The Old Ball Game

I went to Seattle this weekend and this is the only photo I took.  I took it with my BlackBerry, solely so I could use it as my phone’s background image.  That’s right… I left my camera at home.

I went down for the weekend to see the Mariners play the Red Sox.  Most people would probably assume that I would bring my camera with me, but I didn’t even think twice about my decision not to.  I wasn’t going there to work, I didn’t have media access, and I didn’t want to lug around 40 lbs of gear.  I was going to have a fun day and watch the game.  

With the surge in popularity that photography is undergoing I know there are people who never leave their house without a camera.  For some people like Terry Richardson or John Mayer (no really, I’m serious, check his tumblr photos), this makes sense.  I get that it’s their style.  Other people though, seem to be afraid that they might miss a shot if they’re not constantly packing.

For me it’s the opposite.  When I take my camera with me somewhere it’s for a purpose.  If I were constantly trying to “get the shot” I feel like I’d be missing out on just living it.  I know I’ve talked of this before back when Capucha asked me this question, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to put the camera down sometimes.  

A life spent with one eye closed is a life that lacks depth.