Originally Posted by
pdmoylan
Two other things come to mind: 1. Fear of losing footing (now approaching 70) while climbing boulders to get "the shot". I had two falls, one in the Adirondacks with my 4x5 gear which caused a shoulder separation and still bothers me, and a second where I fell on ice photographing patterns and reflections which messed up the other shoulder and caused a compression fracture in my humerus. They bother me almost daily and there are times when I can't lay on either side in bed, and 2. Radical change of favorite sites due to a) loss of habitat to development (including the planting of trees in perfectly good wildflower producing fields), b) effects of climate change, and c) the human "trampling syndrome (too much loved). I traveled two years ago to a favorite spot on the way to Lake Placid NY, where I had taken some of my best 4x5 work, and I couldn't believe the litter, erosion from foot trails from too many hikers/climbers, but more importantly, the death of virtually all of the birches and maples due to acid rain and warmer temps.
For safety, and though I spend most of my time in remote areas, I now bring a switchblade in case I get hassled including by motorcyclists riding on back trails (NJ Pine Barrens), or homeless who in warm weather pitch small tents in out of the places (but still close enough to roads). I had one occasion in the Pines where a dude say in his 30s comes out of the brush completely nude and swinging a "sizable package" and starts talking to me looking for "companionship". I simply stopped talking to him, moved to the other side of the bog and began shooting again, and ignored him. He eventually left. I surreptitiously booted my phone just in case I needed to get help.
Don't discount ticks, chiggers and plant allergic reactions which cause anxiety. I had chiggers last year for several weeks, the itching was pretty annoying. Lotions didn't work well. I now avoid some areas due to prior bad experiences.
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