KT

Thank you all for your great comments, stars and favorites on yesterday's It had to be a sunset!. I was overwhelmed by your wonderful responses! Thank you!

Today was a cold, cloudy day with snow and wind. Tomorrow is supposed to be a very windy, cold day, followed by snow for the next few days. Needless to say, I really didn't want to brave the cold and wind today. We did manage to get out to run a few errands today. Our first stop was to Costco to pick up some storage boxes. Since the weather was uncooperative, I decided to look for interesting faces. I did find a couple in Costco, but after explaining that I was a photographic enthusiast interested in photographing people in Nevada and then asked if I could take their pictures, they quickly (and emphatically) said "no!". I then asked another gentleman with a wonderful face. He laughed at me and told me to "take a hike". After those two rebuffs, I decided that I would stick to landscape photography.

But, because I am a glutton for punishment and want to step out of my comfort zone, I asked this nice young man, KT, if I could take his photo. He hesitated a few moments, then agreed. I'm not sure if he agreed because he was really interested, or because J just bought a suit from him. Or, it could be because I changed my story slightly. I said that I was putting together a collection of "Faces of America". Well, you have to agree that it does have a catchy ring to it. Of course, I can't claim credit, since PBS aired that great series a few years ago.

So KT agreed, and I was able to get a dozen or so shots of him. While this is decided not the best, I really liked his expression here.

KT was a fairly well known rodeo circuit rider. His specialty was bull riding. Bull riding is highly unpredictable, and most riders suffer serious injury at one time or another. KT never was serious injured by he suffered several minor neck injuries. So, he decided to change sports, and got into extreme skiing - the kind where the skier jumps out of a helicopter onto the tops of mountains and over cliffs, etc. That is when he suffered a major injury. He misjudged the cliff he jumped off of, and hit the ground on his shoulder, shattering his clavicle. After several surgeries, a titanium plate and many screws, they were able to rebuild his shoulder. With great wistfulness, he admitted that he gave up extreme sports. Now, he is a department manager at a men's store selling top of the line suits.

So, I hope you will forgive my brief interlude from my typical landscape shots.

Have a wonderful Friday and the start of a great weekend!