Last weekend, I went for a walk in one of our local nature parks, Irishtown Nature Park. I woke up early that morning, and the ambiance was nice and misty. The sun wasn't up yet, so I got out of my car and went for a ride. At first, I thought I'd get some nice empty street shots in the city, but the empty streets didn't inspire me, so I decided to take a chance and drive to the park. Luckily, the fog would stay long enough to get lovely photos of the lake.
Sometimes, you just have to listen to your inner feelings. I had been waiting for a misty morning to go to town, but it wouldn't be that morning.
When I arrived at the park, still coffee in hand and camera in the bag, I saw the most beautiful and serene scene. A woman was meditating or just listening to her music with her dog standing guard next to her by the lake. The lake's surface was in complete stillness and as reflective as a mirror. The horizon was lost in the fog, and just a few trees were barely visible along the edge of the lake.
I couldn't miss such a shot.
Served on a silver platter, that scene may become one of my favorite images of the year. It certainly will stay in my favorite images for some time to come.
I talked with the woman, Magalie. She was sweet and at peace with the calmness of the lake. I showed her the photo. She liked it but said she didn't have any social media and was okay not getting a copy. I may print a small copy and put it in my camera bag. Who knows, maybe I'll see her again one morning.
That was only five minutes of my walk in the park. I could have turned around and called it a day—I wouldn't have a better image that morning. But I went on, and I walked along my favorite path all the way to my favorite bench. Way off the main trails, on a tiny footpath leading back to the lake where this lonely bench rests, away from everything but Nature.
I'm not a nature photographer, and I don't consider myself a landscape photographer either. I'm certainly not a wildlife photographer. Still, I admit that spending time in Nature, especially in the morning while the sun is rising, is a spiritual journey every time. Peace.
Do you, like me, find solace in solitary walks, whether in Nature or the city? How does it make you feel? Is it the pursuit of capturing a perfect photo, or is it more about finding inner peace? Do you have a special place, like my favorite bench, that you find yourself returning to time and again?