Today I took a day-trip out to Death Valley with my good friend Amy. For years Amy and I have been photography buddies, traveling to different areas within driving distance, and spending a whole day photographing flowers, landscapes, and occasionally each other when the other wasn't looking.
I was always envious of Amy and her camera equipment. She had a better camera than I did, had several lenses to choose from, and even put this weird attachment on the end of her lens, which I later came to learn was a lens hood. All the while I would watch her with her gear, and there I would stand with my hand-me down point-and-shoot camera. Little does Amy know that even though I was envious, I was also inspired. It drove me to learn more about photography, spending endless hours reading articles online about the rule of thirds, and how to properly compose an image. It lit a fire within me, which I had not felt since my days working with and training dolphins. I eventually met my mentor, and from there my photography skills accelerated exponentially.
So today, the tables were turned. I had my big fancy equipment, but more importantly I had the opportunity to show Amy a few things on her camera that she can play with and take her creativity to the next level. Although I am not a nationally recognized speaker, I know it made me feel good inside that I could return the favor of reigniting her photography fire and showing her something new.
So here is an image Amy captured of me out in the big expanse of Death Valley. This is me. A little lady with big ideas and a big camera.
