Integrating Photography Into Life

Lately, and I think it has something to do with warmer weather and the arrival of Spring, I have been feeling, rather strongly, that I am just not getting enough opportunity to do photography. Family and work obligations clearly limit the amount of free time that one has.

Don't get me wrong, the purpose of this post is not to voice complaints. Rather, I have been trying to think about ways that photography can be more easily integrated into the time that one has available. For example, as many of you know, I am a cardiologist practicing in Pittsburgh, PA. However, I spend, on average, one day a week outside of Pittsburgh, seeing patients in a small town in Ohio. I have found myself thinking about the possibility of starting a photographic project there, as it might not be too difficult to spend an hour or so photographing after work and before going home. I have to admit, if I had all the time to photograph that I wanted, that project would probably not make the top of the list, but I am trying to think in a utilitarian way.

Another thought that I had revolves around making images of some older and beautiful buildings near my home.

The mainstay of these ideas is that it would allow me to photograph without the one hour travel time in each direction that has been the case with most of my photographic excursions.

Thinking about these ideas makes me curious as to how others might have tried to integrate photography and photographic projects into their schedules. What has been an effective strategy? What has not worked out well? I would certainly appreciate any insight that people might have about these issues.