Okay, Katya, Sit Down and Calm Down
If you have read this blog with any regularity at all, you know that one of my great passions is photography. I have always loved taking pictures. I remember when I was eleven years old, I was so disappointed when I didn’t get a camera for Christmas. That is, until my dad came into the living room with a load of Christmas presents that he and my mom had hidden away!
I was so totally thrilled when I opened the yellow box with a Kodak Instamatic Camera with the neat little “cube” flash! I loved that camera and it really whet my appetite for photography. I only wish I would have pursued my love in spite of what my guidance counselor in junior high school told me. Why did I not stand up and prove her wrong? Why did I recoil like an injured animal and retreat with no “spunk”?
Well, I am now satisfying my passion via this blog. Here, I can take pictures and put them up for all to see! Even if they are bad, everyone is so polite, they tell me they are good! And, while I am at it, I can write to my heart’s content….another passion squelched by a misguided (or, misguiding) counselor. While I am at it, why did the junior high school have an elderly frustrated old maid working as a guidance counselor, shaping the future of youngsters, anyway? And, yes, I can say that now because this is my blog, my platform, and my party!!!
So, let the party begin!
This afternoon, Ben and I went out with our little inflatable kayaks. Yeah, that is probably another “funny-ism” people could laugh at aboout me. After all, how many women are out riding about on a little “blow-up” toy with their kids? Ha, ha! The joke is on them, because I am seeing things I only dreamed of seeing! And, because Mark has encouraged my photographic addiction interest, I am now toting my little Panasonic Lumix very carefully with me on my outings. Such was the case today…
(trying SO hard to remain calm here…..)
Here are my offerings, and possibly one of my finest and BEST sets, EVER! Do remember that I am using a little point-and-shoot camera. The Nikon is too heavy, too expensive, just too “too” to carry out with me!
Please enjoy, and I would LOVE to hear your comments…….(I am so excited!!!) I will shut up now and won’t say another word until I see the comments! (I promise!)
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WOW Katya! Absolutely spectacular photos!!! Really, really terrific!! And I remember with great fondness those little yellow Kodak boxes and the cameras with the blue flashbulbs!!
Awesome photos Katya!
Excellent! That’s all my tired mind can put together at this moment. I’ll come back later…
Your pictures are wonderful!!!! You should be proud of them. Your guidance counselor sould like the sour faced old nun who told me to let my brothers become doctors and the be a nurse! I became a teacher, you did what you did and I believe we are both on the path that was there for us. Who knows what your future holds?
OMG you caught the “boys”. Okay, birds. Great shots, I have really enjoyed your summer touring. Thank you for giving me such a lovely summer in upper New York. Much prettier than the Las Vegas, NV summer landscape. I did notice last night that the quality of light at sunset is changing to that wonderful autumn light. Thanks Katya for the photos.
I’ve always said that a ‘good’ camera can help a ‘good’ photographer take different photographs – not better.
You’ve got a wonderful eye for the composition of the shot and a knack of being in the right place at the right time. The quiet approach by canoe is less disturbing for the birds so you get the chance of sharp definition.
This is an absolutely brilliant set of photographs. If I had to choose one of them, I’d particularly mention the sun on paddle and water.
P.S. I also meant to say that I’m not sure there is such a thing as a bad photograph – many I take could have been done better, but they always have lessons for me if I’m willing to see them.
Thank you all for the comments! I have never been so excited about a set of photos as these. We went kayaking late in the afternoon….it was about five. As soon as we started our paddling, I spotted that eagle sitting in a tree just observing all the activities below. Ben paddled through the lily pads and came so close to the bird! He called for me to come over and I reluctantly did so, thinking the movement would caise the eagle to fly off. Instead, it sat right there! We talked to it and it sat right there as though listening to our every word! I have never been that close to an eagle and it was just a treat I never ever dreamed would happen.
As we left the eagle and entered the river, the water was smooth as glass and the golden lighting seemed to cry out to photograph everything in sight!
Ben called out when he saw a heron and would hold onto the handle on the front of my kayak, thus stabillizing me a bit.
Thanks for the encouragement, Frances! Yes, you are correct. None of us knows what lies in the future and I will just enjoy sharing my photos here
on my blog!
Jackie Colt!!!!! I had no idea you were reading!!!! It is SO good to see you! I just bet there are some pretty cool things in Las Vegas to photograph! Thanks so muchh for the kind words!
Bill, thank you! I really cannot think of any better way to spend time relaxing than taking photos! It is my stress relief! If you look at those photos on my blog, you will see that the photo before the one of the sun on the paddle is just the sun on the water. I was basically sitting in the same place when the “lightbulb” went off to photograph the paddle and water in the sun. That is also one off my favorites!
I have calmed down now. The weather is putrid. Hot and humid. THAT is not conducive to good photos. The photos I did today (the 22nd) are awful. Cannot wait for another high pressure front to move out this hot weather!!!!
WOW WOW WOW!!! I love them all. I really like the still water shots with the clouds reflecting in the water. I went out looking for our local eagle this weekend, but didn’t find it. I’m not giving up though… I don’t think i was looking in quite the right place.