Life Moves Pretty Fast

“Life Moves Pretty Fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” – Ferris Bueller

Often on trips I struggle to find a balance between my love of exploring new places and my absolute obsession of documenting every moment on film. Those moments are what live on even after we have left paradise. I constantly find myself holding up the group or wondering off the beaten path just to capture what in my mind is the perfect shot. On our first few days in a new destination, I’ll wake up before the sun and head out on my own to take advantage of the great photographic opportunities that often present themselves in the early morning hours.

However, many times these photographs, although beautiful in so many ways, come at a price. Often times I find myself missing out on incredible moments that cannot be repeated or re-experienced. Is my obsessive compulsive love of photography diminishing my experience? Sadly, the answer is yes. Sometimes I find myself so lost in capturing each moment that I become removed from the actual experience.

In effort to get the most out of our holidays, I’ve recently begun to make a conscious effort to live in the moment and experience what is actually going on around us. I have to stop and remind myself that these moments will live on in our memories, even if I miss a few great photo ops. In the past, I’ve caught myself a few times going for the camera when I should have just been enjoying the moment on our most recent trips. However, instead of taking the shot – I have to remind myself how important it is to just sit back, relax, and enjoy.