Somewhere in Paradise - No Camera?! No Worries!

Somewhere in Paradise - No Camera?! No Worries!

This is the first summer Shanti and I have spent away from Florida since moving north. Living in North Carolina has been a real treat, honestly, but the accessibility to beautiful Florida white sand beaches we once had sure has a way of tugging at those home sickness heart strings. Ask me how many times I went to the beach in the few years we lived in Florida and admittedly, the figure would be in the low numbers. However, the escape from NC to FL was a wakeup call, if not for me, then for those of you that still live close to those beloved places only a tourist would love. I am all for promoting the place I once lived, but what is living if you are not participating? I can honestly say that my quality of life has improved greatly over the last year, but finding a place in my new home that competes with the cool waters, sounds of palm tree breezes, "exotic" beach wildlife, and a sun tan souvenir has not yet revealed itself. I just need to make it through summer and report back next year. Until then, get out and go to the beach (or whatever it is that makes your home "home")!

If you have gotten ahead of my typing and clicked through the photos and wondered "Sheesh...those look like pictures from a family vacation taken back in the 70s", then you would not be all that off on your assumption except that these photos were taken this past Friday (6/15) by yours truly with a camera built in the late 70s. (See inset photo.) So why the crappy 35mm film photos? Simply stated, I didn't feel like toting a DSLR home. It took about 10 steps off of the plane for my dad to ask "Did you bring your camera?" Regret, pain, panic, and all of those feelings an addict has quickly set in. I had the shakes. We were going to go to the beach the next day. WHAT was I thinking?! As luck would have it, I happened to give my dad a vintage camera for his birthday last year - the same one we were all photographed with as kids. A trip to the "Wonderful World of Sam Walton", a 4-pack of cheap Fuji film, and an old camera in hand I had all I needed to get my fix.

So I wanted a shot of the boats, condos, water, and bridge railing. Instead I luckily got a picture of an Aston Martin Jaguar beautifully reflecting a whispy clouded sky. Luck - it happens and I will be the first to admit it. Come to think of it, the previously described scene would have been incredibly boring. What you don't see in this picture is the obnoxious telephone pole obscuring a block of condos in the backdrop. Don't look for it. Just enjoy the cheap 35mm photo hacked into a digital format. :)

What is not to love about a shady place from which one can take in the hypnotic sounds of the ocean? These brought back some great memories of a falling asleep with Shanti on the beach on an early Sunday morning after breakfast at the Clearwater Beach IHOP. There were no tourists and the cabana merchant had not yet opened shop to collect rental fees.

This is the clever work of an 8 to 9 year old boy and his dad over the course of their weeklong Florida vacation. Admitting that I was no longer a Florida resident and that I had given up that life for another up north was a tough one. The change of perspective from that of a once Florida native to tourist was a difficult moment to accept. Nonetheless, it made my appreciation of this sandcastle much greater.














So after a small weekend getaway to a place that I could chalk up to the arrogance of "been there, done that" I confirmed something about my life in photography. Much like a chef who does not travel without his recipe book or secret spices, or the drummer with his drumsticks, I should never again leave home without a camera - any camera regardless of the destination. Thankfully, the camera that both my dad and I share in our collections came in handy. Shooting a manual focus prime lens camera really made me work much harder for those shots. Instead of 400 photos I only had 36 to pick from. Sounds like a good time to me. No camera in paradise? No problem! Any will do. Until next time....