Photographic Experiences

• A lion cub roars at us with his baby voice.   He’s protecting his family from metallic monsters with big camera eyes.  
• A young orangutan runs his finger around inside a jar he stole from a boat ferrying photographers upriver. He licks tasty peanut butter from his finger.  
• A gray whale and her calf play with a panga blowing spray on the people aboard, pushing the small boat side-wards, edging close enough to be touched and spyhopping to get a better look at their new friends.

We, my husband and I, are amateur nature photographers.  We try to go on about three photo-shoots a year with other amateurs.  One or two professionals accompany us.

The pros are in charge, and one is young enough to be my daughter.  She’s in the habit of telling me ‘No” like I’m a spoiled child.  “No, you cannot go out to the vulture blind.”  “No, you cannot do the trail to the bats.”  “No, you can’t go to Australia, but your husband is welcome.”

On our first trip with her, she discovered that I was having problems with heat and fatigue.  I was using a cane to help me avoid falls.  I was so exhausted once that by the time I made it back to the boat (an act of will) I collapsed.

The pros always know about my physical problems before they accept our down payments, and we always have travel insurance in case I need a medical evacuation.  I understand the bind that I put them in when we travel to foreign lands.  I've asked them all to tell me “No” if they think I can’t do something.  Sometimes I tell myself  “No.”  I can’t climb a hill let alone a mountain.

I hate it.  I hate my physical limitations, but I don’t let them stop me.  My SLR cameras with attachable lenses are too heavy for me now.  So I’m using a POWERSHOT.  I do the best I can while enjoying the various environments and animals and the company of photographers.  I wonder if I’ll be able to take quality photographs from a wheelchair when the time comes.  If not, I’ll still have my pen.