Maui

A year ago, almost to the day I was in Maui, HI. I had never been any further west than Hastings, NE and here I was leap frogging the entire country and heading out to this exotic location with my beautiful wife. Before our trip the wife and I were discussing a camera purchase. I did extensive camera research, and the intention was to buy a camera for everyone to use in the house, but make sure we could take quality photos. Two days before our flight, I purchased our Nikon D3100, a good mix of manual setting and guided settings for my daughter. It came with the standard 18-55mm lens and I also got a sweet deal on the 55mm-200mm lens.

I had taken 3 photos before our flight, so when we got to Hawai'i I was really just unpacking it and learning how to use it. User manual? No, I didn't have that. I learn by doing.

On our second day while the wife was in the spa getting her massage, I took the camera and sunscreen to the beach to learn how to use our new camera. What better way to learn, than in the most picturesque place in the country?

I sat in the surf with the long lens on and I snapped this photo.  I had fallen in love with taking pictures all over again.  Growing up I remember my mom and dad both having fairly nice cameras and I often would grab the camera at functions and take pictures. I remember I loved do it then and somehow over the years I had forgotten how much fun it was.

This was the picture that brought it all back, and I haven't stopped since. This was the picture that turned "our" camera into my camera.