1/2

This was written and photod last year as part of a 365 project:

One Half 

It is so true; the older you get, the faster time flies. Can this year already be 1/2 over? Judging by the count on my 365 project the answer is yes. I cannot believe it’s July 1st! So here i sit with 183 pics under my belt (and on my stream). I’m not sure about other fellow photographers but i can firmly state that that 183 does not at all even come close to signifying how many pics were taken to get there. On some lucky days i catch a notion of what the shot for the day will be and can grab the camera and execute it with let’s say less than 5 shots. Most days however, my perfectionistic nature demands that i take 10, 20 or 30 shots to achieve that one. That doesn’t mean that all the others are no good, they just don’t measure up as what i was seeking. Most days it is a struggle to get that one shot, compositionalwise. Once i have decided on the comp i must then sit and sift through a handful or more of what appear to be the exact same shot, studying the subtle nuances that differ between them. Okay now i have narrowed it down to one shot. Ahhh, a sigh of relief. But that is only brief as now i must figure out the presentation of the shot, i.e. contrasts, saturation etc. It is sometimes almost a part time job. Mind you, i’m not complaining. For deep inside of me resides some strange force that derives extreme satisfaction from all the, at times, frustration of the process. I admit, some days i take shortcuts and settle for something that is less than fully satisfying. And i’m left a dozen shots that could each be a great photo in their own right. I can’t dump them. So they sit in folders waiting for their moment that may never ever come. Time doesn’t allow for each one to be fully put forth. How many hours can i devote to this and still maintain all the other aspects of my life?
Today marks a significant level anyway it is looked at. I fell far short last year and have managed to stick to it this year and for that simple fact I Am proud. The much bigger plus is that i feel i have become a better photographer. I have been forced to, which i guess is the greater part of a 365 project’s purpose. I know i am much more proficient at using my tool. I’m now going on 3 years as the owner of a Canon 450D and take pride in the fact that i can almost change the rudimentary settings on the fly without even looking. That is to say without pulling my eye away from the viewfinder. Still a lot more to learn, and i hope i will. The second half of the year will allow for another 183 shots. Multiply that by 5, 10 or 20 and i would guess that i would be forced to learn more. Can i make it till the end? Time will tell. 183/365
P.S. this shot was the result of 14 shots and i am about 86% happy with the result.