Monday, April 23, 2007

Camera Totin Idiot Learns a Lesson

Several years ago a wise old friend of mine once told me that the secret of taking a great picture was having your camera with you at all times. Over the years I took that advice to heart.

Jump forward to this past Saturday. Goody Two Shoes and myself were off to ride our bicycles on the Allegheny Highlands Trail. Crossing the railroad tracks below our home...the CSX main line to Pittsburg...I look up the tracks and see a helper engine tying on to the rear of its train. At the same time, on the next track over, here comes an eastbound train. Realizing I was about to have a pair of trains side by side...sort of a dream come true, since this doesn't happen often when I'm out with my camera. I pull over, jump out with my Canon EOS Rebel X and a 80-300mm zoom lense and run to the grade crossing.

I had about 5 second to compose my shot, so I turned the camera on...a very important step, pulled the camera up and savored the moment as everything lined up and calmly pushed the shutter. To my horror nothing happened. I tried again...again, nothing. I looked the camera over...the batteries were okay, and the camera was on. By this time the trains were by each other and my dream shot was ruined.

Then as the lead engine on the eastbound train passed by I noticed the problem. My camera had no film. There I said it! Go have your laugh and leave me alone. Mistakes happen to everyone. To my amazement, Goody Two Shoes said nothing about this embarassing moment...but she did giggle the rest of the morning.

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