A new camera... a new friend...

I posted a few days ago about the fact that I got a new camera. I've been a bit obsessed with it, to be honest-- carrying it everywhere, even when I don't need to. It'd probably be a bit embarrassing to tell you how many frames I've taken since getting the camera just scant weeks ago (though the letter K may give you a hint). 

So I'm walking over to the gym yesterday to get in my regular sweaty time and I decided to 1) plug in to the iPod for a tune or two on the walk, and 2) drag along the D90 to see if any scenes on campus capture my attention. I'm a bit self-conscious, though, you see. I purposefully went when students would be in class and well after the lunch hour. I didn't really want to show my nerdiness to everyone on campus.

Well, there I am, pointing my camera at the bark of a Russian Olive tree, and here comes another faculty member--Colin Randolph. "What you shooting?" he says. Very self-consciously, I stammer, "Uh, just a .. an ... a ... an interesting pattern in this bark here. Uh, nothing much really." He nods sagely. I can feel the heat rising in my face. "Which Nikon do you have there?" he asks. "Oh," I say, "the D90." "Cool," he says.

It turns out that Colin is quite the photographer in his own right. As we walk along (my color ebbing a bit, I hope), he tells me that he has paid for his camera, lenses, and some other equipment (tripods, etc.) by selling his photographs. Of course I'm interested in that, so we make our way to his office where he shows me a few of his pictures and we chat about various things photographic. A pretty cool discovery, I'm thinking. Nice guy, great photos, good company.

He also tells me that Elaine Bryant, director of the North Side Center, and Doug Maughn, Public Relations Director, are also photo bugs, and that they go on photo expeditions from time to time.Colin invited me to go. "Sure," I say. "What a great idea."

I can't wait.