When I worked for newspapers I spent most of my days out on the street. In good weather that was great, and in bad not so great. But the best part of it was staying away from a desk. Now I spend most of my time at a computer, so any chance to get out and shoot pictures is a good one.

Last week we had a beautiful spring day, and I wasn't about to let the opportunity pass. Near our home in Kansas is a city park that's part petting zoo, part show farm , part playground and part historical site. It's a no-brainer place to go shoot photos.

And I did what I often tell students to do - go out and play. Try the same shot with different lenses and different combinations of exposure. Try low depth of field (f/4.0) and high depth of field (f/16). Look for different ways to shoot the same thing. Move around, change your angle, get close.

Near the dairy barn there was a cow by the fence. "Okay," I thought, "let's see what I can do with this." As I moved in closer with the wideangle, she moved in closer too. Next thing I knew she was licking the lens! Guess she's used to people feeding her grass, and wanted to try something new. I got a hoot out of that.

Some people meditate or do stretching exercises when they're tired of being at the desk. Me? I'd rather go shoot some pictures.