We really enjoy camping. After buying our tent late last summer and having a couple of single night trips to local campsites we were very keen to get the tent out again this summer. We pretty much looked forward to it all year. We managed two trips again this year and by now we are starting to feel like we know what we are doing. Our first trip was a return overnight visit to a local place we used last year.
We even have a few go-to favourite camping activities. The ole mentos-in-the-diet-coke-explosion trick has been on the kids' bucket list forever, but we have never had the opportunity to try it out until this camping trip. I just didn't fancy the sticky mess in our small back garden. In the future I am thinking that we could try things like smoke bombs and steel wool fire spirals. Roo is certainly up for it.
This was one of my first outings with my new 35mm Sigma Art lens. I love this lens so much. I was also heavily under the influence of Kirsten Lewis' two Creative Live courses. Kirsten takes a very high volume of shots in search of the moment. I took well over 300 photos between these two camping trips, but she would have taken much more. I felt a little inhibited by my need to be present with my family rather than constantly behind the camera and on both occasions I felt myself being judged by other people who were watching me, or perhaps annoyed by the constant clicking of my camera. I do think that Kirsten is right though and I have been won over by her idea that you let the scene unfold naturally without interfering with it. The timing is perfect as my kids have now had enough of games a tricks aimed at getting a good photos out of them. It is so much better and more authentic to let them be themselves.
Once I considered things like composition and light, it was just a case of shooting through the moment in the hope that everything aligns itself into a good picture. If not, then I have to accept that the whole lots needs to set to the cutting room floor. In the past, I would edit every picture I took but now I delete lots of them before going into Lightroom.
Another major, Kirsten Lewis, inspired goal of mine, is to capture the interaction and relationships between our family members. I found this so hard and frustrating. It often felt like my kids never look at or touch each other. I am now on a mission to capture these moments.
I am also favouring a much bolder editing style these days. In the past I was so phobic of orange skin that I kept my photos pretty cool but now I push the white balance up towards a much warmer tone. I also push the contrast between highlights and shadows to give the pictures greater depth.
My love of playing with light has continued and I have passed it on to my kids. We had a lot of fun playing with torches on this trip. It was wonderful to see how they came up with truly creative and original ideas. I really do want to try spinning burning steel wool sometime. I might need to check out the safety element first.
Our second camping trip was a bit further afield and lasted two nights. It was a great campsite but the weather had turned much colder, which made me feel less inclined to get the camera out. I have been very lazy with my camera since I completed the 365. We did have a lot of fun with this trailer though.
We ate out in a restaurant on the second night and I was really searching for those moments of connection. I have learned that I have a strong tendency to take pictures of my kids engaged in quiet activities alone. This is probably because I am an introvert, but also because I spent a lot of time as a child playing on my own. It feels like such a shame to let these years pass without capturing the connections we have between us.
I still can't resit a quiet moment though, especially when it involves a interaction with a toy or object that the kids really value at this point in time. Those pictures have a place too.
I also look the opportunity to try out some fairy light bokeh pictures. The 35mm lends itself so well to this as it has an aperture of f1.4
It was lovely to have Granny L join us on this trip.
It felt super sad packing away the tent for another year. We are already looking forward to next year. Perhaps we will go even further afield in search of adventure.
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