Penny Clayton

Beauty. Serenity. Enjoyment. Whimsy. On the fly.

 

My goal in taking photographs is to capture an image that engenders some of the above feelings. I capture beauty where I find it, and usually on the fly. I try to take the best picture in the camera so choose to rely on simple equipment and little or no editing. This is not an easy task, especially traveling. Usually there is one chance to capture the moment.

 

Since my retirement, my husband and I travel often and I challenge myself to find and shoot images on the fly. My favorite pictures are those that I feel a viewer will look at and find something that resonates, that uplifts and makes the viewer want to view again.

 

I spent my working life in technical fields, bank auditor and software tester. As a single mother of three, I seldom had time to travel and my favorite pastime was taking care of my yard which was filled with flowers. I only used my camera to record events.

 

I married a second time, shortly before retirement and now my husband and I have the time and inclination to travel. I have now been to over 40 countries. I began using my camera to capture the fabulous and interesting sights along the way. But the pace of travel was such that I never had time to set up a shot but had to learn how to get something worthwhile quickly; how to anticipate the angle, work around the crowds, take advantage of the light, etc. We also travel light so my equipment is simple and I challenge myself to get the best picture I can in the camera, with minimal editing. The fast pace and independence from Photoshop are good teachers because I feel more effort and thought go into the image at the beginning.