Behind the Digital LensMusings of an Amateur Photographer

8th Nov, 2010 Trying harder

My wife is probably one of the most talented and imaginative people I know.  She loves miniatures – designing, building, and decorating dollhouses of all sizes; designing, decorating, cutting and beading eggs [think Faberge-style decorated eggs – real eggs]; designing and making jewelry like necklaces, bracelets and earrings.  As a result our house is filled with wonderful dollhouses and beautifully decorated eggs of all sizes and shapes and themes and nearly every day she wears a piece of jewelry that she has designed and made, whether it be whimsical or elegant.  I love walking through the house and looking at all of the great things that she has made.

She also loves photography – a love that we share.  And she takes incredible photos of flowers.  I have always been in awe of her flower photos, and impressed with how many of them “came out”.  This in the day of film photography.  My flower photos left much to be desired.  I have always been more in to shooting landscapes.

Until digital photography I somewhat ignored taking photographs of flowers, mostly because I knew that I could not afford the film and processing to be able to take them as well as she did, and so I envied her ability.  And then I got my first digital camera.

Over the last few years I have taken a lot more flower photos than I ever did with my film camera, and I have learned a lot.  One of the challenges I have set for myself is to take closeup photos of flowers that look as though there is a black background, and many times I accomplish that.  But, I do not have a macro lens for my Nikon so the photos I take are taken with a 55-200mm zoom lens, standing at a distance and zoomed in.  Consequently my shots are not sharp, but then, who says they absolutely have to be?  I might not always take a good or great shot, and I might often get frustrated, but a missed shot is not a failure.  It is, however, a learning experience.

I am still learning.  I am still trying.  I am getting better at taking flower photos, but I still think my wife takes far better ones.  I am trying harder.  Some day I hope to be as good as her.  It gives me something to aim for, a goal to strive for.  As photographers, we can never think we are the best; we can always be better, because there is always someone out there that IS better.   Practice, hard work, dedication and goals.  Frustrations and failures are learning opportunities, not a time to put away the camera or throw it in the trash.  At least digital photography is not expensive outside of the equipment.

My wife gave me but one [of many] goal to strive for: taking better flower photos.  And, occasionally, I manage to get one!