Summer is never really my ideal time to get outdoors with the Camera. It’s often humid, hot, and you can’t just take the camera out for a bit. You need supplies to survive the heat and those take up more space. Since I’ve gotten my BMX bike, I prefer to take the camera in my peak camera sling so I can ride, stop and shoot.

The Old Queen City

This summer has been a cruel reminder how out of shape I am, and out of practice I am with the camera. I knew it as I ventured out into uptown Charlotte and came back with 12 photos. I mean, that’s something at least, considering I’m in a serious dry spell. The upside is I biked 4 miles in an hour. It’s so much pedaling when you don’t have gears. Reluctant to face the old queen, I decided to..

Do it anyway

A dog Pee’d on me

As I was walking to my car, before I’d even gotten my bike, there was this little Shitsu mix named Jax that was freaking out with excitement as I walked up. I stopped to pet him and made small talk with the owner. She says “oh I’m sorry” I looked down and the dog has left drops of piss on my pants. I replied ” it’s okay, these pants are dirty and covered in bee syrup.” which probably looks worse than it is.

A nice bike ride will dry that right off, he was a good boy.

I had one bar left of battery life on my camera, I couldn’t get into my storage locker to get a new one, I almost just went back home. I decided to use that frustration and started cruising towards the city. I didn’t even bring something to drink. I was only like 1 mile in and my thighs were clearly questioning my impulsiveness.

Don’t you love it when you’re cruising up to a crosswalk and just as you approach it turns to the “walk” sign?

I had a lot of those, which helped. But what didn’t help is that I’m out of data for my phone and I can only listen to downloaded music, which as of lately has been a ton of Moodring. I let the album play through, but decided to listen to the city afterwards.

I haven’t used the fisheye in a while, it’s a great all-rounder and I think it’s fun whether you correct the lens distortion or leave it. I haven’t really taken photos downtown since peak covid last year. It’s definitely back to its usual weekenders and fine diners, but it’s still slow as always on the weekends. It’s nice to see Charlotte functioning more normally again.

All Queen, no crown.

Or all crown, no queen? Either way, I’ve found myself exactly where I was one year ago. I’ve had years like that, where they feel like dreams. Especially during my Hospitalization. What a gift to be able to document those dream-like experiences with photography. Call it a vice, gift, whatever, it allows me to harness the more important memories and reflect with growth and understanding. Time can be rather unforgiving with our memories.

And this is why it’s important that I continue to put pressure on myself to clean off the lens, (definitely my pants), and get out there.

Whatever I’m feeling and experiencing is undoubtedly going to come out in my photos. I made the mistake of letting depression cast a blanket on that creative process, now I have to re acclimate myself. Every picture looks like trash lately, but at least they felt good.

Which makes me feel good, despite all the little things that end up trying to deter me from that result.