Hobbies

Well, I will in a few days time…

Yesterday, my mother and sister bought me a camera kit.  I can’t wait until it arrives…I’m so stoked.

I found the kit on the forums of Digital Photography School.  A guy from West Virginia had just upgraded to the Canon 5D and was selling his Canon Rebel XSi that he no longer needed.

The kit included the camera, the kit lens, 4 batteries, a battery grip and a 4GB memory card.  I think that’s a very good start for my camera equipment.  Add a couple of lenses to that list later on and I’ll probably be set for a very long time.  I’m hoping that it arrives before this weekend so I can have a weekend photo shoot.

Bench at Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate

 I admit it.  I’ve been bitten by the shutterbug. 

As you’ve seen over the past few weeks here, I’ve started to take a LOT of pictures.  According to my computer, in the month of July I took 1,297 photos. 

All I can say is WOW!  That’s nearly 45 pictures a day…and I didn’t even take pictures every day last month.  But I have enjoyed the time that I would have otherwise been sitting in front of this computer or the TV. 

I’m hoping in the coming months, like around my birthday and Christmas, that I’ll be able to acquire my own digital camera and be able to start my own little camera tool shed. 

But allow me to make some editorial comment here, something that has really been bugging me the more places I go to take pictures.  It basically has two venues, but the issue is the same.  The issue is things that stop me from taking pictures – mostly obstructions. 

The first venue is downtown.  Will all of the great architecture, old churches and history that surrounds our fair city, one would think that there would be a never ending assortment of photo subjects.  While there are a great many things to photograph downtown, more often than not, I’m finding the perfect photo being obstructed by either a power pole or power line.  I understand the need for electricity in the heart of our fair city.  Without it, I’d be out of a job.  But honestly, why aren’t the power transmission lines running underground?  Not only does this serve the photographers, but it helps to keep the lines protected from storms and such.  Too me, this is a no-brainer, win-win situation.  And with all of the construction going on downtown, one would think that it would be the perfect time to make the transition.  Just a thought. 

The second venue is a our beloved horse farms.  I have found two problems with getting pictures at horse farms.  The first is parking places.  Now, I’m not advocating that we widen every road in Lexington to add a third lane dedicated to parking, but it would be very nice if every so often they there would be a place where the shoulder, even the grassy kind, would be available for a car to pull off of the road safely.  This again not only serves the photographer, but it also serves the general public – those that could use these spots to change a flat tire or work on their cars when needed.  Again, just a thought… 

The second problem with the horse farm photo subjects is the privacy that some of these farm seem to wish for.  I know there is NOTHING that can be done about this…privacy is something that individual property owner is entitled to.  But really, I’m not the paparazzi, nor am I taking pictures of top secret breeding techniques.  I just know that the farms in this area offer the best scenery around and all of the 7 foot tall shrubs are preventing EVERYONE from seeing it.  I would think that free advertising would be just what every business would want.  My pictures, which may not be the greatest things out there would still offer a great view of our beautiful farms.  Heck, I’d offer a copy of every picture I took if I would be allowed to see behind some of these shrubs.  Let the farms use the photos as they see fit.  I would certainly be using them to show off all the work that goes into keeping the farm running, clean and beautiful. 

I know, I know.  All of this is simple whining.  True enough, but everything that I’m whining about would simply improve the quality of life for everyone in Lexington.  In my humble opinion. 

Now where’s my map of Red River Gorge???