• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
 
Sanityfound
  • Home
  • About SF
  • Dictionary: SanityFound
  • Travel
    • Eco Tourism
      • Wildlife Parks & Sanctuaries
    • America
      • Arizona
      • Florida
      • California
        • Napa, California
        • San Fransisco, California
        • Santa Rosa
    • United Kingdom
      • England
  • Expat Files
  • Life
  • Ubuntu Story
  • Contact me

Sanityfound

  • Home
  • About SF
  • Dictionary: SanityFound
  • Travel
    • Eco Tourism
      • Wildlife Parks & Sanctuaries
    • America
      • Arizona
      • Florida
      • California
        • Napa, California
        • San Fransisco, California
        • Santa Rosa
    • United Kingdom
      • England
  • Expat Files
  • Life
  • Ubuntu Story
  • Contact me

In Bucket List, Expat Files, Life, Life's Lessons, Life's opinion, Lifestyle, Photography, Travel

Photography is having no regrets

3.4K Views 4 Comments

Photography is having no regrets Pin It

My obsession with photography started when I got my first camera back when I was 10.  It was film and in those days crazy expensive so I savored each shot I took and very fast became addicted to that unique click that only a film camera can give off.

Regardless of wether I was good or not, I realized that finally I had the power to make sure I recorded things, memories, people, places and moments that I never wanted to forget.

The first time I saw snow in the Drakensberg Mountains
The first time I saw snow in the Drakensberg Mountains
The first time meeting the Masai people of Kenya - 1995
The first time meeting the Masai people of Kenya – 1995
Seeing my first giraffe... totally out of focus but I still have it recorded!
Seeing my first giraffe… totally out of focus but I still have it recorded!
My very first sunset shot over False Bay in Cape Town
My very first sunset shot over False Bay in Cape Town
My first music festival none other than Glastonbury in the UK
My first music festival none other than Glastonbury in the UK

See, I lost my father when I was four and a half and as time went on the few memories I had faded.  As I grew up I would often find myself wanting to see photos of him in hopes that I would some how get to know the man he was through the captured memories of his life.  There weren’t many, probably around 15 in all, 4 of which were with me as a baby and toddler.

File Jan 11, 2 41 51 PM
File Jan 11, 11 30 42 AM

To this day my father is still an enigma to me but I swore when I got my first camera that my life would not be as his was.  People who remember me once I am gone will be able to look through my photos and know that I had lived, that I had experienced what life had to offer and know that, yes, I was a little crazy.

Hopefully in a good way! Now stop starting at my chubby cheeks.

Yes I have shots of me on the Ostrich, washing my very first motorbike and standing next to my first “personal” cake that took my mother hours to make. But I wanted more, my hunger for experiences never got quenched.

Yup still got the cheeks but this time on an Ostrich!
Yup still got the cheeks but this time on an Ostrich!
My very first bike age 3... man was I proud
My very first bike age 3… man was I proud
Come on who doesn't love Strawberry Shortcake!
Come on who doesn’t love Strawberry Shortcake!

In this life I want to go to as many places as I can. I want to experience as many cultures the world has to offer me from remote jungles to wild cities. I want to do more crazy things like sky dive, hang glide again and again, climb more mountains and stand on the South Pole. Ok maybe bungee jump as well but that one I’ll have to be talked into…

Life is short, I get reminded of this on a daily basis, so I will do everything I can to enjoy each moment and record it all as I go.

I take thousands of photos on any given day but I live without the regret of not capturing the moment.

So far, as I head into a new decade of which the number will not be mentioned nor discussed, I’ve come to realize that although I have travelled near and far I don’t have too many photos of me in all the amazing places I’ve visited. Thousands of the places I’ve been yes, me in said places? Few and far between.

Me at Old Harry's rocks in England... want to take a photo of me, you're going to get a funny face
Me at Old Harry’s rocks in England… want to take a photo of me, you’re going to get a funny face
For once a serious face
For once a serious face
Yup this is my photo of me in NYC... awesome right. Not.
Yup this is my photo of me in NYC… awesome right. Not.
Me in the largest urban rainforest in the world, Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro circa 2001 with a huge hat no less
Me in the largest urban rainforest in the world, Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro circa 2001 with a huge hat no less
Returning to London 2006
Returning to London 2006
Returning to Paris 2006 - Smile for the camera um no I'll pack lol
Returning to Paris 2006 – Smile for the camera um no I’ll pack lol
Like I said... funny face
Like I said… funny face
Best is when I don't even know the cameras on me! Me at the Edinburgh castle
Best is when I don’t even know the cameras on me! Me at the Edinburgh castle
Me somewhere in Scotland with a whisky smile
Me somewhere in Scotland with a whisky smile

For example, I make photo books of all our “expeditions” and when we look through them my people exclaim but where are you!  It struck me that perhaps I am like my father, perhaps if I don’t climb out of my own skin and comfort zone my people may feel like I did looking through the measly photos of my father.

