In which there is sushi and wildlife

I made these! My own crafted rolls!

I haven't got any more outfit photos, but I thought I'd do another 'life shots' post today. The coolest thing I did recently was take a sushi making class (thanks in-laws!) with my husband, and it was so fun. I was worried that it wouldn't really cover much and also that we wouldn't get to eat much. But nope. We made so many things, and we had so much to eat that we filled a box to take home afterwards and had the rest for breakfast the next day.

 I was seduced by an incredible book today. I had been saying recently how one of my ambitions is to own every year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year book. And also all the Portrait Photographer of the Year books too. And maybe some of the Astronomy Photography of the Year too, because wow, those books are brilliant. And then in front of me in Waterstones was this dreamy temptation: 50 Years of Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the best of the best. So you know, I got it. I love having a job.

Yes, this is a photo of a photo, taken in the evening. It does not do the actual photo justice.

The stunning book inspired me to do a little more revision of my own photography skills, because I want to be able to record the trip to Japan in a way I'll be proud of and not a series of out of focus crowd shots. But then reading the Wildlife Photography book, it's amazing to remember that these guys* are not just great photographers, they're determined and dedicated photographers. So many of the shots in the book describe great lengths people went to in order to get the shot. Some say ten years of studying polar bears for one of the greatest shots in all of history. Or maybe just 6 months camped out in a hide in a protected forest, waiting at the beautiful waterfall for a tiger to drink, and pause and look into your eyes. It's the stories of how the pictures are taken which add even more depth and awe to the images.

 

However another bit of my mind just can't understand and is going: "How? How could you spend 3 months travelling with elephants to take the perfect shot? Who is paying you for this? How do you have the time?"
For some of them they are gamekeepers, or park-keepers or scientists or documentary makers, but all the same I struggle to understand how it happens that you can give your life to that shot, to take the 80,000 that leads to the photo of the century. Every time I go to one of the photography exhibits I wonder this same thing, how can you spend so long aiming for that one shot? But also, it is acceptable not to be brilliant because we all make choices and we don't all have that time.

 But there we are, I guess I'll have to meet one and ask them. Any ideas?




*I did notice in the book that nearly all the names mentioned are men, with few exceptions which is a little disappointing, and may go some way to answer something about my question of 'who?' and 'how do they have time?'