The One that Got Away

Why is it that negative things that happened in the past remain so clear and continue
to haunt our memories?  We all have photographic moments that escaped us, amazing
moments that we could not capture quick enough.  I have two recent ones, a fox pouncing
on a mouse and a deer crossing a swollen river.  I retain the images clearly and am wealthier
for the experience but the frustration lies in the inability to share those moments with others.

Not my photo and you know why!

Not my photo and you know why!

In my early twenties, I was lucky to attend a close-up viewing of the super horse Secretariat at
Woodbine Racetrack.  A friend and professional photographer had been hired, among many
others, to shoot some images around the paddocks of the beautiful champion.  Restricted to
film in those days, I loaded a fresh roll and snapped 36 photos of Secretariat.  Elated with the
experience and excited to send in the film for processing, I opened the back of my camera to
discover that the film had not travelled.  ARRGGGH!!!

Not my photo and you know why!

When Danielle was about six months old, a friend who was starting his own photography
business shot a whack of black and white photos, perfectly back lit with Dani and our cat Raku
interacting.  He said he would get back soon with a proof sheet so that we could choose a few
images to enlarge.  A few weeks passed and I called to see when the proofs might be available.
He said he had been busy and would get them to us soon. Well, after another three weeks I
called again and he admitted that he had lost the negatives , sorry. WHAT???? By then,
Danielle was a month and a half older and there would be no photos. 

Not my baby, not my cat and you know why!
In Malta when Danielle was four years old, we had some great photographic moments.  A new
playground had just opened and had amazing dinosaur slides and funky swings and round-abouts
Dani had the park to herself and we captured many sweet moments.  Latre that week we
experienced a Hurricane on the same day we were headed for a wedding.  Trees bent to the
ground, gray skies swirled madly, water rushed down the roads and into our car like rivers and
boats in the harbour were smashed to pieces.  The storm was frightening but exciting too and we
took tons of shots during and after the storm as well as at the wedding.  Francis had loaded his
camera with bulk film so it allowed about eighty shots before changing the roll.  However, the
film had not travelled and the result was no photos!  NOOOOOOO!!!!!

Not the Malta Park and not Danielle and you know why!


Not my Malta Hurricane picture and you know why!

Not my picture of Maltese boats before they were smashed by the hurricane and you know why!

OK, so I know that you are now recalling your photo(s) that “got away!” But the
good thing is that you remember the place or the person or the moment and
that is really all that matters! (I am telling myself that too!)