Frustration

Went down to start my pumping after I couldn't find leaks in the stucco tank. If there are some they're probably on the bottom, or I didn't pump the water out fast enough for them to show up. So  what is, is.

As I was setting up the pump, a swarm of dragonflies were overhead. One, I think, was a Pale-faced Clubskimmer. I was determined to photograph it, but it wouldn't land. So I hastened up to the house for my net to catch it and release it after photos. It had been hovering all around me, but when I got back with the net a few minutes later, most of the odes were gone. Later in the day, I relocated it around the upper dirt tank. Ran back to the oasis for the net. When I got back, I got one swing at it but missed. (I've only ever caught one ode before) Then it landed, but I had a net, not a camera in my hand. Ran to the pickup for my camera and couldn't find the ode again. Meanwhile I photographed a damselfly but the photos were overblown. Went up to the house, downloaded a manual, determined to solve that problem once and for all. After a frustrating hour, I finally stumbled onto the problem/solution. Online it said to set the shutter speed at such and such but didn't tell how. When I accidentally found out how (I always shoot in Av and you can't set it in that mode), I went down to the oasis to practice and there was an expert professional photography instructor who had been there the past hour. Could have saved myself a lot of time and frustration. She gave me some other useful tips too. Hopefully, I'm good to go. Otherwise, I can download her photography e-book. (Kathy Clark.) Might do it anyway.

I didn't mind pumping the water today because I used the electric pump. It's quiet and doesn't need monitoring and gassing. So I could enjoy my own private waterfall all day.