For many years I had this idea for a photograph of a stand of Birch trees in the fall. I have even tried the shot a half dozen times or so over the years, only to later look at the image and think that is not what I had in mind. Several failed attempts Of this idea all found their way to the trash.

So the idea just simply stayed in my head until a couple of weeks ago. I was walking through one of the lager stands of Birch that I know of on my way back from photographing another subject. And there it was right in front of me, the image that matched my Idea perfectly.

On this day I was very lucky, not only to have found the right location for the image but to have the perfect sky for it as well.

I try to keep track of my image ideas in my head, and as a back up I have a folder on my laptop called shoot list (Ideas). I keep reading through these lists and adding to them constantly . I started my first list over twenty-five years ago, and I keep adding ideas and checking others off, The funny thing here is the lists never get shorter just longer. Years ago that first list got so long I had to split it into several shorter list. Today I keep list for every place I have ever been and even several places I want to go. I set my lists up geographically as well as by subject.

For me that folder full of lists is invaluable in that there is no way to remember all of my ideas. As I read through them I some times think “What was I thinking” and other times I’ll say oh yea I know where I can make that image. Over the years I have heard of people writing their ideas down in note books, pads and blank books. The key is What ever works or you is the way to do it. and this method really works well for me.