Gearing Up

This weekend marks the start of the summer season in the northern hemisphere. Vacations, cook-outs, warmer weather, water-play…all make for some amazing pictures. Personally, I’m excited to try out my new camera, coupled with a Polaroid, on our voyage to the Outer Banks. It’s such a repetitive task to bring a camera with you on vacations. But when you sift through those treasures, it’s re-living life at its best: The first moment of building sandcastles, the discovery of sea-glass in the sand, the chasing of ghost crabs, the climbing of stairs in lighthouses. All captured in an instance. Never to be repeated the same way again.

How will you play out these moments?

Will you take the same old pictures of the landscape and buildings? Not that those are boring, mind you. But think of this as a challenge for you to do something different…a different perspective of a great memory that you can look back on and relish. The colors of the area, the locals, your children’s hands and feet constructing, or searching for that most perfect shell. The way the sunlight glowed at sunset in the face of your loved one, or, the first cup of coffee in the morning, wrapped in a blanket, watching the sunrise.

So Sisters, make it a goal to do something different with your shots this season. And of course, please, please, share those ideas and pictures here. I’m leaving next week and need all the inspiration I can get, to capture the tiniest of moments!

Photo and post courtesy of today's Honorary Sister/Guest Blogger Jen Way (aka Beebee Mod).

Comments

[laura]

Ahhh... vacation! Haven't had me one of those in years. Thanks for the inspiration and yes, don't we all LOVE those "mug-shots" taken in front of a monument as proof that we were there? For my next trip, I'll try to take in the details of the area, the flora from different angles and up close and our family enjoying themselves, rather than posing in front of a backdrop, firing-squad-style.

But for now, I'll have to pretend I'm elsewhere. =)

http://www.dolcepics.com/dailypic/to-another-place/

Have a great trip!

[Marcie]

My photos - of late - have mostly been about nature.Am trying to stretch myself..and photograph something new. Here is a first attempt:

http://www.marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=395

Also - for those of you who are used to finding me here..I"ve got a new site: http://www.marciescudderphotography.com.Hope you'll visit often.

[Shelli]

We haven't been on vacation in years! But we were offered a free place to stay at the beach in June, so we're going! I'm so excited, and I can't wait to take pictures somewhere other than my yard.

I know what you mean about getting a different perspective. I do like how I shot this fountain at the botanical a while back:

http://www.mamaofletters.com/Mama_of_Letters/Camera_Happy.html#38

[kristin]

we are lucky to leave near a beach. i try very hard to capture those tiny moments there. not the same old same old...

here are a few faves:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/2424391072/in/set-72157603780423750/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/2428996892/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/2428886235/

have fun!

[Tony]

My goal this summer is to take some truly inspring images, I guess that is my goal every summer...LOL

[camerashymomma]

yay for guest blogging!! what a wonderful post.

i LOVE the outer banks!! i grew up for a time in virginia beach and my parents still call that home. lucky me i get a built in vacation everytime we go to visit nana! :)

don't forget to put yourself in there too. in the photo. some part of you for your kids to remember. the sand in your hands. the wind in your hair. give them that, will you? even if it means setting the camera down on a path as you walk away from the self timer. those are some of the pictures i treasure the most (and my son too)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/camerashymomma/2509637618/

thanks for sharing today jen!

[Connie]

Great post! I am lucky enough to live in a place where there is a beach nearby, the lake, the city, and the woods... all within a short drive! I can't wait to see everyone's new photos.

[Kacey]

During springbreak this year, I did get some of the normal pretty beach scenes, but the ones I really love are the more unusual ones I really tried to get this year.

Like our unusual holiday Easter tradition...

http://www.wineonthekeyboard.com/2008/03/25/unusual-holiday-traditions/

[Paige]

Such a great reminder.I will be keeping that in mind as we travel this summer!

[sarah]

i will be looking forward to your pics in a couple of weeks! i can only imagine how wonderful they will be. lovely post. am anxious to do my own vacation "logging". have a great time.

[amy]

oh jen! so nice to see you guest blogging here!!! i'm going to be travelling for about 3 weeks in june and i can't wait! of course my camera will be with me - as always!

[nikkipolani]

I got back from a week+ in Paris and tried to take "different" shots. It's been a long time since I was officially on vacation, but I wanted to remember some sense of the feelings I had while there and not just monuments that will look like a postcard. Anyway, <a href="http://nikkipolani.wordpress.com/category/outings/">here's</a> a list of a few of the posts about Paris. Since it was spring, I had one <a href="http://nikkipolani.wordpress.com/2008/05/11/gts-spring-in-paris/">post</a> just on spring-y photos. And the Flickr set is <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikkipolani/sets/72157604916576331/">here</a>.

[Kate Baumert]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/drmagoddess/2511835154/
I often find that looking for things that are out of the ordinary can lead to EXTRA ordinary shots ;)

[kristin]

another i love. reflection in the wet sand... and brightly colored buckets. ahhhh summertime

http://www.flickr.com/photos/14811117@N02/2475159087/in/set-72157605055024214/

[Jenny Rebecca]

Well this won't give you anything new, lol, but I HAD to answer with this picture I took last week!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fanglord2/2503433950/in/set-72157605128659949/

Thank you for the inspiration to shoot things a little differently next time we get out of town.

[Abra]

My dear husband and I just got back from Charleston for our two year anniversary and I come bearing many of my favorite shots. And these are only the beginning.

First is my post with my surefire tips to good vacation shots {wink, wink}.

http://artistryinfocus.blogspot.com/2008/05/tips-for-your-vacay-photos.html

This one is my favorite shot of our weekend away.

http://artistryinfocus.blogspot.com/2008/05/saving-best-for-last.html

[Kathleen]

I live 4 miles from the beach on the north shore of Massachusetts. And I COULD NOT LIVE without regular trips "down the beach" during every season. Currently, I am craving the summer months in a bad way - there's nothing like that warm sand and cold water and...I just can't wait! http://www.flickr.com/photos/23630286@N05/2303929753/in/set-72157605113895625/