A day out with Aaron in Chattanooga
It was time...
We have not gathered to shoot photos in quite some time now so Aaron found there was a beard competition happening in Chattanooga and decided to make his way down for it.
It was time...
We have not gathered to shoot photos in quite some time now so Aaron found there was a beard competition happening in Chattanooga and decided to make his way down for it.
The Setup: What I Shot With
For this day out with Aaron, I kept my setup simple:
Camera: Leica SL2 (full-frame mirrorless) Lens: Leica 50mm APO-Summicron Mode: Aperture priority with -2/3 exposure compensation ISO: Auto (probably ranged between 200-800) Settings: Wide open or close to it (f/2 to f/4 for subject separation)
Aaron was shooting with his new Nikon Z8, and we kept comparing how our cameras metered the scenes differently. The Leica wanted to overexpose about 2/3 stop compared to his Nikon, which meant I had to dial in negative exposure compensation the whole time. This is something you learn when shooting different camera systems together!
The SL2 is heavy (like really heavy compared to smaller mirrorless cameras or rangefinders), but it makes stunning images and the build quality is tank-like. I don't baby it on the streets, which is exactly how a street camera should be used!
Shot with Leica SL2 and 50mm during our Chattanooga day out with Aaron at the beard competition.
When he arrived we spent the evening playing with stuff (his new Z8 in particular) and catching up. But then it was off to bed so we could get up and start our big day of photography.
The next morning comes around and we down some coffee and make a plan to meet up about lunchtime as I had to go to our Church’s Association as a delegate. Seems I made a mistake and assumed I didn’t need to go… lol, I see what that got me. Anyway, I really enjoy Association so it wasn’t like a chore, it meant changing plans a little from the original plans for the day.
So after I finish with business at association, I head over to the Harley Davidson dealership which is where the beard competition is being held. There I find Aaron is short order and it is really crowded. He basically tells me to get my camera out and take a picture with it so I sheepishly do as I am told.
The beard competition at Harley Davidson in Chattanooga. This event was perfect for breaking down personal barriers to photographing strangers! People were there to be seen and photographed, making it easy practice for someone like me who's normally shy with the camera. Shot with Leica SL2 + 50mm.
This fellow was more than happy to pose for me at the beard competition! Events like this are perfect for overcoming shyness in street photography because people expect cameras and are happy to participate. Shot with Leica SL2 and 50mm. The afternoon light gave great contrast for portraits like this!
The atmosphere at the beard competition was incredible! Crowded but friendly, with people everywhere happy to get their photos taken. Aaron was right when he told me to just get my camera out and shoot. Sometimes you need that push from a friend! Leica SL2 + 50mm, aperture priority mode.
The atmosphere at the beard competition was incredible! Crowded but friendly, with people everywhere happy to get their photos taken. Aaron was right when he told me to just get my camera out and shoot. Sometimes you need that push from a friend! Leica SL2 + 50mm, aperture priority mode.
You see I am not very aggressive with my photography especially when it involves people. I will ask at times but most of the time, this is why I don’t shoot aggressive street stuff. So now I am starting to get some photos and it is exactly as he mentioned. People happy to get their photos captured are everywhere. Like this fellow below, he was more than happy to pose for me. I will be honest, this kind of event is the perfect thing to break down your personal barriers to shooting photos of people you don’t know.
The Leica SL2 with the 50mm APO Summicron is the perfect camera for a beard Competition!
Even the girls got in on the fun at the beard competition! Not everyone there had a beard, lol. Shot with Leica SL2 + 50mm at Harley Davidson in Chattanooga. This is why I love event photography as practice for street work!
Why Events Are Perfect for Shy Street Photographers
I mentioned I'm not very aggressive with my photography, especially when it involves people. This is something a lot of photographers struggle with! We want to capture candid moments and interesting people, but we don't want to be intrusive or make anyone uncomfortable.
Events like the beard competition are the perfect training ground because:
People expect cameras. They're there to be seen and photographed, so you're not the weird person with a camera. You're just another photographer at an event.
Subjects are willing. Most people will happily pose if you ask, and many will even seek you out to get their photo taken. This builds your confidence!
Low stakes. If someone says no or looks uncomfortable, there are dozens of other subjects around. You're not losing a once-in-a-lifetime shot.
Practice makes perfect. The more you shoot people at events, the more comfortable you get approaching strangers in regular street situations.
Aaron's advice was simple: "Get your camera out and take a picture with it." Sounds obvious, but when you're standing there feeling shy, you need someone to tell you it's okay to just shoot!
Start with events. Work up to regular street photography. Your shyness will fade as your confidence grows! Back to the story in progress…
Well the beard competition winds down about 3 or so in the afternoon and we decide to rearrange the rest of the day to shoot some street photography in downtown and also to go have supper at a great Italian restaurant later on.
The streets of Chattanooga were busier than usual with it being a holiday weekend but it still wasnt really bad where we went for our walk.
We found this mural with light reflecting from the building across the alley and it was just something we couldn't pass up! This is what afternoon light does in downtown Chattanooga. The light spill creates scenes you don't get at other times of day. Leica SL2 + 50mm on our photowalk route through Main and Broad Streets.
We started on Main Street and then headed down Market Street to about 7th where we turned over to Broad Street and then back towards Main eventually diverting over to Cowart street before arriving at the truck.
So now you have the route, let see what we got. I kept joking about channeling my inner Eggleston as I would take photos of the mundane. Another thing I have learned is my Leica wants to shoot about 2/3 stop over exposed compared to my friends Nikon cameras. I kept -2/3 stop exposure compensation dialed in the whole time. I did this to keep the sky from being blown out as the shadows would be dark due to the bright afternoon sun. I will dig into the setup on my camera more to see if I can find out why it is doing that.
The Tivoli Theater is an iconic landmark in downtown Chattanooga Tennessee and never disappoints for a photograph.
