By Scott Shephard

There is an adage that I thought of often when sailing alone on the huge, deep waters of Lake Oahe: “One hand for your boat and one hand for yourself.” The idea was that boating is a symbiotic relationship - the boat needs a good captain and the captain needs a good boat. In the case of the scene you are seeing here, the saying is more like “One hand for your boat and one hand for your unpredictable, adventure seeking youngest son.” We weren’t really thinking Jon would see some shiny object on our cruise of the Pactola reservoir in the Black Hills and jump overboard. But you never knew for sure . . . .

You are looking at my favorite photo of all time and it was pure accident that I came across it when I was looking for negatives that might be worth reviving. Like so many of our personal photos, it is a favorite not so much because it is a brilliantly made photo but more because it captures a very special moment in the young lives of the three of people pictured.

I will say, incidentally, that aside from the personal value, I do think that the photographer (Deb) did a great job. Good light, good composition and good subjects can help make good photos. But really good photos are taken at a precise moment that allows the photo to tell a story that lets the viewer fill in the blanks. What are they looking at? Why is he holding the little kid’s hand so tightly? And if his parents really loved the little kid, whey didn’t they fasten the top snap on his life jacket? Let’s not even talk about the captain’s life vest . . . .

Honeywell Pentax SP500