Photography Thoughts and Lessons:

 I am losing the race with my aging body.
As my eyesight continues to decline I am still trying to improve my photography skills. A blind amateur photographer?   Oh, what the hell. 

Facebook is fine, but posting there is ephemeral, here today, gone tomorrow. This posting is for that handful of pre-Facebook folks who periodically monitor this blog, but probably more for myself as a milestone marker.

When taking photos of small flitty birds there are really two options:

1. Be very, very good.
             or
2. Be very, very close.

I am old, half-blind, with failing memory. No. 2 is really my only option. I would add a No. 3 - hang the best optics you can afford on front of your camera body.

At one time I carried a long variable-zoom lens. Every year it got heavier. I still own that lens for tripod situations, and also a close-up lens for bugs and butterflies, but for everyday shooting I use an old tech Nikon D7500 DSLR body with a modern Nikkor 300mm f/4 prime lens.
I suppose eventually I could replace that body with a modern, gee-whiz mirrorless camera, but I love it. Does a man put down his loyal dog simply because it is old? 

These are all fall plumage birds shot from my garden bench in the past few days.

Your loyal dog,

Gunnar