Didn't Get The Shot I Wanted...Got Another One Instead

 Yesterday afternoon I was busy getting things ready for the little trick-or-treaters. I had to prepare our Candy Cannon, set up chairs in the garage, check to make sure we had enough candy...you know, basic pre-Halloween activities.

That's when I looked east, into the open field next to our house.

That's when I saw a great shot.

My problem--I didn't have my good camera with the telephoto lens.

I actually considered getting it--running into the house, running out into the field for the shot. Unfortunately, thing got in the way and after throwing myself into new activities, I forgot all about the horse and the field and the mountains in the background.

It's a darn shame.

I think it could have been an amazing photo.

Tonight, I wondered if creative lightning could strike twice. The horse was in the field, but not in the same spot looking northward, up the slightly rising slope. I thought I'd see what I could get. I walked out and snapped a few pictures...close, but not great horse shot. If it wasn't Halloween last night, maybe I could have grabbed my camera, trodded out to the field and gotten the show my mind imagined was possible. It might not have worked out.

I'd like to think I would.

I'm Not So Much A "Selfie" Guy...

 I'm not so much a selfie guy. It's not that I dislike selfies, per se, but my mind does not go to "I'll take a selfie" when I'm in a situation where many do think, "I'll take a selfie." Then they do.

A few weeks ago, I ran into several friends at FanX, Salt Lake's own comics convention. Thankfully, one of the friends is a selfie person so she snapped a picture of all that were gathered.

I'm glad she did.

This particular selfie brings me a lot of joy. These are theater friends. I've been in shows with them, been cast in shows by them, and spent many many hours together. When you do a show with a person, you share experiences, share art that's relayed to an audience. There's a bond that exists and grows stronger the more shows you do. It's hard to explain fully.

The picture reminds me of those times, the long rehearsals, tech weeks, opening nights, the run, then closing nights.

Like I said, I'm not a selfie guy. Maybe I should try to be. The pictures bring back some wonderful memories.

Catching A Magical Moment...

It's an understated photo, at least, that's the way I see it. You see one thing, but if you look long enough, you might notice something else.

Something flying.

Something magical.

I've dedicated several blogs to the latest show my daughter and I are in. Over the years, we've done many shows together and I might blog once, or twice, maybe three times about a particular show. I might blog more than that, but it seems like that's all.

This show's different. For one thing, it's in a new theater in a new town. That makes the setting, the environment, the audiences, the overall feeling of the show different. 

Because it's different, I'm seeing different things, and when I see different things, I take pictures. I've posted several photographs from Peery's Egyptian Theater in Ogden. The place is beautiful, and there's so any incredible things to film. Then, you put a show on the that stage and there's even more to see and experience.

We opened this past week, which means we spent a lot of time both on stage and behind the scenes. Part of tech week is making sure marks are hit, blocking is set, and lines are given. Also, when you're involved backstage, you see things. One thing I saw was a lost boy captain flying in front of a nursery room window. That's when I took a picture. 

And I caught a magical moment.

If you go see the show (you can get tickets and information by clicking: HERE), you'll see a flying Peter Pan from a different angle, not just in shadow. But, when you're in a new location, there's magic to see--you just have to look for it.

So, Are You A Professional Photographer...?

I took my son to a seminary meeting this morning in Syracuse. After a while I decided to take my camera outside and looked for something interesting to photograph.

"Are you a professional photographer, or what?" the teacher ask me as came back in after taking a few pictures, camera in hand and I waited for class to be over.

"No, not really. I just look for interesting stuff to shoot," (in a non-2nd amendment way...). My son was done and we drove home. On the way I thought about the photographer comment.

Am I a professional photographer? 

Well, my pictures have won awards--county fair, but hey! They were awards! And I was "hired" by a friend to shoot several triathlons last summer. Didn't quit get payment for that, but that's okay. I did it for free and it was a great experience, great opportunity to learn.

I found an irrigation ditch and some tumbleweeds. It was bright outside so I didn't know how they turned out until I downloaded the pictures into my computer.

 

Do I think anyone will pay me for these pictures? Most likely, no. But if I only took pictures that I knew I could sell, I'd probably not use my camera much, if at all. Sometimes I just like to remember how beautiful this world is.