My best shot monday 8-9-10

Henry finished swimming lessons last week. Two months ago when we signed him up, I never would have imagined how well he'd do. Even his teacher Emily (who also taught him last year), said she was amazed at his progress. Last summer, success was simply getting Henry in the water. He was just plain scared . . . .

This year, Henry is fearless! He is actually under the water more than he is out of the water. He has become a swimming fish. He's even beginning to learn strokes. Watching this progress has been so much fun and such an eye opener. (there is no question in my mind that the greatest lessons in life come from our kids . . . ) Henry was ready to learn to swim this year, and so he did. Simple as that.

Change can come quickly like that. I feel it too. Exactly two months ago, I got out of bed one night when I couldn't sleep. Too many ideas swimming in my head. So I wrote "Practice and Post." And, that is exactly what I've been doing ever since . . . taking pictures, reading books, blogs and tutorials, studying and comparing exposure, learning how to make my camera functions second nature, defining my own style, and being 100% taken with the possibilities. I guess I've jumped in the water too.

And, I am amazed at how quickly change can come . . . I know I have such a long way to go. But just like Henry learning to swim, I would have never imagined the things that have happened in these last months. Maybe I was ready to learn too. Simple as that . . .

This morning, Henry and I had a little "private time" together at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum ("my happy place," as I like to refer to it!), and he indulged me with a few photos. In the picture below, the camera metered off the intense light in the back, and Henry was way underexposed. But I brightened it up a bit, and now this is my favorite shot from our day. It is grainy and not very sharp and the exposure is clearly wrong. But still, I love the sepia coloring on it and the blown background, and more than anything, I love his expression. It is SO Henry.

Two months ago, I would have never kept this picture. I probably wouldn't have even taken it. But today, it is my favorite.