This trip to Baton Rouge was a TON of FUN! I played three of the matches, teaming up with my friend Steve – the nicest, kindest guy you could ever meet! We won two of our three matches together, beating Kentucky and Mississippi. We BARELY lost the match against Tennessee (6-4, 6-4). Unfortunately, our team didn’t make it to the finals. But sometimes that’s just the way the ball bounces. We’re all still proud of being State Champions, and the accomplishment of defeating several other states along the way. Besides, there’s always NEXT YEAR, right?!?

When we weren’t on the courts playing, I did a lot of walking around town to train my eye. It’s funny…a lot of folks think being a great photographer is a gift you either have or you don’t. However, just like any other gift you might poses, if you want to push it to the next level, you have to TRAIN IT! Lance Armstrong, who had a gift for cycling long distances, didn’t rest on his backside during the off-season. He TRAINED! During my walk-about one evening I happened upon this row of flagpoles along the River Walk. By turning the camera, I created the diagonal lines that lead your eye to the main subject, the flag. I also used a slow shutter speed so that the billowing flag would blur and create a sense of motion. And I used the Rule of Thirds to place the flag off-center, creating a more dynamic composition. I think I’ll call it “Half Mast”. What do you think?