Gravity claims another victim

When the ref calls icing
London, ON, December 2010
[Click here to share your own transition-themed moment]

Winter can be a tough time to be a photographer if you live in Canada. Short days make it hard to get outdoors because by the time you're finished working, living and foraging for sustenance in the frozen foods aisle, it's dark outside and the last thing you really want to do is head out for a photo shoot. Besides, it's probably snowing, and the dog needs to be walked.

But being the polite Canadian that you are, you take your camera with you, anyway, and you try to make do with whatever situations you encounter. Like a skating session for the kids at a local rink. The lighting's just dim enough to dash any hopes of shutter speeds fast enough to freeze a moving snail, let alone a flailing child. And you risk life, limb and very expensive glass by stupidly venturing out onto the ice so you can see your little ones close-up. In retrospect, not smart.

So you change your approach. You won't be bringing home tack sharp today. But deliberately slow, painted images of munchkins in motion may be just enough to shake up your mid-winter mind. Maybe.

And when some unknown munchkin stumbles past you on her way to an inevitable soft landing on the ice, you know this one capture makes the entire exercise worthwhile. Sometimes, the picture you bring home is light-years removed from one one you hoped to bring home. It's just as well: Predictability is so oversold.

Your turn: What's this little one thinking?