I am busy packing to go away sailing – or rather packing to sit on a stony beach and self-consciously clamber aboard a dinghy in an attempt to learn to sail, and join in with the rest of the family.
So there will be three kids, one husband and, finally, all the camera gear. Yes it‘s coming with me – it is always useful. For example, I didn’t have to join in the parents race at the primary school sports day – due to having an ‘impressive’ camera around my neck – all the while snapping unselfconsciously. Only to be met by my youngest child Poppy, 4 years old, looking at me in the eye and enquiring – “ why didn’t you race mummy?”. I couldn’t share with her my memories of being third from last (somehow there is more glory to actually come last) in every race I ever entered. The little one wouldn’t understand, she came second out of a field of 29 in the 400-metres. Blimey. No! Mummy (known by children as “mommeh!”) has a camera and it comes in useful, not just for taking photographs.
By the way, Poppy thinks photography is just like medicine, something that makes you feel a bit rubbish, but you have to put up with it. She doesn’t see it as a career option for adulthood, it is currently at the bottom of the list. On the top is mad scientist, followed by footballer then spaceman (she has two brothers) and… Oh no!
Funnily enough I didn’t pick up a camera for years because I had many memories of family events being punctuated by cameras being taken out in all directions, a kind of cameras at dawn scenario. I can’t remember the events, just the cameras! Though I have to say, my parents have album upon album of photos documenting our every move and every meal.
I pledged never do the same thing; never to thrust a camera in anyone’s direction. Then I picked a camera up three and a half years ago, everything else is history.
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Now I go as far as to stop strangers on the street in order to take a portrait. So much for that pledge! It goes the same way as my daily childhood promise to “turn over a new leaf”, the ” I will be neat and tidy” pledge, (the less said about that one the better) and finally the “I will not eat sugar” (I’ve just restarted that one, after a two-year and two-stone break).
Which takes me back to the Greece holiday; I really should put the camera down, do some exercise and jump “gazelle’ like on to the dinghy with the instructor – without my camera and live in the moment, rather than behind the lens.
The equipment I am taking (lugging) to Greece – a Nikon D300 (dreaming of a D3s) and a selection of lenses; an 85mm f/1.4, a 17 – 55mm f/2.8, and a 50mm f/1.4. I do love my glass, particularly the 85, oh yes and the Lensbaby Composer – Hmmm time to sail?
So… I will carry it all with me to Greece, and dream of having a Leica M9 – it would be so much lighter.
Carolyn documents her family through her Flickr stream – an amazing reflection of family life.
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