Rider

I would prefer that all my scooter pictures have me in them, but it's often a pain to set up a tripod or otherwise mount the camera to get an interesting shot. Admittedly, too, I'm a bit self conscious about obviously taking my own picture beside or on the BV in moderately traveled areas. Folks who don't dwell of scooters sufficiently to write blogs about them just wouldn't understand the brand of dorkiness required to shoot one's self portrait with one. So it is that many times I just point and shoot while I'm off the bike. Now and then I get lucky...

I know this shot makes some kind of statement. I just don't know what it is.

It's a place to which I travel often simply because it's either empty and peaceful or uplifting in being full of family types involved in soccer or baseball games.

It's a place in which I often find myself when I'm in emotional turmoil without anyone who'd understand with whom to talk things over or from whom to seek advice.

It's a place that fills me with something good when I arrive empty of such things.

The picture summarizes the goodness of the place to me, but I don't know if it communicates any of it to you. I'll have to hope that it does.

My elder daughter, from my example, is as much a shutter-bug as her old man. It was she who did the research that led me to get the DSLR that has become the best camera in my arsenal - research she was doing while contemplating her first purchase of a "really good" camera.

A few weeks ago she called and asked if I'd make the hour or so drive to her town to be with her when she purchased her final choice. I was delighted to drive down. After all, she was there when I got mine to cheer me on and share in my delight.

I was more delighted when the very first picture she shot with it was of me.

She's out of college a few years now which is very strange because in my own mind I'm not much older than she is. She's married and on her own with her new husband. I liked being her daddy most of the time while she was growing up. It's even better, though, being her friend and having her as that somebody with whom I can share my best pictures knowing that she'll respond gleefully.

Now, if only I could get her on the back of the scooter like her sister!

Her camera of choice - the Olympus PEN. You might have seen the commercials for the PEN shot with PENS themselves. It's an impressive piece of equipment and it's fun to look at too!