My Weblog: Chasing sunsets

by Donna Andrews

Oooh," I said. "Look at that! Where's my camera?"

"That" was the sunset, reflected on the all-glass side of one of the office buildings in the Reston Town Center. I'd been out to a brainstorming dinner at nearby On the Border with Barb Goffman, one of my nearest writing friends and neighbors. And as we headed back to our neighborhood, we both spotted the incredible sunset.

"If you turn right at this light, you can probably catch it," Barb said. She knew that I wasn't just marveling at the beautiful light effects. I was coveting them for my 365 project.

According to the website 365project.org, where I've been posting my photos, "The 365 project is a photography project where you document a year of your life by taking a daily photo." Ellen Crosby, another of my writing friends and neighbors, told me about the project, and I was so keen on doing it that I started on November 2 rather than waiting, as she did, for January 1. Hey, the date's arbitrary, right?

Each day's photo can be of anything, although I've set myself the additional barrier of not invading the privacy of my friends and family, so you won't see a lot of people in mine. I do a lot of plants. Landscapes. Bird and animal shots.

I'm particularly fond of sunsets, so a lot of them appear in my project. And I'd have a lot more if sunsets weren't so elusive. At least half a dozens times, maybe more, I've spotted a beautiful sunset while driving, tried to find someplace where I could pull over and still see it, and failed miserably. The sunset Barb tried to help me capture, for example. When we drove around the block, the beautiful light effect vanished. We cruised up and down the nearby streets and eventually found that the one and only place in the world where that particular shot could be taken was right in the middle of the four-lane main highway. Some shots you just have to let go. For now, anyway. I think I figured out where I can park to stand on the embankment and catch that light effect, assuming I get down there around sundown within the next few days. Keep your fingers crossed.

But my 365 project would be boring if it consisted of nothing but sunsets. Or roses, another recurring favorite. So I'm always on the lookout for new and different subjects.

Some days it drives me bonkers, trying to pick which of the day's shots to use. Other days, bedtime nears and I realize I haven't yet taken a single photo. It was too cold to go out. Or too hot. Or I was sick. Or busy. Or having one of those blah days when nothing seemed worth shooting. Sometimes you can can tell the busy/sick/blah days because that day's photo will be of one of my houseplants, or an unusual detail of some object in my house. Then again, sometimes the houseplant or the detail is what fired me up that day.

I've had fun with the project. I've taken some beautiful photos that I wouldn't have taken if I wasn't working on the project--it's amazing how looking around for something to photograph every day helps you see beautiful or interesting things that you might otherwise have overlooked.

It's that way with the writing. Some days I wake up inspired and scramble down to the computer to start writing. Much more often I make myself sit down to the writing because that's what I do. On a good day, I get into the groove and the writing time flies by. On a bad day--well, I still try to do my quota. I'm a firm believer in the theory that good books aren't written but rewritten. In writing not because I'm inspired but until I'm inspired. In applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.

And sometimes, when the words just won't come, in picking up my camera and walking outside to see if I can knock off today's 365 shot while letting my subconscious work on the words.

Anyone who wants to see the whole 365 project--so far--can check it out here.

And now, back to the book.

Comments

Hey, Donna. Love your blog and your photos. I've been following your 365 entries with a lot of appreciation and enthusiasm.

Here's a photo tip from someone who has tracked many a sunrise and sunset.

The sailors had it right: "Evening red and morning gray, sends the traveler on his way. Evening gray and morning red, bring down rain upon his head."

They used it to predict the weather, but now that we have skilled (sort of) meteorologists, we can use the weather forecast to get the heads up on more spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Then you can pick your spot, put your feet up, and let nature do the work until you're ready to snap. It works surprisingly well if you're trying to capture the best effect at a particular location.

The other trick is that the most spectacular color and light show is often before or after the moment that the sun is at the horizon line.

Thanks for sharing your creativity in all its forms, Donna.

Posted by: Robin Templeton | July 01, 2011 at 10:38 AM