Seeing In The Dark?

Tomorrow morning my alarm is again set for Stupid O'Clock.  Actually, that's not true. It's set for Stupid STUPID O'Clock..  But despite this I'm a little bit excited because mid afternoon I received an email telling me that I will be able to see in the dark, and a swift trip across town at 4pm today delivered the item I've been hoping to trial during this trip.

This is of course courtesy of the truly ace Jeremy who's juggled things about to give me a look at a pretty lovely looking bit of gear.  After we got home I had a little play inside with the Bad Ass Maxie.  I thought the images were really impressive.  I'd show you a few, if only the RAW files weren't being held hostage by Adobe as I try to work out how to download and install the latest version of Camera Raw.  Tbhis was a good reminder for me to set the camera to shoot and RAW + JPG image so that the images I take tomorrow won't also be held hostage while I sort out what I need to download and how to do this..

Happy Days???  Hopefully so.... Because you see this is the thing.  Even thought it involves getting up at an insanely early hour of the day, there's a thrill I get each and every time I get up early to photograph a horse at trackwork.  There's something about getting my camera bag ready the night before so that it sits waiting by the door.  Having my clothes ready to put on.  The stupid and restless sleep that I always seem to have.  The sneaking around trying desperately hard not to wake anyone up.  The drive in the dark (not so good if I've had a terrible night!), the smell of the stable as I arrive.  The sound of horses when I can hear but not see them.  And the challenge of trying to produce an image in light conditions that are best described as non existent!  Can you understand any of this?  I hope so.  It makes me tick.....

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