Along the way we saw a lot of cool stuff to photograph, like in the images below where it is different light so the images come out different from my usual time of day. With the light further over to the west we kept getting these awesome light spill shots like the one below of the old Rone Regency Jewelers location. This location will be sorely missed by me when they finally do something with this building. I love the gritty nature of the old signage and it wasn’t long ago that the windows were not boarded up so you could actually see inside the store. Even so, the black painted plywood makes a nice contrast to the lighter color of the upper section of the building bringing balance to the image.
The old Rone Regency Jewelers location with afternoon light spilling across the facade. This location will be sorely missed by me when they finally do something with this building. I love the gritty nature of the old signage! The black painted plywood makes a nice contrast to the lighter color of the upper section, bringing balance to the image. Shot with Leica SL2 + 50mm Summicron on our downtown Chattanooga photowalk with Aaron.
We also found a few people to photograph as well. It was not quite as busy as I had figured it would be for a holiday weekend in the downtown area, but there were a few people out and about and I was able to grab a few photos of them. The Leica SL2 is a great camera for this kind of photography as it makes stunning portraits as well as makes for a wonderful, albeit heavy, street camera.
Why Afternoon Light Changed Everything
I usually shoot at different times of day (mid-morning usually), so this late afternoon session was different for me. With the sun further over to the west, we kept getting these awesome, direct sun light spill shots that I don't normally see.
What made afternoon light special:
Hard shadows: The bright afternoon sun created strong shadows and high contrast. Great for black and white or dramatic color shots.
Light spill: Buildings reflecting light into alleys and onto other buildings. This is what made the Rone Regency Jewelers shot work so well!
Window light: Storefronts and windows become light sources, creating interesting reflections and secondary lighting.
Challenge mode: Protecting highlights meant I had to underexpose a bit (-2/3 stop), which made shadows darker. This forced me to look for scenes that worked with that contrast.
Different light means different photos. Don't just shoot at the same time every day! Mix it up and see what you discover.
All in all we had a great time and then even got to go eat wonderful Italian cuisine later too. What more could you ask for? Well, there is one more thing I could ask for…
Lightroom Classic… I did it, I went over to the dark side and installed Lightroom back on my system again. It has the power to edit like I need finally and I kept running into problems that Exposure couldn’t easily solve for me so it was time to upgrade…or move over laterally to or what ever you call it…So going forward, I will be learning how to use Lightroom to edit my photos…wish me luck.
If you want to see more abotu this day, I made a vlog cideo about the photowalk portion of the day and it can be watched here.
What I Look For in Street Photography
During the photowalk, Aaron joked about me "channeling my inner Eggleston" as I photographed mundane things. But that's what street photography is about! Here's some of the things that I look for:
Light: Always first. How is the light hitting the subject? Is there interesting shadow play? Is it spilling from one building to another?
Layers: Foreground, midground, background. The best street photos have depth and multiple elements working together.
People: Not always necessary, but human presence adds scale and story. Even just a silhouette or someone walking through the frame.
Color or contrast: Bright colors that pop, or strong black and white contrast. Something that makes the eye stop.
Geometry: Leading lines, patterns, shapes, architecture. The bones of a good composition.
Moments: Candid expressions, interesting gestures, unexpected juxtapositions.
The mundane: Everyday things that become interesting when you isolate them with your camera.
Don't overthink it! Just walk and shoot what catches your eye. You can analyze it later when you're editing. Then you can take inventory of what you shoot the most and see if those images have some meaning or if it is just what you like to shoot…either way, it is good to get out and shoot photos so go have some fun.
Frequently Asked Questions About Street Photography and Chattanooga Photowalks
How do you overcome shyness when photographing strangers?
Honestly, I still struggle with this! I'm not aggressive with my photography, especially when people are involved. I'll ask permission sometimes, but most of the time I just shoot what feels natural without getting in people's faces. What helped at the beard competition was that people were already there to be seen and photographed. They were happy to pose! Events like this are perfect for breaking down those personal barriers to shooting photos of people you don't know. Start with events where people expect cameras, then work your way up to regular street photography. Aaron's advice of "get your camera out and take a picture with it" is the best cure for shyness, even if it feels awkward at first!
What's the best time of day for street photography in downtown Chattanooga?
The afternoon worked great for us! With the sun further over to the west, we kept getting these awesome light spill shots bouncing off buildings. The light was different from my usual shooting times, and it created some really interesting shadows and contrasts. Late afternoon (around 3-5pm) gives you that warm golden light that looks great for both architecture and people. Early morning works too, but afternoons tend to have more people out and about, which is what you want for street photography. Avoid harsh midday sun if you can, unless you're going for high-contrast black and white work!
What's a good street photography route in downtown Chattanooga?
The route Aaron and I took worked really well: Start on Main Street, head down Market Street to about 7th, turn over to Broad Street, then back towards Main, and eventually divert over to Cowart Street. This gives you a good mix of architecture, street scenes, and people. You'll pass old buildings like the Rone Regency Jewelers location (which has great gritty signage), modern storefronts, alleys with interesting light, and public spaces where people gather. The whole loop is maybe 2-3 miles depending on how much you wander, perfect for a couple hours of shooting!
Is the Leica SL2 too heavy for street photography?
Yes and no, lol. The SL2 is definitely heavy compared to smaller mirrorless cameras or rangefinders. But it makes stunning portraits and the image quality is just incredible. I kept it paired with just the 50mm lens to keep things simple. Is it the "ideal" street camera? Probably not if you're walking all day. But does it work? Absolutely! The weight actually helps stabilize handheld shots, and the build quality means I don't baby it. If you've got one, use it for street photography. Don't let the weight stop you. Your shoulders might complain, but the photos will be worth it!
Why was your Leica exposing differently than Aaron's Nikon?
Great question! I noticed my Leica SL2 wants to shoot about 2/3 stop overexposed compared to Aaron's Nikon cameras. I kept -2/3 stop exposure compensation dialed in the whole time to keep the sky from being blown out. The shadows would be dark anyway due to the bright afternoon sun, so I was protecting the highlights. Different camera brands meter scenes differently, and Leica tends to be a bit generous with exposure to preserve shadow detail. This is something you learn when shooting with multiple camera systems. Just dial in the compensation and keep shooting! I need to dig into my camera setup more to see if there's a metering mode that matches my shooting style better.
