If there’s one thing I’ve noticed in over twenty years of bushwalking it’s that nature is big, really big. It’s quite humbling to stand on top of a mountain, to see hundreds of ridges marching into the distance, and to realise that the ridge you spent the entire day climbing was but the first of them. There are hundreds within eyesight, thousands within a day’s drive and millions on the Earth. Yep, nature is big.

The Earth turns. As I enter its penumbra I wonder what really matters; not my photography, not my work, not even my life. If they were all to end right now there would be but a handful of people who would even notice.

The Earth would continue to turn, politicians would continue to lie, bureaucrats would continue to make life difficult, humans would continue their out of control breeding and kapellmeisters would continue to…well, do whatever it is kapellmeisters do.

Of course such fatalistic thoughts could cause you to ask yourself “If nothing matters then why do anything?”. It’s a good question. Why indeed should we do anything?

Unlike other life forms on this planet, humans are driven to change their environment, to make a difference, sometimes for altruistic reasons, but usually to improve their own conditions.

I’m no different to most. I’ve always thought that I must be ‘doing’ something. I’m probably driven to ‘do’ something or ‘be’ someone a little more than average.

I can’t honestly say that this drive has gained me much, but at least it keeps me off the streets.