Versatile, dynamic and supremely talented jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette passed away in late October. If you're into jazz, you've most certainly heard his work. Throughout his long career he played with many of the greats, from Miles Davis and Keith Jarrett to Pat Metheny and Sonny Rollins. Too many to mention.

Among the many tributes I've read, one jumped out because it underscored a wonderfully audacious concept which guided DeJohnette. Here's an excerpt from that piece. (Added emphasis is mine.)

Even among legends, most musicians have recognizable licks or patterns that define their sound — but Jack was different. He was almost impossible to imitate because patterns were not part of his ethos. He was always striving to exist purely in the moment — always present. You could try to capture his aura, his energy, his sound, but there were no recurring formulas to grab onto.

I once asked him how he did it, and he told me that every time he sat at the drums, he made a conscious effort not to repeat himself — even if that meant not always sounding his best.

Consider this guy sitting behind his kit night after night, year after year; the idea of him intentionally, deliberately avoiding repetition is amazing in and of itself. That he was willing to accept the associated inherent risk of possibly not sounding his very best blew my mind.

Not sounding his absolute best didn't mean the audience wasn't going to get a great show; Jack DeJohnette set the bar very, very high. It did mean, though, he was always striving to do something different. Formulaic performances weren't acceptable to him. This is a bold mindset.

I thought about parallels with photography when I read this description of Jack's perspective about his drumming. His approach, though not easy to achieve (or maintain), is something to consider and perhaps aspire to emulate.

The idea of being in the moment is 100% applicable to nature photography. Slowing down and getting in sync with the landscape will yield results. Take your time. Free your mind of extraneous clutter; the "other stuff" can wait. Concentrate on here and now. Try to let go of preconceptions, which can limit both your thinking and your vision.

You will notice things you wouldn't have otherwise. You will see more potential subject matter. The likelihood you'll make more unique images will increase.

Have the confidence to listen to - and follow - the beat of your own drum. Like Jack, avoid being predictable.

Don't feel compelled to follow the crowd.

• If "everyone" is heading off to the same spot to shoot but you see something interesting along the way, stop and explore what caught your eye.

• Photograph what interests you. There is nothing wrong with crossing genres.

• Don't worry about "breaking the rules" of photography. Understand the logic behind the so-called rules, but think of them as guidelines rather than edicts. Sometimes it makes sense to compose your photo differently.

• What and how your buddy is shooting is irrelevant. Concentrate on what you're seeing and trying to create, and set your camera accordingly.

As for striving not to repeat yourself, even when that strategy might not produce your very best photographs, now that is truly sage advice.

Making routine, predictable images isn't very satisfying. The output might be technically sound, but it's a monotonous exercise. More important, doing the same thing over and over won't up your game creatively and isn't going to make you a better photographer.

Be willing to experiment. Try something new: a lens, different conditions, a technique, perspectives, ideas. In areas you frequent regularly, steer clear of "default" locations. Look for novel ways to tell the story of that place.

Not everything you try will be successful. You'll probably learn something, though, and that knowledge can be useful somewhere down the road.

Don't conflate artistic repetition with repeatedly visiting the same areas, though: they're two completely different things. Frequenting places again and again is highly beneficial, not to mention practical (unless you've got a lot of free time - and spare cash - to constantly jet off to exotic destinations).

Repeat visits are the perfect opportunity to practice DeJohnette's method. Familiarity with a location encourages a deeper understanding of its nuances. It forces one to look beyond the obvious, it encourages experimentation, and it's an almost surefire means to get beyond the postcard shot.

In Local News

Teton Park Road (the Inner Loop) in Grand Teton National Park is now closed for the winter. If you're coming from the south, you can drive as far as the Taggart Lake parking area. From the north, you can get as far as Signal Mountain Lodge.

Yellowstone roads are also now closed to vehicle traffic for the winter, with the exception of the north entrance out of Gardiner. The park is scheduled to open for oversnow travel on December 15th.