My Number One Photography Tip? Always Take The Effing Walk.

And if it's winter, always take the effing coat!

Earlier this month, Brent and I were staying with friends in Puyallup, Washington — a place I had confidently written off previously as a photographic dead zone.

Perhaps it was once a photographer’s paradise, but, to paraphrase Joni Mitchell, they paved it and put up a parking lot.

It’s usually rainy in the Pacific Northwest this time of year, but when I saw we had two sunny days in a row, I was determined to take advantage of the weather by snapping some sunrise photos at Bradley Park, which has a small but pretty lake.

The first morning, I woke up at 6:30, but when I saw nothing except gray outside, I figured I’d try again the following day. Instead, I would just go to the gym, which opened at eight.

I left at 7:45, and the drive went right past the park. So when I glanced over and saw the sun breaking through the clouds and a lovely mist burning off the lake, I immediately did a U-turn.

I might not have taken the walk when I first got up, but I was sure as hell going to take it now.

However, it was early March and freezing outside.

Because I had earlier decided not to do the walk, I hadn’t brought a jacket and wore nothing but a sweatshirt and gym shorts.

My plan was to take a few quick pictures of the lake. But once I saw how pretty it was — and that the light would be better from the other side — my strategy changed.

That’s because I’m a pig-headed idiot who believes I sometimes have to suffer for my “art.”

I set out to circle the lake even though I wasn’t at all dressed for it. I soon passed a few other people who, of course, were dressed far more sensibly.

I spent the next forty-five minutes walking the loop, and it was absolutely worth it — even if my hands and feet went numb from the cold.

There was the light streaming through the trees...

The lake shrouded in mist...

The adorable squirrel...

The trees reflected in the mirror-like water...

A father and son fishing together.

By the time I finished, I could barely feel my feet and hands — and I’d scraped my legs scrambling through some blackberry bushes to get a particular shot.

Hey, no one ever accused me of being a genius!

Perhaps none of these photos is worth a thousand words. But that was a happily spent forty-five minutes, and honestly, that alone might be reason enough to pick up a camera.

So what’s the secret to whatever photographic success I can claim? What’s my number one photography tip?

I always take the effing walk.

By that I mean: get off my butt, go outside, and walk around taking lots of photos.

I know, I know. I should be talking about lighting, composition, the rule of thirds, leading lines — all the technical stuff photographers love.

And yes, all of that matters. But only if you actually go outside.

Besides, since I only take photos with a smartphone — currently a Google Pixel 9 Pro XL — I’m not at all versed in fancy lenses or how to adjust my f-stops to get the perfect depth of field, yadda yadda yadda. (Perhaps I shouldn’t be admitting any of this in a newsletter devoted to … photography?)

But I always take the effing walk. (Well, almost always.)

I love photography and walking, so I usually don’t need much motivating.

But sometimes it’s too cold, too hot, the light isn’t great, or the weather isn’t cooperating. Perhaps I don’t feel like taking public transit somewhere different, or I’m just bored by our current destination.

So I hem and haw before finally getting off my butt.

But once I do, the vast majority of the time, I not only have a great time — I also come home with at least a few photos I genuinely love.

Here in Puyallup is hardly the only time that’s happened. It’s happened in Osaka, Japan, Ohrid, North Macedonia, Port Townsend, Washington, and, well, the list goes on.

I’d like to think that after nine years of travel — and six years devoted seriously to photography — I’ve developed something of an eye for composition and a modest sense of visual storytelling.

But if I’m being completely honest, what probably serves me best is my sheer, bloody-minded persistence.

And lots and lots of pictures.

After all, the name of this newsletter is Michael Takes Too Many Pictures.

Michael Jensen is a novelist and editor. For a newsletter with more of my photos, visit me at www.MichaelJensen.com.