I’ve recently been giving a lot of thought to what happens after retirement. It’s a ways off still; however, I’ve been doing some reading and watching of videos about it. Much of the conversation out there is about, first, gradually easing into retirement (no cold turkey), two, not completely becoming inert in retirement and three, about ten years out, start to build patterns into your life about how retirement will appear.
I have always been interested in media, both through digital archiving and video. Of recent, I have become interested in photography. As I pursued writing for a news blog, I was encouraged to step up my photography game. I have no desire to become a professional photographer; however, I would like to tell stronger stories through the pictures I take. Who knows where it may go? I know that studio photography isn’t my thing, but capturing art and life through photographs (as well as news) is, and it’s a good thing for a hobby in retirement.
To that end, I am going to take my first course in January, 2025 for the purpose of learning more. On Saturday, December 14, I had a hankering to go out somewhere and take some pictures. Marble Springs is a historic site nearby, so I took an hour from the Christmas season to go out and just shoot some pictures. Here is what I found, edited through Lightroom (for which I will be taking a class next year as well).
Saturday was chilly, and very few people were out in general, which was surprising as it was a Saturday before Christmas. I snuck in this day trip as I was considering the site’s purpose and wanted to practice some photography.
As I wandered the grounds, I found it pretty freeing to be there alone. I was able to capture the angles and shots I was after and could take multiple without people in them. I don’t mind people but this time was about the landscapes.
I’ve been out here multiple times for events before but this was the first during this season, and the more barren landscape helped to focus my attention on the structures moreso.
I thought it was a loss that they weren’t decorated more for Christmas until Kyle came out to say hello and illuminated things. I had just misss their main Christmas event the night before, craft making for kids. They had spent the morning taking down decorations in preparation for the winter shutdown.
Nonetheless, I.enjoyed the short trip before heading on to a Christmas party myself. Here are a few more images of the day.