What camera settings do you use for street photography?
For this photowalk with the Leica SL2, I was shooting mostly in aperture priority mode with the 50mm lens. I kept -2/3 exposure compensation dialed in (as mentioned above). ISO was probably auto, and I let the camera pick the shutter speed. For street photography, I like to shoot wide open or close to it (f/2 to f/4) to get that subject separation, but I'll stop down if I need more depth of field. The key is to keep your settings simple so you're reacting to moments, not fiddling with dials. Set it and forget it, then just focus on composition and timing!
Can you photograph people at public events without permission?
At events like the beard competition where people are specifically there to show off and be seen? Yes! Most people were happy to be photographed and many posed for us. That said, I still try to be respectful. If someone looks uncomfortable or waves me off, I move on. For regular street photography, it's trickier. I generally don't ask permission before shooting (it kills the moment), but if someone objects after I've taken their photo, I delete it. Know your local laws, be respectful, and don't be creepy. Events are the easiest place to start because people expect cameras!
What makes a good subject for street photography?
Honestly? Almost anything! During the photowalk I kept joking about channeling my inner Eggleston as I would take photos of the mundane. Look for interesting light (like that spill on the Rone Regency Jewelers building), patterns, textures, people doing everyday things, architectural details, reflections, shadows... anything that catches your eye. Don't overthink it. I shot everything from bearded bikers to boarded-up buildings to random street corners. The beauty of street photography is finding the interesting in the ordinary. Just walk around and let things reveal themselves to you!
Should I shoot RAW or JPEG for street photography?
I shoot RAW because I like having the flexibility in post-processing. For this shoot, I ended up using Lightroom Classic to edit (I went back to the "dark side" after trying to use Exposure, lol). RAW gives me the power to recover highlights, lift shadows, and adjust colors the way I want them. That said, if you're comfortable with your camera's JPEG processing and you don't want to spend time editing, shoot JPEG! The best format is the one that gets you shooting. Street photography is about being out there capturing moments, not agonizing over file formats!
How do you choose which photos to keep from a street photography session?
I wish I had a good systematic answer for this, lol. Honestly, I just go through them and keep the ones that speak to me. Does the composition work? Is the light interesting? Did I capture a genuine moment or expression? Is there something about the image that makes me want to look at it again? I'm pretty ruthless in culling, especially with street photography where you might shoot hundreds of frames. If it doesn't grab me immediately, it gets deleted. The photos I shared in this post were the ones that stood out when I was editing. Trust your gut, and don't be afraid to delete mediocre shots. Only keep the good stuff!
BONUS QUESTION: What's the best way to learn street photography?
Go out with a friend like Aaron who will tell you to "get your camera out and take a picture with it"! Seriously, having a photography buddy makes a huge difference. You push each other, share ideas, and it's way less awkward than being alone with a camera on the street. Start with events (like the beard competition) where cameras are expected, then work up to regular street shooting. Use a simple setup (one camera, one lens), set your camera to aperture priority or full manual, and just walk. Don't overthink it. The best teacher is just getting out there and shooting. Oh, and watch Aaron's work or other street photographers you admire, but then go do your own thing. Your style will develop over time!
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Canterbury Pilgrimage AAR: 2-Week Hike from Winchester to Canterbury (England)
When my friend Kelly first mentioned hiking the Canterbury Pilgrimage, I'll admit I was skeptical. I'd never done a long-distance hike before, and two weeks walking across England seemed ambitious at best. But Teresa and I said yes anyway, and that decision led to one of the most memorable adventures of my life.
When my friend Kelly first mentioned hiking the Canterbury Pilgrimage, I'll admit I was skeptical. I'd never done a long-distance hike before, and two weeks walking across England seemed ambitious at best. But Teresa and I said yes anyway, and that decision led to one of the most memorable adventures of my life.
The Canterbury Pilgrimage follows the historic Pilgrims Way from Winchester to Canterbury, the same route immortalized in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Over two weeks in June of 2023, we hiked through some of the most beautiful countryside England has to offer, stayed in quaint villages, explored ancient churches, and learned valuable lessons about packing light, staying hydrated, and stopping to smell the flowers.
This is our complete guide to the Canterbury Pilgrimage, including planning, packing, daily experiences, gear that worked (and didn't), and practical lessons for anyone considering this trek.
Teresa on the Pilgrims Way or AKA The Canterbury Pilgrimage in southern England
Planning Our Canterbury Pilgrimage: How It Started
When I first heard about this I was intrigued to say the least. I had never really considered doing a pilgrimage before or even doing extended length hiking trips of any kind. Enter Kelly, a lifelong friend and adventurer(she married one of my best friends in high school and was in our Dungeons and Dragons group). She tells of this adventure in England where she was planning to hike from town to town and follow the original Pilgrims Way laid out in the Canterbury Tales as well as a few notable stops while in London as well. (We also saw The Phantom of the Opera while in London!)
Well, us being the adventurous types that we are, we asked if there was room in the group for us too! As it turned out, the three of us would be the WHOLE group which actually worked out really well. So we started planning the adventure of a lifetime.
Our friend Kelly working her way through a "kissing gate" amid a veritable sea of Stinging Nettle!
Packing Light: The Backpack-Only Strategy
We decided early on to only bring what we could carry in our backpacks. Gone would be the "checked bag" at the airport as well as bringing computers and the associated baggage required for their operations. This actually made the airport part of the journey very easy as we didn't have to stand in lines for the check bag counter nor did we have to deal with baggage claim at all. It was very liberating to be honest.
The first thing we decided to do was limit our equipment to what we could carry in our respective backpacks. This eliminated a literal mountain of gear that we had deemed needed but optional. It also made the journey much nicer. We finally decided on a couple of changes of clothes, I took a small amount of camera gear in a dry bag (since it rains in the UK a lot), and a water bottle. We would pick up snacks along the way and add that to our loadout as we needed it.
Lightweight travel concept of only taking what fits in a backpack and nothing more is very liberating.
