Trying out a new look, happy mail, and an aha! moment

Trying out a new look for the ol' blog. We'll see if I keep it! {Hahahaha!}

Received some happy mail on Thursday. Can you guess where I placed an order? Yep! The wonderful and talented...Jenni Bowlin! I already had a photo picked out as soon as I opened the package the paper was in.

And that leads to my aha! moment. That photo has to be my proudest moment as an amateur photographer. Proof that I'm getting it. Why is that? This photo was taken with 35mm SLR. No photoshopping, editing of any kind, straight from my camera. I had the camera set on AV mode, so I chose some of the settings. When I decided that I had outgrown my point & shoot, and decided to pick up my SLR, I was tentative, wishing I had the digital version. (For lots of reasons. Immediate feedback being one!) But, I think the day I picked up that photo I really understood. There's something about being able to capture that kind of image on film. The challenge of learning your camera well enough to get it to be able speak for you. To help you capture the mood and personality and moment. Wow. I still have the digital version of my camera high on my wish list, but, after this, I'm sure I won't be letting the film version go...