So I have a pretty good job.

I’m a full-time, salaried graphic designer. I’ve worked hard to get here, and it’s taken a lot of believing during the lean times. While It may be a 9-5 (8-5 with an hour lunch, to be exact) office job for the most part, last week I found myself hiking and running through some of the most breathtaking scenery on earth, taking pictures, getting to know great people, and all of it on the payroll.

Each year the company I work for has a photo shoot to get new images for their product catalog, which is updated yearly. So, being the designer of said catalog for 2009, I got the privilege of a week-long expenses paid trip to Durango, Colorado to assist with the shoot. Though I am a photographer of sorts, the photography would be handled by a world-class adventure photography team: Patitucci Photo. I would be there to make sure that we got the kind of shots needed for our website and catalog.

Fly or drive? I’ll ride, thanks.

I was given the choice of flying or driving to Durango, which is about 500 miles to the northeast, so naturally I chose neither. I have a motorcycle and was in serious need of an adventure, so I packed it up and headed north. It was a fantastic ride. I saw some beautiful country, from the Mogollon Rim to Monument Valley, all of which had recently received a good dose of monsoon rain, which showed in lush growth, flowing rivers, and fresh air. I had my usual uncannily good luck with the weather: there were almost always storms nearby, but they always moved off before I got there, or closed in after I passed through.

There’s something about seeing things from the saddle of a motorcycle that is so much more satisfying than a car. You get to pass through and make your destinations just as fast, but you have views in all directions and the air is always rushing by, giving you a taste of what’s around. It could be the invigoratingly wild, herbaceous smells of desert plants in full bloom or a dead skunk, but either way, seeing the country from the saddle of a motorcycle is just plain nice.

On top of all that, the act of riding a motorcycle with skill and grace is a great feeling, especially when you’re taking corners at twice the speed suggested by those little yellow signs—leaning over, taking the perfect line, accelerating out of the curve…

You can disregard that last bit, mom.

Durango

What a great place! Set in a high valley with a river running through it, surrounded by alpine wilderness, with an athletic community and a perfect summer climate, Durango is my kind of town.

It’s a small town to be sure, with about 15,000 residents. Just a bit bigger than my native Bisbee, AZ, and from the looks of the downtown architecture, just as old.

Unfortunately I didn’t get any photos of Durango proper. I know, what was I thinking? I guess I’ll just have to go back…

Hard Work

So once I settled in, my accommodations being a very new and nice horse trailer with living quarters, electricity and a comfy bed, it was time to get to work. I tell you, it sure was tough: work consisted of getting up at sunrise to be greeted with crisp mountain air and amazing surroundings. Then, after sipping coffee and munching a little bit, it was time to start shooting photos.

After a few days of shooting horses for the catalog, I was free to spend the rest of the week with the Patituccis. They had some work to do, shooting various subjects for their business, and they asked me to be in the photos. That’s right, you can now add camping/hiking/running model to my list of odd jobs! We went to several amazing locations, the most spectacular being the Red Mountain area above Silverton.

This last one is a shot from a day “off”, when the photographers were scouting a new location and I was free to explore.
So yes, this was my work trip. It’s OK that you’re jealous. I understand. But know this: I have worked hard and suffered through many low-paying, non-fun jobs to get to this point, all the time believing that I could make a good living doing something I truly enjoyed. And it doesn’t stop here…