Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Having Fun With A New Camera

To begin, my Nikon would no longer focus. After two trips to the camera shop and then finally sending off to Nikon, I learned that it would cost much more to have it fixed than to buy a new one. I instructed the camera shop to have the camera sent back and not to fix it. I was determined to pick it up from the store because I did not want them to be able to repair it and sell it out from under me.

 

In the meantime, Jeff’s friend from work gave us a really good deal on a professional SLR digital camera and we took him up on the offer. Soon after, the camera shop I chose, indicated Nikon mistakenly fixed my camera. So now I sit with a mediocre camera and a good professional SLR. I decided to keep both and got a good deal from the camera shop for mistakenly fixing my camera.

 

This post is merely about getting used to the new camera and the things I find beauty in. 

Beautiful bright green moss growing on a log at the camp site after a heavy rain.

A moment where I caught Elli and her daddy between the trees swimming in the river. I love how she is looking up at him and he is reaching out to her and they are unaware that I am watching.

Often times we cook hot dogs down at the camp site.

This is one of my favorite photos of all times. Kai looks on as PopPop shows him his gun. Kai is mesmerized by my dad and I can only imagine the thoughts that are running through his mind. Rudy the lab adds the perfect southern boy-to-man touch. Simply priceless and definitely a shot I will blow up and put in my house.

Elli at the Clifton rodeo. With all of the commotion, I wonder what she is thinking, quietly to herself.

This is Waco after gaining weight and getting to a much more healthy state. He is just so beautiful. He is a Medicine Hat Paint. Medicine Hat is used to describe the ears. It looks like he is wearing a hat. Paints with these types of markings on their ears can have no connecting Black/Brown and they must have at least 4” of white all the way around.

 

The Cherokee Indians felt this type of horse was a prized possession. They are rare in their markings and there are myths that indicate riders were invincible while riding a Medicine Hat. I am not buying into that myth. This is considering while riding, Waco became spooked and he ran me into a tree. I suffered a pretty nasty bruise on my arm for approximately 2 weeks.

 

Maybe the “invincibility” just indicates no death with riding?

The barn that has been standing on the farm for over 100 years. We are trying hard to restore it, but it will take a lot of time and money.m The inside is very solid and we actually use the stalls for the horses. The wood work on the inside is amazing. If the walls could talk I would listen for days!

Kai is looking at some cattle during a Rodeo in Clifton.

In this shot, I am just playing with the camera and snapped one of Elvis traveling in the car on the way to the farm. I thought the picture looked interesting.

I have always loved cows and I enjoy taking pictures of me. Aunt Catherine finds this very odd. I am not sure why, but there is so much character in their face. I always wonder what they are thinking.

 

In this picture we are at the Rodeo in the barn looking at the “show” cattle. These two were head to head. I am not sure if they were mother and child or two random cows. I was just interested in how they were standing.

 

Yes, I admit, I find beauty in odd places but at least I look for it. Are you looking?

Texas Bluebonnets

A tradition among Texans is to take family pictures in the Bluebonnets every year. We are blessed to have so many Bluebonnets growing on our farm. I have a lot of fun taking shots of the kids.

I love the more candid photos. Often times if I just sit and watch them, I catch an amazing shot, like this one. They are the best of friends and twins in every way.

   

I am pretty certain that I have great subjects for my photographs. They are so patient with me and allow to photograph them many times so I can get “the” shot.

I also enjoy the beauty in the flowers.

The kids know that it is against the law to pick these flowers but since they are here on the farm, I let them pick a few. Elli thought it would be funny to stick them in my pocket so I could go to jail.

We didn’t get an opportunity this year to capture all of us together but there will be many more opportunities to come, as it is a tradition that will never die.