Out of the Wilderness

I’m trying to figure out where to start this story because I could go all the way back to the day I was born, or many years later on the day I signed up for a Sony credit card, perhaps the day my dad graduated from the Coast Guard Academy? There are so many elements that went into a contest Sony was having for it’s Sony credit card holders, all of which worked together to propel my dad and I to a win in a contest late in 2020. Plus, it wouldn’t have happened without people voting, so for my friends and everyone else who voted, thank you!

The backstory. Sony put together a contest for it’s credit card holders. We were to show photos from years earlier being recreated in the same way. So here is the photos I submitted for that.

Much like any contest I enter, I didn’t expect to win. Much like everyone in the entire world, I feel like I never win any of these contests, except I remember one in college where in a random drawing I scored two tickets to an Alan Jackson concert. That was over 20 years ago, so his opening act– LeeAnn Rimes — must’ve been, what, 3 years old? 🙂

Anyway, after I submitted the photos I went on about my life, never expecting anything to come from it. Weeks later I thought to check on it and logged into my account.

The first surprise. Wait, what? My dad and I are winning????? I hadn’t told a soul about it, except for telling family I was entering it… so who was voting? Once I saw we were winning in the voters poll, I started to believe we had a chance.

The competition was scheduled to announce a winner sometime around November 3rd (if memory serves me correctly?). That day came and went with no email from Sony. I thought, “Well, at least we tried.” Weeks went by and I truly believed it was over. I mean, they were notifying the winner the first week of November and even by late November I had no email from Sony. It was over, so I thought.

Then it happened. “You’ve got mail.” I checked my email and my inbox included a congratulations from Sony that our photos won! Crazy. I was so happy!

The second surprise. Then I had to figure out when and how to surprise my dad with the news. I love surprises so I thought it would be fun to use the new camera to take a photo, then print it out, frame it, and give it to my parents.

So long story short, I think I got the camera in early January and the challenge was on: Find something to photograph to give to my Mom and Dad. I’m a classic overthinker so it took a while to come up with something but finally an idea came to me in the middle of the night. So here is the photo I framed for my dad, and a second one because I just couldn’t decide on one or the other.

The middle of the night phrase that inspired the drum set cymbal was a play off the well-known phrase, “They march to the beat of their own drum,” so the theme and message was thankfulness that my parents have been the drum beat and melody our family has marched to for so long. Plus, my dad is a heck of a drummer!

I’m sure I’ll write more about the camera, but I wanted to share the story of how it all came about, and how awesome it is to be able to use this camera. I’ve liked Sony for a long, long time (check here for a post about that), so using this camera for the first half of 2021 has been a real treat.

To wrap up, I’ll include a few of my favorite photos and a way you can even have some in your home. Just click FineArtAmerica to see artwork available right this very second. I’m adding more all the time so check back when you’re bored or need a break from work, but then get back to work, mmk?

For those who voted, whoever you are, thank you! And thank you for stopping by my blog site today.

-Out of the Wilderness