A Heartfelt Goodbye

I have had the special privilege of being a pseudo big brother to a very special person.  From the moment we met, I knew she would change my life - and she did.  Unfortunately, due to varying reasons outside of my control, she had to move up north (8 hours away from Sunny Southern California).

How does this relate to photography, you ask?  Well, her farewell party reminded me the importance of the following statement: "The best camera is the one you have on you".  Your camera of choice will sometimes determine whether or not you take it with you.  Factors like weight of the camera body, lens size, and overall appearance of the camera may affect your decision.  A friend once told me to never bring a DSLR to a party, as it's not appealing and might take away from the experience.  I get where he's coming from, but opted to take my Olympus OMD and 45mm f1.8 lens anyway - a tiny, unobtrusive setup. 

Although I was not the "camera guy" at the party, I did manage to capture some memorable photos. 

My little sister - not a permanent goodbye

I am very happy I decided to bring my camera that day.  I know I will always remember how fun the party was, but nothing can replace looking back at old photos.  The micro 43 system cameras really lend to being the "camera-you-take-everywhere" due to the size and quality of images it produces.  In fact, some professional photographers have ditched their DSLR systems for the OMD or even the Panasonic GH3.          

A true brother

Her farewell party reminded me of Scott Bourne's advice to photograph the things you admire.  I think I would add a little something to that statement - Photograph the people you love and do it often.  

The comedian

So say we all,

Dino