Photographs and Instagram

I've been totally stunned about this, but I've had two of my photos on Instagram get featured by other accounts with larger followings, and they've been well received!  The first one was one of my mushroom shots from Martin Dies Jr State Park, which Texas Parks and Wildlife picked up: https://www.instagram.com/p/BEo-jhjGthQ/?taken-by=texasparkswildlife. And the other just happened yesterday evening, Big Bend picked up my Milky Way shot: https://www.instagram.com/p/BFQBZGBg3Qc/?taken-by=bigbendnps!  There is just this feeling - like someone on the other end saw this photo I took and thought it was a good one of their park... it is a great feeling.  And then they post it and like a thousand people who follow them also think it is a good photo... wow.

I had this large-gesticulating conversation with P about photography yesterday on our way home from work.  We are both really looking forward to this weekend because we are renting a few lenses to try out and going on another little trip to another state park.  I have all these ideas for what I'm hoping to get, but I'm also excited to see what I can see with these lenses.

P made the comment that I am shooting fewer shots than I used to.  And I think he is right.  I have A LOT more confidence that I am capturing what I am trying to get now than I did even a month ago.  I also have a lot more confidence in my ability to edit afterwards that makes me more accepting of the original shot.  It is just such a different feel for me now.  This confidence.

Also I've found myself going out for the past two weekends and just shooting what I can find.  One weekend I got 3 macro flower shots that I am freaking thrilled with, and several of the Z.  Last weekend I got one of Spot, one macro, and one of Z/Grimmy that I'm absolutely in love with.  The Z/G pic was almost an accident.  I was laying in the driveway shooting Spot and the windows on the house were open because it was a lovely morning, and I look up and find Z/G sitting there watching me.  I think I only took 2 shots, one with the screen in focus and one with them in focus.  But something about it... it looks soft, dreamy with the screen in front of them, muted colors.  But something else triggers something in me - my childhood, watching out windows and doors, my screen window in my room in my childhood home, in my room at my grandmother's, the screen door at my great-grandma's in Oklahoma.  It is something nostalgic and timeless and it just pulls on my heart.  Add to that that cat is her best friend, and it is this moment in time.  I'm just in love with it.  And it was an accident and not posed or anything and I GOT THE SHOT.  I don't know that that would have been the case a few months ago.  I'm not sure I'd have seen it, I'm not sure I'd have had the camera out, I'm not sure I'd have had the ability to get the shot. I am just so pleased.  I am finding so much pride and pure joy in this hobby.