Desire paths

I sometimes get worked up about things I should not get worked up about (ask my wife), but in this case I did see the symbolism of it: desire paths.

Elephants always take the shortest route, ignoring entirely how the path officially runs. Of course, they are elephants and that path was not laid by a construction-worker elephant. In Dutch we call them olifantenpaadjes, elephant paths; in English they are desire lines, which covers it perfectly.

This one is round the corner from me:

It is new, and when I walked past it with our dachshund Guus I thought straight away: photography is like that too.

If you want to learn everything quickly and look for the shortest route, you miss a piece. Of course, that route is different for everyone, but I think learning to photograph is simply about photographing a great deal with other people. Reading books. Watching and walking along, however long the route is. There are no shortcuts. You have to put in the miles.

I notice that now in portrait photography. I can do it, of course, but I think I am only halfway along the path. There is so much to learn about lighting setups, flashes, continuous light and reflectors, let alone about directing models and putting them at ease.

My choice here is to put in the miles. Walking briskly, perhaps, but along the whole path. No shortcuts for me.

In the distance an older woman comes speeding along on an electric bike. There is plenty of room, but she sees the freshly made path and off she goes. Another new trace on the desire path. I think about laying a branch across it, but realise that that is not mine to do.

You choose your own path. I simply do not believe much in shortcuts. Something to think about.

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