eyes wide open

A friend reminded me the other day that I used to abhor bringing my camera with me anywhere. If I did remember to pack it, the camera rarely made it out of my suitcase. And, more often than not, it didn't even make it into the suitcase in the first place. Now that I've become a bit of a picture-taking junkie...one who's enthusiasm outweighs the quality of her photos for now....I took a moment to consider what the catalyst was for that transformation.



There isn't any one event that I can pinpoint the change on. It just began to matter to me that I captured some of the moments, people and animals that bring so much meaning to my life. I'm not necessarily talking about the big, important times...like weddings, graduations, etc. You remember that kind of stuff with perfect clarity. But I yearned to capture the seemingly smaller things....the last sun filled day on the dock at the cottage when the drinks were ice cold and my brother executed a flawless cannonball, Sophie's first joyful romp in newly fallen snow, a perfect fire at the end of a perfect day on a perfect camping trip.



Looking at the world through the lens of a camera has also made me more aware on my walks with Sophie. I see details and beauty that I missed before when I was focused on the walk, on the route rather than on my surroundings. Now I walk with my eyes wide open...and not just on the trails with Sophie.