Apr 24, 2017
For my podcasts I usually always add a photograph, to show what I am talking about. For years I carried around a cheap little camera with me, on the off-chance(1) of seeing something worth photographing. Now, I use my iPhone. Of course it's very convenient to have a phone and a camera all in one device. Recently, I have realized that my 12 year old daughter is a very good photographer, much better than me. I will often take a photo and then say, "Domini could you take one so I can use it on my blog?" She is proud that I defer(2) to her to get the best result. She seems to have 'the eye' for the job. If I take a photo of a flower, for example, she will improve upon(3) it by taking the same photo but from a different angle. She notices what is in the background, the foreground, and the light. She also very quickly chooses filters on the phone that bring out the best of the subject. And then she finishes off by cropping the photo, to cut out anything that is unnecessary. I suppose she has got to this stage by observation and practice. We all love to take pictures, and so she does also. Just imagine if she becomes a BBC photographer for documentaries like 'Planet Earth'! We talk about the possibilities. I also get her photography magazines from the library, and she pours over them. You never know, if she keeps practicing, this budding 12 year old photographer could become a professional.
1. 'On the-off chance' is an expression that means 'just in case there is an opportunity, though it might be unlikely'.
a. When we go hiking, let's take the binoculars, on the off-chance that we can spot a bear.
b. When we arrived at the beach in Spain, I looked around on the off-chance of seeing someone I knew.
2. 'To defer (to)' actually means 'to postpone' but it can be used as 'to prefer someone else's action/skill'.
a. They deferred payment because the shipment of their new sofa was delayed by several months.
b. I didn't know what to do about our broken car. I deferred to my husband's judgment as he has some mechanical experience.
3. 'To improve upon'
a. I wrote the essay, waited a few days, and then improved upon it substantially.
b. It would be impossible to improve upon that garden; they have dedicated years to it's design.
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