School Photos

71/365

Well, school has been in session for about 3 weeks and as is the yearly tradition, it was time for school photos.  The mom doesn't like the ones taken at school very much and she really doesn't like the prices they charge, so once again she asked me to take them.

She didn't have to twist my arm very hard.  These two, as their older brother, are so used to me taking their pictures that they totally cooperate and do whatever I ask.  They even have some suggestions of their own.  And the fact that they like each other makes it even easier and more fun...

So we drove down the road from their house to an historical site.  I didn't really have high hopes for this place, but we didn't have much time and I didn't want to go too far.  The first thing I noticed was the wonderful stone wall that is actually the foundation for the small building that once served as a general store at the Erie Canal lock.

So we used that as the background this year.  It was also serendipity that it was an overcast day. The light was beautiful and I didn't have to deal with harsh shadows and bright sun in their faces.

This was one of the last shots I took of the two of them together.

Do-Over!

70/365

The grandson's mom wanted some additional photos for his senior pics.  He had the idea that he wanted a waterfall for the background, and he wanted the shirt/tie/suspenders.

Very cool look.

Well, it hasn't rained much lately, so the waterfall, although very voluptuous when he first found it in the spring, was pretty wimpy today.  But the location was beautiful and the weather was perfect.

Just a little bit down the road was a wonderful structure.  We guessed it had been a one-room schoolhouse once upon a time.

It was a nice Do-Over, but I hope we're done.

First Game

69/365

Today was the first game for the middle school football season. While I was waiting for the game to begin, I watched the cheerleaders file onto the grass in front of the bleachers.

Oh My Gosh!!  They are so darned cute.  I just had to take a few random shots.

I was really impressed with the way the boys played.  Of course, most of these guys have probably been playing for the past 3-4 years, but still....they played well.

One of the plays was as good as you'd see in a high school game.

That boy will probably excel.

Grandson handing the ball off to his teammates.

Grandson (#20) and another boy receiving some "coaching" from the coaches.

Blessings in the Details

68/365

It's so easy to whine and complain when things don't go right.

It's so easy to give thanks when big things do go right.

But what about when things are not awful OR outstanding.  

That's when the blessings are in the details.

I had a day like that today.

I had scheduled Mac lesson at the Apple store in Albany for 8:30 am.  

Boy do I LOVE being in the mall before the stores open, and I especially 

love being at the Apple store before it opens when there are only a few 

of us there for our lesson and it's all quiet and peaceful.

I learned two things that have had me scratching my 

head for quite a while.  SCORE!!

After my lesson, I headed over to Bath & Body Works to get another

 bottle of my favorite hand lotion--Fresh Picked Tangerine.

I was informed that the line of Fresh Picked was on sale for 50% off.

Be still my heart.  SCORE!!

Of course I had to make a stop at Starbucks on the way out.  

My birthday was just a short while ago, so I had a birthday 

perk on my card.  Any drink free.

My usual drink of choice at Starbucks is caramel iced coffee.  

1) because I like it and 

2) because it's probably the cheapest thing on their menu.

But today....today I splurged.

Salted Caramel Mocha--and the largest size they had.  SCORE!!

Driving through the parking lot, I saw this license plate.  Haven't seen a funky vanity plate, other than zooming down the highway, in quite a while.  SCORE!!

(I don't know, but the plate "hard times" on a BMW just seems like an oxymoron to me.)

The weather, on the drive home, was spectacular--coolish but with 

blue skies and puffy white clouds.  Another SCORE!!

After being home for a short while, a friend called and asked for a 

ride to the library.  We had a great, unplanned visit.  

It was short but sweet.  SCORE!!

Then I went to watch my grandson play soccer.  SCORE!!

After that I went to a photo meeting and learned something

 new about how to use my camera.  Yup, you got it, SCORE!!

And now I am watching one of my favorite shows, "Elementary". SCORE!!

So yes!!  The blessings are in the details.

Summer's End

67/365

After many years of wanting to get back to any one of the many county fairs in my area, I finally bit the bullet and went to the Fonda Fair which is definitely a harbinger of summer's end, and stayed long enough to get some dusk images of the rides on the midway.

I started out when it was still pretty light just to get some hand-held action shots.

 

Then when it began getting darker I grabbed my tripod and used some slow shutter speeds to get the movement and the lights.  

I used my 11-18 wide angle for many of the images seen here.  What fun!

A security guard followed me back to the booth where I stashed my camera bag with some friends.  Unbeknownst to me, some parents were complaining that I was taking pictures and they didn't like it.  (One lady did come up to me and ask if I was with the newspaper--I said "no, these are just for me personally".  She said she had a reason for asking because she didn't want her son...  I cut her off and said I wasn't taking photos of the kids and I showed her a couple of the images.  I guess she was placated because she walked away satisfied.)

So, I guess the security guard was on a mission to:

1) kick me out

2) have me arrested

3) commandeer my flash card

4) read me the riot act

No seriously, none of that happened and when I showed him a few of the images, he just waved his hand and said, "you're okay", and walked away.  

Sheesh!  We live in a sad world, but really, public place = no expectation of privacy.

I can see both sides of the debate, but at least I got my images tonight.