WHY ARE YOU WAITING TO TAKE THAT PICTURE?

You can't get the photograph, in this case the U.S. Air Force Memorial, if you don't stop and take the picture.

Stop and take that photo today! You know what I'm talking about. Have you been driving past a location every day and thinking what a nice photograph that would make. Why haven't you stopped? What are you waiting for? After all, don't you owe it to yourself to at least stop and see if it truly is your next great photograph or if it is one you can cross it off your list.

Do you make excuses like waiting for the right light or you have to be somewhere in a hurry. I understand, but then how do you explain that when the light is perfect and you have all the time in the world, you still don't stop.

Are you afraid to be disappointed? It happens, that somehow the photo you've pictured from the seat of your car driving by at 50 m.p.h. may in fact look very different when you stop and get a closer look. But the point is, how will you know unless you actually stop.

The two photos posted here are good examples of what I'm talking about. The Air Force Memorial itself can be interesting, but it wasn't until I saw it against a backdrop of storm clouds that I really took notice. The problem was, I saw this same picture on several occasions and just kept driving. Well, earlier this month I finally stopped and captured the image that I had seen previously. I was glad I finally stopped and am pleased with the photo.

I've been looking at this pickle from my car seat for a year and never stopped. Not particularly thrilled with this result, but I'm not ready to cross of my list.

The other thing I've witnessed from my car seat is a large pickle, or what I believe is a pickle (it could be a cucumber), that hangs between two buildings just off the road. I was intrigued and couldn't figure out why it was there, after all there isn't a pickle shop, or even a deli nearby. I guess it really doesn't matter, because once I noticed it, I couldn't drive by without checking it out and thinking about photographing it.

So after nearly a year, yes, a year, I finally stopped and took a picture. The light was alright and the picture is not what I pre-visualized, but at least I finally stopped. I also learned that when I try this again, and yes, I will try again, it will be early in the day, or maybe with a clouds in the sky, but I will take this photo again.

So are your ready to stop and get the picture? Don't wait any longer!

MEMORIAL DAY - A PERFECT DAY FOR A PHOTO WALK IN DC

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial is the newest addition to the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

I know it is not the final Monday in May. This is memorial day with a small "m."

It started as a government snow day and it doesn't take much in the Washington, D.C., area for the government to shutdown due to weather, or even the threat of weather.

On these days the temptation is to stay inside, pour a second cup of coffee and just spend the day relaxing. Of course the other option is to grab a camera and take advantage of the weather and day off to get some unique shots. On this day, and after a text from a friend reminding me I should be out shooting, I decided to head downtown.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was the final stop and by this time the sun started to come out and made for some interesting reflections in the still wet stone.

In the absence of a specific assignment, I like to pick a theme prior to heading out on a shoot. It doesn't mean I have to stick with the theme, but I find that it is helps to focus, otherwise I just walk around aimlessly with my camera and end up disappointed at the end of the day. So the natural theme I self assigned myself was to capture Washington, D.C., under a blanket of snow.

Now remember when I said earlier in this post that it doesn't take much for the government to shut down. Well this was the case and as I exited the metro at Foggy Bottom it was apparent that my theme was already melting away. There was NO snow.

The Lincoln Memorial was a good starting point.

With that idea out I decided to just start walking in the direction of the Lincoln Memorial and see what I could see and before I realized it, I found myself walking from memorial to memorial and it hit me, or more specifically a new theme came to light; memorial day. Not the most original theme of course, but if you are in Washington, D.C., you really are in the perfect place for this kind of photo walk.

The route I took from the Lincoln Memorial to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

I started at the Lincoln Memorial (A) and made a counter clockwise loop ending at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (E). Along the way I stopped at the Korean War Memorial (B), Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial (C) and the World War II Memorial (D).

Snow was the most apparent at the Korean War Memorial and somehow the most appropriate.

There were very few people around and while I usually try and include people in my photographs, this day I concentrated more on the memorials themselves. I carried only my Fuji X100S and shot in black and white mode all day.

Even though there was no snow, or very little snow on the ground, everything was wet which made for some great reflections. Also as the day wore on, the sky cleared up and provided some nice light and cloud formations.

Just because the theme for the walk was memorial day, it doesn't mean other things won't catch your eye along the way.

Give yourself an assignment or pick a theme to get started and get out there and shoot. Don't wait for a rainy day. But if it is raining, or snowing, all the better.

