Painting Au Plein Air (or good old outdoor painting)

I walk with the dog and I sometimes see an interesting aspect of the landscape - a tree stark and bare against a wooded background; a palm tree against a building; the view outside my door or my sunroom; and I think why don't I paint that? Often, I already have and sometimes several times - all different; all showing aspects of my progress or not. Like my progress in color mixing or composition or whatever.

I often let life get in the way of my daily painting or writing but more often I get in my own way. Why? If I'm outside painting or sketching I soon have company. People want to watch me, talk to me ask questions or worse make suggestions. I don't want the company, thanks. I know when I start a painting it takes time before anything comes of it and that my rough sketches are very rough (drawing not being one of my strong suits) so I don't want to explain those things to people.

I admire people who take easel, paints, brushes, canvas or paper and set up outside, start painting and something emerges. For some, their work turns into great art, for others maybe not so great but they all seem to have the ego strength I lack. They can get out there, work and ignore or not be bothered by company.

So more often than not I use photographs. I'm outside and then I take them into my studio. They help me with concentration and composition. And they sidestep my shyness when outside trying to work. Everybody takes pictures.