This also generated another benefit with our travel: the airport processing got A LOT simpler this way. We literally didn't check anything, so we just went through the TSA checkpoint and carried our packs right to the gate. Our hands were free to do things like buy coffee or get out credit cards! It made traveling so much less stressful to be quite honest that I might be adjusting my future travel to operate in this mode. You never lose your luggage as you walk onto the plane with it and it fits into the overhead space without issue... every time. This was glorious for me as I worry about the luggage making it to the same place as me or even worse, not arriving at all.
Just consider this a travel hack that actually works if you can live without all the stuff in your check bag…
Camera Gear for 2 Weeks of Travel Photography
Since we had decided to travel so light, I took a hard look at the camera kit I would use on the trip as well. I whittled it down to just the Leica CL, the TTartisan 17mm f1.4 L mount lens and the 35mm f0.95 L mount lens. That's it, no other gear whatsoever. Well... there were batteries and a charger, but you get the point here. So I quickly learned that I liked the 17mm in London and then once we got to Winchester I switched to the 35mm and left it in place almost the rest of the trip. To be honest, I could have left he 17mm at home and it would have been fine…lesson learned.
The author with the Leica CL mirrorless camera and the TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 lens on the Pilgrim's Way
For this trip I decided to travel light so I took my Leica CL and two prime lenses: the 17mm f1.4 and the 35mm f0.95 prime lens. Turned out I wished I had taken the 35mm f1.4 as it is smaller and lighter than the 0.95 aperture lens and would have saved me some weight. I don't know if I even once opened up to f0.95 on this trip, even at night. I just didn't need it, so it was wasteful to bring it.
I took a dry bag to protect the camera gear since it rains in the UK a lot. Smart decision, as we did hit some wet weather!
Mystery Ranch Backpack Review: 25-30 Pounds, No Back Pain
As for hiking gear, my loadout for this trip was as follows: I had a full change of clothes plus extra socks, I also took my phone charging gear, a Katadyn water filter as I was not sure if I would have ready access to clean water. Sometimes you don't have that access to be honest, and I wished I had taken another water bottle as well... I took a single Nalgene quart water bottle, a ziplock bag of snacks from the grocery store, a rain coat, and my dry bag with my camera gear in it, and that’s it.
I picked up a set of trekking poles in Winchester that I almost wore out by the end of the trip. My backpack that I used on this trip is a Mystery Ranch Pitch 40, which is actually geared toward rock climbing but worked just fine for this trip. I am going to take a moment here to point out that a really well-engineered backpack makes all the difference in the world. I was carrying about 25 to 30 pounds from day to day and my back was NEVER sore or painful from the pack, not even once. I can absolutely, and with certainty recommend Mystery Ranch backpacks after this trip. They work.
I never really understood how to properly use a backpack, but after using this one, I figured it out and got it dialed in. It is not really designed for this kind of trek, but rather it is engineered for route climbing and carrying rope and chalk and harnesses and such instead. I just used it anyway as it is what I had at the time. This didn’t seem to be a problem though as the load bearing system puts the load on your waist and not your shoulders. This is where people get things wrong because small bags and haversacks place the load on the shoulders and this causes fatigue unnecessarily. If you adjust your pack properly, you can carry it for hours and you will just be tired from the trekking and you will be sweaty from the physical workout, but your back will not hurt.
Arriving in London: Tourist Mode Before the Trek
Big Ben in London England is an incredible iconic landmark that is a must see if you are in London. We did the usual tour and then went for a walk, which is how I was able to get this photo with the Leica CL and the TTArtisan 35mm f0.95 lens.
Once in England we started in London where we did the usual tourist stuff for a couple of days ahead of starting the pilgrimage proper. This included a bus tour and a short trip to the British Museum as well. We even took in the Phantom of the Opera while in town. What a treat that was! I was wholly unprepared for the experience that is the Phantom of the Opera, totally worth it.
The daughter went with us to visit London and to hand out with us for the first few days of the Canterbury Pilgrimage, even though she cheated…
Well, once on the ground in England we checked into our hotel and went for some food. What we found is that the food in the UK is... different... from what we are accustomed to here in the US. We had to adjust to this as it seemed that they have a very specific diet and do not vary from it for any reason. We joked about how for a country that conquered most of planet earth at one point for spices…. doesn’t know how to use them! I will never understand this whole “beans on (soggy) toast” thing either…
We spent the next couple of days being tourists in London for the sake of brevity, then we embarked on the mission to Winchester to start the pilgrimage. We saw all the usual stuff, like Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square and Westminster Abby and such, but it was only for a day or so, then it was off to Winchester!
The fence outside the British Museum showcasing the iconic telephone booths in London.
Winchester Cathedral: The Official Start
Interior of Winchester Cathedral in Winchester England.
Once in Winchester we attended a service at Winchester cathedral and received a blessing from the priest before we started, which was a really nice touch to add to the whole experience to be honest. If you do this hike, I recommend attending a service at the cathedral even if you're not really religious and hear the boys choir. The singing is beautiful. It also just adds a little something special to the trip in my opinion. I think the evening service is called “Evensong” or something like that, it is beautiful. We also found an outfitter in town (who would have guessed that there would be a HIKING outfitter at one end of the Canterbury Pilgrimage? HaHa) and this is where we learned about the value of trekking poles and decided to get a couple of sets for me and Teresa. I am really glad we did too, they helped so much! I will not do long hikes without them anymore. Once you see how much they help with load distribution as well as balance, you will never want to hike without them again too.
Now the adventure officially begins…
Winchester to Arlesford (First Steps)
Well, we strike out and head for the next town and I must say at this point that the English countryside is absolutely gorgeous! We couldn't get over how everywhere we looked that it looked like a postcard! We walked by beautiful fields, streams and all these little communities with some of the nicest people we have ever met!
The first “destination” was Alresford which is a quaint little village in the countryside that has several really old buildings (which becomes a recurring theme on this trip). One of which was constructed before the USA even existed. I point in out in one of the videos listed below actually. It turns out that it takes a lot longer to cover 8 to 10 miles than I thought it would too, we were complete neophytes at this and were REALLY over ambitious about how fast we would move on the trail, turns out we go ALOT slower than we thought… this resurfaces later in the blog, but just keep that in mind if you think you want to do this hike.
