One click

One click. One before and one after… it’s but a moment. Seconds. Five seconds between three shots. I am seeking the best shot. I will edit later. For now, shoot early and shoot often. Does it work? Are they all worthy? Edit? Does it mean to discard bad shots? Does it matter? Hard drive memory is pretty much infinite. But cluttered! Discard and it’s easier to find good images later. Did you mistakenly discard an image that on the “next look” was one that should have been kept? Go ahead make yourself crazy. Meanwhile, I shoot early and often and keep all. There is less anxiety. Edit? I rate my images with stars and look at the “2’s” and upward.

Free. Freedom?

Title?? Digital is free. At least it seems virtually nearly free because storage is so inexpensive. Film cost $$.

So, I shoot multiple images. Click, click, click. Free. Surely, one image will be the “one.” Indeed there are plenty of images with focus issues and so forth. More images insure success?! Not really. But, I still like to think so. So many of my old slides are not quite good enough. It is what I have. No backs. So, I shoot camera, not iPhone, and I shoot early and often.

I fear my argument falls upon deaf ears. The vast majority of images out in the world were/are iPhone not camera. It’s progress. Better? I know I can do better with camera than phone.

Reflection

They are all around us. Hard to get. But easy is you see it. Ya gotta look! And sometimes it’s work. Special? Yes, when they work.

The last morning of the balloon festival they launched in the morning fog. I chased the balloons along the river. There was no set course they were following, mostly letting the gentle breeze carry them along. I stopped and popped thru the trees along the river to capture the reflection. Symmetrical. Symmetry. About near perfect. Probably too perfect. But this is something you cannot stage. You are just there as the opportunity unfolds. Take care and focus.

Street photography – revisited

Festivals. They are quintessential opportunities for candid photography. Everyone is snapping pictures. Shoot away. No one even glances in the direction of your camera. Weirdness abounds. If you dress that way…. Be sure to wear clean underwear.

Happy

This picture makes me happy. Hoop dancer. The metadata suggests it was the Indian powwow on Labor Day 2006. It’s a good shot. Good lighting. Nice composition. I’m glad I was there. No complaints.

Cute

Subject? What to shoot in an Indian powwow? There are too many opportunities. What? Which? Does experience help? What will come out looking good in the editing? Wide angle? Detail? Action?

None of it matters. You just go ahead and shoot. Get images are they unfold and present. There are no rules. I experiment as I go along. Only occasionally I know there is a “winner” as I press the shutter. Otherwise, everything is good? Eh?

Three little girls in costume… and holding hands… cute! Automatically! Details: jingle dancer, the bells are in motion. Focus is a problem. Close? Close is ok?

One

I am incapable of restraint. One image. Pick one from a day’s shoot. Is there not one single image that stands out from the rest that would be worthy? One image? Pick? I am incapable. They are like children. You like them all. Among 1916 images? yes, that was the number on 9/10/22. Don’t ask. I told that story in another blog.

Shooting into a mirror… it was not even on “that” day. Position the camera. Look up. Press the shutter. Voila! I look like I belong with the other frames nearby. Not too much, but I like to think so.

Booster

The pandemic is over. I just got another booster. Omnicron? I’ve lost track. 3^rd booster? 4^th booster, fifth shot. I now have two CDC cards with all the dates and so forth. We went to the Indian Powwow. Outdoor venue, a large crowd gathered. Not much social distancing. One mask. I did not see another. We did not wear one. Safe? Many in the extended family have experienced Covid infection. No one died. No one was hospitalized. One cousin had a relapse Covid case. Should we fear it? I was just about first on line for the latest booster. So far so good.

The main criticism: centering. I try not to center my subject in the center of the image. It’s static. Eh? You can. We do. But, I find it more interesting to put the subject to one side or another. Rule of Thirds? Put the interest at an intersection of lines. No matter. These shots were on the run grab shots of the crowd and marchers in the line. And the mask illustrates my point no matter where it is in the image.