Shawn has considered upgrading our DSLR camera for a while now, but I've been cautioning him not to on my account. After living in New York City for over three years, I have finally reached a point where I don't feel the need to do everything right away, and I certainly don't feel the need to document it here. Gone are the days when I've lugged the Nikon around on the off chance that I want to take a picture for this blog. I've never done things simply to have fodder for Embarrassment of Riches, but at times the blogging process eclipsed my ability to relax and enjoy my surroundings. Recently, we happened to stop by the first evening of the Hester Street Fair, and while observing bloggers clutching their cameras and scurrying between tables to get shots of the food, I said to Shawn "I don't ever want to do that again." I'm happy to leave it to the professionals at Serious Eats (which I'm grateful for, because I love that website).
Without a focus on New York City events, what does that leave? I run a lot, which you probably have gathered, and just joined a gym in the hope that strength- and cross-training will help on November 3, when my next marathon is scheduled for. Increasingly, we eat very simple meals I prepare at home, because forgoing meat and now dairy limits our dining-out options (especially because I eschew most vegan restaurants). We drink wine on our stoop, cuddle with our dog while watching Arrested Development reruns, and spend the weekend in Maryland when we're lucky. And in the summer, one of my favorite things to do after work on a nice night is head to Prospect Park. But this is not the stuff of fascinating blogs, folks.
Because he just started volunteering with an amazing charity, work that involves taking pictures of live performances at hospices, nursing homes, and other healthcare facilities, Shawn decided to finally make good on his threat and trade in our D90 for a D700. It's only because he brought it along in order to learn it that we have these pictures. No cringeworthy, contrived photoshoots here, just Shawn and me fiddling with his new camera on a very ordinary night for us in our beloved Prospect Park.
12 comments:
what a great charity!
and i like these photos more than any planned out photoshoots, much more fun & relaxed! love your nail polish too!
What an amazing new project! Congrats to Shawn! I love that Prospect Park of yours and of course your blog too! Whatever you write about, it is always interesting to read and see ;)!
Well said Kate!
Another marathon already on the calendar?! Impressive! :) I'd be interested to hear how your workouts in the gym go.
So you've gone vegan now?
Jussara, not quite a strict vegan…(how's it going for you by the way?)…I don't have eggs or dairy in the house and at restaurants we order things without the cheese, but I'm not obsessive about whether the ingredient list contains dairy or eggs the way I am about chicken stock and lard. If our veggie burger bun is griddled with a bit of butter, fine. If it's griddled with pork fat, no way :) Cheese comprised such a large part of our diet! I've had to fight the urge to rely on processed vegan cheese (Daiya is amazing) - we use it as a once-in-a-while treat not a daily thing. I am obsessed with Veganaise though.
Beautiful photos! I don't have a fancy camera really but I also find myself refusing to stop the moment for the sake of photographs even when I'm traveling and more willing/wanting to take pictures. I'm not sure I'd ever have the stamina for lifestyle blogging because it would bother me too much to disrupt moments in the name of staging a picture perfect life.
That's so great to learn about Shawn's volunteer work!
Gorgeous pics! Where is the next marathon? You.are.brave. (and strong!) ;)
Jess, exactly - we have had a lot of vacations with few if any pictures to show for them because I didn't want to see the place through a viewfinder. But there's probably a happy medium between that and going camera-crazy! My mind's eye sadly can't remember everything.
Gaby, I'm registered for the Indianapolis marathon on Nov. 3 - training officially started today :)
Melissa, I am definitely S-O-R-E after months and months of forgoing weights. Hopefully my muscles get used to this!
I totally get where you're coming from with not wanting to take EVERY SINGLE PHOTO of food, events, etc. If it doesn't feel natural to you, then you're so right in not following through. I enjoy snapping pics, but I try not to OD on it (and I know when to put it away). I don't enjoy feeling obligated.
My veganism fell by the way side a while back, but I recently rekindled it. We're sort of the same as you and Shawn: when we're out, we are strictly vegetarian, but not always necessarily vegan. At home, we ban dairy completely and are totally vegan.
Daiya is amazing, but we too only use it sparingly if we happen to be making a recipe that calls for it. I'm actually eating a quinoa/black bean/roasted sweet potato bowl I made for lunch and I must admit, I sprinkled some daiya on it just because I saw it in the fridge. It is so good.
Eggs used to be among my most favorite foods, but when I learned about the way egg-laying hens are housed and treated (even the so-called "free range" ones), I switched to buying Vital Farms Eggs from Whole Foods. They are certified humane (unlike most companies that sell eggs under a "free range" banner). However, at $7 per dozen, I learned to cut back and now don't eat eggs at home at all.
Like all things...it's a process and I feel proud to have reduced my consumption of dairy significantly over the past several months.
Those are, indeed, gorgeous photos. And I am jealous. I finally treated myself to a new digital camera: a Canon Elph. But I hated it. I sold it on CraigsList after just two months. Now I'm on the lookout again... so I can capture all the little NYC and summer moments like you!
Some of the best photos are taken unplanned. I love these! And it's so great that Shawn can use his talent for such a great cause :)
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