The Battle with the Couch

Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is just get out. The call of the couch can seem irresistible. It is always easier to stay in and stay comfortable. I will be the first to admit I often lose out to the couch and always rue the decision. I never regret the times I fight back and go out and try to capture images. Grabbing the gear and heading out always feels better, even if it’s a nearby local spot.

This is the scenario I found myself in a few weeks ago. I had made plans to visit a woodland park about an hour and a half away from downtown Chicago. I had slept late, so couch surfing seemed good once I was out of bed. I knew better, so I grabbed the bag and went to the beach. I went to a nearby park called Ohio Street Beach. I have had some success there so I decided to try my luck again on this day. The challenge, however,  was cold, grey, and windy weather, the conditions that made the couch seem much more appealing. But I did not let the weather or my laziness stop me on this day. I forged on and set out to create some images.

Once I was at the beach, my motivation had improved dramatically. The conditions were not spectacular. It was still cold, grey, and even more windy on the shore of Lake Michigan, but I was out and had a camera. This was already a positive to the day. Walking the monotone beach that morning looking for compositions, I had a spring in my step. I felt engaged and alert, awake, and enjoying my day. I had defeated my couch in the epic battle, which is easy relaxation. I had created some images on this day. I made my art, and that is always a win.

I created a video about this subject. In it you can see how I creatd the image featured in this blog. You can watch it below.