap looming in the background. I focused and snapped the image. I “chimped” the image on the back of the camera…what I saw didn’t impress me in the least. That being said…once returning home and editing on my iMac, I was pleasantly surprised with a pretty decent photo. Therefore, looking for a photograph allowed me to stumble across a compelling composition!
Saguaro Forest below Apache Leap
I hit the road again heading south past the small town of Kearney to the old mining town of Hayden, Arizona. I wasn’t sure what I would find in Hayden…now hold on…that really isn’t true. I knew I was looking for photos of buildings in disrepair…translation…falling apart! This town has certainly seen better days. The Hayden United Methodist Church proved to be a worthy subject.
Hayden United Methodist Church
The abandoned church is located in the heart of downtown Hayden, near the police station. Although it is sad to see a place of worship in this condition, it was interesting to photograph. Soon I found myself back on the highway heading south, past the town of Mammoth, and on towards Oracle, before making a sharp turn…heading back north towards Florence, Arizona. Nothing really piqued my interest on the drive north. Just before entering Florence, I turned east onto the Florence-Kelvin Highway. After more than 20 miles of driving, I stumbled upon a wonderful desert scene. A large field of granite boulders surrounded by a few very large saguaro cacti, backed by rugged mountains came into view. Excited…I pulled over to the shoulder to produce one of my favorite images of the day!
Outside
Whenever you head out for a day of photography…always go out with the intention of “Looking for a photograph”, because you never know what you may stumble across!