7 minute read
Snap-Shot: Meet Sharon Maloney
Feature articles focusing on TGO resident photographers - by Jim Brubaker
Sharon and I got together so that I could get some of her thoughts about photography for this article. I was going to ask if she read my articles. Then I was going to tell her that I write the articles for three reasons: 1. Help TGO’ers know a little about their neighbors that they see out-and-about with camera in hand. 2. To encourage all TGO’ers to consider joining the sport of photography, and 3. To give folks like Sharon the opportunity to brag about their own photography.
I have seen Sharon’s photos on Facebook so I knew she was often out-and-about with camera in hand and I knew that her photos were something to brag about. I also knew from the captions she put on her photos that she brings a sense of humor and unquietness to the sport of photography. Her photos tell a story and her captions make sure we get the story - generally a funny or cute story. I was really looking forward to starting a conversation with her. I wanted a little of her joy and excitement about photography to rub off on all of us.
But, Sharon’s humility caught me off guard. She started the conversation before I had a chance to say much more than “Hello, my name is Jim Brubaker.” She said, “I’m not anything like the other photographers you interviewed. I am new at it. My photos are not that good.”
My response was, “I think you’re wrong.” (Then I thought, telling her that she was wrong was a terrible thing to say - especially when I hardly knew her). So, I said, “That was not nice of me to say... that you are wrong. I should have said you are right. Your photos are terrible. Yipes.”
We laughed and after that funny introduction, Sharon and I had a great hour talking about photography. Sharon has so much to say about the hobby/sport of photography - and hopefully it will inspire some of you to pick up a camera and enrich your days. It has changed her life and she loves it.
Sharon is the daughter of Jim and Barbara Burngener. Jim and Barbara moved to TGO in 2004. Gloria and I met them that year and they even visited us at our ranch in Texas and parked their motor home in our front pasture for the night. We enjoyed both of them so much. Jim passed away in September and Sharon moved in to be with her Mom.
In that short time since September, Sharon, loving anything to do with the outdoors, found TGO to be a wonderful, friendly place to live. She has joined many activities and she takes her camera to all of them. The stories embedded in her photos are her way of telling her Mom and family all over the United States about her day. It is her way of participating in conversation over the family dinner table while being states apart.
Meet Sharon Maloney
Sharon says that her less than $500 Minolta Pentax camera with a 67 power lens has given her as much joy as a $5,000 outfi t could ever do. Doug Jensen gave her the nicest compliment one day while they were photographing the owl nest on Addison: “You got those photos with that camera? - Wow - you and that camera are great.” She said so much has happened for her under that owl nest on Addison. She went there at least three time a day to photograph the growth of the owlets. While there, many TGO photographers inspired her, helped her migrate from the cell phone camera to the Minolta, and helped her get to be on a fi rst name basis with the baby owl.
Just this week, the owls, baby fully grown, were up in the trees by the club house. Sharon ran up to photograph them, and she swears the baby looked up at Mom and said, “We can’t escape her - she is spying on us again.” Sharon’s point to us was, photography has integrated into all of her activities - from Fire Wise, to trail maintenance, to purple martins, to owl watching. She said to us, “You do not have to make photography your day, rather, you can use photography to enrich your day.” It is that kind of sport. Photography is a fun learning challenge and it helps you enjoy all activities and tell stories of all your daily activities. - You don’t need a tee time - you don’t need special weather - you can skip days if you feel like it - and most importantly, if walking is diffi cult for you, photography can be done from your golf cart - it is a very special way to enrich your days. And she said, “I really enjoy looking back over my own photos to re-live times like meeting all those photographers watching the owl’s nest. Sharon said she hopes to see you out-and-about with camera in hand and to talk with you about whatever TGO photo opportunity is happening at the moment. Some of Sharon’s activities include: • Being a member of the Florida Eagle Watch program • Being a new member of the TGO Fire Wise Committee • Helping with TGO’s Purple Martin nests • Getting the offi cial nickname “Sandy’s Sidekick” as she helps rescue many animals • Doing trail maintenance with Betty • Playing cards in the Library with Mom (Jim, her dad, made the boards used in the card games) • Using photographs to help her design and create hand-made wood burnt panels and plastic illustra tions to decorate the walls of her RV
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