Welcome to Thankful Thursday.
I feel very thankful for so many things. But one thing I lack (among many others I am sure) is much of an artistic ability. The only way I can express myself is through the lens of a camera. I get much of my inspiration from my subject matter, which is each of the cats. For many years Abby was my muse. She was very comfortable with the camera around. What I lacked in terms of my own ability and in quality of the camera I used to capture her image.
Abby taught me.
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If I could only go back again and do it all over, I would take all the money I spent on all the different cameras and purchase one really good one. I finally broke down and got a entry level Nikon DSLR in 2012. It has served me well since I purchased it. I enjoy it and will always have it, but now I am ready to move on to a better version.
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You see, I found peace through what my camera can see. I found it in a tiny little calico cat whose eyes are little saucers. When I see her my heart sings again. My muse has returned to me. A reluctant one to start with as she had I'm positive; never seen a big black box that made a click click clicking noise before.
I always thought I had time. Time to do all the things I have always done in the past. But time ran out for me August 12,2013 and I realized I didn't capture all the things I wanted (needed) to capture of Abby on film. I cannot tell you how difficult that was is for me. To know I could never take another image of Abby again broke my desire to pick up a camera.
...until Annabelle.
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Abby wanted me to pick up that camera again and do what I love. So, I did. She also made me realize that I had not been very good at cataloging my files. So a massive project unfolded for me which is nearly complete. She made me so much more aware of how fragile we all are and how much I took for granted things not changing. So, I approach it all differently, including my photography. When I look back over 2013 and I see how lax I became over photographing Abby in particular; it makes me very wistful because I should have done more. But, I didn't, and now that is something I cannot undo. So going forward I have been made more conscious of capturing things with my camera that I would have let go in the past and 'oh thought I'll do it later'. Well, there was no later. There is only now.
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I highly recommend that everyone make sure you have some extra way to back up your digital photo files. There are so many online free storage websites. It is one of the simplest ways to keep your files from being lost to you. I use several different types of back ups, because I am well, uber afraid terrified of losing those precious imagines. No one needs to do the 5 step process I do. I am just being seriously cautious. But I do urge everyone to find a way that works best for them.
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Find your passion and enjoy it and be thankful.
I always strive to get better. It is my joy to interpret and capture on film something beautiful.
Ready for that close up Miss Annabelle?
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We're also joining in on this week's Thankful Thursday Blog Hop from PepiSmartDog.
