Quests for Inspiration Episode 3: Spring Trails

Hey everyone! I’m getting back into the swing of things with the blog again, and trying to stay consistent with posts. I have so many ideas and as I was scrolling through the backlog, I noticed I still had a photography draft that I never ended up sharing with you all!

If you’re new to the blog (I’ve gotten quite a few new readers recently, so welcome!) I have a series called “Quests for Inspiration” where I go on adventures in nature and take pictures in an effort to inspire myself.

There are certain things in life that simply give me creative energy. I have an album in my phone called “things that get my neurons firing.” If you’ve ever looked at something and were overcome with overwhelming feelings of creative inspiration, that would be included in my album.

I haven’t discussed creative burnout on the blog much yet, but it is very important as creatives that we refill our creative energy as often and as thoroughly as possible. My Quests for Inspiration are but a small part of that I like to share with you all!

If you missed them and you’d like to check out parts one and two go ahead and click here or here.

Now without further ado, let’s get into my spring trail adventures!

The idea of ecosystems fascinate me. Billions of tiny bacteria, lichens, moss, insects, all the way up to giant creatures like elephants. It works like a great machine, all of the working parts functioning in perfect tandem to create something beautiful. When I can capture some of the cycles of life in a photo, that really gets me going. The dead leaves are being composted and breaking down, surrounding a rock that some moss has decided to make its home.

Moss just looks so soft, and I like to suppose if fairies exist they must use it for their little beds. And slippers. And carpet and maybe even a nice plush early spring scarf.

I quite like these photos where the sun is just peeking through the trees. Like a photobomb!

This is a much shaggier moss. Used for fairy curtains no doubt.

These are some of my favorites. The roots of this tree formed a little soft dirt bassinet for these adorable little plants. I feel like a poem could be written about this… something about roots for a crib, dirt for a bed, fallen leaves as their blanket.

My camera wanted to focus on these two trees, as if they were a doorway to this lovely moss-covered cliffside. A beautiful archway into another realm.

I just love the variety of plant life and flowers in the forest in springtime.

Another moss-covered cliffside with the sun peeking from behind it. Some would consider it a ruined shot, but I do love sunrays on pictures…

I should really save these pictures for a post about “hearts in everyday life.” Something that happens to be another album on my phone. I’m always finding hearts in nature and everyday life. From the suds on a shampoo bottle, to the butter on my pancakes, to mushrooms growing in the yard, to a hollow in a tree. They may not be perfect or symmetrical but they are hearts nonetheless. It was an absolute treat spotting this from the trail.

This hollow in a tree down by the water would be perfect for a sunny afternoon nap if you were a sleepy badger or raccoon.

I really wish the random white bread that somebody threw in the water wasn’t in this picture, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to snap a couple of pictures of this guy! I really love taking pictures of animals when I get the chance and I’d never taken pictures of a snapping turtle before!

In that same category we have some adorable geese I was able to photograph. I particularly love this first picture because the wooden railing almost looks like a picture frame around this one!

I really love that the water is clear enough to see their little feet and their reflections.

The ripples in the water, the absolute FLUFF on the neck of the one nearest to the camera, the reflections in the water, I love it all so much.

And just when I thought the nature shenanigans were done, we stopped for lunch and I was able to photograph this cute old turkey up close and personal.

If you’ve made it this far, I really appreciate it. I love taking pictures and these Quests for Inspiration are a great creative outlet for me. I hope this post helped inspire you too, or I hope it made you want to go on your own hunts for inspiration!

I have so many posts planned for the future including some of the worst writing advice I’ve heard, media rants, and a plotting vs. pantsing discussion. I hope you stick around to check out what I post next!

Happy photographing!