A Hard Lesson: The Mistake I'll Never Make Again
Today’s video is a little different from what I originally planned. I’m working on something new: a voiceover video of one of the hikes my wife, Pixel, and I took recently. I’m thinking this could turn into a series since we’re surrounded by so many amazing trails here in Washington. There’s so much beauty out there, and I’d love to share our favorite spots. Plus, if you live here or plan to visit, this could be your guide to capturing some awesome shots!
It’s taking me longer than expected to put this video together. It’s my first time making this type of video, so there's a bit of a learning curve. You know, as Ira Glass says, there’s always that creative gap—where the vision you have in your head doesn’t quite match what you’re producing. But each video gets me a little closer, and I’m excited to keep working on it.
In the meantime, I’ve written my first Medium post that’s a version of this hike in written form. I’ll link it below, and I’ll probably add it to my website as well if you want to check it out.
Speaking of challenges, I’m on day 24 of my 30-day photo challenge, where I take and post a picture every day. One thing I’ve learned is that photography opportunities are everywhere—even in the mundane, everyday moments. As long as I have my camera or phone with me, I always find something worth capturing.
Let me tell you a quick story from a recent walk with Pixel. We were on a trail, and I had my Ricoh GR3X and X-T5 with me. At one point, Pixel got really excited about something in a tree, and I thought it was just a squirrel. Turns out, there were two bobcat cubs up there! The path we were on was elevated, so I had an eye-level view of them. I framed up the perfect shot with my X-T5... only to realize I didn’t have a memory card in the camera. I tried swapping cards between my Ricoh and the X-T5, but it wouldn’t read. I ended up using my phone and an S22 Ultra, but it was tough knowing I missed that perfect shot.
Lessons Learned: The Memory Card Mishap I'll Never Repeat
Lesson learned: always double-check that you have a memory card. This isn’t the first time I’ve made this mistake, but I’m determined it’ll be the last. I’ve bought a few extra high-speed cards, so I’m covered from now on.
Despite that mishap, the 30-day challenge has been a great experience. I’ve been putting my photos in Day One and on Glass, and I’m thinking of printing them in a little photo zine once I’m done. I’ve always wanted to create a zine, and this challenge feels like the perfect opportunity. There’s something so rewarding about having a tangible product of your work. I did something similar for our first dog—a little book of her first year with us—and I plan to do one for Pixel too. Her birthday’s coming up, so it’ll be a fun project.
This challenge has also got me thinking about how fortunate we are to be creatives today. There are so many incredible tools available, from new action cameras to amazing older cameras that still hold up. My Sony A7II may be 10 years old, but it still produces great shots—it’s all about finding the gear that works for you.
Anyway, I’m going to wrap it up here. Thanks so much for watching and supporting my work. If you want to see the photos from my 30-day challenge, they’re on Glass, and I’ll also link to where they’ll be on my website. I really appreciate every comment, like, and share. I’ll catch you in the next one—talk to you later!
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