Budding Photographer

On Monday April 5th, Kennedy spent the day with me. Keannon brought her to me at the office. As we were leaving the office to go home Kennedy asked to go eat lunch at Pasta Fina which is across the street from the church. I thought "why not".

She wanted Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo so that's what I ordered and we split it.

Enjoying her lunch a little too much!



















After lunch she asked if we could go to the State Park. I'm always up to going to the park.

When we first got there she wanted to drive across the spillway and watch the water flowing over the dam.

I spotted a Blue Heron. I grabbed my camera but I guess the truck running was too much for him and he took flight.

We drove across the spillway then turned around and came back across. This time the dam was on my side of the truck making it easier to take some pictures of these little guys










and this big one! Seems some of the Canadian geese like Texas so well they choose to stay! The rest of his buddies headed North a month ago!

I don't know what these are but I thought they looked kind of neat.

Kennedy wanted to park the truck and walk on the sidewalk of the spillway. I was game. Thought I might get another chance to get a picture of the Blue Heron.

Although the idea seemed good, it wasn't so much. As we begin to walk I realize the walkway is slick with moss from water flowing over the dam and the next thing I know I hear Kennedy fall. Right on her butt in the water. I get her back up and we decide to walk back to the truck. Now her shorts and panties are wet. She's uncomfortable. I get a grand idea to have her take her shorts off and let me hold them out the window to dry as we drive around the park. She wanted to do that with her panties too. So I'm holding her panties and she's holding her shorts. We both laugh. She says what if someone sees us, I'll be embarrassed! I reassure her that we won't see anyone and if we do they won't know what we are doing! We don't get them completely dry but drier than they were!

We make our way to the side of the park where there is rock climbing. Kennedy really likes to walk the trails there. As we get out of the truck she asks if she can take pictures with my SLR camera or what I call my "big camera". I am reluctant at first then I decide to let her try. I'm thinking I will just have lots of pictures to delete. I stress to her the importance of being careful with it and make sure she has the camera strap around her neck.

This is the first picture she takes. It is overlooking what is called Penitentiary Hollow. It is a steep drop off  where rock climbers repel and climb.

This is the next picture she takes. I ask her why she is taking it and she says "I like the way the leaves look".

She takes this picture that overlooks Lake Mineral Wells.

We get to the "observation" point and she wants to take a picture of me. Now that's different! I am usually the one taking pictures!

I have not talked to her about "composing" or "framing" a picture. I did show her how she can turn the camera sideways to get a vertical picture.

She was drawn to the fresh green oak leaves. They are pretty.

I pointed out this unusually shaped tree and she thought it was picture worthy.

Making our way down into Penitentiary Hollow.

Practicing the "vertical" shot.

This is what she is taking a picture of. She liked the way the trail looked.

She is trying to get a picture of a huge rock. I tell her it will be a better picture with us in it so whoever sees the photograph has a way to tell how big the rock really is.

She takes a picture of me first.

Then I take a picture of her!

This is the same rock at the top. She took this picture.

This is definitely a different perspective but I appreciate her thinking outside the box!

Kennedy also took this one.

And this one.

Without any input from me she took both a vertical and horizontal picture of me on the rocks by the lake.

We haven't discussed "lighting" or "shadows". There will be plenty of time for that.

Another trail that she liked.

At one point she wasn't sure which way to go so I took the lead. Dangerous thing to do when the one following has a camera!

My turn to take a few pictures.

Standing in Penitentiary Hollow.

 Although this isn't sharply focused I love this picture. I guess my camera focused on the rock instead of her.

On our way back up. Kennedy spies a squirrel but he's too quick for her!


We had a great time and she did an amazing job of taking pictures for someone who is only 6! I think we have another photographer in the family! Makes me smile :)


Have a good one!