Re: [Leica] Vacation... lighten up

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@home.com>]

"Birkey, Duane" wrote:
 
> If I'm going somewhere for a week or two to do photography... I take more EQ
> and I leave my wife and daughter at home... as they won't see me much till
> after dark and they are more concerned about eating breakfast, lunch and
> supper than the light.  I also personally prefer to have less distractions
> and competition for my time when I'm shooting.<<<<<<<<<<<
> 
Hi Duane,
Great words of wisdom!  So true, so true!

For those of you who think taking your wife and family along is cool,
kill two birds on one trip,  they can do things while I'm shooting, 
"ABSOLUTELY DON'T!"  As the likelihood of someone getting killed isn't
going to be the bird, it'll be you feet up and Leica in hand! :-)

It all sounds so nice, "Well dear I'll be out shooting most of the day
and get back early, spend  time with you and the kids."   Yeah right!
Great! and any of you folks believing that's the way it is, you haven't
lived through any experience like this.

One of two things will happen or worse, both things will happen.

A/ 
Your wife will want a divorce before the trip is over, "You're never
here to help with the kids, I thought you said this was a holiday, why
do you have to be so long, you wake me up every morning at some ungodly
hour, this is a holiday, what do you do  that takes all day and you
said, you said, you said, you said AND YOU SAID!!!  this was going to be
a holiday!   Man and she isn't smiling !

See guys that's part one!

B/
You're out shooting with this damn guilt thing at the back of yer mind,
you're constantly rushing, an "that will do" attitude sets in the mind,
you're thinking it's about time to take them for supper, but the light
is just perfect keep shooting, damn I should get back, shit she's going
to be absolutely pissed off this time, I swear this will never happen
again, I'll never, never, never, never ever take them on a "shoot --
holiday" thing again, again, again, again, again, AGAIN!  

And is the photography the best of your life?  NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!
NEVER! NEVER! ever!!!!!!

Trust me lads, it isn't worth the grief, agony and number of throw away
images when you're standing at the light table later completely pissed
off with yourself for taking them. Hey, it isn't their fault, but in
your mind it's human nature to lay the blame in their direction when
you're the idiot that said, "Yes dear it'll be fine, I'll shoot part
time and it'll be a wonderful holiday!" :-(

Look, it's one or the other, holiday or serious shoot time, but it can't
be be both! Best bet?  You shoot first, they arrive later. Don't do it
the other way round as after you've been on family holiday the chances
are you'll be more stressed and "need your own holiday," just when you
need to be as sharp as a Leica lens! ;-)  Trust me, been there done it
and never learned the first time, it took a few before it finally got
through my thick head...."leave them at home, holiday later!"

So Duane me old son, by the sound of your post you know this scenario
only too well. :-) 
ted