Next Step

Within my first two blogs, I hope to provide a broader understanding for the content within the blog.  My first blog discussed the phrase "Taking a second look"which appears in the title banner.  The title for my blog is a nod to the late Dr. John Spates, "Doc John".  The complete story behind the quote, " I Like to Hear It Click" is for another time but John's words have remained with me over the years reminding me to remain curious and playful and not allow my photography to become stuffy or rigid.    The second part of his advice is that photographers, such as I,  sometimes do not know what draws them to take certain photographs.  I think it is like a moth to a flame thing.  Therefore, just hearing it click is a sufficient explanation.

This blog would not be here if it were not for the encouragement and coaching of Chris Quillen, close friend and mentor.  Chris renewed my interest in photography by sharing techniques and ideas in his photography classes and during our informal Friday coffee conversations. Some photographers act like they are a wizard and will withhold ideas and techniques because they feel insecure with their status as a wizard.  Chris has been more of a lighthouse keeper as he shares his experience to help other photographers find their own path.

You can find Chris Quillen's photos at https://www.flickr.com/photos/grumpyoldphotographer -- or at his blog, grumpyoldphotographer.blogspot.com.

Forrest Gump says, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you will get."  For me, this photo was not the one I anticipated taking last week.  I was hoping to get a wildlife photo but took home a landscape photo.  The late evening water reflections were vivid and pond scum had begun taking over the water's surface giving it a haze like quality.  An added pinch of gaussian blur in post processing seemed to compliment the hazy evening effect.    

The wildlife I had hoped to photograph didn't appear, and the ones that did appear kept their distance out of camera range.  Therefore, I decided to do a landscape photo with a distant Blue Heron as part of the scene.  As I was snapping the photo, an osprey came flying across my scene and he boldly captured a role as the co-star.   Sometimes, what we get isn't what we expected. So, we graciously embrace what is before us and find the beauty that is seen within our soul more than through our eyes.