Gosh, how many times have you missed that good shot?
Before I get to that disappointing moment I need to tell why I was walking out on the Salmon Arm Wharf on a cloudless and hot 40°+ day.
It was because when my hair grows down to my shoulders and forces me to wear a hat due to the fact I can’t see, it’s time for a haircut. So this week off I drove to see my friend Matt who owns and is the main cutter at the Salmon Arm Barber Shop. My hair is always long, and I put off going to a barber as long as I can, but I like Matt and we always talk about cameras.
After that, and with a much cooler hair do (“cooler” in a couple of ways) I decided to go out by the lake. Salmon Arm is on the shores of the Shuswap Lake and I was sure the temperature would be more comfortable than in town.
The lakeside park and long wharf always offer photo opportunities. I had my little walk around Fuji camera with me and wandered along a tree-covered path along the lake.
Remember I thought the temperature would me more comfortable? Not at all, no breeze and although I wasn’t exerting myself in any way (pointing that little mirrorless is effortless) I soon was soaking wet. The humidity on that hot day was incredible.
Nevertheless, I wanted to get some photos of the boats entering and leaving the inlet and I thought I’d redo past shots I had taken in the spring along the covered path.
I walked back and forth around the park. It is still a colourful place (with lots of flowers in pots and hanging baskets) that it was when I was there photographing a wedding about 20 years ago. And it is always a fun place to be creative with a camera. I am now thinking I might hang around some time to do some late evening and night photography.
I left that path and went out on the wharf. There is usually a crowd of people there, but I suppose the heat was keeping them home. Boats were tied up along a lower pier and there was only a young couple renting a motorboat. It was hot enough to dry my skin and shirt from the humid walk under the trees.
I like that wharf, I think I have photographed it in every season and I can always find something to point my camera at. I walked past a fellow that seemed to be struggling with something on his fishing pole, but I was trying to be creative with lines made by the railing shadows against the lines of the boardwalk and didn’t pay much attention.
On my way back I saw that he had moved down and off the wharf to the boulders along the lakes edge, and although he held his pole high it was bent down to the water.
I saw he was trying to lift a big fish out of the lake and ran over to the rail for a shot. I checked my exposure and began focusing my telephoto lens just as he lifted his line and flipped a good size fish out of the water. I think it bounced against him before it returned to it’s safe home in the lake.
That was going to be a great photo that I could have shared with him. However, I will now repeat, “How many times have you missed that good shot?” Dang it! I should have been ready.
And I hate it when someone says (as that fisherman did) “did you get that shot?” and I have to say “no”.
Stay safe and be creative. These are my thoughts for this week.
Contact me at www.enmanscamera.com or emcam@telus.net.
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