Do you take your camera along camping?

I used to always take my camera along when we went camping with the kids. Back then, we had to have film in the camera, and be careful not to get any light into it, and not let it get wet, or even close to water. Now, I have my iPhone, it has what is called a "Lifeproof" case that will protect it even if it fell into the stream as I was wading across (and trying not to fall in). I love that I do not have to mess with film, and you can see what the picture looks like right away; so if it didn' t turn out like you wanted, you can just take more of them until you get it right.

Then when I am home, I can edit it so that the color and brightness is right, and either paste it on Facebook for my family to see, or just save it in my photostream.

 

I got my Droid Maxx phone in large part because it is moisture resistant. Past phones would get wonky if wet hands or a perspiring (ok, sweaty) face touched it. While I would not swim with it, the ability to have the Maxx withstand some wet environments is a real plus. The battery lasts about 2 days, too.

The camera function has a nice feature in that you can touch any place on the screen to take a picture. It also had a really nice zoom function that quickly holds a tight focus. My old phone camera would take forever to get into focus on zoom.

I can do most of my e-work on it as well, including some pretty encrypted websites for my classes. It was a challenge for past phones to get into my course management system. I can grade or update my modules while out on a camping trip.

It is my first 4G phone, too.

Best phone I have ever had.

 

I left my camera at home for awhile - I thought I had enough pictures of the wild because I was the only one who looked at them it seemed. Since signing up for Camping Babble I found that I could talk about situations but didn't have any backup photos. So...I'm taking more pictures and making efforts to shoot videos as well. I take a small smart shot type camera. It takes great pictures and should I lose it by chance, it's not a big deal.

Which reminds me of Eric, a buddy, who took an hour of diving to get his camera out of the water.

 

I think that taking your camera along is always a good idea. It doesn't take up a lot of room, at least it doesn't unless you have a really nice and fancy one. Then, you probably need not only a good quality camera bag; but also whatever accessories you use with the camera. But for my requirements; just the camera on the iPhone does everything that I need, and it is automatically transferred to my iPad and computer. I don't even have to go through the process of hooking things up to transfer it from one to the other anymore.

Some of the favorite family pictures are of things we did together as a family when the kids were growing up. Running the barrels at the local gynkhana, winning a ribbon at the horse show, swimming or boating at the lake; all of those things bring back happy memories for the kids and I when we look at the pictures and talk about the events they represent.
Even the beautiful scenery, and delicate wild flowers have their place in our picture albums.
Cameras are just worth taking along.

Dancer,here is a picture of Robin out on her kayak with her camera. If it had fallen off the kayak and into the Tennessee River; I am not sure it would have been retrievable, even with diving. Thankfully, it didn't fall overboard.

 

It's great stuff isn't it? A simple camera today is so valuable for keeping track of memories. Like you said, photos are easily transferred to a computer and from there you can edit and correct errors. Point, snap, and walla we have a picture for future discussion.

What was amazing was when Eric retrieved his camera all the photos were in tack and he was able to produce them after the trip.

The days are beginning to get longer...I can hardly sleep thinking about the summer.

 

That's very true 2sweed - but as you well know, we don't always do what we are told and instructed to do.

 

I've always carried some kind of camera out when camping. Years ago it was the 35mm SLR with a couple of lenses when car camping or a 35mm point and shoot when hiking. Now I'm using my second digital point and shoot that takes some really good pictures and spectacular videos considering its size. I bought a mini tripod that also attaches to trees and poles so now I get all kinds of shots that I'd never grabbed before. For years, I was never in any of the group shots because I was always the one behind the camera. Definitely looking forward to our next trip so I can get some better video!

 

If you think about it, tripods really don't need flat ground - that's why there are 3 legs instead of 4. As long as the head is infinitely adjustable, you're good to go on just about any surface. I also like that mine has the Velcro to wrap around stuff.

 

If bulk is the only issue keeping you from using one and you happen to have a local place to get your hands on one, check out the Ultra Pods. The picture I put up is the larger Ultra Pod II. It's baby brother is 2/3rds the size. Neither one weighs that much and they collapse into next to nothing.

 

Other than getting myself in a shot, the best use I've found for a tripod is for taking video of our gang of idiots. I'll put a pole in the ground just outside the site, strap on the camera and let it rip. It's funny to watch how they act when they don't know they're in a video and how they change when they discover the camera's running.

 

I post the videos on Facebook and we just laugh and laugh about them. Other people comment on 'em and we laugh some more.

 

9 minutes and 30 seconds of my gang of idiots in 2013. Most of this was shot with the camera strapped to my light post. Towards the end you can get an Alfred Hitchcock type cameo by yours truly - a rare shot of me without a hat on to boot! Warning: One instance of an "adult gesture" is in the mix. But I guess that's expected with a bunch of drunks.



This was my old camera. Definitely looking forward to the 1080p I can shoot with the camera I bought a few months ago.

 

It looks like we have some experienced photographers here; it seems like everyone has a good camera. I do enjoy taking pictures; but I don't have any special equipment , and just my iPhone will work for anything that I am apt ro be taking pictures of.
My daughter has a nice camera; so she can get some really great photos when she is is out looking for fossils or just tromping around.

It is starting to be a little warmer weather here , and I am hoping that this is a sign that Spring is finally coming, and we will start to see some green coming back again.
Although we do have some pine trees here, most of the trees are deciduous , and everything is pretty bare and brown all winter long.

MacGyver, your camping trip looks like it was a whole lot of fun, and I like that nice pile of firewood that you guys have stacked up for the campfire.
I remember looking around in the woods and trying to find wood that would burn and was not too large to carry, or so little that it was not worth carrying back.
This looks like some that was cut, split, and brought from home.

 

There are people who live within the boundaries of the park where we go camping. A few of them sell wood. That's one of the concessions we've made to getting older. We'll still grab whatever fallen branches we can find near the site, but we don't go on long gathering expeditions like we used to.

 

I have what I have to call the ultimate moisture resistant phone story.
Years ago, I was out fishing in my canoe with my customary 44 ounce mug of coffee. It sat behind me on top of the flotation chamber which happens to have to depressions, kind of like two trays. I had the coffee on one side and my phone on the other. Well... I don't know what knocked it over, but I turned around to see my phone sitting in a pool of coffee. Tried to turn it on and, of course, got nothing. So I set it out in the sun to try to dry it out and, a couple of hours later, tried it again. Still nothing. Figuring I had nothing to lose, I actually stuck the phone in the lake, swished it around and set it back in the sun. Two hours or so later, it actually worked!

Unfortunately, I did say it was years ago. The phone I'm talking about is a classic, but definitely a dinosaur that will never be made again.



The Motorola 550 Flip phone. It's a shame they won't make phones that durable again. Guess there's more money in selling phones that die if they so mach as get splashed.

 

Growing up was rough. We didn't have much money and a camera was not on the "must have" list. Camping was a way to escape and living off the land was free. All you need is some know how and work ethic and you can eat like a king.

 

I never leave mine. I should post the photos I took last weekend. They are to die for.