This is Really Frustrating!!

I so want to be a photographer and I am so not!  This is my MO.  I wanted to learn how to play the guitar.  I spent three months with someone teaching me and then gave up because I could not master the finger holds without feeling completely uncoordinated.  I wanted to be an artist, writer, composer, but couldn't give any of them the time they deserved to transform dream into mastery. 

But I tell you this time will be different!  I AM going to master the Single Lens Camera.  I am not only going to learn what aperture, shutter speed, iso and white balance mean.  I am going to learn how to use them in my own creative combination that will write a story, paint a picture and play a sweet melody.

And guess what?  You get to travel with me as I experiment with angle, framing, lighting and lines.   So we might as well get started.

Here is a shot I took outside of one of my potted plants.  Not bad.  I like that my subject is focused and the background a bit blurry.  It really puts the emphasis where I wanted.

This is actually my favorite of the 300 plus pictures I have taken since Monday.  It is simple.  One lovely blossom.  Everything else is blurred.  Just what I see when I walk by my container plants... a flower still blooming in this wretched heat.

Then I moved inside.  Sunshine and Dreamer were making friendship bracelets and necklaces.  I told them to act like I was not there as I moved over, under, and around their craft table.

This shot is okay, but the lighting is off and the picture is not crisp.  More practice needed.

I flicked off a shot of Daughter-in-law ( I've got to come up with a more appropriate name for this gal whom I love like my own) and Dreamer and whoa.... it was bad.  Too fuzzy.  Background growths coming out of arms and the story of what they were doing together completely cropped off.

I tried to capture the concentration of Susnshines efforts, but felt like I lost some of it to the highlighted yellow yarn.








 While I like to take pictures of all things that relate to my life... crafts... cooking... painting.... gardening... reading... and sewing.  The faces that tell a story are what I really want to freeze in time.

I tried to encapsulate the sweet purity of a baby napping, but was not happy with what I really got when I looked at the picture.

It was not crisp, pure and as tender as the moment itself.  I think my lighting was not set correctly.  And that has to do with aperture, shutter speed and iso.  It's about all I can do to place my lens at the best angle, let alone think of all other considerations.

But my biggest challenge of all was trying to freeze the forever moving target.  Tornado has the most beautiful eyes, expressive face and delightful smile.  I so want to capture his essence.... but simply can not get him in focus.

I have no idea what I was doing here... or not doing... except not achieving my goal of capturing Tornado's charming energy.

I took a picture of the little girl next door.  She was at our house putting a puzzle together and I loved how her glasses were falling down her nose, framing her lashes and her focused concentration on finding the right colors and pieces that would fit perfectly together to display a complete image.
 
That's what I want to do with my camera.

I guess we'll have to court one another for a while longer, my camera and me....getting to know each other's quirks and passions until we reach the desired mutual relationship.  Oh well, I'm not too old to date.  Just too old for the late movie or closing down the party. So after a good nights sleep maybe I will be ready to give this camera thing another shot (no pun intended) in the morning.


I hope you are called to new challenges that demand your best efforts.  I hope you allow yourself all the time you need for whatever learning curve you may be on.  I hope you have some gentle spirited soul to teach, encourage and support you...  and from time to time listen to your lament.