Save the Clock Tower!!!!

I couldn't help it but to use that now famous quote from the first Back to the Future film, but it's true. I love clock towers. Don't ask me why. A friend of mine is convinced that time and order are important to me. That may be true. I think I just like the look of a clock tower. They are so very cool. Perhaps I should seek out all the clock towers I can this next year, and compile them into a book. I think I will call it "Too Much Time on My Hands." (Wait, that sounds familiar, like i heard it in a song once...........oh well.)
Anyway, getting back to it, I do think all clock towers should be saved. All of them should right now, and I mean RIGHT NOW, be given landmark status, whether they have been hit by lighting or not. These are pictures of the clock tower at the University of Redlands. I was there last week attending a training for school. A colossal waste of tax payer money, resources, and of course......TIME......but at least I got these pictures. I suppose all was not lost.

So I say to you again.......SAVE THE CLOCK TOWER!!!!

Always Be Ready to Capture the Moment

I think a great deal of Photography is about being ready. You are a sniper of sorts, waiting for that moment when you have "The Shot". But part of the job of the sharp shooter is to be at the ready. Or as the Boy Scout motto goes "Be Prepared." Here we have three pictures that speak to that motto. The first is of the mighty lion. Taken at the Wild Animal Park, the family and I had just completed our journey around the park of the new tram. As we approached our final stop, I saw this grand creature sitting on top of a truck in the enclosure. Many times on hot days you find the lions sleeping, head down, so when I saw this fellow sitting, head up, in all his glory, I jumped of the tram and ran to capture the moment. Not a minute to soon, for no more than 30 seconds after I took this picture he put his head down for a little nap. I was lucky.

The next is of this crane. I love cranes!!! I had taken a few pictures of this crane, not bad, but all of sudden, as I had the crane in my camera sights, the crane turned his head ever so slightly, allowing the sun to glint off his eye. It was only for a second, and then the head went back to subtle shadow. The eye was gone. Always be ready.
The final is a sunset last Saturday at a friends house. I had my camera in the car only because we had come straight form the Wild Animal Park. I saw the sun and ran to the car to get my camera. I was a little late to get the sun in it's full round state, but Still, it captured the moment beautifully. The point is, you never know when a magical will present itself..........

.........SO BE READY