Wheat field south of London England on the Pilgrim’s Way of the Canterbury Pilgrimage.
Some of the things we have learned are that stinging nettle is a legit plant you don't mess with and it is literally EVERYWHERE. Another one is that the locals are very friendly, especially the older ones, and are a real treat to chat with when you find them here and there. They loved my accent most of the time and would call me “the Yank” when they would hear me talk…it was almost comical as I have a very strong Appalachian accent as you can hear in the video as well. The trail also isn't just a hiking trail through the woods, but more of a "way" which will cross fields, go down designated paths or even along roads at times. You really have to pay attention to make sure you don't miss your turn...ask me how I know.
All that aside we had a wonderful first day on the trail, albeit a long one where we ran into really interesting people and also learned a few things about the local flora and fauna we didn't know either.
English Countryside: Why It Looks Like Postcards
The English countryside is some of the most picturesque terrain I have ever laid my eyes on, and for the locals it is just...home... I have seen a lot of beautiful places on this earth and they all have a charm. The charm here is the people and how they groom the landscape for agriculture beautifully. It is literally a postcard in almost any direction you look. So I did just that, took photos in every direction, and wound up with something like 1400 unique images when I got home two weeks later.
When you would cross from one field to another or maybe pass from the forest to the fields, you would come to one of these gates in a variety of forms, all of them would work in a pretty similar fashion, but nonetheless, it would be there. This is a simple cattle gate but in the United Kingdom, it is called a kissing gate for some reason. Above you can see Kelly passing through a modern steel kissing gate and they are all over these trail systems in England.
So first things first, hiking this trail is actually really fun. It could be monotonous for someone who isn't comfortable with their own thoughts for hours at a time, but it was fine to me. I didn't even listen to music on this trip, I was just...there...
Day 2: Arlesford to Alton (The 13-Mile Mistake)
From Post 2: This is the hotel we stayed in and it was simply adorable. The whole first floor of the part you see here is a restaurant/pub and the hotel is L shaped with a significant portion out back behind this street facing portion. The rest of the town is also really neat to me as well.
Swan Hotel Alresford England is a beautiful and very old hotel on the Pilgrim’s Way trail.
So the next morning we leave out for the next town and make pretty good time. Alton is a larger town and we are hoping to be there by lunch. Well, turns out the girls decided to take public transportation after about 5 miles or so and I decided to leg it on in... this would prove to be painful.
Hardware store in Alresford England is typical of the types of buildings you will find on the Pilgrim's Way.
I had looked at the map and speculated it to be about 10 miles to Alton and figured I would probably cover the remaining 5 miles in about 3 hours since I would be stopping to get photos and the erratic nature of the trail layout and such as that. Well, this turned into a 6-hour slog that added up to an additional 13 miles for the day! It even got to the point where I realized I needed to cover ground more rapidly or I would miss supper so I stopped capturing video for the YouTube channel all together and just grabbed the occasional photo instead. You read that right, 18 total miles in a single day, for a beginner trekker who had done almost no train up for this trip. What I had also forgot to account for was the fact that a lot of it was in the direct sun an really hot. I ran out of water probably with 2 hours left to hike if memory serves me and there was no where to stop and get more without trespassing on farmland. This is important as the trail passes through all this beautiful countryside and we are given special permission to use these trails, but we can not deviate from the trails, you have to stay on the trail. So if the trail doesn’t cross a stream, then there is no water. On this day, it didn’t even pass by houses hardly at all, it was just one field to the next, over and over, with occasional diversions down the country roads (that didn’t have shoulders at all in places).
Hydration on a hike is critical and also taking in electrolytes too. I lost a lot of electrolytes on the Pilgrim’s Way trail to Canterbury as this shirt can attest!
Now to be fair, I did cross a lot of beautiful countryside on this leg of the trip and I don't regret making the trek this day, but I failed to drink enough water and had debilitating cramps later that night from dehydration. The lesson here is to drink more water, especially if you are doing an activity that is physically demanding in any way.
I grabbed this photo about midway through my 18 mile day with a single quart of water…lesson learned.
Over the course of the next two weeks we would explore numerous old churches as well as eat in many of the most quaint pubs you have ever seen! The bulk of the trek though is through the country with some parts being out in farmland for hours at a time on trail. You really need to make sure you take enough water when you leave too, as there are times when water just isn't available. I ran out on the 18 mile day and had debilitating leg cramps later that night because of dehydration. It is a thing y'all, don't scoff at this part: drink electrolytes and water, it matters…
Infrastructure and Details: What Makes England Special
Here we have the road crossing (well, more like a tunnel under the road actually)heading into Alton where you walk under the road to get into the town proper. This is the kind of thing you don't see much where I live and I found interesting. The footpaths are so important to the English that they build this kind of infrastructure to keep them operational. I wished we would have done this with the old hiking trails from our country's early settlements and made them into hiking trails today...just a thought.
Trail tunnel under a main highway for the Pilgrim's Way heading into Alton England
Here is a perfect example of what I am talking about. This bridge is pre-war era construction. The reason I know this is because the whole thing is riveted together. Any other modern form of metal joining would be significantly cheaper than rivets. Arc welding wasn't really common place till after World War 2 so rivets were used everywhere till then. If I had been a typical traveler heading to the next destination, I most likely would not have noticed this.
Pre-war riveted foot bridge to a train station in southern England.
Mid-Journey: Farnham and the Stepping Stones
The next day we really didn't do much hiking as I escorted Sierra to the airport and then went back and linked up with Teresa and we made our way by train over to Farnham. We really wanted to explore the town and Kelly had already went ahead on her own so it was the perfect opportunity. We had a great time in Farnham and found Kelly later so it all went great.
Then the next day we leave Farnham and make our way over to the stepping stones which is a huge deal on this trail and I didn't even know about it till this morning. These stepping stones are part of the trail system and when we found them we decided to make a small event of it and enjoy a few minutes at this location to make it a little more memorable. If you would like to see the stepping stones just watch the video linked above. I didn't get my camera out of the dry bag here for obvious reasons so I only have video from this location.
