I went to the Wetland Park this weekend. I wore a sun hat and a long sleeve shirt, as the sun was bright. I’m pretty sure it saved me from getting sun burned. So I made the right decision there, but I was a little bit too ambitious, when it came to camera gear. I over-prepared. I brought equipment for shooting video and photos. I should have just brought the photography stuff and felt the video stuff – gimbal, handles, and microphone at home. Some people might say better to bring too much than too little and to an extent, I would agree except for the fact that I had to carry it all on my person. I don’t have a car.
In this case, by the time I arrived where the birds were, I was too worn out from carrying everything. If I had of packed lighter, I would have been able to have walked longer and more comfortably and I would have therefore been able to take more photos. Actually there was still plenty of park that I didn’t get to explore.
Too Much Stuff Restricts Us.
I am sure there is a lesson in all of this. When it comes to life’s journey, I am probably carrying too much baggage around with me also. Having too much stuff restricts a persons movement. Don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating getting rid of everything either. I recently talked to a friend who wants to clear out her house again because she thinks she has too much stuff. What is too much stuff for one person isn’t enough for another. Each of us has to come to our own conclusions on this matter. Just because it takes up space and you don’t use it all the time doesn’t mean you need to get rid of it. I really like my 200-800mm equivalent Leica lens. It’s a great lens that makes bird, and butterfly watching more do able, but admittedly it takes up some space and weighs a bit also. Still if you compare this lens to it’s equivalent in full frame, it appears small. So too much stuff is really relative to who you are talking to and how much space they have. Best to be prepared but not over-prespared.
Next Time
Thankfully, I do get out and use it and it isn’t just collecting dust, but I know I have other items that are sitting and collecting dust. Work is busy for me right now and it can’t do everything I would like to do. Hopefully I will look back with some level of contentment on the things that I have chosen to do with my free time. As far as Saturday’s pictures go. I really didn’t take a lot. There are a couple of decent butterfly pictures and one or two bird pictures, but not really that many. I need to go again. Next time, I will come more prepared. I think my favorite picture from these is a waterfall picture. I brought my ND filters and took some time to get set up to take this little waterfalls.
If you primarily shot with your smart phone this may not be an issue for you, but if you need to bring along lens and other gear, it is worth it to take the time to plan ahead. Come prepared not over-prepared.
