Week 8 of the Dogwood 52 week Photography Challenge is ONE SHOT.

The requirements for week 8 is Technical: One Shot. No deleting, no second shot and the honor system is in play.

No one asked for a perfect shot, yet the pressure to find a most fitting subject, timing it with the right lighting condition, together with all the correct camera settings certainly prod some anxiety limits.

Results in spite of the pressure, gave no consolation. On a cold morning all that stood out was a snow-covered motorbike that reminded me that I too, was going no where with week 8.

This technically deficient shot displays the juxtaposition of how far I was going on this week's exercise. I say this with a self-critical celebratory smirk.

Okay, with that said and going off and away from this photography tangent, the concept of a "single shot" or "one chance" at what we do in life seem so restrictive.

In one hand it sounds like "give it your best effort" but from a presssure perspective it is like saying "make no mistakes you have one try."

Given the circumstances, we want to put our best foot forward in all our endeavors. Generally we do strive in every given opportunity, making and attempting our utmost.

Kids in particular do their very best and predominantly feel good about their participation in any given activity. But when they are burdened with higher than normal expectations the pressure starts to mount, causing tension, poor delivery, guilt and thwarted self-esteem.

In numerous ways and circumstances we are forced to confront with "one shot" when our single attempt will get scrutinized and measured.

Practice, training and repeated consistency enables perfection. Even then, we can only control what we can in a limited capacity, we are just human and have our imperfection surface when least expected.

Thank God for reincarnation!

Even with Parkinson's disease, Michael J Fox founder of the 'Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research' has this to say, "I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence I can reach for; perfection is God's business."

A couple of shots taken on week 8 here on this post are not necessarily from a single shot.