Trip Report: Photography, Challenges, and Cows

For this trip report, instead of re-write the events of the day, I realize I had actually written out a draft of a post the day of. So, what is written below (with some corrections, etc.) is from September 27th 2025 while in Montana, a day of photography, challenges, and a lot of cows.

As I've mentioned in recent posts, I am currently away from home. This has inherent challenges in and of itself, especially with blogging. But I'm determined to continue on writing. Maybe the posts aren't enthralling but I hope that they have still been of some help.

But now I'm away from the "away", so I'm even further away. And I didn't bring my laptop, where I do ninety-nine percent of the work on my website. This begged the question: how am I going to write a blog today? In all honesty I should have this morning. But the events of the day came and went and here I am rushing to write a post, and writing it on my phone at that.

In a somewhat ironic way though, it's a fitting end to the day, and a fitting connection to the events of this week.

I came here to spend time with a friend and his family and to photograph this beautiful area. It's fall here in Montana, and so photography should be easy right?

Well fall is late, and the weather is perfect. Perfect for anyone but a photographer that is.

So what I wanted was yellows and oranges and reds in the trees, and nice clouds to catch beautiful sunset light. Instead it's been green trees and blue skies.

But in the face of adversity, we persevered today. Me and my friend went out looking for some place to photograph tonight, and in the process found some fantastic locations, culminating in a picture perfect scene: a rustic cabin, yellow aspens, and beautiful mountains in the back. Couldn't ask for a better spot.

As if on cue, the cows apparently thought the place was ideal as well. In comical timing, a small herd of black cows wandered right into our shot before we were able to shoot.

Despite our best efforts to persuade them to move on, they simply stared at us. I guess we were intriguing.

Before you think I'm whining too much, I'm saying all this for a purpose.

You see, every work, including photography has thorns and thistles. Sometimes, thankfully, they're comical like our cow incident.

Other times they're legitimately serious.

But one thing I realize with photography is that I have no control over anything but me. Forecasts change, traffic happens, cows wander into a scene. I am not responsible for those. But I am responsible for myself. I'm responsible not only for doing my best to take the best photograph I can, but for my attitude in it all.

I am responsible to be obedient to what God has called me too, and that is to strive for Christ likeness.

I don't know how, but cows and blue skies, green trees and forgetting my laptop, are all for my good (Romans 8:28-29). It's easy to say that for such simple things, but much different for bigger things.

Maybe, I hope, sharing my struggles will help you as you deal with yours.

Tomorrow, I am supposed to get steak, and maybe try to shoot that cabin again. I really hope those cows don't hear about the steak.