Tourist of Light

The other day I was playing with my flashes ... just trying to formulate in my mind what I wanted to say during the Strobist section of Tracy Wright Corvo's Portrait and Lighting workshop. And as usual it was the night before the workshop ... late :).
So, as I was running thru all the classic lighting scenarios of basic lighting ... a light bulb goes off , maybe if they know the names and can see it ... they will recognize them when they see the shot on a mag or an image ... and start thinking about how it was created (strobe or manual flash, it's all the same). Bingo! I got a single point I can hammer home ... and try "not" to go all over the place on tangents and end up with someone that does not actually get to shoot, with my set up, LOL. ( it's hard for me to stay on point ... that's why I love blogs ... It helps me "try" to convey one point on a blog ... and I can see when I start to go off the rails ... and I can see when it is getting toooo long , when I start obsessing on just one point ... as much as I share my journey ... I always get back ... funny how that works ... but, it's never in a direct relationship ) ..... .... ..... ..... .....

Anyway ... I digress :) ... It was getting late ... and just as I was going to pack it in ... I do what I normally try to do , once the money shot is on the CF.
Shoot something I would not, normally. Light it differently. Break some rules (guidelines really). :)
So, there I went ... moving the lights ... just doing some crazy stuff that an old PRO (with years of lighting experience) would totally trash me for.
And then BANG! something COOL!
(OMG! it's 5am ... workshop is 9am ... and I have not packed up, or gone to sleep yet)
WOW! I am a f-ing Explorer! an "EXPLORER ... of ....... LIGHT" !

Hmmmm ... where did I hear that before? Must have been on some Nikon forum :)
But, nooo ... I am not a Explorer of Light ... I have "just" begun my Journey. I am not Columbus, I did not discover America ... I am not going where no Man has gone before?
All I am at this point, "is" a Tourist ... a "Tourist" of Light. :)

What I do is ... research my Trip plan ... get advice from others that have "been" there, "done" that ... Maybe join up with a good Tour group, where both the Tour guide and Tourist share information ... I have been to places and gone on Tours before , so I know a few things that I can apply to my Journey. I read books, and look at pics of the destinations. I plan my schedule.
But, in fact ... I am a Tourist. Not an Explorer ... I discover nothing NEW. (just new for me).
And as I go on my journey or Tour ... my Journey with Light ... sometimes I accidently, or on purpose ... roam down a side street ... get lost ... and find something New! on my own. And that can make the trip even more worthwhile.

Because if you can find your way back ... and also remember how you got there. That, becomes another tool (another compass, another GPS app) ... that gives you confidence to take a few more "side streets".

Hope this helps someone,
Ross Hamamura http://www.rdhphoto.net/

"The Tourist of LIGHT" :)