Primer for Plein Air: Part 5 / Location and Picking a Subject

Location is everything.

Windswept hills and painting umbrellas can be a dangerous combination. How long will that umbrella stay up? (Vasili Andreyevich Golynsky, 1854–1904, “A Hot Summer Day”)

---

Okay, you're out in the field with your gear as light as a feather, looking for something to paint. But wait! Wouldn't it be smarter to leave your bag in the car until you've settled on something to paint?

I've made the mistake of hiking in a mile with my pack, only to realize that what I really wanted to paint was a mile back. I've since learned to leave everything in the car and to walk around a bit with sketchbook and camera. Although you think this a waste of time (gosh, the light's changing so fast!) it's not. It'll actually save you time in the end, and energy, too.