Thirty Days of Thanksgiving | Day 5

This is what I like to call a “dumb luck shot”. When I took this photo it was dark. So dark that when I looked through the viewfinder I could barely make out the red lights on the smoke stacks, giving me only a hint at my composition. I set the camera to f/4.5, letting in as much light as possible at 42mm, and 30 seconds (ISO 100), pressed the button on my Cable Release waited to see what I got.

It was my last shot of the night and I really like it! The colors in the clouds and sky are gorgeous and the streaks of light on the sand from nearby cars are just plain cool, showing just how dark it was.

Marc Muench, my instructor that evening at the California Photo Festival, encouraged us to turn around and capture what was going on behind us.  We were there to photograph long exposures with water, but if I hadn’t turned around I wouldn’t have captured this scene.

The moral of this story: when everyone else with a camera is shooting the same thing, turn around. Capture something different, unique. You might capture something extraordinary – and be the only one who saw it!

This image was shot with a Induro AKB1 Tripod mounted Canon EOS 7D with a Sigma 18-200mm Lens and processed with Adobe Lightroom.

Today I am thankful for:

• Some positive movement in our search for a new house – We have been looking for a new home for nearly six months. Last night I got a phone call from our agent letting us know that another buyer had fallen through on a house that we liked and that our offer was the next in line being considered. We don’t have an accepted offer yet, but this is as close as we’ve gotten!
• A cup of coffee waiting for me when I got up – I’m noticing a pattern here. I think I say something about coffee every day! It might have something to do with blogging in the AM. My cup of coffee really is my high point before 10AM!!
• Just a bruised chest – Yesterday afternoon my husband went to play basketball with a few buddies. He called me on his way home to let me know that he took a knee to the chest, was in a lot of pain and he may have cracked a rib. After 3ish hours in the Balboa Medical Center ER we found out that most likely its a bruised chest, not a broken rib (couldn’t see anything broken on the xray). I’m thankful that he wasn’t hurt worse and that they gave him some decent meds which allowed him to get a good night of sleep.

What are you thankful for today?