When Life Gets in the Way of Art

First, Happy Flag Day! To all my Canadian readers, we show the flag with pride today – first unveiled 60 years ago. Proud of the flag – and so very proud to be a Canadian!

As you read this, I’m in the final planning stages of a trip – to Los Angeles. Will be joining an avid group of hobbyist architectural photographers to try creating abstracts with this unusual source subject. A new twist for me on a typically formal subject, usually captured with full facades, straight lines and predictable angles. These images will be tilted, twisted and perhaps even distorted. It should be fascinating. I’ll report on the outcome separately, but I wanted to take note of a few unexpected considerations in my planning. Not life imitating art or vice-versa, but rather life getting in the way of art.

As we all know, the residents of Los Angeles County have been through hellfire, literally. 359 separate large wildfires since January, more than 57,000 acres destroyed, with the two largest fires contained but not yet extinguished. Luckily there are more signs of rain every day, after months of prolonged drought.

At the height of these events, I wondered if it made sense to continue with my trip, on the books since last August. Apart from personal health concerns (like smoke in the air), I felt enormous grief for the people there and guilt that I would indulge in a hobbyist pleasure while they were going through this. Luckily again, things are getting better, and help came and continues to come from every direction – including Canada, by the way…

And that opens up the second issue – the current political landscape in the US. I have friends there and hope to make some new ones on this trip, but I honestly don’t know if I can avoid a conversation about the stupid stuff that seems to be emerging from US lawmakers each day now. It takes a lot to get me riled up, and endless talk of taking over my country qualifies as A LOT. Our two countries are forever joined at the hip on trade, economics, security and culture, but we are not and never will be relatives. Lots of my compatriots are taking a stand and cancelling their US trips this year. I decided that I wouldn’t. But it will be interesting to see if I can contain myself and not mention it over dinner one night…

And the third issue is one I have mentioned before – travelling and getting around when you are older. I recently developed some shoulder issues – companion problems to back, hip and knee issues that have existed for a while. This travel experience is designed around 3 intense days walking around the city (see starred landmarks below), photographing for 8 hours each day, moving around with my gear, and requiring the camera to be raised up and kept pointed up often above my shoulder for extended periods. I will also spend extra time on my own, visiting some landmarks not on the group list, like the Griffith Observatory. I’m worried about the physical demands.

It requires a completely different mindset when you are packing to minimize stress and strain on the body. Most people automatically grab a backpack or shoulder bag for a walk around the city, or as their carry-on for the flight – I’ll be bringing a small roller bag instead to carry my gear. Just can’t strap the weight to my body anymore. Hopefully the swath of stairs we have to climb will be minimal. And I’ll have to keep a closer eye on the bag since it won’t be physically attached to me. I’m also bringing a separate checked bag with, among other things, a back brace and a monopod – all to support me and my camera – just in case.

I’ve also bought a chest strap to allow me to quickly offload the camera from my hands while not in use. Helps with the arthritic hands. It’s actually quite comfortable. And the lenses I am taking are the smallest and lightest zooms I own – for obvious reasons.

Even the choice of shoes takes into account what I can tolerate. Over the past year, I’ve discovered Sketchers Slip-Ins and I’m happy to provide an endorsement for the quality and ease of use of their shoes. They are a godsend. I have every confidence that my walking will be comfortable all day because of their products.

And over the last few winter months, I’ve indulged in a home exercise program, walking briskly on a treadmill and riding a stationary bike for an hour 4 times a week to build up strength for this adventure. I also use a set of free weights to help strengthen the arms. I definitely see a benefit. The big surprise here is how long it takes me to recover after each episode and I admit that is a worry for a trip requiring several consecutive days of exertion. Not sure if “no pain, no gain” fits here, but we will see.

Since comfort is key, I’ve also decided to spend a bit more for that privilege. I’ll be using valet parking at the airport to avoid hassles finding parking; I’ve upgraded my seat to provide more legroom, overhead room and early boarding, and my cellphone plan includes both Canada and US access – no need to scramble for roaming access. My last trip almost this far west was a super economy fair to Las Vegas, where my knees were literally pressed up against the seat in front of me for 4 hours. Swore I would never do that again.

I’ve been having a lot of conversations recently with family and friends about indulging creature comforts and enjoying retirement while I still can. There are a lot of things that can interfere with those plans and it’s important that we find ways to make it all work. I think I’ve done that for this trip, but it has required some thought about things I didn’t expect. I’m looking forward to the adventure, and to sharing those stories with you next time. In the meantime, don’t let life get in the way, and be well.