The Windmill – Tracey Capone Photography © 2012

Before every trip, I sit down at the computer, Lonely Planet book open on the Kindle, and, through the magic of Google, Flickr and other wonderful online references, come up with a list of “must see” places that I want to shoot. For the most part, it usually works out extremely well and I end up with shots I was dying to take, such as the one from Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland, or of Chez Marie Cafe in Montmartre, Paris. I was even super excited to find the perfect spot to hop out of the car, drop to the ground and get this shot of the Route 66 marker along a deserted highway during my Route 66 road trip from Santa Monica to Tulsa.

Sadly, sometimes a list is just a list. Mother Nature, with her heavy rains and wind, might delay our trip, and we pass through a number of photogenic towns… in the dark. Or, perhaps, someone demolished the very retro, very cool Route 66 motel and sign that I wanted to see before I got there (you know who you are). Or, in the case of this wonderful windmill in Brennerville, along the trip to the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland, someone decides it’s the perfect time to restore it and wraps it up in scaffolding.

The point is, sometimes you don’t get the perfect shot. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take it because it’s still a memory. Sure, I could spend painstaking hours in Photoshop, whittling away at the scaffolding until it’s nothing but a few unnoticeable, insignificant bars here and there. Maybe, some rainy day, I will spend the day “tearing down” the scaffolding, however, for now, I would much rather focus my energy on the other 700+ shots from the trip. For now, I would much rather look at the photograph, with all it’s imperfections, and look forward to the day when I can go back and revisit this beautiful scene. (preferably scaffold free!)

Enjoy! Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

*tracey*