Simply put, my picturetaking falls into one of two categories: photos taken for “others” and photos taken for personal use.

Photos that I take for others are usually jobs in which the style of the photos is dictated by the needs and desires of the client. These may be a paying client or a freebie client such as a daughter’s birthday party or a sister’s passport photo. She may need a business head shot or he may want an illustrative photo of his industrial machine. A group may want me to photograph an evening event, a restaurant desires closeups of prepared dishes for its new menu or a school a recording of the championship basketball game. Regardless of whether it is a paying or a free transaction, the client generally has a lot of input as to how the completed photos will serve the end goal.

On the other hand, when I take photos for personal use I’m the client. I am free to shoot however, whereever and whatever I like. And as you might expect, this is where I feel the greatest freedom.

While it’s exciting to go on a special outing dedicated to photography, it’s not often that I can squeeze the time into my somewhat hectic schedule. But by keeping a camera nearby, I make it a habit of looking for quick opportunities to sneak in a picture of two.

I get a lot of pleasure photographing “everyday” things such as kids, pets, garden and the like. These are subjects that are close by so I don’t have to make special arrangements to shoot them.

	I get a big kick taking pictures of the grandkids. Here’s one that’s learning to eat her spaghetti elegantly.
	This pet is part of the family. I caught him as he was taking a breather after running his head off for the past 30 minutes.
	Sometimes it pays to look up(ward). This is a majestic sycamore tree at a nearby home. It looks naked because it sheds it bark regularly.
	These colorful day lilies arrive each Spring in our front yard. I shot this one soon after an early morning shower left a few drops.
	From a distance the furrows in the field look boringly straight and parallel. Closer up I can see that the terrain isn’t flat as a pancake and makes for a nice visual.
	You may be surprised by the things that you can spot around the neighborhood. This vintage auto was sitting in an empty lot. Great color and great restoration.

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I’ll leave you with this reminder: When you’re the client, you have the freedom to shoot whenever and whatever you’d like. Don’t fall into the “no time today” trap. Nor should you believe that the camera is only for special occasions. With a little preparation (i.e. keeping your camera close by), you can surely find a few everyday subjects to photograph.

Written by: Arnie Lee