Photography – “Do You See What I See”

It’s a small world after all, especially if you’re looking at it through a lens.  The beauty of photography is that you can make the mundane seem remarkable.

Let me start from the beginning – sort of.

My husband, whom I affectionately refer to as “My Artie”, had done some professional photography long before we met.   He got interested in it once again as a way to keep from getting bored while we take our two doodles on their daily walks.  (Hey, whatever it takes to get out and exercise, right?)  He would take beautiful photographs of the birds and wildlife and always offer to let me use his camera.  I would always respond with a flat out. “Um.  No thank you.”

 Ok, I admit that I am somewhat technologically challenged.  F-stops, ISO and aperture settings seemed quite daunting to me.   That is until one day when we were invited back to take photos after my band did a private event at a Lemur preserve in Sarasota. 

Yes, we got to frolic in the woods with those furry adorable creatures that people think are monkeys but are not. The grounds reminded me of Jurassic Park but without the dinosaurs.  (At least we didn’t see any.)  

And then it clicked…

Artie handed me one of his cameras and gave me a quick lesson on how to use it. Then something clicked – literally.  I had no idea what I was doing, but I wanted to do more of it!  I was surprised to see just how well those first photos came out but even more surprised at how much I enjoyed it!  

Here’s a fun fact about me.  Not everything gets immediately absorbed in this head of mine!  It takes me a hot minute to process things that seem complicated.  I eventually get it.  So, huge kudos to My Artie for his patience and not giving up on me!  He recognized that I had more than a passing interest and surprised me with my own camera and gear!  Now I take a camera with me wherever I go.  

I especially love taking impromptu portraits (always with permission of course), of our neighbors and their dogs.  The humans love it and the dogs don’t seem to mind!  

Social Distancing & Photography

In these challenging times when we are practicing social distancing, photography is a welcomed respite.  You don’t need to go very far at all to capture something beautiful.  On any given day, there’s always a lovely surprise courtesy of Mother Nature – be it a sunrise, a sunset or the abundant wildlife that surrounds us.  I’ve got so much to learn and yet I’ve learned so much in the short time I’ve been taking pictures, especially patience.  I have been lucky enough to capture all sorts of species of birds.  I’ve gotten incredible shots of Bald Eagles, owls, deer, alligators, turtles, otters and yes, those endangered Lemurs, just to name a few.  There is something quite special indeed about capturing a moment to savor forever.

I like to describe myself as a creative being, enmeshed in music and art and ever grateful to have a platform in which to share my talents.  I am so very humbled that several very well respected professional photographers have told me that I have a natural eye.  This means so much to me on many levels and is so very encouraging even though, truth be told, I am still intimidated by those f-stop and ISO settings!  Get out and look around.  You, too, might find something lovely to cherish with a photograph.

Photos by Sheri Nadelman