These kinds of treks are not just about seeing how fast you can cover ground or seeing how many miles you can hike in one day, but about stopping and smelling the flowers or grabbing some photos. This is what this pilgrimage was about for me.
One of the many old churches in southern England on the Pilgrim's way (Canterbury Pilgrimage)
The Pilgrimage Experience: Disconnecting and Reflecting
This hike was a twofold event. First it was a way to explore England in a more intimate way than seeing the usual tourist sites and then hopping on a plane for the states. This way we get to talk to the locals and see parts of the country that other visitors will never see, eat food that they will never taste, and just enjoy the country like a traveler should.
The second part or probably what should be considered the first part is the pilgrimage part of the trip. A pilgrimage is a trek to a significant location for the purpose of reflection and to be able to spend time with the Lord. I had ample time for this too. You get to be with your own thoughts a lot if you keep your cell phone put away, which I did, this will give you a lot of time to reflect. I am glad I did this as it allowed me to just disconnect from life for a while and to be able to just enjoy where I was at the time without having to think about what I was going to do the next day or whatever.
This was so important to me that I didn't even post much about the trip while on it. I used the map function most of the time (there is a website where you can get the route and it overlays on Google maps). This was wonderful for someone who has grown VERY accustomed to using their phone a lot.
Above is one of the many churches we explored on our pilgrimage to Canterbury. Over the course of the next two weeks we would explore numerous old churches as well as eat in many of the most quaint pubs you have ever seen!
The Pilgrim's Way to Canterbury England is a beautiful hike. A quality backpack will make all the difference too.
Canterbury and completing the pilgrimage
After about two weeks we finally walked out of a field, into an old road and there it was…Canterbury! We had finally made it and the sense of completion is hard to describe. The long days on the trail, the injuries, the dehydration cramps, all those photos to sort through… It was surreal to be honest about it. We stopped at a pub to get a bite to eat and had a wonderful time chatting with the locals before heading into the old city to check into our hotel. The Cathedral Gate Inn (I think that is the name) is ANCIENT!!!! There were all sorts of oddities associated with this Inn, but aside from that we have made it to the Cathedral! We went to the ticket office to go into the Cathedral grounds and when the attendant figured out we were Pilgrim’s he personally escorted us FREE OF CHARGE (at this point I don’t know if there is a charge, but he got real excited when he figured out we were pilgrims) to the courtyard to the marker that signifies the official end to the hike.
Trail End Stone at Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury England
We all made our photo with the stone and then went for supper. Later we were treated to a special blessing from the priest at Canterbury Cathedral as well as being personally escorted to the Pilgrim’s Sanctum in the far back of the church. The story is that all the stained glass in the other churches are of Christ, the Saints and biblical events BUT here all the stained glass is of PILGRIMS to honor those who make the journey and we were the latest ones to get there. This was after Evensong service with the boys quire and the pipe organ. If you have never heard this and you have the chance, you really should experience it for yourself. It was incredible.
Canterbury Cathedral is so large and ornate that it is impossible to capture it in one photo. I opted to just get this one spire as some of it was obscured by scaffolding and the rest was just so large. This photo shows the level of detail and the sheer scale in just one photo. It is hard to imaging a Cathedral can be so large. Canterbury has to hold some sort of record for this…
What I Learned: Practical Lessons for Future Pilgrims
Let's talk about what really matters. In closing, I am going to wrap this with the following quote that I made up just for this blog, but it does seem fitting to me: "If you don't stop to look at the flowers along the way, you wasted part of your trip."
I am really one of those people that likes the journey as much as the destination and this was the perfect blend for me. Daily goal-oriented activity with lots to do and see along the way...
Key lessons:
Drink more water than you think you need (I learned this the hard way with debilitating leg cramps!)
Pack lighter than you think (I should have taken the 35mm f/1.4 instead of the heavier f/0.95)
Stop to smell the flowers (literally and figuratively)
The journey IS the destination (don't rush through beautiful countryside)
Backpack-only travel is liberating (no checked bags, less stress!)
A good backpack matters (Mystery Ranch saved my back)
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Canterbury Pilgrimage FAQ: Planning Your Own Trek
How long does the Canterbury Pilgrimage take?
The complete Canterbury Pilgrimage from Winchester to Canterbury is about 120-130 miles depending on your exact route. Most people take 10-14 days to complete it, averaging 10-15 miles per day. We took two weeks and found that pace comfortable for stopping to explore villages, photographing the countryside, and actually enjoying the journey rather than just grinding out miles. If you're a strong hiker you could do it faster, but I'd recommend taking your time! The whole point of a pilgrimage is reflection and experiencing the journey, not setting speed records.
What's the best time of year to hike the Canterbury Pilgrimage?
Late spring through early fall (May through September) is ideal for the Canterbury Pilgrimage. The weather is milder, days are longer, and most of the pubs and accommodations are fully operational. We went in [season] and had great weather overall. That said, England is England, so expect rain regardless of when you go! I carried my camera gear in a dry bag the entire trip and I'm glad I did. Winter is possible but you'll face shorter days, colder weather, and some accommodations might be closed.
Do I need to be religious to do the Canterbury Pilgrimage?
Absolutely not! While the Canterbury Pilgrimage has deep religious roots (it's been walked by pilgrims for centuries), plenty of people hike it for the history, the beautiful countryside, or just the challenge of a long-distance trek. I approached it as both a spiritual journey and an adventure, but you can focus on whichever aspect appeals to you. That said, I do recommend attending the service at Winchester Cathedral before you start, even if you're not religious. The boys choir is beautiful and it adds something special to the experience!
How much does the Canterbury Pilgrimage cost?
Budget varies widely depending on your accommodation choices and eating habits. We stayed in hotels and B&Bs and ate at pubs every meal (since we didn't pack cooking gear), which probably ran $100-150 per person per day including accommodation and food. If you camp or stay in hostels and cook your own meals, you could do it much cheaper. The trail itself is free to walk. Don't forget to budget for getting to Winchester and from Canterbury back to London. Flight from US to London obviously adds to the cost, but we saved money by only carrying backpacks (no checked bag fees!).
