Thank You Larry Glenn Eason

Yesterday while en route to Magness Lake to see the Trumpeter Swans, I missed the turn to the lake.  The next available place to turn around was a small cemetery.  As I made my way down the gravel drive that circled around the back of the cemetery,  I found myself looking at the most beautiful headstone I'd ever seen.  Everyone in the van was awestruck at the sight of it.  I stopped my van and found myself frantically reaching for my camera while simultaneously opening my van door.  I jumped out and started taking pictures without even looking at my settings! I paused as I realized how ridiculously I was behaving.  Obviously, this shot wasn't going anywhere.  So I calmed down, adjusted my settings, found the composition I was looking for and took a few shots. As I drove away I realized I had just experienced what Oprah calls "an Aha! moment".  When I get rushed and frantic I'm trying to MAKE a moment happen instead of just being fully present to record the moment as it happens naturally.  As I pulled into the parking lot of Magness Lake, I took my time changing my camera lens, checking the settings and attaching it to the monopod.  As I surveyed the best place to photograph from, I didn't focus on angles or composition.  Instead I just went to the place along the fence that "felt right".  I took time to enjoy the experience of just being with the swans.  I took a few shots just to see if my settings were okay, then went back to just watching.  It was then that a huge swan began ruffling his feathers as if to let say "Hey, I'm about to do something pretty magnificent.  You might want to get your camera".  I found myself pointing my camera and just holding the button down as he flapped his large angelic wings. I knew, without looking at the LCD display, that I had just captured a special moment.  Thank you Larry Glenn Eason.  Because of you, I learned that you get the best shots by enjoying the moment.

Magness Lake Swans

Back in the early 90's a few Trumpeter Swans got blown off course and showed up on Perry Linder's farm.  He fed them cracked corn so they decided they would just spend the winter on his little lake.  After wintering at Club Med for Swans, it's no surprise that they kept coming back and brought their family and friends.  This year the flock's numbers broke 200.  So I decided it was high time I get a look at these guys.  I must say, I could have sat all day and watched them as they gracefully swam around each other.  This is a sight that is well worth the road trip.  I hadn't been there long when I was treated to this display of power and beauty...

I'm so blessed to live in The Natural State.

Procrastination

Hello, my name is Eilish and I'm a procrastinator.  Procrastination isn't always a bad thing, though.  I like to say procrastination gives you something to look forward to.  This is especially true when it comes to photography.  When I photograph babies and children I take A LOT of pictures.  And since I shoot in RAW they must all be processed and converted to JPEG.  So I'll usually just do the ones that jump out at me at first.  The rest tend to just hang out on my computer waiting for me to come discover them.  And when I finally do get around to having a second look, I usually find some shots that were better than the original ones I picked.  Such was the case with these recently discovered gems...

Yep, I'd say these were worth waiting for...

My First Shoot

My first shoot happened quite unexpectedly.  It wasn't planned.  In fact, it ended up getting me in a lot of trouble.  It happened when I was six years old and I was visiting my Mamaw Reding.  You see, Mamaw Reding is my Grandmother by marriage, my step grandmother if you want to get all technical about it.  But  in my opinion, blood doesn't define who your family is, love does.  So to me, she was and always will be my Mamaw.  The only reason I am even mentioning it is because she became my Mamaw while she was still young and raising her own kids.  The youngest, Karen, was only four years older than me and I worshipped her.  I used to love to walk around her room and look at all her stuff.  Okay, the truth is, I loved to snoop.  On this particular trip, her room was even more of a draw because of the school science project she was working on.  It involved a maze, mice and timer.  I don't really remember what she was trying to prove or disprove; I just wanted to see the mice.  As I headed towards her room, Mamaw called out to me to just look at the mice NOT touch the mice!  And one thing I had learned was you don't disobey Mamaw.  While I had not felt the full wrath of one of her spankings, I had heard my Uncle Scott get them when he got in trouble.  Most of those for doing something that injured me like sending me down a steep street on my bike, with no shoes on to break my habit of putting my feet down to stop.  The sound effects of those beating made me vow NEVER to do anything to put myself on the receiving end of a Mamaw spanking.  So I did as I was told.  I didn't touch the mice.  I only looked at them.  That got boring pretty fast, though.  So I began checking out the rest of the science project.  There was a maze, a stopwatch, some mouse food and treats, a notebook and... a polaroid camera.  At that moment, everything else disappeared.  All I could see was that camera and all of the magic it held.  Mamaw never said anything about not touching the camera. In fact, she never mentioned it at all.  So surely there was no harm in me just holding it so I could get a better look at it.  As I examined the camera I fell under it's spell.  I lost all rational thinking.  I pointed it at the mice and pushed the button.  In response, it noisily spit out....a blank picture.  I remember looking at the picture and wondering what I had done wrong. ( Little did I know then, this scene would repeat itself countless times throughout my picture taking life...) But suddenly, the image began to emerge.  And it was a picture of mice! I was GOOD at this.  That is the last thing I remember. After that thought, I clearly went on a photography frenzy that only ended when I ran out of film.  When I snapped out of my spell, I found myself sitting on the floor surrounded by pictures of all the Barbies and stuffed animals I kept at Mamaw's house. I was in trouble.  Big trouble.  So I did the only thing that made sense to my six year old mind.  I hid the pictures, cleaned up my mess and acted like nothing had happened.  After a couple of hours had passed, I thought I was in the clear.  In fact, I'd almost forgotten about it until I heard Mamaw yelling my name from my Aunt's room.  As I entered the room she asked me if I had touched the camera.  I said no. She asked me if I was sure. I said yes.  It was only then that Mamaw produced the pile of pictures I had so carefully hidden under my Aunt's bed.  The jig was up.  I was caught and would have to take my punishment.  That was the day I got my first spanking from Mamaw Reding. And while it ended up being the last spanking I ever got from her, it was not the last time I would find myself falling under the spell of a camera. Yep, this camera started it all.  I guess it's true that you always remember your first...

Are you a photographer?

I get that question a lot.  Especially when I whip out my Canon 50D with the 70-200mm lens on it.  That lens just commands attention and respect.  I never quite know how to answer the question, though.  I’ve never taken a photography class, been paid to take pictures or sold a single print.  But through trial and error, I’ve managed to get some shots that people really like.  Am I a photographer?  I guess that depends on your definition.  If you think of a photographer as someone who takes pictures because they love it, then I’m a photographer.  But if your definition of a true photographer is someone who gets paid for taking pictures, then I guess that makes me  just a lady with a camera…