WORLD WIDE PHOTO WALK REDUX

So the 2012 World Wide Photo Walk results are in and you can see the grand prize winner and 10 finalists over at Scott Kelby's blog along with many of his personal favorites that didn't make the cut.

The really cool thing is that at the World Wide Photo Walk web site in the people's choice section you can see all the local walk winners from around the world and get the opportunity to vote. They are presented in order alphabetically by location.

Entering contests means you put yourself out there for others to judge. In this case you were judged by your local walk leader, then by Scott. I don't envy having to go through all these images and pick just one winner. I've been a photo contest judge in the past and know that everyone will second guess you. Even in this case as I looked through all the local winners, I found images that I liked better than those ultimately selected. That doesn't mean anything really, because who am I to disagree, the ultimate winner is a very nice photograph.

I participated in the Washington DC (Capitol Hill and The Mall) photo walk and thought I would share a few thoughts about the day and the process I used for selecting my contest entry. First, it forced me to get up before dawn on a cold morning and photograph around the U.S. Capitol Building and for that I am grateful. And I was happy with the results after two hours of shooting.

When the time came to select which photo I would enter, I struggled a bit. Did I submit the night shot of the Capitol, a portrait, or the still life of the apple taken in front of the Department of Health and Human Services? The shot of the Capitol was technically very good, but I figured everyone would have a similar shot and there was nothing really special about it. The lighting in the portrait was very nice and I figured most other walkers would not have photographed people, concentrating instead on the buildings. And the apple, which I thought was something very different, a found object in an unusual location, might stand out among other submissions.

So I went with the apple and was happy with the decision. I don't mind being judged and even though that photo didn't receive as much praise as the others when shared on Facebook and Flickr, it was my decision and that is a freeing experience. I've spent much of my photographic career playing it safe and this was my small chance to just go with my feelings.

My photo was not selected by the local leader and in fact when all the local photos were posted, I picked the same photo that was ultimately selected.

Would I have won if I went a safer route and submitted my night Capitol shot? It was better than the other night shots submitted after all. But the fact that others had submitted those same shots just confirms that I was conforming again which only makes me happier that I submitted the photo I did.

I mentioned in a previous post on the topic what I hoped to get out of a group photo walk and things went pretty much as expected. Following other walkers and leaders, as well as posting photos on Google + was a great way to connect and expand on the experience. It also made me take a second look at using Google + more often. One thing that I hoped for was a little more interaction between walkers and some follow up afterwards. From what I saw on Google +, it appeared many of the other groups met and shared photos immediately following the event.

I have an idea for a great walk location next year and will apply to be a group leader. More to come on that.

See my selection of photos from the Washington DC (Capitol Hill and The Mall) World Wide Photo Walk on Flickr.

WORLD WIDE PHOTO WALK

Photo taken during a solo photo walk in Chicago last week.

On October 13th 28,000 photographers will participate in 1,300 local photo walks around the world. I will be in in Washington, D.C., participating in my first.

Photo walks are essentially walking with your camera for the sole purpose of taking pictures of things you find along the way. They can be done alone or as part of a group and sometimes are led by an experienced photographer who will offer tips along the way.

The Worldwide Photo walk is the brain child of Photoshop expert and photographer Scott Kelby and if like me you've never taken part in a group photo walk, I think this is the perfect opportunity. While most of the world wide photo walks filled up quickly, you can check here to see if there are openings in your area or add your name to a waiting list.

As I stated above, I've never taken part in a group photo walk, however, I think being part of a group offers several things that a solo photo walk can not. It is a chance to share what you know with others while learning something from them. I provides you the opportunity to see photographs taken by others at the same time and location as you were shooting thus allowing you to reflect on your own work and vision. Finally, the peer pressure ensures you actually get out and shoot.

I will be participating in a three two hour photo walk that starts at 6 a.m. and focuses on Capitol Hill and the The Mall. Not sure exactly what gear I'll bring, but it will be minimal for sure. Years ago I accompanied my wife during a business trip to Paris and while she was in meetings during the day I had the opportunity to walk around the city just taking photos. I traveled to France with pretty much all the gear I owned at the time, but in the end found that my Nikon FM2 with a 24mm lens and a few rolls of film allowed me the freedom to really explore the city.

My goal during this photo walk will be to enjoy the company of fellow photographers. My only regret is that I have a 10 a.m. assignment at Mount Vernon which means I will not be able to stick around following the walk. Very disappointing, but not enough for me to cancel.

Check out the Official World Wide Photo Walk Facebook page or follow the official walk on Google+ or on Twitter using the hastag #WWPW.