... the reminder ...

As a professional photographer, it sometimes pains me to post up the snapshots from my iPhone.  Seriously folks.  It is not that I can not shoot with it... oh, I can... it just takes me a little more time because of the limited menu.  That time vrs. four year old son is usually a battle that ends like this:

four year old - 1,000,000 vrs. iPhone - 1 or 2

Okay, not that quite drastic.  You get the point.  I know that coming up I have weddings, family sessions, and a trip to London - all that will be taking along my much beloved professional gear.  Then there is this trip - to the happiest place on earth - in April.  Oh what to do!  I want fantastic photos (and I know I can snap them quick) but I do not want to lug around my heavy gear.  Or those HUGE camera "purses."  Quite frankly, they are just over-sized (diaper bag sized) purses.  We didn't go through potty training just for me to lug around a diaper bag full of camera gear.   I would much rather carry my own bag with a tenba insert... boom - no extra $160 - $300 for a camera "bag" I would only use once a year.

So... that brings me to my point.  On this vacation do I want to be a Mom who is a professional photographer on vacation or a Professional Photographer who is a Mom.  Let me define those for you...

M who is a PP =  Decides that the best camera is the one you have on you, throws caution to the wind and decides to purchase those cheesy photos the cast members take of you and then record other stuff on my iPhone (videos and photos). Becomes actively engaged maker of memories instead of passively engaged recorder of memories.

PP who is a M = Decides to lug around a large camera "purse" that can not go on rides so it needs to constantly be checked, worried about, kept an eye on.  Risks missing a moment first hand because she was looking through a view finder.  Becomes passively engaged recorder of memories instead of actively engaged maker of memories. 

I know... quite the soap box.  If you are a professional - you will understand my plight - and why I am searching for a micro four-thirds that is right for me like no body's business.  Heck, I might even take the holga/iphone combo.  Fun film squares to develop and relive at a later date and the instant gratification of the iPhone (and IG, and Camera+, and Camera Awesome, and VSCO Cam, and Photogene, and Snapseed, and Diptic, and Stickygrams, and TinyPlanets).  Okay, I might have a problem when it comes to iPhone apps.  See, I have enough fun toys to make it a challenge.  And who wouldn't love a Finao playBOOK with IGs from our trip... hmmm.... do I sense a Thank You gift for grammy and pappy in there somewhere????

So, if you made it this far and are wondering what my decision was/is...... 

I keep reminding myself, I am going to be a mom, wife, daughter and a tourist on our Disneyland vacation this coming spring. It is my mantra. I will have my iPhone and that will be enough to capture snapshots and videos of V experiencing the park!  

I want to create memories instead of standing back and capturing them. This will be one of my toughest challenges! Giving up those ability to control settings and perfect shots in order to just live and experience the moment. 

... BECAUSE ...

I am doing it for my family.  If T can put the pager down and my dad (aka, pappy | aka, g'pa) can surface from the office, so can I!!!!  It would be such a pity to miss V and T experiencing Disney for the first time. 

It would be such a waste to miss watching my parents be "the bestest Grammy and Pappy" ever in the eyes of my son!  

After all, this was my mother's idea.  *insert dropped jaw totally gob-smacked shocked face*

** all photos in this post were taken by my parents on our previous trips to Disney World in Orlando, we will be going to Disneyland in Cali - so for V and T it is the first time to a Disney ever, for me, first time to a new park**