motion

No, I don't believe in superstition.

I find it interesting, however, that I never, ever, ever have my camera when I most desperately need it . . . and I always have it when the subject won't cooperate, the lighting stinks, or what have you.

I do not believe in superstition. But I think God has a sense of humor. Or maybe He is giving me a gentle reminder that I don't have to capture it digitally to enjoy it.

It's a very hard lesson for me to grasp. I wish my eyes took pictures, so I'd always have a camera on me when I needed it (without having to carry it around till my back broke). Then again, I guess our eyes are cameras--but the images are tucked away in our memories, and we can't really share them with anyone else. Sometimes that's a precious thing, but other times, when words don't say enough, you would rather have a tangible picture.

So last night I decided that this time, I was going to have my camera when that out-of-this-world, one-in-a-million shot walked up, just waiting to be captured.

The subjects didn't cooperate.

The lighting stank.

What have you.

I'd dreamed of amazing photos of the horses galloping in the shimmering gold of sunset, symbols of beauty and grace and power and freedom. Those pictures you see on calendars, you know? So perfect they look staged, yet so free that they look completely natural.

The calendar-perfect photos didn't happen. My camera, for all its strengths, has the frustrating weakness of not being quick enough in low-light conditions, and trying to control both camera, self, and a group of horses can be hard. But I did manage a few interesting shots, at least. I've watched and ridden a lot of tearing American gallops, so I've always appreciated the movement of the horse, but the pictures reveal a perfect complexity that I had never really thought about before.

 Every leg moves in perfect harmony with the others. The mane and tail rise and fall, the ears twitch, the muscles are synchronized. Every detail combines to make a beautiful whole. The photo quality may be crummy, but you can still see God's creative majesty, can't you? His strength is made perfect in our weakness.

 I think this one of Splash is my favorite. You can see the movement of every part of her body as she extends into the stride of a flat-out gallop. Isn't it amazing??

In Goldendale, the changing of the leaves doesn't produce colors as glorious as in some areas, but the maple trees turn golden without fail. They're probably my favorite autumn tree.

 Poplars (above and below) are also favorites of mine, especially in the summer. The one right outside my bedroom window is a fantastic shade tree and keeps my room from baking!

Horses and seasons . . . always in motion. :)