Monday, April 18, 2011

Happy 31st Anniversary Dear

I’m still here deary! I haven’t fallen off one of those cliffs yet while trying to take a picture. I promise you, … if I should ever find myself falling a great distance to a sudden stop … check the camera, … I will keep shooting all the way down.
A few days ago, I mentioned that I would announce another big surprise for one of my followers. That lucky follower is my wife, Susan of 31 years. I was certain she would not think a reference to one of my “followers” had anything to do with her. I really can’t believe that I have been able to keep this surprise a secret from her for this long. In order to pull this off I had to make arrangements with her boss at work for some time off without her knowing.
So, Susan, this time the surprise was for you! I thought I would type it here on NikonSniper because I don’t think you will believe it … if I tell you. And, … you know what they say, … “If it’s on the Internet … it must be true!”
Anyway you now have about 60 hours to get ready to leave to Utah and Arizona. You are going with me a month before I take Kyle on his graduation trip. So, you are leaving for Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Grand Staircase, Paria Canyon Wilderness, Lake Powell, Horseshoe Bend and the Antelope Canyon.
Still love you! Like I said … I told you before we were married that living with me would be a bit like a rodeo.
Promise kept for 31 years!
Love, Stephen

So, my bloggie buds, … the photos from Arizona, Utah and Nevada will becoming faster than I originally stated. I guess I discovered I need two trips to pull this off properly! So power up your laptop, call the neighbors, throw a log on the fire (in Minnesota) and join our first of two photo tours to the Wild Wild West. I will try to bring you the best of each day in photography and I am sure I will be able to add hundreds of shots over the next few years on NikonSniper. Also, I hope to going to the Everglades, Saguaro National Park and Mount Rainier in the next few months.
Stay tuned.
NikonSniper Steve

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful surprise for your wife! Enjoy the trip, both of you!

Gregg Metcalf said...

A wonderful surprise and fantastic opportunity. Can't wait to see the photos. Can you send some of Kingman when you are in AZ, we praying about moving there.


Gregg Metcalf
Colossians 1:28-29

Gospel-driven Disciples

VaishVijay said...

So romantic you are! Have a good trip, will be looking forward to your pics.

child of God said...

Happy Anniversary!! 31 years, way to go!

I hope and pray you and your wife have an amazing time and that God shows up all along the way with the power of His Spirit blasting down doors before you.

Blessings in Christ,
<><

Kim said...

Wow! You made my day! I am so gladded I stopped by to check out your blog! Congrats on 31 years! We celebrate 25 yrs this summer and I can't wait! My hubby has been researching camera's/photography so I am going to send him your blog. Have an awesome trip! Look forward to seeing your pics!

Judy said...

How romantic! And Happy Anniversary!

Teri said...

What a lucky wife you have! I live in Calif. and have never seen Zion or Sequoia or Bryce. Maybe one of these days we will be able to get there. When you post your photos here, are they always recent photos or are they sometimes from awhile back? I was just curious and wondering how it is that you get to travel to so many different locations all the time? Does your job involve photography?

Gerry Adams said...

Happy Anniversary to you both!

NikonSniper said...

Hi Teri,
Well, do I post older photos? Yes, all the time. Not today though. I guess it all just depends on the variety I am able to get in a single day.
I had thousands of photos before I started this blog. They were from the previous decade. Those photos were never seen by anyone really. I just had them on a hard drive from all my travels.
How is it that I am all over the place? I travel for work in the printing industry plus a large backlog of photos makes it appear I am even more of a human pinball than I actually am. Lots of time on the road. Photography just makes those trips away from my family more tolerable. Also, because I travel, I stick tons of "keepers" in a file called READY. When I started NikonSniper, I wanted to deliberately mix the photo content up from Day 1. I hate looking at 2000 of my own photos from the same trip all at once ... but I can view tons if I don't know where the next photo will be from or what it's about. Jumbling photo subjects keeps me awake and I believe this has contributed to the overall interest in the blog.
Does my job involve photography? No. I think if I was a career photographer, I probably would take fewer photos. The fact is ... photography has gone beyond a hobby to me. In photography, I find escape. I could tell you in great detail some of the sheer beauty I have seen through a lens and some (including my sons) would think I was a sissy.
Truthfully, I didn't see much of what I see now when I was a younger man. Probably because I was chasing a million hobbies on the surface, raising 5 kids traveling for work and generally keeping my mind in overload.
Imagine sitting in a folding chair in a creek in the fall with your cameras floating around you in tuperware containers to keep them dry. Imagine photographing bullfrogs down at eye level and tiny raindrops begin to fall around the pond making that expanding ring as it hits the water. Picture highlights of fallen colored leaves surrounding eyes starring motionless right back at you.
THIS is what I love! Photography has gone beyond work, beyond a hobby ... all the way to shear JOY in my life. Photography is becoming I skill I want to be remembered for after I am pushing up the daisies.
Only Jesus Christ and my family give me more fulfillment in life than seeing something to capture for eyes other than mine to see.
What do ya think? Maybe I am losing it! When I was 30, I would never believe I would ever write these words.
Keep on shooting Teri. Great hearing from ya.
NikonSniper Steve

Pat said...

Happy 31st to you both!
Wish you both many more happy years together - and a wonderful trip xx

Flutterby said...

Fabulous surprise.
Your comment about your joy in photography describes how I feel about photography. I picked up my fist SLR in my 40s. Graduated with a degree in photography in my 50s. I call my blog Photos Change My World because that is what they did for me. I find JOY in photography after Christ and my family, too. Keep shooting.

tony.unwin said...

wonderful.... happy anniversary and I feel sure that you will have a great trip...

WPgirl said...

Happy Anniversary! Enjoy your trip. Looking forward to seeing the pictures of Americ'a Wild West.

Braff Zackton said...

I know for a fact she wanted Cleveland. Everyone wants to flee to the Cleve. They're getting an IKEA.

Lynda said...

That is so very, very sweet to surprise your wife like that. And I am guessing she was happy with the gift!!! The years are flying by too quickly though, aren't they?!!!

The Rustic Victorian said...

How exciting, enjoy the escape! Happy Anniversary! God is good.
Love
Marcie

Green Eyed Girl Crafts said...

What an awesome idea... I'm sure your wife was very surprised and very happy! I live in Utah and don't begin to know all of the beauty our state holds. Enjoy your trip... I'm following so I can enjoy your journey with you! Thank you for visiting and Happy Anniversary! Vicki

NikonSniper said...

gregg,
sorry i won't be in kingman on this trip. in a month, i will be going through but i think it will be dark by the time i get there. there is an outside chance i might stay the night there. is there something specific you are interested in seeing?
nikonsniper steve

GF said...

Congratulations, having recently achieved 27 years myself I know the feeling. Enjoy the vacation :-)