discovering my photography limitations...

sometimes when the subject in front of me

is amazingly beautiful

and

doesn't feel threatened

when I gently and slowly walk closer

while

carrying my jaw that wants to keep falling on the ground

because that's what happens to me when I'm completely in awe of something

I freeze and my heart stops

and

my ability to focus and be the photographer I want to be

gets all tangled up in just wanting to live in the moment

and

I have to take a deep breath with my shoulders back

and

breathe out and release the tightened muscles in my neck

and

try once again to bring the camera up to my face so that maybe this time I can focus with my eyes

instead of my heart

~~~~~

{these sandhill cranes literally take my breath away when I see them at the pond...in these shots I am only about 15 feet away from them and they're as tall as I am. this is the female, as the male stands still and off to the side whenever I get close, in a protective mode, and just watches me while he lets her walk around and eat}