Back Creek, Kennebunk ME

We have had occasional moments this week when I could believe in Spring in Southern Maine. Yesterday, after a day of off-and-on snow, heavy at times, the sun crept out through thinning clouds and for an hour and it actually felt like spring might happen. I went to the beach 🙂 Today we are back in the teens, though there is no denying the growing strength of the sun.

This is Back Creek about two miles from our house, where it comes into the Mousam River behind the dunes at our closest beach. I have photographed this hundreds of times. The sky, of course, is never the same twice, and yesterday’s was irresistible.

Nikon P900 at 24mm equivalent field of view. f2.8 @ 1/1600th @ ISO 100. Processed in Lightroom on my Surface Pro 3 tablet.

The Nikon is a new camera for me. I have not had it a week yet, and I am still in the learning and exploring mode…trying to determine how to get the best out if…and indeed, what its best might be. It is a process I have been through many times before of course. Cameras are complex machines, these days driven by complex programming, and no camera ever made was perfect…especially not perfect for the particular kind of photography I do…for the vision I am trying to catch and share. It always comes down to working with the strengths of the machine, and working around its weaknesses. Every so often you decide there is a new feature, or a combination of features, whether hardware or software, that your current camera does not have…or a job it is just not up to…and you begin to look at what has come out since. Or occasionally, a maker will leap out in front of the pack with a new feature or new programming that just has to be tried. That is what keeps camera companies in business, and photographers always saving up for the next purchase 🙂 For many photographers, the vision inside them wants out…and will work its way out…no matter what camera they have in their hands…but we are always looking for the camera that makes that easiest…and always aware of the limitations of our current tools. It is a perfect metaphor (well, “perfect” is always a stretch) for the way the spirit in us wants out…and is always working its way out through this machine we call our body and the programming that is our personality. God has a vision to express in each of us…a job or series of jobs to do. I have a feeling that God works with our strengths and around our weaknesses to get the job done, every day. The spirit will out. My will is that I would be a good enough tool so that the vision is clearly expressed…the job done…every day. Happy Sunday.