I’ve heard of a prayer that goes something like this, “God give me patience and give it to me now.” Waiting can be difficult for many of us. Several come to mind. Standing in a checkout line. Sitting in doctors office. Waiting on a delayed flight at the airport. Meeting someone who is late for coffee. Waiting for the arrival of a new grandchild. Waiting for our tax return. 🙂 Waiting for a freezer of homemade ice cream to finish. Waiting for the pizza to be delivered. Yet, as I grow older I’ve learned to appreciate waiting. I really do enjoy those times of sitting or kneeling in wet grass waiting for the sun to touch the horizon as it rises or sets. Walking the streets waiting for a photo opportunity to present itself. Waiting silently in prayer or mediation. Waiting is a teacher if we let it. Waiting can be a discipline if we let it. Waiting can have special rewards if we let it. As Elizabeth Taylor says, “It is very strange that the years teach us patience – that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting.” Are we learning to wait patiently or wanting it now?
..If you get an opportunity in photography you have to grab it – they don’t come along that often. When you get the chance of a great picture, you have to identify that quickly and make the most of the situation. Whatever age you are you can do that. Even with luck, you will still have to press the shutter at the right time. You need good reflexes and you need to be fit.
John Giles
As photographers we are always observing how the light falls on our subjects. When I pulled out my camera and took three images it was a mix of interests. The woman’s focus, how the light was hitting her, the billboard, the gate number, all played into the making of this image. There was also a need to hold my camera in my hand and press the shutter to grab the moment.
Woke to a temperature of 16 degrees at 6:00 am. Now up to 20 degrees but awesome to see the sun shining. Have a good Sunday.
I am always witnessing people waiting at the airport. Some are planned waits such as connecting flights and some are not. When this image was taken we were waiting on our plane which did not arrive until early the next morning therefore canceling the flight. It’s times like this we have opportunities to learn about waiting that Earls talking about here. For me waiting while I watch the sun to rise or set is easier than waiting for a late plane. Sigh!
Everyone likes taking a break, at least I do. The schedules for flight crew can seem strange to those who are accustomed to a straight 40 hour work week. It would take more time than I want to commit to try and explain these schedules. By FAA regulations we cannot have a duty day longer than 16 hours and I wholeheartedly agree with that. However, I just finished a trip where one of our duty days was almost 14 hours. So when we had a break, we took a break. After grabbing something to eat I went back on the airplane to just relax, away from the hustle of the airport. As I sat down I noticed the tail of the aircraft next to me and knew I wanted this framed image of the fawn. It’s always fun to watch children look out the windows of our aircraft to see what animals they can find on the airplanes tails. In the background you can see the main terminal of DIA, where the roof looks like a series of tents.
Ever notice that when the savings account starts to look good the car needs a new water pump? Happened to me yesterday, so I pick up the car this morning with less cash in the bank but transportation. Have a super day!
Working as a flight attendant offers a good study in personalities as we watch how people react to situations or we watch for body language and what that can tell us. Here are some of my observations working on an Embraer 170 and 175 Regional jet that seat 76 or 86 passengers.
It’s interesting, and sometimes entertaining, to observe passengers trying to place a 14 inch bag in the 11 inch overhead space. Oh, and the look of confusion, then frustration, and some embarrassment when we realize it will not fit, even if I’m told it fit before. I enjoy watching the elderly gentleman walk on board the aircraft, ticket stub in one hand reading glasses in the other and no baggage. 🙂
Weather delays or mechanical delays can mess up the best laid plans for travelers. It’s not unusual to have passengers hitting their call buttons to ask us about their connecting flights. We can feel helpless in these situations as we know very little about what is going to happen 1-2 hours from now. Time travel is what people want rather than being present to where they are, after all they are taking traveling. My response; turn you phone off and fasten your seatbelt. We go nowhere until they do. Just kidding. 🙂
Some passengers wear suits or a sport coat, nice dresses, casual slacks, and loafers. While some passengers wear pajamas, really short shorts/mini-skirts, or pants halfway down their butts (which requires one hand to always hold them up), flip-flops, and tank tops. The second group almost always asks for blankets and pillows then get frustrated because we do not carry them on our size of aircraft. Dress for the occasion: layer next time. 🙂
But, and there’s always a but, we do feel for those who have been traveling for the past 20 hours and sometimes with small children. Or those who are on their way to a funeral, or going say good-bye to a dying family member or friend, or carrying the ashes of a daughter killed in a war, or are afraid to fly, or have constant back pain, a bum knee. The list could go on but will say that a good flight attendant will observe body and facial language. When we see those signs we try our best to make the next hour or two a pleasant experience for them. More importantly we want to get them to their destination safely because maybe they are going to see their new grandbaby.
Not really a post about photography but what the heck, it was on my mind. Okay, I’m done ranting.