What should I pack for the Canterbury Pilgrimage?
Pack lighter than you think you need! We went backpack-only (no checked bags) and it was liberating. My essentials: full change of clothes, extra socks, rain jacket, water bottle (I wished I'd brought two!), water filter, trekking poles (bought in Winchester), phone charging gear, camera gear in a dry bag, and snacks. I carried 25-30 pounds in a Mystery Ranch Pitch 40 backpack and my back never hurt. The key is a well-engineered backpack with proper weight distribution. Pack for the reality that you'll be carrying everything on your back for two weeks, not for every possible scenario!
Where do you stay on the Canterbury Pilgrimage?
You have options! We stayed in hotels and B&Bs in the towns along the route (Arlesford, Alton, Farnham, etc.). The advantage is comfort, hot showers, and you can just show up without reservations in most cases. The disadvantage is cost. Other options include camping (England has lots of campsites), hostels, or even churches that offer pilgrim accommodation. Some people book everything in advance, others wing it day by day. We were somewhere in between and it worked fine. The towns are spaced reasonably for daily hiking distances.
How hard is the Canterbury Pilgrimage physically?
If you're in reasonable shape and can walk 10-15 miles a day, you can do this! I'd never done long-distance hiking before and I completed it fine. The trail is well-marked and not technically difficult (no rock scrambling or anything like that), but it's still physically demanding to walk day after day. The biggest challenge for me was my 13-mile mistake day where I hiked farther than planned and didn't drink enough water. I had debilitating leg cramps that night from dehydration. Learn from my mistake: drink more water than you think you need, especially on long days!
What's the trail like? Is it easy to navigate?
The Pilgrims Way isn't a single continuous trail through the woods. It's more of a "way" that crosses fields, follows designated footpaths, and sometimes goes along roads. You'll encounter lots of kissing gates (cattle gates) when crossing between fields. The trail is generally well-marked but you do need to pay attention to avoid missing turns. We used a website that overlays the route on Google Maps which was incredibly helpful. The countryside is absolutely gorgeous, literally like postcards in every direction!
Do I need special hiking gear or can I use regular stuff?
You don't need ultra-technical gear! I used a rock-climbing backpack (Mystery Ranch Pitch 40) and it worked great. Trekking poles are highly recommended (I bought mine in Winchester and almost wore them out). Good hiking boots or trail shoes are important for two weeks of daily walking. Rain gear is essential. A water filter is nice to have but not strictly necessary. Camera gear is optional but highly recommended—the English countryside is stunning! I took my Leica CL with two lenses and got 1,400 photos. Looking back, I wish I'd packed my 35mm f/1.4 instead of the heavier f/0.95 lens.
What's the deal with stinging nettle?
Stinging nettle is a plant that's literally EVERYWHERE along English trails and you do NOT want to mess with it! It causes a stinging, burning sensation if you brush against it. The locals just accept it as part of life, but as an American, it was something I had to learn about quickly. Wear long pants when hiking through overgrown sections, and don't grab random plants for support. The stinging sensation is temporary but annoying. This was one of our first lessons on Day 1 and we got much better at avoiding it after that initial encounter!
Until next time, get your camera out and go take a picture with it.
Photography on a movie set
What do you photograph when on a movie set to capture the essence of the set? I felt my job was more to do that than to capture the movie per say. That’s the movie makers job, not mine.
Here I started at the front gate. If you will notice, it’s nondescript and you really have no idea what is here at all. This is by design for obvious reasons but I still found it interesting to see how bland it was.
The sound stage is a controlled space where “sets” are built to look like locations but the film makers can control literally everything in the environment such as sound, light and weather. It was important to me to get this “side” of the set to tell the whole story.
This is what the other side of that rough framed wall has on it. A complete first century Roman executive office ready for the official to go to work. As you can see, this set of photos is not what you would normally see when watching the movie.
Another aspect I wanted to capture was the people that were there both as tourist and as employees of the location. This shows all of that in one photo as well as how the “more permanent” set features, and then a tarp to protect something not weather resistant too.
Here we have visitors, film crew, actors, film production gear, in a period setting all in one photo. This is what a behind the scenes photo should look like to me. Capturing what is NOT on camera rather than trying to see what is being filmed. This is where the interesting part is at for me. Of course most other people don’t see things like me. They want to see things like the photos below.
Notice how I framed out anything not period correct…
This is fine if you are wanting to maintain the aesthetic of the period in your photos, but that is not my goal.
This is more my speed. Here we have a prop stored in an out of the way spot that is in stark contrast to the modern building in which it is located. Below is another image I quite like. You have a Roman quarter with a prop guy working on decorating the area for an upcoming scene. His presence brings a contrast to the image that makes you wonder about it.
Above is a great example. Here we have gear carts stored in the shade for filming in a nearby area. The juxtaposition is intriguing to me for some reason.
The above image is more subtle though. At a glance it is period correct, but upon closer inspection things will start to appear that should not be there. Like the wheel of a cart or a tarp in the back ground.
As you can see it is fun trying to tell a different story from what the set was built to be used for. The set has become a different part of the actual story which is the behind the scenes life and not first century AD. I hope this has inspired you to do something similar with your photography and thanks for following along!
Why don't I shoot more landscape photography?
The short answer…it is out of my reach.
Mid day sun is “flat”…
You see I have always loved shooting nature and landscape photography and such but once I started really looking at it seriously, I started to realize that it can only be shot at certain times of the day or it doesn’t have that magical look to it.
Deep blue hour adds to this image where the building is white and red neon primarily.
Where the sun is at in the sky makes a ton of difference to how the image looks and for the most part, the higher the sun angle the less interesting the image. Just watch most landscape photography youtube videos and you will see them getting up several hours before dawn so they can get the sky colors like they want with the mood of the terrain like they want as well. Most of the time it is dawn or dusk only for the photos they want. This is for good reason too, the images just won’t be interesting otherwise.
