Peek a Boo!

It was July in Texas, and the sun was merciless. I was making my way toward the concession stand for a cold drink and a little shade when a beautiful blue Volkswagen Beetle caught my eye.

Then I realized it was an early oval-window Beetle, and I stopped in my tracks. Even from thirty feet away, I could see the bright sunlight creating a fascinating pattern of highlights and shadows across the front of the car. An aftermarket three-bar horn grille, replacing the familiar oval design, added another interesting element to the composition.

Usually, I spend quite a bit of time walking around a car, studying it from different angles and looking for the details that might make an interesting photograph. Not this time. I could already see the finished image in my mind.

When I approached the car, everything fell into place exactly as I’d imagined. I tried a couple of other angles, just to see whether something unexpected might reveal itself, but my first instinct was right.

There was one surprise waiting for me, though. Later, while editing the photograph, I noticed the little starbursts of light on the hood and horn grille. The same blazing sunshine that had sent me searching for shade had given the image an unexpected finishing touch.

Sometimes a photograph takes patience and exploration. Sometimes it simply jumps out and says hello.

Peek a Boo!