tryin' to keep it all in perspective

yesterday i had an opportunity to tag along with my older brothers while they played in a golf tournament. my interest in being there was not to play, the allure of the game of golf continues to escapes me. what got me out on the links was the opportunity to try to gain another skill set. i wanted to try my hand at sports photography.

i mistakenly thought that golf would not be that hard to shoot but i was wrong. there are definite rules about when you can fire your shutter, for example at no time during the back-swing. simply put you can only shoot from the time the player contacts the ball, through to their follow-through.

the course as well can limit where you can stand and the skill level of the player can determines where you stand. my quest to be ahead and to the left of the action was quickly pooh-poohed. i found out that have a brother who has a tendency to rocket the golf ball out that way.

trying to ensure tight focus was also a challenge that i did not expect. while the player was setting up their shot i would target my focus but what i failed to recognize is that during the act of swinging the player actually moves forward. so i was a bit disappointed as i felt my shots weren't as sharp as they could be. who am i kidding i was for all intensive purposes beating myself up over my perceived failings. stupid mostly because HELLO it was my first time and i was shooting a sport i really had no clue about.

i know that my family will get a lot of pleasure out of the pictures i took and if there is any critiquing to be had it will be of their golfing form and not of my photographic skills.

sometimes too much knowledge is a dangerous thing. prior to the tournament i did some research on how to shoot and i looked at a lot of golf photographs. i really hoped that i could emulate what i saw but i think i set myself up for an impossible task. i showed a few of my pics to the poorboi and he had to remind me that the professionals shoot with pro style cameras and lenses. as he reminded me i do not have comparable equipment and he felt that i did an awesome job with what i had.

another friend, who i will refer to as the little general also had some poignant words of wisdom for me today. she reminded me that if i continue to push myself to be perfect every time i press my shutter i run the risk of losing the joy that i have found with the camera.

i am lucky, i have some really great friends.

and as per usual a couple of pics for your entertainment. enjoy!