Leaving the camera at home?

[pierces]

Did you still enjoy the hot rod show?

 

I'm finding that I enjoy things more when I don't have to document them but can just be in the moment. Like most people, I have a camera on my phone that will do, but the really big lenses and the SLR doesn't go everywhere. It's easier to pack a sketch pad.

 

We had 50th anniversary party for my folks a few years ago. One of my siblings hired a photographer friend to take pictures. Still, there were some of my brothers and sisters who also had to play at being photographer and nearly every picture of them that day has their face obscured by a camera. We didn't know then, that we would bury our Father just 2 years later. There are few opportunities to dance with your 80 year old father. If the accordion is playing a polka, you should get out on the floor with him and cut a rug instead of taking snapshots of someone else doing it. I wish my older sister took a turn dancing that day and trusted the pro to capture the best shots.

 

I'm not trying to convert anyone here, and I do appreciate all the pictures you all take and post. It makes my vacations more fun. But I'll be dancing or otherwise getting in the shot instead of taking it. And in the quiet times, a sketch will do.

 

My daughter's wedding was last year and she asked me to take the photos. Not to save money but because she knew that I would enjoy it and take extraordinary care in capturing the hustle, bustle and emotion of the day. Aware that I was going to be in some of the shots, I had a friend work the second camera knowing that he would take the same care. Between the two of us we captured about 2500 images of the hectic day. I spent hours going through them and picking out the best for the album and then spent another 30 hours or so putting the album together.

 

I'm not sure when either one of us had more fun! I didn't miss anything, met just about all the guests and on top of it all, I didn't have to deal with a hangover the next day.:)

 

I've had a camera in my hand since I was about ten and in the process of becoming a better photographer, I have learned to see and appreciate the world around me. Studying a scene as a sketch artist or a photographer involve very similar preparation with decisions concerning subject and composition applying to both. However, the camera-based capture process better suits my skill-set and patience.:) I really respect the craft involved in drawing and sometimes wish I had the patience to pursue it but I wouldn't feel any more at peace or revel in the color of the sunrise any differently wandering around the ship at dawn with a with a pencil and sketch pad than I do with a camera.

 

I appreciate your "to each their own" attitude. Rare these days...

 

Here's a link to the wedding photos: http://galleries.pptphoto.com/wedding

 

(BTW, I did dance with my daughter! ;))

 

Dave

[Maligator]

I'd rather leave a kidney at home than my camera.

[TruckerDave]

I'd rather leave a kidney at home than my camera.

 

My camera is like the American Express card.......those old enough to remember those commercials will understand.

[Nole0202]

Just because someone overdoes it, that is no good enough for others to give it up! That would be like pointing to an alcoholic and say that you should not enjoy a pint in a British pub!

 

 

+1

Let's all enjoy one tonight!

[mcship]

Where is the "Like" button?

LOL - I was looking for the LIKE button too.

 

I bring the camera, tripod, everything. I get up at 5am or so just to take the sunrise pictures.

 

I even brought the DSLR around WDW - on rides and all. You just can't get the same shot with a point and shoot.

[mcship]

Love the second picture!!

It is not cathedral, as it does not seat the bishop. Interesting side note, while they were doing some renovations to the national cathedral in DC, they put the chair - the cathedra - in an outbuilding. So technically, for a while, that shed was the cathedral, as it held the cathedra.

 

--oops meant to respond to the original post with the church picture.

[c141heaven]

My photography passion came late in college. After finishing school I went into the air force and was a pilot for a number of years. I flew all over the world; some places pretty non-touristy (like Minot ND) and others just plain fantastic (Japan, south pacific, far east, Europe) .

 

For reasons that completely escape me now, I did not take many photo during those years; probably just didn't think it would look "cool". What a HUGE mistake that was and one I can never undo. Now, 40 years later with digital cameras that take wonderful photos I would never think of going on a trip without one. In some other threads I've seen a few questions about "What's the best camera to buy for my cruise?". Not my original answer, but for my money "The best camera is the one you have with you."

 

I do agree with the article that a shot of the Mona Lisa that you might take is not going to add anything to the world, but if you look at the shot of the Mona Lisa in the article, THAT's a good shot and one most people wouldn't think of taking, or if they did, of saving. I try for the scenic shots, but also for the unusual subjects or points of view.

[sparky-elpaso]

My photography passion came late in college. After finishing school I went into the air force and was a pilot for a number of years. I flew all over the world; some places pretty non-touristy (like Minot ND) and others just plain fantastic (Japan, south pacific, far east, Europe) .

 

For reasons that completely escape me now, I did not take many photo during those years; probably just didn't think it would look "cool". What a HUGE mistake that was and one I can never undo. Now, 40 years later with digital cameras that take wonderful photos I would never think of going on a trip without one. In some other threads I've seen a few questions about "What's the best camera to buy for my cruise?". Not my original answer, but for my money "The best camera is the one you have with you."

 

I do agree with the article that a shot of the Mona Lisa that you might take is not going to add anything to the world, but if you look at the shot of the Mona Lisa in the article, THAT's a good shot and one most people wouldn't think of taking, or if they did, of saving. I try for the scenic shots, but also for the unusual subjects or points of view.

 

Agreed. My parents gave me my first camera when I was around 7 (I'm 66 now so a loooong time ago). Strictly black and white and I could only take pics when Mom and Dad gave me film. :D We had a dark room in the basement so Dad could enlarge and do some printing.

 

The number of pictures I have from different times in my life is usually dependent on how much I had to spend on film and processing at the time. Now that we have digital I'm in heaven.

[Crew News]

Before photography, history was passed to the next generation from story telling from fading memories, by sketches/painting, and written words.

 

Today, each photograph is a digital moment in time. It is no longer necessary to describe that Alaskan sunset, the flowers of the Caribbean, the wrinkled face of a Mayan senior, the face of a car thief, the birth of a baby, the face of a whipped-cream pie prank, etc. Anything can be captured objectively and shared with others.

 

Photographers capture history. That history could be just their own, their family, or national history.

 

At the time of taking, one may not know the value of a photograph but we would be remiss if we did not take it.

 

I will never be without a camera when away from home. Even aboard ship, I keep a P&S in my pocket. If someone cares to leave their camera at home, one less person will be in the way of me getting a good shot.

[Calkacky]

I will never be without a camera when away from home. Even aboard ship, I keep a P&S in my pocket. If someone cares to leave their camera at home, one less person will be in the way of me getting a good shot.

 

Amen! Well said!

 

For those of us who truly LOVE taking pics, leaving our camera(s) at home would be so stressful that we'd end up not enjoying our vacation as much as if we had it and were snapping away. I'm leaving again on December 2, 2013 on the same cruise I just did in June and the same cruise where I took an insane amount of pics. The thought to leave my big camera at home and just take the small one crossed my mind. Still mulling it over but I'm really not sure I can do it. I think I'd most likely regret that decision and be stressed at not having it.