You see, the shallow sun angle makes all sorts of things different and not just the direction the light is coming from. It changes the color of the light, the size of the shadows, how dark the shadows are, the sun controls lots of environmental elements like fog rising off of the grass or water, and if there is frost or not in the image. These are just a few of the things the sun directly controls, but you get the idea.
The main thing for me though is that I am not able to get out at these times of the day so I end up shooting either mid-day or early evening. Both of these are terrible for landscape photography and the images out there prove it. You just can’t get good images of wonderful vistas at those times, it only takes a moment to search the web to see this is true.
I do occasionally get out at the right times and will snag a cool photo or two of some cool landscape stuff, but for the most part … not…
What I do get are photos like the one below. I can get out at night some, and mid day as it seems to work out, but not at golden hour or blue hour either for the most part, but sometimes I will get that chance, so instead I have embraced night photography as well as high contrast mid day photography, which works well for street photography if more people were in the area.
I will also do some local documentary style photos of stuff like buildings in the town that are changing or if there is some kind of activity. Most of the time though, I end up just walking around.
This also turns out to be a good practice as it gives you perspective and you will start to notice images that you didnt see before. It makes me more observant of the environment or so it seems.
Well, I successfully wandered down a rabbit hole anyway… lol. You get the idea though, I am pretty sure I am not alone in why I cant do landscape photography and I am also sure there are more reasons than these. what do you shoot because of your circumstances instead? Leave a comment below and until next time. Get your camera out!!!
Industrial Landscape Photography in Jasper TN
The other day while on a business call, I had to travel through an industrial area and my eye just started picking up these images. Now I cant get them out of my head till I go shoot them.
This is the life of a photographer… once you get a composition in your head, you cant let it go till you shoot it.
It is interesting to me that I work like that. I will get fixated on a photo I want and nothing else will make me happy till I get it.
I am pretty sure that I am not alone on this either. I think it is part of the creative mindset. The photos I have in mind are of the industrial landscape that are local to my area. I saw the area in the morning light and it had this ethereal or maybe apocalyptic vibe. Like it was abandoned but was still intact and could be turned on at any moment. This is because I like those kinds of movies too, I guess.
So here is the plan, get back over there with a camera in the early morning light and shoot a bunch of stuff and then see what I got.
I found the air a little less foggy upon my return, but the morning light made it look good nonetheless so I got out and started getting images. The first stop was a plating factory that was in full operation and had a bunch of steam coming out of the factory. I had to shoot over a 6’ tall fence to get my image. It took several tries to get the one I wanted, but I finally got it.
Then I moved to work compositions around the railroad and associated infrastructure. The balance of the images are centered around this concept. I even hit pay dirt when a local switch engine showed up to move some tanker cars around!
My favorite image though has to be the image of the abandoned cattle gate. This is urban decay at its finest and I love this sort of thing for some reason. I hope this post and images inspires you to go back to something that caught your eye and get a photograph or two of it.
Until next time, get your camera out and go take a picture with it.
David - The Georgia Photographer
Recent events that happen this time of year in my photography...
I hope your having a good day where ever you are in the world. Recently I have been doing several different genres of photography and they are typical of what I shoot this time of year. Things that include trips to a fall themed event, or rock climbing, in particular, bouldering, and low light stuff like I did with Phil and Ray the other night.
So there has not been some sort of overlying theme, but more to the point of Autumn Activities instead(which I guess is a theme, isnt it?). This year has been really a whirlwind too as it seems that work has been crazy this year and I am picking up amateur radio more so I don’t have as much time for making videos for my YouTube channel (that to be honest, no one really watched anyway and I have been more focused on my website blogs due to this revelation) So now, I have noticed a shift in my focus from making YouTube content to enjoying my hobbies of photography and amateur radio. This is big for me as I am now getting out and shooting more and the results are starting to accumulate. The bulk of my photos are terrible in my mind and never make it out of the initial culling, but some of them are gems that I like and will share. I think this is because I am actually shooting more so I am starting to see more around me. This only comes from getting out and shooting photos. No amount of research or watching videos on the internet will give you this skill, you just have to put in the time doing it and now I am doing just that.
Now that I am getting out to shoot more, I am also noticing something else. I am learning the gear better and noticing things about my camera and how I have it setup that are problems and need correcting and building out things like my user profiles so I can easily recall the settings for certain kinds of photography or lens setups I like to use regularly.
Another thing I have noticed is that I am getting more comfortable with photographing people. This has been a huge stumbling block for me, but over time I have come to the realization that most people just don’t care. The ones that do care will let you know and i just deescalate by deleting their image anyway as I don’t want to have photos of someone who isn’t happy with me taking the photo anyway. That turns into a win win in my book, I don’t go to extremes or let people inspect my equipment like letting them go through the memory card or anything, but if they ask I always delete the image. It is just how I operate.
I was talking not long ago with Phil about shooting in low light and he made a good point, he waits till winter to do his low light images as it gets dark earlier and he doesn’t have to stay up late to get cool night photos… There is some wisdom in this that I have learned over the summer as well. I did a bunch of low light photos then and he is right, I ended up not getting into bed till well after 11 on many days.
The results were awesome with the photos I got, but I did have to stay up really late to get them. Something else I noticed was that it is a very different mindset when you are gathering content for a YouTube video as opposed to just shooting for yourself and looking for the images that you want to capture instead of trying to collect content for a video. You see, with video content collection, you end up looking for specific images to highlight talking points in the video and not photos that are interesting or particularly good in any real way other than to showcase that specific talking point. When I go shoot now, I just look at my surroundings and make photos of what interests me. No cross platform thought process or video centric stuff. Just photos. This has been quite liberating since starting the channel back in 2017. I fell like a weight has been lifted from me and I am free to explore the world and document it without the burden of video content creation.
Let that sink in for a minute. Shoot for you, not the internet, not for Instagram, not for Vero, not for Facebook, but for YOU. If you will do this you will soon see that your photos will start getting better and you will enjoy photography.
Now get your camera out and go take a picture with it!