Hangin’ In There

As I was going through the pictures I had taken over the past month, this one clearly stood out as the one with the most suggested activity: that split-second moment between swinging out of the tree and landing safely on the ground. Well, suggested at best; it really wasn’t as perfect timing as the picture implies . . .

After a long, hard day of raking leaves, two friends and I decided to head out to “the hill” where another group of staff-members was finishing off the day with a few rounds of speed volleyball. We were in a little predicament, however, because I had a bike and my compatriots did not. Despite my suggestions for a solution, they took off running toward the hill at great speed and it was no easy task to beat them (as certain obstacles are not as easily passed with a bike as they are on foot).

Upon our arriving at the hill, quite out of breath, we slowly realizing that all that energy had been spent in vain as we looked with disappointment over an empty hill–an empty volleyball court–now shrouded in the cold October twilight.

But that didn’t deter out enthusiasm one bit! There was a beautiful sunset behind us! And I had a camera! And when was the last time you had time to be crazily creative with creating silhouettes? It was invigorating! So we went berserk: riding the bicycle, chasing the bicycle, climbing trees and seriously having more fun than we probably ever would have had playing volley ball.

“Hangin’ In There” is my favorite picture from the episode. Because of the trees in the background (being where they were because I, laying flat on the ground, couldn’t get any lower), I called for my friend to keep his legs up in the air, not touching the branch, but almost touching, for as long as he could. And that wasn’t very long, poor guy!

Sometimes, what we see suggests something that is not actually real; this is the case in every disappointing situation.

“I would willingly exchange every single painting of Christ for one snapshot.” – George Bernard Shaw

After returning from Peru, I knew the backpack I had chosen for travel, the Calumet BP935 Small Backpack, was not the one for me. It was very nice, but here were the drawbacks for me:

• Did not fit my back very well. Even with a waist strap, it was just too big for my body, and most of the wait still hung on my shoulders.
• Too big for my needs. If you have a lot of camera equipment, this bag will fit it all! But I needed extra compartments for storing books, laptop accessories, and other items for use on the road.
• One major compartment. Instead of allowing access to individual items, you have to open the whole thing to get to anything.
• Small front pockets. Pockets didn’t stretch at all, making it hard to even store batteries and camera accessories in them. They were also designed in a way that things tended to fall out when you opened them.

Calumet graciously allowed me to return the backpack. Now that I knew more specifically what did and did not fit my needs for travel, I was able to exchange it for another backpack: the Tamrac 5788 Evolution 8 Photo Sling Backpack. Though I have used it only slightly, here is what I have enjoyed thus far about it.

• Slightly smaller size fits me very well. Even though the waist strap isn’t as big, the whole thing seems to fit me better. For some reason, the weight is better distributed between my hips and shoulders.
• More room for extraneous supplies. The large top compartment, accessed separately, can be used for books and travelling items while still converting to camera space if desired.
• Multiple access to camera. The camera can be accessed from the front as well as from both sides. This makes it very easy to get things out of the bag when traveling or hiking.
• Quality padding. Even though I think the Calumet bag had better padding, this bag is top notch when it comes to protecting your equipment.

Well, I hope these thoughts are helpful for anyone looking to purchase a camera/laptop combination backpack. I don’t think I’ll be searching for a new bag in a long time.

I’m back! I’m finally back after three busy weeks of traveling, completing the calendar, and volunteering at the National Bible Bee! There is so much to talk about, so I’ll keep posting over the next few days. But for now, I’ve got to make up for missing the October Pic of the Month.

Let Your Light Shine

It was growing dark as we drove up the arid mountainside to the next stop on our itinerary: a gathering of children and families from the surrounding shanty town. I wasn’t sure what to expect. But the crepuscular atmosphere which loomed over the favela through which we traveled was in no way reflective of the animated meeting place in which we shortly found ourselves! Beaming children swarmed us when we arrived and enthusiastically responded to the songs and stories we taught about character and attentiveness.

This type of event is impossible to capture with a camera; it is trying to convert emotion to reality. But the key is to do your best! And sometimes, you might emerge with something that may depict a glimpse of what was actually experienced. And that is what I feel about this picture. In a needy place, dim with poverty and sin, there can be hope, light, and vision for a better future. Though surroundings may stay the same for awhile, there will always be improvement where there is Light!

It’s here! Lenspiration’s Observe 2011 Calendar is now ready for purchase. Go to staddonfamily.com/2011-calendar to look inside the new calendar and take advantage of amazing quantity discounts!