Writing for Fun
A Serious Hobby - Jenni Bowers
April 2014
As she tramped up another hill, puffing away, lugging the heavy rucksack full of camera equipment Gloria wondered how she'd got into this! Her snap happy fingers had lead to membership of the local camera club and now she was part of an enthusiastic group of pensioners trying to photograph the ultimate in landscapes!
Aged 16 she'd been given her first camera and throughout a tempestuous 40 years since it had been her record keeper – photos of the three children who came along in quick succession after her marriage were treasured but few, as money had been tight and her hobby became even more difficult to pursue during the years she was divorced.
As the family grew up Gloria found a good job in London's financial district, and began to live her own life again, she bought a new camera which she used to record street scenes, the aftermath of a London bombed by the IRA, and candid photos of people around the London streets.
After a couple of years her decision to upgrade to a better camera led to the visit at the club where she'd been warmly welcomed. This had lead to competitions and friendships with other 'obsessed' people who lived for their photography and were out often trying to take good images.
The majority of the members were male however, and a few enjoyed patronising the female members and 'showing' them how to take photos, Gloria was slightly irritated by this attitude, but it was well meant in most cases so she took the advice in good spirits and carried on with her own style of photography.
Dave, secretary of the club, recommended a good next step camera which her savings now allowed – and she joined a group of them pursuing a holiday in Scotland. So now here she was, breathless and wondering 'what the hell am I doing climbing mountains in my 60's'!
Hearing a squawk over to the left, she looked at the others who'd moved ahead – no-one else seemed to notice, so she crept away towards the sound, rapidly drawing her camera from it's bag, switching on, removing the lens cap and turning the focus ring – her longest lens was a Godsend when birds were a possible subject but she'd never really got a good shot as her hands usually shook too much. This new lens had image stabilizer but she still needed to rest it on something firm, as she crawled through the gap in the rocks she stared down at the fabulous view below her, squinting now she scanned the sheer cliff face 'where's the bird'?
Suddenly, she saw the most wonderful sight - a Golden Eagle just descending to its eyrie which contained a loudly squawking, fluffy chick awaiting the meal gripped in it's parents talons – Gloria could hardly breathe, but this was good – she snapped quickly – a 'grab shot' for insurance. Then laying full length on the precarious outcrop she propped the camera on a large rock and focussed close in on the baby bird as the parent dropped the food (it looked like a rat) into the baby's beak, thanking God for the wonderful new camera, she 'bracketed' like mad – taking several shots in quick succession.
Then she started to slide towards the edge . . . 'Oh no I'm going to fall,' she gasped as she flailed around trying to grab the so convenient rock to save herself – as she was about to go over the cliff a hand grabbed her foot and pulled her back – the eagle was swooping and calling in distress protecting it's chick, she looked back and the hand belonged to Dave.
'You fool,' he gasped, 'if I hadn't missed you and come back you'd have died for that photo, are you mad?'
Gloria was chastened but not sorry – on her return home, she stared in amazement at the wonderful image of that eagle feeding it's young and saw a sharp, in focus, brilliant picture – she'd captured it on her own. Maybe next time she'd use a safety rope though!