Me being in front of the camera, that is still something I am trying to work on, something that isn’t as easy as it seems.  Selfies and posing is something that is so against my character but I figure I could learn a thing or two from the teenagers of today and put myself out there.  It also helps that Snapchat has an anti-wrinkle filter thought not used on the below photos!.

First photo I truly voluntarily asked for... seriously
First photo I truly voluntarily asked for… seriously
SA was the start of trying hard to be in front of the camera - I was dying in this photo!
SA was the start of trying hard to be in front of the camera – I was dying in this photo!
19420831_10158911178310297_4115304696758311502_n

During my trip to South Africa in June last year I started to try, it was an excruciating experience to say the least.

Grand Canyon Sitting
Me contemplating life and enjoying the moment
Grand Canyon
I had a moment of crazy trying to hug a Canyon
P1000252-aud
IMG_9572
IMG_9622
IMG_9666
IMG_9838

But with our latest trip to the Grand Canyon in December I made it my mission to be in front of the camera, to get some photos of myself actually there for a change.

If anything, not for my people, but perhaps for when I start to lose my mind and need to remember the amazing things I have done and accomplished. Yes, I will be the person sitting in a rocking chair exclaiming in an extremely loud indignant voice that no the person in the photo can’t be me because they’re way too close to the edge and I’m scared of heights.

I want to shock my older memory loss”ed” self with all the things I’ve faced, accomplished,  proven can be done, all the places I’ve seen and all the things I have experienced.

Photography is having no regrets.

Capture each moment and capture yourself in that moment when ever possible.

Live freely without the constraints of insecurity. Insecurity is what others have put on you, stop giving them the power.  Start living and capturing your memories, your moments in your history.

For one day you may not have your memory but you will have your photos.

Go out there and be wild.

And stop looking at my chubby baby cheeks!

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
be yourselfBody Positivedefining momentsfeaturedLifelife lessonsLive lifelove yourselfPhotographySelfies
Share

4

You may also like

View Post

A letter to God about Evolution

View Post

F/H: Pick a badge for the day/week/year – Part II

View Post

Who you are makes a difference!

4 Comments

  1. Mad Hatters NYC
    •
    3 years ago

    So sorry for your loss, Audrey, I imagine that must’ve been difficult for you to grapple with as a child. I love how it translates to your love for photography, though. I have a similar need to document my life, so I can totally relate. (I think the blog is an extension of that neurosis!)

    Beautiful post ❤️

    Loading...
    Reply
    1. Sanity
      •
      3 years ago

      Thanks hun, honestly it was a long time ago and I’m a strong believer in taking anything good from the bad to make it better 🙂 I think many suffer from the same neurosis lol, you aren’t alone! Thanks for your beautiful comment, means a lot!

      Loading...
      Reply
  2. Pam Rossi
    •
    2 years ago

    Wonderful to read your posts Audrey!

    Loading...
    Reply
    1. Sanity
      •
      2 years ago

      Thanks, it means a lot!

      Loading...
      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Post

Instagram - The game…

In Blogs & Blogging

Instagram - The game of followers and unfollowing

View Post

Next Post

Dream Camera for Travel and…

In Knowledge Files

Dream Camera for Travel and Wildlife

View Post

About Sanityfound

Often known as a tad crazy I come from Cape Town, South Africa. Started travelling abroad at 16, lived in a number of countries, have gone to over 250 concerts & festivals and… Honestly I never feel more alive than when I am on an adventure, experiencing a new country or trying some wacky food!

Follow Me!

Looking for something?

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5,435 other subscribers

Latest Ramblings

In Humans

Covid-19 bringing Ubuntu back?

View Post

Humpty Dumpty

In Life's Lessons

The truth about being Humpty Dumpty

View Post

In Life

Kicking the Negative Stones of Life

View Post

In America

African in America: First Impressions

View Post

function WP_Widget::widget() must be overridden in a subclass.