The Journey

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Joanne Edith

In this era of portable and ever-present technology, I’m often chided for my insistence on toting a relatively heavy and bulky DSLR camera case on vacation. Though I concede that iPhone snapshots can be great, nothing can compare to capturing a predawn experience through my camera lens.

I expect incredibly vibrant sunrise shots and mirrored reflections of the Seven Seas Lagoon; but some of my more memorable moments come from unexpected sights and sounds encountered along the way.

Barefooted and armed with zoom lens in my pocket, and a polishing cloth in the other, I eased out through the sliding doors, careful to not wake the sleeping child in the adjacent bed. The sprinklers were cycling through their programmed sequences, and I knew that if I headed east on the lava pathway towards Bay Lake, I could skirt the spray and reach already-watered landscapes. There I would wait for my sunrise.

Thirsty from the previous sun-scorched afternoon, the lush landscapes seemed to be soaking in the welcomed moisture. The sun would soon return and the blooms would re-open, dotting the Polynesian scene with vibrant tropical hues. But for now, here, in the quiet of the cool dawn, I paused to wait; content to bear silent witness to tear-shaped droplets clinging to delicate buds and stems.

This unanticipated frame transports me to that sublimely peaceful moment, reminding me (with the twenty-twenty clarity of hindsight) that the journey can be priceless.

Light and Shade Challenge.

Category: Introspection, Light and Shade Challenge, Photo Essays, Photography, Polynesian VillageTags: droplets, Polynesian Village, WDW Flora

4 Comments on “The Journey”

Tara R.
August 28, 2015

I still prefer my DSLR too, but it took me a while to get used to it and not my film camera. The photo is a gorgeous capture.

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- Joanne Edith
  August 28, 2015
  
  I Know! After years of bracketing shots and judiciously selecting which ones to get on film, I can now click away and delete the ones that are less than perfect. It took me awhile too. You always have a great eye for composition regardless of the medium. Thanks, Tara.
  
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  - Tara R.
    August 28, 2015
    
    Ah… bracketing. The bane of my college photography courses.
    
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  - Joanne Edith
    August 29, 2015
    
    I’m jealous…engineering curriculum didn’t allow for photography or creative writing or music. Now that I’m retired I’m happily making up for lost time.
    
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