I am a visual person, and some of my best photographs have been taken whilst on the move. I just acted. I didn’t think.
The picture below is an example of a photo I took from a boat in the Great Bear Rainforest while on a fabulous 7-day Adventure on a boat called “Great Bear II”
I had just had a devastating diagnosis of sight loss (Glaucoma), and was experiencing vertigo, fuzzy vision, and uncomfortable insecurity from my new physical reality.
I was due to leave on a boat trip which was planned and paid for, and despite my new and difficult circumstances, I was determined to go. I was aware that problems with vision might interfere with my enjoyment, but as usual, I was undeterred.
Thank goodness the owners of the trip agreed to take me. (Credit to Eric and Trish Boyum, owners of Ocean Adventures BC.) Oceanadventures.bc.ca
The first few days it poured 9 inches of torrential rain, but we ventured out on a zodiac cruise despite the conditions. No one was taking pictures due to the heavy rain. As we were cruising quietly up a small channel a movement caught my attention. I saw this amazing grizzly bear, poking his nose out of the bush. I instantly reached inside of my jacket for my camera and literally pointed it in the direction of the movement. Despite the admonitions to keep the camera out of the rain, I snapped away. To be honest, I could not really see clearly after the first glimpse, but I kept clicking anyway.
I captured about 30 pictures of “Boy Bear”, named by Eric and Trish who have photographed bears in this area for over 20 years.
He rumbled along with his agile yet awkward gait, down the bank of the channel, across the small body of water, and casually sat grazing in the long grass of a field. It was a truly magical sight.
I took a picture of my fellow travelers sitting in front of me watching Boy Bear in the grass. It is not possible to show the conditions we were in, but it still amazes me when I see this photo that my poor new camera survived the bath! Eric took it and put it in the engine room when we returned to the boat, as he was worried it would not dry out as well.
I had taken an art course from an amazing artist called Heather Spears previously.
She has written several books about her philosophy of visual perception. One of her books is called “The Creative Eye”, and it has helped me understand how vision, drawing and the brain are connected.
Essentially what Heather studied over her lifetime is the complexity of our visual senses as opposed to the simple act of “seeing” something. Our brains are amazing. They guide us and inform us, and most of the time we have no idea what they are trying to tell us. I remember one thing vividly that Heather said in our life drawing class. She said “If you can say it, don’t try to draw it. Your brain will try to distract you.” I think of that saying often.
Our instincts are almost “foreign” to us. We are so busy “thinking”, that we often miss the moment. We talk about “gut instincts”, and “go with your gut” as if we really understand it, however, how often do we question it, as opposed to just acting on it?
In that moment, with “Boy Bear”, my body followed my instincts, and I aimed perfectly, even though I could not “see”. I let go and reacted, and I am forever grateful. I think Heather would be proud. I know I am.
