It has been almost two weeks since I began my quest to gain a better understanding of my camera. Like with any foreign subject, I have had to learn new vocabulary, concepts, and directions. Photography seems to be both a science and an art.  Just scratching the surface can be overwhelming. Since my only goal is to take better pictures in manual settings, I am not panicked.  I have a life time to dig.

One of the most distressing things I have learned so far is the concept of the “golden hours” of photography. Some professionals will not even take outdoor pictures if they are not done in the magical light of the dawn or dusk. I myself am not a morning person though I have tried for years.

As a matter of fact, when I worked out years ago with a friend at 6 am, I would show up to the gym with out my contacts. Having a heinous astigmatism, she would chastise me about getting behind the wheel of a car so visually impaired. I tried to put them in, but that early, my eyes rejected them like an organ transplant.

Since I am a school teacher, I am making the most of my summer free time.  There was no denying getting up early to practice a bit because theory is meaningless without implementation.  This morning, I tried my hand at some portraits. I found that last weeks blue berries and butterflies were much easier on my eyes and heart.

They say that photography is about seeing. Well, as a home schooling mom, I am always with my girls. It took me waking up early with some light and lens to get this shocking insight into my own children.

They grew up when I wasn’t looking.

After this morning’s practice shoot, my only advice to people photographing their own children is…..Don’t blink.