High Lonesome Trees

I made two weekend trips to the High Lonesome Ranch in November. I shot in my usual ways, focusing on nature and whatever caught my interest as I walked about.

Oak tree hanging over a dry creekbed
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Sometime during the second trip, I became consciously aware that I was shooting a lot of trees. I was definitely attracted to the amazing fall colors we've been having (it's been more colorful than in past years... for Texas). But I was also focused on the trees in general.

Mesquite tree at sunset
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At the end of the month, when I finally sat down to take a hard look at what I had shot, I really didn't have too many shots of the fall colors. However, I did have a lot of tree photos - dead trees, silhouetted trees, Oak trees, Mesquite trees, etc.

Fall color in Texas!
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Lately, when I've been out shooting, I've let myself wander a bit and have let go my forceful desires to "get the shot", i.e. I've tossed out my expectations and not let myself fear the onset of disappointment if I returned home with no good photos. It's easy to justify - it really doesn't matter what photos I take. I'm not shooting to get paid nor for any deadlines. I have no requirements.

I've been a bit of an anxious control freak my whole life, and the same applies to my photography. After letting go, it felt liberating not to have that self-induced pressure to make photos.

The end result is that my "take", i.e. my selection of keepers from the shoots, was just as numerous (if not more) than previous shoots when I applied my forceful, unrealistic photographic desires and wants. It's hard to let go. But it works.

Click to enter the gallery and see more photos from my November shooting:
www.texbrick.com/photo/dl_fall08