The Road Less Travelled... To Work

I returned to bike commuting this week and realized how much I missed it (the bike) and how much I missed while driving.  Anyone who drives the Capital Beltway knows you can't possibly take in anything while contending with groggy commuters, gridlock, cellphone and a macdonalds-hot starbucks between your knees.

The point of the post is seeing.  I'm not talking about becoming a zen master buddhist.  Though I didn't have my camera with me and would have certainly been late to the office if I did, I noticed much more.  The sun rose over the Potomac in a curry red and I began to plot my next shot with a long lens - cyclist or runners in the fore, huge sun in the back and the Lincoln Monument somewhere in there.  Looking over my left shoulder to the West, there were a couple of vantage points that would give me what I was looking for along the Memorial Bridge.  This weekend looks like rain, but who knows, there might be a shot worth scouting out regardless.

The next time you're out, sans camera, look and plan.  You will learn to see without the chaff of camera and controls that can sometimes interfere with image composition.  If in an unfamiliar area, bring a GPS along and mark the spot.  Think about returning at different times of day or weather.  Come back to it later... on a bike.