Day: January 20, 2013

I haven’t yet come to terms with separating myself from the daily part of “In Focus Daily.” I’ve toyed with the idea of modifying the name of the blog but until I come up with something else, it somehow remains a required “daily” commitment in my psyche. The weird thing is that instead of reducing the number of posts, which was my intention, I seem to be increasing my daily posts.

A few minutes ago, smug with the knowledge that my Day 20 post automatically published at 5AM and that I didn’t need to take a photo, my adorable hummers were cavorting in the fountain. Photo op! I cannot resist those hummers. My long lens was already attached to the camera so I went out, sat down, and flipped on the flash. But as cooperative as the hummers were, my camera and its flash weren’t. The shutter release was delayed and the flash wasn’t recycling fast enough. I took a couple of shots, only one of them in decent focus, and when they retreated to the tree to preen, I went inside and attached my Speed Light to try for something better. Of course they disappeared completely when I went back outside.

But here they are, again. My hummers.

I love this shot! And before I decided to rethink my blog posts, I never would have posted it to my blog because I had already taken other shots that I posted for Friday, and I didn’t download the shots from Foxtrot Mary’s Friday night gig at The Club Car in Auburn until Saturday. Under my old, self-imposed 365 rules, I had to take and post the shot the same day so it would not have qualified. Under my New Rules (I feel I need to give a nod to Bill Maher if I use that phrase), less restrictive and somehow freeing, I now understand how my friend Melinda feels with the changes to her blog in 2013. While I still haven’t decided how to restructure it, I’m starting to feel my way and experiment with changes. So, shot taken Friday, downloaded Saturday, Blog post prepared Saturday for publication on Sunday. I won’t always be giving all the gory, uninteresting details but it helps me think it through if I write it down.

Now about this shot. Air guitar isn’t exactly what this shot depicts. It is, in fact, a real guitar played by an exceptional guitar player, James Papastathis III, currently with the band Mr. December. He and his wife, Dana Moret, who’s smiling face is in the background, sat in with Foxtrot Mary Friday night. Wow! Wow! Wow!

I had to use an uncomfortably high (for me) ISO (2500) and despite my shutter speed being set at 1/125, the focus isn’t crisp because the guitar was moving. But I love the point of view and Dana’s face, clearly enjoying the sounds from that guitar.