While hiking along the Virgin River Gorge in Utah, I became winded and in need of a well-deserved rest.  Usually while out exploring I keep my eyes up to spot photographic opportunities, but this trail had narrowed to a small footpath along the edge of a cliff and I thought it best to "keep my eyes on the road," lest my camera gear and I blaze a new trail down the side of the mountain.  Observing the trail underfoot while setting down to rest, I noticed the dryness of the earth.  Days without rain and high temperatures had created a rough and cracked surface in the mud, and the patterns and contrast of the mud pieces against the crevices formed the perfect presentation for a black and white print.  

I recently received a letter from a client that had taken one of my classes many years ago.  Since then he had married and started a family.  Studies suggest that high contrast shapes and patterns stimulate a newborn’s vision, and this student purchased one of my prints to accent the nursery.  High contrast images, such as between the crevices and shapes of the dried mud can offer stimulation to the minds of both the young and not-so-young-anymores.  

Remember to look all around while enjoying the outdoors - it's a 360-degree view. Take a break on your hikes and

take the time to see.  Visualizing the dry, cracked earth beneath me in black and white was more stimulating than the reality of a dried mud puddle.  It’s not always your destination that is worthy of a photograph, sometimes you’ll find it on the journey.