After trumping my great uncles ace, ending our game of five-point pitch, he threw down his cards, looked me in the eye and laughed as he said, “When you pit skill against luck, luck wins most the time.”
When you are eight years old, you don’t forget moments like that and have no clue you will repeat that philosophy many times in your life, especially when you think you are organized and prepared to meet any challenge.
When Kyle told me he had added a pair of longhorn cattle, I knew I had to make a visit to the pasture. Known as survivors of the plains, I wanted to tell that story in my images. Organizing my mental list of shooting skills, camera settings, and looking for the best angles, I bailed out of his vehicle and started pressing the shutter. Using the available light to my advantage, I entered the zone and tuned out the rest of the world hoping to capture the perfect image.
After a few minutes, Kyle hinted I might want to get back in the vehicle. I was so focused on getting the shot I missed an important detail, I was a bit too close to my subjects. Moving back, I pressed the shutter a few more times.
As we reviewed the images, I realized the last shots were the best in the set. Showing them to my driver, he praised my skills. Swallowing my pride, I was laughing as I told him, “When you pit skill against luck, luck wins most of the time.”
