Friday July 1 2016  THE PHOTOGRAPHER HAS AWAKENED

Today I am back in the photographer mode.  My day has been, and will probably be, used up entirely with the task of preparing my equipment for the wedding I am assisting at tomorrow.  My daughter has cautioned me that in today’s world I should not refer to myself as “a second shooter”, but rather as the assistant to the primary photographer.  So, since I don’t want to get arrested or be put on a NO-FLY LIST, as of now I am an assistant photographer, photographing a wedding, not “SHOOTING” a wedding!

I had forgotten how time consuming it is.  With all else that has been going on at our place today is the only day I set aside to prepare everything.  And since I haven’t used my equipment for awhile I must check every single function on my equipment that I will need to use, as well as refresh my memory and fingers to recall all the functions.  I will not be responsible for taking all my lighting equipment but some of the attachments I will need so I can function with the equipment my friend has.  We use a remote lighting system and each camera must have its own attachment.  If even one small piece is left out of the equation it can call a halt to the entire shoot.  (Oops!)

After all the cleaning, checking, and packing, when I prepared for a wedding I actually had a check list to go through to make certain that no item was left behind.  Something as simple as an attachment the camera needs for the tripod can cause a glitch.  I packed at least two of each items and for some things I had more.  That meant two cameras, two flashes, two light systems, two cords, extra light stands, backdrops, and all the little things like the transmitters and receivers.  Formal sessions are done with studio lighting, the ceremony with natural lighting.  Often the rooms are dark and tripods must be used so the camera lens can be set to stay open longer to allow more light into the camera.  Lots of flash used in other venues and at the reception.  I usually go through at least $60 worth of Lithium, fast firing batteries per wedding.  Some weddings (such as the 10 hour weddings) would use even more.  Tomorrow’s event is only an 8 hour working contract but that means about an eleven hour day from leaving the house to my return.

And now I am in my office going through camera cards and preparing them for tomorrows use.  What I am doing takes time on another computer so I thought I would use this time to do my blog, which isn’t really a blog.  Remember, I am supposed to be on a self indulged sabbatical as far as writing blogs until July 4^th.  But, I just thought you would like to know how it is I keep busy.

 

WELL, WHAT DO YOU DO?

By Kathleen Martens

July 1 2016

 

I thought life would be easy

Once I retired.

I’m not down for the count

But rather refired.

 

When I say I am busy

I’m asked, “Well what do you do?”

I’m perplexed to answer.

Oh, if they only knew!

 

Never a day happens

Not filled to the brim.

No one would believe

What I could tell them.

 

So I just write my blog

Cook lots of food,

Go through closets galore

And be in a happy mood.

 

I workout at the gym

Wash toilets and laundry

Dig in the soil

And collapse on Sunday.

 

I learn new programs,

And edit my work

Water my gardens

And try not to shirk.

 

Occasionally I sweep

The floors in my house

And clean the traps

With a dead mouse.

 

Knock down cobwebs,

And mop my floors

And once a year

Scrub each door.

 

The windows right now

Are simply left undone.

I haven’t had time

To do something that fun!

 

I prepare three meals

Each and every day

So we can stay healthy

And have energy to play.

 

But as it happens

We have no time to romp.

So we work real hard

And occasionally stomp.

 

I even shower

And wash my hair,

And iron the clothes

That I wear.

 

And there is so much more,

Like appointments to keep,

Dentists and doctors,

And orthotics for feet.

 

And Medicare and insurance,

Funeral arrangements too.

And all the financial

We must be careful to do.

 

“Just exactly what is it I do?”

Probably the very same things

Which you discovered

That YOUR retirement brings.

 

For you see

The only ones who ask

Are the young who “work”

At one simple task.

 

Like Dave said

A “real job” he needs,

So he can escape

All the household deeds.

 

But the one thing we love,

Is to set time aside

To be with our grandsons

With arms open wide.

 

That is the favorite

Thing that we do.

And even those moments

Are always too few.

 

God, thank You for the years I’ve lived that has allowed me to retire.

Thank You that I can still do what I love to do.

Thank You God for each and every moment I live.

Thank You Lord that I am busy and have purpose.

Thank You for my husband.

Thank You too for walnuts.

 

HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY AND GOD BLESS YOU!

P.S.  I’m ready for the photographer to go back to sleep.