November 8, 2009

sometimes it's the people at the zoo, not the animals, that really make you smile

don't get me wrong
this 8 year old "baby" orangutan
made me and all the other primate watchers totally crack up with her little shenanigans
but
it was the people at the park behind the zoo
whose personalities touched my heart the most
~~
november
and
70 degrees
don't go hand in hand
when you live in wisconsin
so yesterday when that combination happened
I grabbed my camera and ran
~~
just like me
everyone was outside soaking up the sun
like it might possibly be our last breath of air
before winter comes and sucks the life right out of us
~
and
I mean everyone
little girls feeding the geese
students drawing
dogs with their humans
napping
women reading
whoa wait
look at this familiar face that found me at the zoo
oh how I adore this little one so much
especially since I feel like she actually remembered me
a sunglass wearing baby
who completely melted my heart
and
like my little love above
has hair that made me smile and laugh out loud

young adults with a great camera
being completely goofy taking photos of each other

who
who were totally into jumping for me and my camera
and
then stood and talked to me for a long time
not caring at all that I was old enough to be their mother
a guy who asked us what we were taking photos of
and
who was totally happy doing a ninja style jump for all of us
a preteen girl kicking her heels up while wading in the lake
a little boy visiting his aunt
who had the cutest little sandy bottom

a four legged sweetie
kicking her heels up
too
~looking like this might be her last swim of the season~
and
last but not least
this sweet little girl
with sandy hands and a sandy face
that kept me running in circles
~wow was she ever fast~
~~
thank you
each and everyone of you
who said "yes"
when I asked if I could take your photo for my blog
~
you have no idea what it means to me to have your trust
and
to show others that strangers can be the nicest people ever
when you say
"do you mind if I take your photo"
~
~note to self~
business cards don't do any good when you leave then at home
~
thanks to all of you who gave me yours and my apologies for the little scraps of paper that I gave you
in return
*
~note to my blog loves~
more photos from my day at the "park behind the zoo"
~~
~note to photographers~
other than the jumping photos
all of these photos were taken with my "zoo" lens which is my 70-300 zoom
that I really never use for portraits
and
surprisingly they turned out better than I had expected
*




35 comments:

  1. lovely captures as always. i still need to muster up the guts to go up to someone and ask if they mind being photographed. you make it look very easy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You take us along on your travels, what a fabulous day you had Beth...you need a business card with a ruby and a luna butterfly on them...just a thought, You know when I am out and about I love talking to strangers. Great post my friend. Take care. hope you have another great day.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The folks you approach must know what an incredible photographer you are. I am sure they are thrilled with the final product when they go on the blog and see it. I know I am!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Beth, as always, I just feel like I was right there with you. I adore the way you capture "real life" moments! I always go away from my visit here with a full heart and smile on my face!

    ReplyDelete
  5. That little girl with the curly hair does a captivating dance with the sun.Looks like a great day all in all.

    ReplyDelete
  6. i am still in shocked over our weather! yay yay
    a beautiful sun filled post!
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very cool! I admire your courage to photograph a stranger.
    The photographer side of me would like to know if your 70-300 zoom is VR - vibration resistant?

    ReplyDelete
  8. beautiful photos - what a lovely day!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm glad you were at the zoo... when I saw the first picture, I thought maybe you went overboard and got a new pet. Just think how surprised John would be though!

    Great shots yesterday...maybe another great day in Wisconsin yet today... xoxoxo

    ReplyDelete
  10. awesome shots, girl!

    i can't get over this weather! i'm about to go out and play.

    this would have been a great day to meet up.

    ReplyDelete
  11. my goodness... you are amazing. i admire your lack of shyness.... could you share some with me?
    these photos are pure life... how beautiful it is to be alive! xo

    ReplyDelete
  12. my goodness... you are amazing. i admire your lack of shyness.... could you share some with me?
    these photos are pure life... how beautiful it is to be alive! xo

    ReplyDelete
  13. my goodness... you are amazing. i admire your lack of shyness.... could you share some with me?
    these photos are pure life... how beautiful it is to be alive! xo

    ReplyDelete
  14. amazing shots!
    real life, captured beautifully.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your photos are better than good...they are great! I love the sunglasses and little heart mouth..the dog for the last swim..the sandy bottom...the jumping...I could go on and on. Just great!

    ReplyDelete
  16. sweet and beautiful pictures - it was a gorgeous weekend here too.

    so glad you had lots of "yeses"

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am totally enamored with your photography. I love them all. Now off to visit ruby luna.

    ReplyDelete
  18. love
    that you captured
    so much of the day, souls, spirits!

    beautiful work, Beth!

    peace~
    Chuck

    ReplyDelete
  19. I think I'm gonna have to be more gutsy. I like your approach in taking photos of strangers and these all turned out fabulous. You photos are just so happy and I like that.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh how I love this post. Your photos are gorgeous and little miss Goldilocks just beautiful! How fun that your post wasn't all the animals, I love seeing the people. I wish they would do Ninja jumps for me!

    ReplyDelete
  21. What a delightful day... I'm never brave enough to ask strangers if I can blog them... you've given me some courage:)

    ReplyDelete
  22. You make me so happy showing all these pics. I'll bet never ever people say no to you when you ask if you can shoot there picture. You're so heavenly good at it. may be one day we'll run in to eachother and you can ask me to do a jumping picture. Sweet love to you Beth. Hugs Dagmar

    ReplyDelete
  23. love going to the "ZOO" with you...you captured it well Beth...so creative!

    ReplyDelete
  24. ruby luna....is beautiful!!!
    you are so photographing the babies!!!xoxox

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh SO delightful...and just what this "girl" needed on a Monday :)
    grateful(((hugs)))to you!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Sunny days and jumping, happy people - life is damn good, yes?

    :-)

    (((hugs))),
    love,
    me

    ReplyDelete
  27. These are great. Now that orangutan REALLY knows how to let it all hang out!

    ReplyDelete
  28. They really did turn out well. Good choice for a zoo lens. I'm holding out for an 18-200. Well, more lusting over than holding out.

    ReplyDelete
  29. What's not to love about primate shinanigans and ostrich egg laying...dock jumping and sandy butts and faces! It's all good darn fun. hey, would ya send us some of that unusual 70 degrees, please.

    ReplyDelete
  30. It's zoo style street photography! And I love that you got strangers jumping photos!!

    I've started realizing how much I need to get business cards with my information - especially because I want to start finding people to let me take portraits of them!

    Beth I really wish we were closer together so we could go out and take photos together! I know I would have a blast with you!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. will you hear me way down here???? these are fantastic and i love that people were so willing.. the jump pics are the best!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I SO love that you have a zoo lense.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Oh- what beautiful pictures Beth! You make it look so easy...but the results are amazing!

    ReplyDelete

**I love reading the comments you leave, as they make me feel like we're sitting in my kitchen, having a cup of tea, discussing life and wondering where all the time has gone ...beth