Day 95
Cali clicks with my brother. He gets her and she soaks up any amount of time she gets to spend with him. Last year on the Japan trip she asked him all sorts of questions related to science which her parents can’t answer. He helps her better define her interests in terms of a career path, which she seems determined to clarify. I’m glad she has him.
On this trip to Houston, my brother and Cali were focused on photography. Cali has been interested in photography for many years, not the selfie kind, although being 13, she likes those, too. She took pictures that were a little quirky and had a unique point of view or an unusual composition. She asked if she could take a photography class and we found one online through Florida Virtual School. She took pictures all summer. Camera in hand, she would go out for hours walking to the park and around our neighborhood taking photos. That was an amazing experience because it taught her the basics while also giving her assignments to focus her creativity. Some of the pictures she took were incredible.
In Houston I bought a new camera, which meant Cali could have my Nikon. She was ecstatic. Finally I wouldn’t be reminding her to be careful, and all that protective hovering that happens over one’s main camera baby. She was free to take it everywhere, which she did. With this new freedom came my brother’s offer to open up his lens library for her to use. Yes, I said libray, which means shelves plural are involved. My brother also volunteered to be her lens mule for the day, loaded up two bags of them, and we were off to the zoo for some serious photography time. Don’t know if I’ve ever seen the kid that happy. She must have changed lenses 50 times. What a great experience, and she also got a shot of my brother which is my new favorite.
In the evening we walked down the street to keep taking pictures using funny shadows.
They finished the day by photographing a sculpture on campus. She’ll always have the pictures to remind her of the day she spent with her uncle.
