A subscriber asked, "What is the underrated beauty that you see?"

I'm going to put on my "nature photographer hat," as well as my "portrait photographer hat" to answer this question, and it may take several issues of this newsletter to answer to my satisfaction, so bear with me.

Something I think about often is how I personally define nature. I have tried for almost two decades now to articulate why living in cities is so difficult for me. My somewhat imprudent, knee-jerk reaction is to say, "There's no nature here!" But of course there is. Nature exists all around us, even in urban environments, and that is, I think, one of the underrated aspects of beauty that I try--and admittedly sometimes fail--to see. The little things. Parts of our environment that are often usurped by the sensorially "loud" aspects of urban life. The camera helps me to see it, because when I'm looking for something to photograph, I'm instinctively more aware of my surroundings. My mind is focused on a single task: seeing, and I'm more easily able to tune out all of that other stuff. It's a deliberate and decisive action.

As a portrait photographer, the underrated beauty that I see is inside people. I've written before about why I love portrait photography, and why I still photograph people, despite being an intense introvert whose exhaustion level after a day of interacting with people is at least equal to, if not drastically higher than, that of a day of backpacking in the high mountains. I think being a bit of a black sheep has given me a healthy dose of seeking out similarities between myself and other people. When someone sits in front of my camera, I'm looking for something deeper than outer beauty. I'm looking for expressions that aren't prompted, those that just appear in a moment of connection. In short, across multiple genres of photography and in day-to-day life, the underrated beauty that I see is in the things and ways of being that society has tried to erase, deny, or hide. It's in the unscripted and unposed moments. And yet it's also in the contradictions that lay within society's attempt to be anything other than naturally beautiful, as it represents a universal struggle that in itself beautifully connects us all.

NATURE. all things nature/outdoors.

In last week's issue, I quoted Gary Snyder, who is one of my favorite nature/ecology poets and authors. In Practice of the Wild (link is an actual PDF of the book), he said, "The wild requires that we learn the terrain, nod to all the plants and animals and birds, ford the streams and cross the ridges and tell a good story when we get back home." A few days later, as I was driving the highway between Roswell and Tinnie, New Mexico, I had an opportunity to revisit this quote in a new-to-me context.

The photo above was made in 2020. My memory had been a bit fuzzy about the precise location, as it sometimes is. On my backpacking trips, I carry a small notebook and keep meticulous notes about locations and experiences; however, on driving trips, I don't write in a notebook for obvious reasons (I'm driving much of the time). At any rate, I was driving through the Picacho Hills just east of the Capitan Mountain range, descending the big hill coming into the unincorporated community of Picacho, when I had something comparable to deja vu. I looked to my left, out the front passenger side window and saw on the nearest hill what I think are three small Juniper trees, almost an equal distance apart. "I know those Juniper trees!" I thought. As I continued descending the long hill into Picacho, it all started coming back to me. I was suddenly very sharply cognizant of the exact moment I decided in 2020 that I needed to pull off and make a photo of that scene. It was a remarkable feeling. Like those Juniper trees and that hill were old, long-lost friends that I was seeing for the first time in years. A feeling of comfort actually came over me. "I know this place," I thought.

This was "learn the terrain" manifesting in a very unique way for me. So often when we're just passing through a landscape, we don't learn the terrain. It all goes by so quickly outside the windows of our fast-moving vehicles (another reason I love travel by foot). I'd photographed those three little Juniper trees, which formed a very distinct memory for me--a memory that created a unique relationship between me and that hill and those trees. And five years later, as I descended that hill into Picacho, I nodded to my familiar friends.

Incidentally, this experience was the impetus behind me beginning to take notes while driving via an audio recording app on my phone. I think I'll find this quite useful on future trips.

DOGS. all things dogs.

"How did you muzzle train your dog?" [Part 2, continued from Vol. 1, No. 1]...

​In the last issue I talked briefly about types of muzzles and options for accessories. The muzzle that currently works best for my boy, Japhy, is a size Tolly from The Muzzle Movement. When it comes to sizing, it's important to take the specific measurements requested by the company that makes the muzzle you're buying. Each one is a bit different, but typically you'll need nose length, nose width, and nose height. Some companies will have a sizing walk-through (with photos to show you how to measure) that at the end will suggest a size based on the measurements you input into their interactive form. If you have any questions or issues with measurements, contact the company directly. Most are very happy to help. Another thing that was extremely helpful to me in sizing for Japhy was the fact that The Muzzle Movement has an Instagram feed full of dogs of all shapes and sizes wearing their muzzles, and often in the description or comments it will say what size the muzzle is. If it doesn't, you can comment to ask, and usually someone will respond. Depending solely on breed traits is not a good way to size a muzzle, but using photos along with precise measurements can be more helpful in visualizing what the muzzle would look like on your dog. For example, before looking at photos I was going to buy Japhy the size Sunny, but after seeing a post by someone who had the size Sunny on a German Shepherd saying it was "huge" on her dog, I decided to size down. I'm glad I did. The Tolly is a perfect fit for Japhy, confirmed by our veterinarian, who had also confirmed that the previous muzzles were not a good fit. Definitely use your vet as a resource in this journey. Most will have some pretty good insight to share with you.

Training. This is the fun part. And what I mean by that is that it's your job to keep it fun for your dog. Otherwise, you risk tainting the experience. If a dog has a negative association with something, training becomes much more challenging. If a dog has a positive association with something, however, it can be extremely rewarding for both of you. Remember this, in all of your training (not just muzzle training): never train angry or frustrated. If you feel yourself getting frustrated, stop and continue another time. If you notice your dog becoming frustrated, stop and continue another time.

