I have had an amazing spring break so far. Here’s proof!
Melon margaritas at Iguana Grill on Lake Travis.
A hike reveals an unexpected grotto.
Thank goodness for spring!
Citizen dips strawberries for game night.
Elizabeth walks through what meager bluebonnets have bloomed so far.
Petah! The girls and a friend play a few rounds at Peter Pan Mini Golf.
So much more to come!
Yes, Mama is new-camera shutter-happy. If you get annoyed with parents endlessly showing pictures of their darlings, skip this blog!!!
First, we visited Emily at school for lunch–mmmm, pancakes!
Then we were off to Fry’s for–of course–spare battery and card for the new toy! Eliza got her pick of the little candy and toy quarter machines as we left for being sooo patient. Bouncy ball and M&Ms! (Or, as she calls them, MMMs.)
Then we waited for Emily to arrive home on the bus.
And lots of play time in the back yard!
This is the sort of exciting day we tend to lead!
Ah, my new Canon Digital Elph 550 came in last night. I got her all charged up and have been running around terrorizing my children with unending flashes.
The camera is tiny, about the size of a deck of cards. I did the important stuff first, you know, set the “turn on” sound to a bird song and the shutter click is now a dog barking. I’ll get sick of that soon enough, I am sure, but it makes the kids laugh.
Many people ask me to help them pick out a digital camera. I warn them about shutter lag, the time between when you press the button to take a picture and when it actually snaps, the uselessness of digital zoom (don’t EVER use it), and the conundrum of new cameras with higher megapixel ratings yet not necessarily taking a better picture, just a bigger file.
This particular camera, however, amazes me. Turn on the camera and it is instantly ready. Press the shutter and it shoots. I did basic shots of the girls, then started playing with the white balance to get some fun ones of s
till life objects. The camera also does video, so I am going to have SOOOO much fun with that.
Anyway, off to play! I’ll post anything else fun I take! But watch out! This camera is so small, I plan to take it everywhere! Nothing goes undocumented!
Did I really complain about doing all those UT tower shots?
Today I got a notice from the University of Texas Office of the Chancellor that the chancellor himself, Mark Yudof, wants to order a copy of my version of the national championship tower poster. He picked mine. Of all the freaking amazing photographers in this town, including officials ones for UT itself, he picked mine.
Crazy! (And thank goodness it is a legal version with no official logos that require licensing…)
I have, oddly, sold about 10 times the number of these prints than I expected. I am in my third reprint.
So I think, right here, right now, I officially quit whining about getting up at four in the morning for a clean shot, working a 70-hour week to get pictures out, and worrying about sales.
This is way too exciting!!!!! Does this mean I am a “real” photog now? Unbelievable!
I love UT. I got my degree there. I was in Longhorn Band. I wrote for the Daily Texan. I had school spirit, for Pete’s sake.
But after spending every evening at the tower for three days straight, I’m tired.
The first few nights at the tower were frenetic. The energy crazy, the fans erupting in “Texas” and “Fight.” I would guess about 300 people stood in front of the Littlefield “flying horse” fountain at any given moment between dusk and midnight or so. The entire South Mall was a mob of people jostling for position.
I photographed 13 scheduled families, plus three more that just showed up, plus two more sets of friends who found me, plus three more “pick up” shoots of strangers who wanted a professional shot and asked me if I’d do one. I am exhausted. The big orange tower looms behind my eyelids even in sleep.
The girls and I took our picture the first night of my shoot. My friend Lanette assisted, and a very tired me is pictured with her in front of the tower. Last night, or early I guess, this morning, I launched out of bed at 4 a.m. and drove over to the tower in hopes of getting a clear shot without a billion bystanders. About 20 people still staked out their spot in front of the fountain, but I elbowed my way through that paltry crowd and got my shot. I also drove around to the Fine Arts circle and shot it there, but the fountain was not lit, so it did not inspire me.
This last night of the tower lighting was morose. The laughing and cheering of nights past were tempered by Vince Young’s announcement that he was entering the draft. The smiles were half hearted. He was mentioned frequently, with a begrudging, “Well, he should take the opportunity.” Everyone seemed to think he’d shafted the Horns. Sold out. I don’t worry about these things, just rearranged families in various positions and snapped wildly.
Supposedly the tower will be lit once more when the students return to class. I could rush my portfolios out to my clients and attach a note that I will do “one more” run of 20-minute sessions throughout the final night. It’s a lot of money; a good opportunity.
But no matter how much I love my Longhorns, I don’t think I could say, “Hook ‘Em” even one more time. My dedication is done until I get some sleep.
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Deanna
Roy Austin, Texas |
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Deanna Roy is the author
of numerous novels, short works, and books for children. |
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Released October
2011
"Absolutely stunning, compelling, and unlike any other book related to pregnancy loss that I have read. This is real life." Robyn Bear |
