Keeping the Sharp Edge

If you follow the professional athletes, you would see all of the hours of practice they dedicate to their sport. Golfers hit hundreds of balls a day. Baseball players are constantly in the batting cages. Swimmers, runners, drivers, and all athletes alike, know that to be on top of their game they have to practice and practice.

The same is true with photographers. The winter months can make us a bit rusty. The reflexes are dampened. And the adjustments of the camera controls require some thought instead of the normal second-nature response. But alas it is Spring!

Like the professional golfers who head for the putting greens after a round of golf, I try to keep the cameras clicking. Using different lenses, different flashes, and maybe different exposure settings, I work on keeping the sharp edge. I am always studing the works of other photographers that I admire and I take inspiration from them. I also like to scout some venues of upcoming weddings and begin planning the event. I drive the countryside when I can to see possible photography locations.

My daughter is great for the practice. Full of energy and full of life, she can be a challenge to follow with a camera. All too often Riley will hear me say, "I have an idea for a photo, let's go to the park!"

I even tagged along on Riley's Easter Egg Hunt this week to practice with the Nikon 300mm 2.8 lens and monopod. The lens is my favorite for baseball, NASCAR, football, and soccer. It is true that the larger the lens takes a bit of practice to get dialed in. On our cameras the lens shoots like a 430mm lens due to the sensor cropping.

I have been taking pictures for over 40 years. I have never grown tired of the craft and I don't think that I ever will. It is my passion. There is always something new and always room for improvement. But it does take practice and practice to keep sharp edge.

Randy