Photo journaling

I am no good with all the camera mumbo-jumbo. ISO, Aperture, F-stop, PSAM, the Running Man, Night Mode, they all sound like bad dance moves from the 80's. I get so lost, sometimes (hah, words from a Peter Gabriel song, wasn't that from the late 80's) ..........crud where was I? Oh, camera setting's annoy the ba-gee-bee's outta me. By the time I get the camera all set up, decide on an appropriate setting and wait for my auto-focus to well, focus, the shot is long gone.

So, I have been practicing my "quick draw" on my family.

My family has been driven to the point of "not the camera, again!" by my constant "hold still" and "just one more". One evening, as my family dinned in the yard, I decided to snap a few pictures of our lovely spread in the twilight. My darling Inspector rolled his eyes and said, "OH! how did I know THAT was coming?" to which I replied "WHAT???" pure innocence, dripping from my words. I took a ton of pictures, despite the annoyance from my family. I am just mean like that.

My darlings annoyance is most usually met with more photography.

When the children hide behind trees to avoid getting "shot" at, I move in for the kill. Stealthy, steady, I move closer to the prey and..........WHAM'O! Fire as many shots in burst mode as my little model DXWhatever can handle. Hoodlums playing in the trees are met with a constant barrage of shot's fired from my steady hands. One darling hubby, chopping trees and pulling briars, becomes my next target. Carefully navigating fallen trees, I move in for the glory shot. Setting the light meter, adjusting the whoknowswhat........... SNAP! I step on a branch and my cover is blown. Finding the dog sleeping on his back, tongue flopping out of his slobbery jowls, is the shot of a lifetime. Getting a shot at this beast requires much more skill and patience. I am the mighty hunter on Safari. Creeping on my belly through the dirt, weapon in hand, I move slowly closer, slowly. Steady now.........Bam! I fire and miss. The beast leaps from his slumber, the chance at another shot is nill.

Such is my life.........Even the dog is tired of being shot at.

I move on to smaller targets. Our little farm is bursting forth with blossoms on every corner. I find photographing vegetation much easier than people. Plants hold still, IF, the wind's not blowing. Plant's don't wince and hide their faces when they see me coming. The flowers almost tip their lovely heads toward me. THIS will be wonderful target practice.

Step up to the plate. Ready your weapon. That's it, hold it steady. Focus. Let out a breath. Squeeze the trigger..................Voila!

I think I am improving my "eye" for a good shot. This has taken lots and lots of memory card and hard drive space. Not to mention, annoyed the family to bits. But any good hunter knows, practice makes perfect, or at least it helps.