Not to have known–as most men have not–either the mountain or the desert is not to have known one’s self. Not to have known one’s self is to have known no one. — Joseph Wood Krutch
This year for Memorial Day, we decided to stay local and go camping in the San Jacinto Mountains, one of the major peninsular mountain ranges in southern California. For those traveling through the Banning Pass on I-10, the imposing north face of San Jacinto Peak–the range’s high point–is really hard to miss, and that’s about the only taste most people get of San Jacintos.
The more time I spend there, the more I really like this mountain range. Although not as glaciated as parts of the Sierra (think Yosemite), the granitic formations in the San Jacintos are spectacular. Similarly, because the range is a sky island surrounded by desert, it hosts an interesting variety of plants and animals.
Because of the dramatically steep slopes of the San Jacintos, there are many opportunities for interesting landscape compositions, including the granitic formations I mentioned above, as well as the ability to look out on most of southern California. This time of year, when the lowlands of southern California are receiving a fairly heavy marine layer, the atmospherics viewed from above can be interesting.
Like a lot of people I know, I spend time daydreaming about places I would love to visit and photograph, often forgetting almost completely about the places that are practically in my backyard. Getting to know these places can be valuable, because one realizes–as I am often reminded–that they can be just as beautiful as the faraway locations we invest so much time and money in getting to. Similarly, depending on exactly where your “backyard” is, these locations can be gloriously under-photographed, allowing for freedom of expression and creativity. If you have nothing to compare your image to, it is much less constraining to the creative process.
Perhaps instead of challenging ourselves to produce a new take on an “icon,” we should challenge ourselves to discover a totally new place, unphotographed and unknown. It might end up being a bust, but at least you’ll know.
Great post Greg, I couldn’t agree more. Exploring locations close to home is a great way to challenge yourself and create unique images. I find that through exploring a specific location numerous times, I grow an appreciation and understanding that is a lot stronger than when just “visiting” an area.
Beautiful images as well. I must say, your “backyard” looks like a pretty amazing place to explore!
Thanks Kyle; I agree that taking on a personal project close to home can be a great challenge, and as you said, as you get to know a place, the art seems to follow, in my experience.
Thanks for your comments about the images–and I’ve always thought your backyard looks like a pretty great place to explore!
I like your thinking here Greg. I feel pretty much the same way.
I love that B/W photo — superb.
Thanks, PJ, on both counts!
Another excellent post on an important subject. I’ve been thinking about this for some time. I believe for the sake of the planet and our own sanity, landscape photographers could practice less jet setting around and more photographic bioregionalism.
Thanks, David. Yes, I agree that I’ve thought about my own trips, and how they aren’t very “green.” I’m really glad we stayed close to home this past holiday weekend.
We can say the same thing for family vacations. We seem to think Disneyland, Vegas or the Caribbean Islands are the places we must go and see rather than the wonders in our own back yard.
I probably fall short of your statement, “If you have nothing to compare your image to, it is much less constraining to the creative process.” Who knows what will come up on our computer screen. Excellent post that’s inspiring.
Many thanks, Monte. Funny you mention family vacations, because this actually *was* a family camping trip. However, instead of going somewhere distant like the eastern Sierra or the Grand Canyon this year, we decided to stay close to home.
I heartily agree, Greg. Increasingly I refuse to go more than half an hour from home for my wildlife shots and many are taken less than 15 minutes from home. I celebrate a new species (photographically) and find it as rewarding as when I went to Galapagos. The more we ignore our local patch the more it stands at risk.
Well said, Andrew. “Home,” wherever it is, has a lot to offer.