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June 30, 2019

Travel photography: what my kid taught me

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One Christmas 13 years ago, my husband I wanted to take a photo for a holiday card – for the first time ever – of our 3 boys; 10 years old, 1-year-old, and 2 months old. I had them sit in front of the Christmas tree, with the oldest awkwardly holding the baby and the 1-year-old desperately wanting to leave. I would try for several minutes to get the 1-year-old to stay still, the 10-year-old to smile, while also making sure the 2 month’s old head didn’t flop over his arm. It was a disaster and I walked away from the moment frustrated and crying. I blame the crying part on post-partum hormones, but the frustration and ambition to get the perfect picture were completely due to the pressure I had placed on myself to take the perfect shot for the world to see. This wasn’t a photo for me, but for others and that made shooting it much less enjoyable and a lot more stressful.

I have a fondness for photography and can spend hours going through hundreds and hundreds of photos to edit, frame, and share on social. But what I learned over the years, and most importantly, what my children have taught me, is that the perfection of it isn’t the point. It’s the real, messy, authentic, not so photogenic stuff that really stays with us and turns those moments into memories that we will talk about for years to come.

Though I still like to take beautiful, well-thought-out photos that showcase creativity and beauty, I have relaxed a lot since that December day and have tried to pass on the joy of capturing memories through photography onto my children. Our youngest has proven to enjoy it most and it’s become a highlight of any family trip to watch him take in a space or moment and then pull out his hand-me-down camera to capture it.

Watching him has taught me to separate my ego from my photography, and to take photos simply because the subject makes us happy, not because it will perform well on Instagram or whether or not others will enjoy it. He doesn’t share his photos with anyone and thus he doesn’t worry about what others will think of it. His photography of London stole my heart not just because of how good it was, but because of how authentically and innocently he approached everything he shot. I love his eye for detail and his creativity.

As much as I traveled before, it wasn’t until I traveled with my kids that I was able to appreciate a new and different perspective.

I teared up going through his photography from our recent road trip around Ireland, some of which we wanted to share with you here.

He photographed moments, not just things, and it communicated so much more to us about what that trip was for him than he ever expressed in words.

May all our travels, whether alone, but especially with loved ones, be this genuine and expressive. I am most excited about our upcoming travels this summer because I can’t wait to see what other beautiful, fun photography he takes to memorialize it and I am so proud to see how wonderfully he views the world.

The photographer

This post is in partnership and sponsored by Expedia. All opinions are my own. Photography is the property of the publisher and may not be used without consent.

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Carol Cain

Brooklyn native Carol is happiest when on an adventure, whether close to home or farther away. She is a small business owner and travel writer. In addition to creating Girl Gone Travel, she is the Founder and Principal of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. She's mom to three wonderful sons and wife to a handsome Irish/Scot. She lives, works, and plays in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of NY.

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2 Comments
  • Hannah
    March 14, 2020

    Great post Carol. I love the idea of photographing from a child’s perspective and making a point to enjoy the moment and enjoy photography! Sometimes I feel like we’ve all become obsessed with getting the perfect Insta shot. But actually, photo’s are about so much more – they’re about the moment and finding a way to capture it. To make it last forever.

    Reply
    • caincarol
      Hannah
      April 3, 2020

      Agreed! My kids aren\’t Insta obsessed so what they photograph has more meaning because it is truly FOR them not for others. Revisiting this trip through his photos was so special. It remains one of my favorite family trips.

      Reply

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About me

Hi! I'm Carol! I am an award-winning travel blogger, a keynote speaker, and the Principal and owner of Brave World Media, a social media marketing, communications, and branding agency. I a wife to a handsome Irish/Scot and a mom to 3 sons. Welcome to my blog where I share stories of my travels and professional public relations insights and advice. Thank you for reading and for your support!

Carol Cain

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A message about yesterday’s event: Happy Monday A message about yesterday’s event:

Happy Monday, y’all. Woke up in time to enjoy the soft glow of sunlight that shines its way around our house in the morning, and sipped on a cafecito without being rushed for anything. So already today is a win. 

Yesterday we worked our longest day yet for our little coffee cart that could (7 hours!!!) at the Heritage Fiesta in Ithaca, NY. 

Though we were ready for a crowd, the reception was also unexpected because there was a popular coffee shop just steps away. 

But we had Cómodo Fam stop by, family (who also fed us 🙏🏾), and soooo many members of the Latinx and BIPOC community who were just excited to see a small business like ours representing. 

I want to share that we were ALL worried about potential harassment and assault by 🧊and fliers were handed out to prepare us. And you would think that it would’ve intimidated the community enough to not come out…BUT WE DID. In numbers. 

And for hours that little parking lot next to Press Bay Alley was packed with all sorts of Latinx and non-Latinx community members, eating, laughing, dancing, singing, and drinking all the cafecitos and refreshers we had to offer. Literally. We went home cleaned out!

All this to say that we are all aware of the threats but we also understand the power and importance of coming together as a community and a people. By no means are we all the same, and Lord knows a lot of Latinos have a lot of self-reflecting to do based on the choices they made, but yesterday was a testament to the best of us, and I thank @yenospina and @lcatompkins for putting together such a wonderful event, for inviting @cafecomodony to be a part of it, and to all the friends, old and new, who came out to support us and la cultura. 

#fingerlakes #newyork #cafecomodo #coffeelover
Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite Finally taking a break to enjoy one of my favorite lazy day pastimes of the season: market shopping for fall goodies - which in the Finger Lakes is especially bountiful. 

📍Joseph’s Wayside Markey, Naples, NY

#fingerlakes #newyork #octobermood #fallday
Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The proce Our neighbors are harvesting the grapes. The process is busy and noisy but also exciting and fun to watch. 

This cloudy morning seems to have calmed things down a bit, but not for long I am sure. These families work hard!

Bonus: they set up roadside stands so we can purchase and taste them 🍇 I highly recommend picking some up if you see some in your drive. 

#fingerlakes #lifeinthecountry #newyork
The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️ The rain has been so good. More, please. ❤️
I want to take moment to send out love to my fello I want to take moment to send out love to my fellow Latinx and immigrant community. 

To send strength to my community of glorious misfits who are out in the world making good trouble and emboldening us to not give up hope on our dreams, our livelihoods, our future, our country, our people. 

The country our parents worked so hard to get to so that we could fly. A country they helped build and bring to prosper. A country our communities help to feed and house and care for. 

I am my immigrant parents dream come true, and my children are a continuation of that dream. 

I just want to remind all of us who represent the targeted, of our worth. Of the value of our contributions. In our languages, our culture, our insights, our work ethic and skills and knowledge. Of the things we bring to the table.

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or to us. But, as someone whose family lived through a dictatorship, I have an idea of how this story will end. And all I can advise is that we remain on the right side of it, our convictions unaltered, our core values untethered. Our spirits unbroken. In these stories, the monsters might scare us, and even harm some of us, but they never, ever win in the end. 

I am living proof of that. ❤️ And every time you succeed and feel joy, you are too. Pa’lante, mi gente.
Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes. Signs of autumn 🍂 in the Finger Lakes.

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