Chasing Shadows

As I pulled my car around the circle drive I gauge the position of the sun. Not too high, not too low. I hope. It's always incredibly difficult to know if the sun is in the perfect spot for exactly the kind of photo you want. I step out of the car grabbing my camera bag, being careful not to bump it as I lift it over the center console. The camera is my baby, a Canon Rebel. Ever since I first held one I knew I had to have it, photography is the love of my life, and I am basically married to my Rebel. The photos we make together, sometimes horrible, sometimes magical, are like our babies. So today I am on a high speed chase, and shadows are what I'm pursuing.
A shadow is not an easy thing to catch. Though they seem so slow shadows move very fast, they also weaken, darken and change with the movement of the sun. Today I want a dark shadow, one that catches your eye and moves it along it's curve. I walk to the playground of the elementary school, looking at the brightly colored jungle gyms for a good subject. The monkey bars have a nice edge to them, but the shadow is too long taking the focal point away. I wonder the place for 30 min taking photos that I like but don't love. Often this happens, I will find concepts that spark my interest but never give way to flame. The flame is what I need to create a photo that I will love and cherish. After wondering almost aimlessly I see a glimmer of hope, a piece of metal. It is curved and sticking out of the ground, with a small slab of concrete around it. The shadow cast dark, but not back, almost menacing. The curve of the object give the shadow a need ending feeling, but it arches high in the sun. Time is running out though, the sun is still moving and I need this photo. I take my camera and remove the lens cap, I adjust the zoom and focus. *Click*. No that's not what I want, I shift slightly changing the angle. *Click*. No, still no. What am I missing? Then I realize, I must get a good angle. So I squat down and position the camera in my hands. Playing with the focus and lens. Perfect. *Click*