Un But Nouveau (a new goal)

So I have a new goal:

One photo per day.  One story or thought to accompany it.  One month.  We'll go from there.

It's simple.  It's brief.  It's ambitious - for me.

We'll see how it goes.

;-)

Here goes:

Day 1

 Joshua took this.  It's on my facebook page.

I've been trying to encourage an interest in photography.

He's not biting.

But he did take this photo.

It's great, don't you think? 

Technically, I couldn't speak as to whether or not this is the case.

But my aesthetics tell me it's a good one.

Artsy? 

Avante garde?  

Do I even know what that means?

Or just plain cool.

What is curious to me is that I was driving when he took the photo.  He was sitting directly behind me as I handed him the camera and casually said, as we were approaching the Eiffel Tower, 

"hey, why don't you take some photos..."

I was hoping something inside him would spark.

He took this photo first.

Then I quickly glanced back and realized that he was shooting through the window...

Inside, I'm thinking: 

"This was not what I had in mind, dear son!" 

...so I suggested he put down the window.

And of course with my handy-dandy multi-window car controls,

I rolled down his window myself, after which he continued to take a few more photos: 

These were all taken in order and

you can decide for yourself...

They're nice

but I'd say his first shot was the best.

 

It's interesting.

It has character.

It captures light, 

the speed we were driving, 

and 

it has a sense of magic to it.

Those last three?  

Standard. Lovely and still cool but 

standard.

I took from this a lesson.

My son had an inclination.

Granted, he took the photos because I asked him.

But HOW he took them was a decision he alone determined.

Until I inserted my opinion,

or rather, my expectation on how

he should do something,

(take photos 'out the window')

(I never said 'roll the window down-before you take them...')

which - 

was my own 

opinion.

it -

was not his

opinion.

Had I let him be,

had I just allowed him to 'have a go'

who knows how much more magic 

he may have created.

Ah, parenthood.

We live.

We learn.

We [must] let go.

And allow the magic that is within our children - 

To thrive.

This is the hope.

(Ça c'est l'espoir)