There are several ways to do this, but my boy is fairly treat-motivated, so I used his favorite small treats. I held the muzzle out in one hand toward his nose and kept it stationary. Not on his nose yet. Not even really close to his face yet. Just sitting in my hand in front of me, completely still. With my other hand, I held a treat between two fingers and put it through a hole at the nose end of the muzzle, prompting Japhy to put his nose inside the muzzle to get the treat. As soon as he took the treat, I praised and rewarded him for putting his nose inside the muzzle. I repeated this a lot -- for days before actually fastening the head strap on the muzzle with his nose inside of it. There was no forcing. Just holding the muzzle out with a treat at the other end, waiting for him to voluntarily put his nose inside to get the treat. Lots of "Yay!!!" Days and days of "Yay!!" This is important. Do not rush this process. Remember: you don't want to taint the experience. Keep it positive. [For this process, you can also smear the inside end of the muzzle with peanut butter, or something else that your dog really really likes, and hold it out the same way.]

I'll end here for this issue and continue next week. Until then, practice this and feel free to reply to this e-mail if you run into questions or issues. Click below to watch a YouTube short compiling a few brief scenes from Japhy's muzzle training.

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VAN/LIFE. all things life, including van life.

A few weeks ago I made a list on Patreon of the little things I have in the van that make it feel more like home to me. Here are a few things from that list:

• The C. Crane Skywave 2 radio (associate link) my brother got me for Christmas a few years ago. I really enjoy being able to turn it on in the mornings and throughout the day to listen to the NOAA weather forecast for wherever I am, along with the news. There's just something about getting that info on an old-school radio vs getting it on a modern computer or mobile screen, not to mention the ability to use it in places without a cell signal. I use this thing every single day.
• The Stoke Voltaics "Joulle" Kettle Pot (not a referral link). Last year someone from Stoke Voltaics actually reached out to me asking if I'd like to be an affiliate for them. I was actually pretty stoked (heh, pun intended), and I promptly replied with answers to all of their questions. Then...crickets. I never heard from them again, even after a follow-up email "just checking in" to see if they'd received my response. While I'm not sure what happened (Is it possible that both of my e-mails somehow got lost in the ether? But still, no follow-up from them is odd.), I'd been interested in their Joulle Kettle Pot for awhile, so after a few months of waiting unsuccessfully for the affiliate thing to come through, I just bought one. Before I moved into the van, I'd make popcorn on the stove a lot (the old-fashioned way, with actual kernels in oil in a pan on a fire). With the Joulle, I can make popcorn again without worrying about hot oil in a pan with a loose fitting lid and dogs nearby. The Joulle is fully contained with a fairly secure lid, and you just stir the kernels with a metal stirring rod that fits down into a hole in the lid. Clever, eh? I can also boil water quickly without the need for a separate tea kettle. The kettle I'd been using was large and barely fit in my small cupboards. The Joulle fits better and is quick and easy. The catch is: it needs power. A lot of power for such a small gadget, at almost 500 watts. Even so, I love the thing and its multiple uses, and I find myself using it a LOT (plugged into my Bluetti AC180; I'll go over my power setup and how it's working out for me in a future post).
• My window covers. Not only are they great for privacy and climate control, but they're beautiful and my mom helped me make them. When we finished them and they turned out so nice, I told her she could be making hundreds of dollars per set if she wanted to sell them to #vanlifers on Etsy, as that's what most companies are charging for them: HUNDREDS of dollars. And mine are prettier. ;-) Anyway, my mom's response to making and selling them on Etsy was "I don't think so," after hilariously struggling (we laughed about it) with the magnets sticking to the sewing machine as she sewed around each one (four magnets on each of four sides + four window covers = frustrated mom; she loves me a lot).
• ​Waggle Pet Monitor (referral link) + 4G LTE Security Camera (associate link). These two things combined set my mind more at ease when it comes to keeping the dogs safe. I've used the Pet Monitor for awhile now, and I love not only it's temperature/humidity feature, but also it's geofencing/tracking feature (will alert me if the van moves from its GPS coordinates), and the app is user-friendly and regularly updated. The 4G LTE security camera is a cheap, no-name Chinese thing but has been working flawlessly for me for a few months now. What I like most about it is that I can use it in the van or a hotel room or anywhere, really. And it's very efficiently powered by its own little solar panel, while also coming with a USB-C wall charger and the ability to operate on its built-in battery for up to 15 days between charges. Incidentally, Waggle has come out with a RV 4G Mini Camera (pre-orders only right now) that, while costing quite a bit more, would be conveniently accessible from the same app as the monitor, and may or may not be more flexible with its magnetic "stick-and-go" base. It's actually on my wish list to test and compare to the one I have, so that I can share the results in a YouTube video for others. The monthly subscription price is about the same between the two if you pay annually.
• ​My air fryer (associate link). A new acquisition for the van, it's the perfect size for just me, and I've found myself using it a lot more than my propane stove when I have access to shore power. It requires 900 watts of power, which is a lot less than the larger 1500+ watt air fryers, and I've been using my Bluetti for it.
• My Wolfbox backup camera (associate link). A friend actually gifted me this when I first got the van, because, well, the van is big. I was a little concerned I might hit something or someone when backing up, but with this camera I'm not as worried. Still a little worried. Just kidding. This thing is fantastic, and not only does it help with backing up, it also has a front camera, and both front and rear cameras will record when the van is off for something like 48 hours (I've forgotten).

I'll do more lists like this in the future. Have suggestions or questions? Reply to this e-mail and let me know!

Until next time, be kind and be well.