The Camera

The crowd roars, screaming and cheering. The clock runs down. The crowd counts down with the clock… 10, 9, 8.  The point guard dribbles the ball and then passes it down to the bottom of the key to the post player.  He fake-pumps, tricking the defensive opponent and passes the ball out to a guard on the perimeter of the court.

The three point shot goes up.  The buzzer rings as the time runs out.  The shot falls in hardly moving the net.  The crowd lets out a cry.  Looking through the lens the emotion is immense.  As the lens focuses in on the team, their emotions burst from every pore and tears of joy flow from the victorious champions. 

           

I need to focus now, focus.  My finger placed on the trigger is ready to snap the shot at any moment.  Ready, set, now!  Pushing down on the shutter release, the flash showers the team with light.  I am able to capture both the memory and emotion in one single picture. 

           

Shifting positions through the lens, I find myself glued on the crowd.  The lens focuses as team spirit flows like a flash flood over the stands.  Snap!  The excitement is captured in this picture.  I grip the silver casing switching from picture mode to gallery mode.  Pushing the silver arrow keys, listening to the click, click, click as I switch from picture to picture.  The photos are unbelievable!  They contain memories that will often be retraced from these precious photos. 

           

After viewing the pictures I have taken, I push the power button located at the top of the electronic box.  The lens closes, folding carefully into the tiny box.  The camera powers down to a music box style tune.  I unlatch the velcro on the case, carefully placing the camera into its soft, protective shield. 

           

What would it be like if we didn’t have cameras to capture the moments?  Would a memory be wasted or remembered?  Without a camera, my life’s memories would fade.  My camera makes up a big part of my life – I snap photos at every event, both big and small.  As I look at the pictures, my mind goes back to the moment captured.  My camera keeps my memories alive.