TNMC

My mother's birthday is coming up this week.  Oddly, it is exactly six months from the day she died.  The boys decided that they wanted to go visit her grave site and have a picnic.  It is a beautiful spot a few dozen yards from a pond with fountains.  Perfect for their idea really.

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera.  I don't know why.  I take it pretty much everywhere these days.  Maybe I didn't expect anything to catch my eye.  Or maybe I was just too tired and flat out forgot.  Whatever.  The point is that we arrived and there was plenty to take pictures of.  So I borrowed my wife's little point and click.  It's a great little camera for snapshots.  Not so great when you have higher aspirations.

It is often said by photographers to people still learning the craft that a great camera doesn't guarantee great photos.  This is true.  They want to get across the idea that framing and composition are the most important elements of a photo.  If you don't learn those, no camera will help you get better.  I totally agree.  But having said all that, a better camera does make a difference.  This shot had bad color, lots of noise and blown out highlights.  It took pretty heavy massaging in Adobe Lightroom to make it somewhat respectable.  And it still has a couple of nasty hotspots in the clouds.  

It's not an awful photo by any means.  But I see the weaknesses very clearly and know that they are there because I forgot my camera.  Lesson learned.  I hope.

And yes, harping on the photo keeps me from thinking too much about mom.  That wound isn't healed yet.