Shooting from the hip

Since I have taken up this photo blog thing I have found myself taking more risks to capture an image I see in my head. I have plowed through mud, crossed busy roads, climbed trees, bore the strange stares from passers by, patiently waited for the light. But sometimes the risk is not so calculated. Sometimes in an effort to be more discrete I have had to shoot from the hip...literally. (Give it a try!)

Case in point: Thirty minutes ago I stood on my front step wondering what-the-bleep I was going to take a picture of today. At least the rain had subsided so I could go outside. But honestly, I thought I had exhausted the possibilities for daily pictures from my front yard. (And my kids were not going to be helpful in my time of need.) 

Then lo and behold, my daughter danced out the front door to ask me a random question. (And by random, I mean random. Like, "Mom, is Gracie's dad's hair real?"--or something like that.)

As I watched her bounce around the front step, chirping away, my camera hung at my hip dying to be picked up. Instead, I quietly turned on the camera and just aimed in her general direction. Out of seven pictures snapped, I claimed a winner. Praise. The. Lord.

What I love about this picture: 

1. That one, little pony tail glued to the side of her forehead. All her doing. (You should see her American Girl doll.)

2. That left front tooth about to come out. Geez it's taking forever.

3. Her round full face--a little rounder at the moment as she is on the brink of a growth spurt. You know, the plumping before the growing stage? (My son, on the other hand, never plumps up. He just becomes loosey goosey, out of his skin, and runs on "E" in the coping skills department.)

4. And lastly, that twinkle in her eye! 

Not sure I could have caught that smile and twinkle if I had tried.

Now. Go shoot from the hip. See what ya get.