Originally posted by 6BQ5 Here's a self-portrait and a story. First, the shot..
The unplanned picture was taken with a K-30 propped up on a rusty air conditioner dumped in the middle of a field. I had my F 50mm f/1.7 lens on the camera. The focus point is in the center so I'm a little soft and the background is very sharp. ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/200 shutter.
Now the story...
I will never forget this self portrait. Getting to this area was very, very hard.
I had to jump a creek, maybe a meter wide. When I came to the crossing I hesitated. On the one hand I thought I should be able to jump the meter but something was telling me to not do it. It was a strange feeling to hear the sound of what must have been the voice of caution. I started to walk away but then turned back around to face the creek. My mind started to rationalize the challenge but there was no logical conclusion to it. I decided to do it because it was scary. In retrospect, I see what a stupid reason this was!
I leapt! Oh, what a feeling! I felt so confident. My fear of not being able to travel the gap evaporated. I could see that I was going to make it. What I didn't see was how I would land.
I lifted off with my right foot and started to land with my left. When my left foot contacted the landing spot I heard (and felt) a *crack* and then a *pop*! Oh, the pain was tremendous! At first I thought I twisted my ankle. I grabbed it and massaged it. It started to feel better and actually hobbled along to where I took this self portrait. The day worn on and my foot started feeling worse and worse! My foot was inflating like a balloon! I knew something was wrong so I went to my local urgent care center fearing that I had broken my foot. After getting x-rays and suffering through a long wait time the doctor told me I had torn my plantar fascia. That's the muscle on the underside of our feet.
My left foot is nearly useless now. I can't bend it or put much weight on it. It's like the end of a club now. Never before have I been so thankful for vertical surfaces to lean against and the support bars in a handicap toilet stall. Looking back on this shot I am amazed I was able to get as far as I did that day!
This shot is probably the last adventure shot I will be taking for a while. Now I am looking for inspiration from my chair or whatever stationary point I find myself in. There's plenty to look at - colors, shapes, forms and structures... but I need to turn my looking into seeing ala Paul Strand.
Man, how I know what you're feeling. I broke my left ankle twice; the first one when I was younger, on the outside part (twisted inwards), the second a couple of years ago, this time on the inside (and twisted outwards)... Both while playing soccer... Some guys just don't like being dribbled...