Day 2 Continued

We're pressed for time to complete our visit to the OBX because we have hotel reservations in Portsmouth, VA for the night. So we head up Ocracoke and are surprised to find another ferry ride in our future. Why do we not know about these ferries? But this ferry didn't require reservations, thankfully. We drive onto the ferry and the people in the car behind us are chattering away on their phone (by now you can probably guess what kind of cell service we had). After a quick ride we make it to Cape Hatteras. There really didn't seem to be much to it. We found the lighthouse and Amy and the kids climbed to the top. Along with sunscreen and sand, heights are not my thing. The gift shop had some incredible photos of the lighthouse and other points of interest along the OBX. I looked for a book from one photographer I thought was really good but couldn't find one. Forever the pep-talking cheerleader, Amy said to just take the pictures myself. And here we are back to why I'll never be a great landscape or travel photographer: I don't have the dedication for it. I don't have the desire to go back to the same location to shoot the same lighthouse during each season. Now don't get me wrong -- in my head I feel like I should want to do those things because I'm a photographer, but when it comes right down to it, I have a confession to make: I'm lazy. I see great travel photos and think about doing things like that all day long, I just never do. Besides, I'm good at weddings, other people are good at landscapes. I don't want them taking away my business, so I won't take away their business. If I keep repeating that I might just believe it.

I also see myself wandering around the streets of Paris shooting black & white with a Leica and sitting outside quaint little cafes and hanging out with other artists (that's "r teests"). Maybe it'll be a digital Leica but it's going to happen.

Stay tuned! Up next, Portsmouth, VA.

More Ocracoke Goodness

Vacation Day 2

So we got up really early and held our breath to see if we would be able to get on the early ferry to the OBX. Luck was on our side and we made it on, and settled in for the 2 hour ride. Jarrod and Abigail fought over who was going to play the Gameboy (sorry, the Nintendo DS Lite as Jarrod constantly tells me). This has become a daily occurrence in our family. Anyway... The temperature was perfect on the open water. The seagulls were following behind the ferry and the breeze was blowing. It was just great. 

The woman sitting beside us was talking away on her Blackberry in the middle of the ocean while our worthless bricks still said "No Service". She had Alltel. We have Alltel now.

We finally arrived in Ocracoke and I found home. It's so Nantucket-ty, at least how I image Nantucket to be. And sort of Key West-ty, but without all the tourists. I don't know why I'm so taken with this island. It's just so laid back. 

The only place we found for coffee was packed. I guess it was the only place anybody was able to find because the line must've been about 50-deep. But no one was in a hurry. People came in without shirts or shoes. Some of the people working behind the counter weren't wearing shoes (gross). Somehow we managed to spend $40 by the time we walked out. I did get a really cool coffee mug, though. And there was free WiFi so I could check my email, though I still couldn't make a call:(

I decided this is where I'm going for Christmas vacation. It will be cold and most of the shops will be closed, but that won't bother me. I'll take my bike, a book and my camera and it will be a perfect vacation doing nothing. 

Day 1 Continued

So after the experience that is South of the Border we finally make it to Cedar Island, NC. It's taken hours on I-95 and even more hours on back-roads where the speed limit is often 35 MPH.  It is here where we will board a 7:00 a.m. ferry the next morning that will take us to the Ocracoke Island. I have been wanting to go to the OBX for years and got really close last year but never made it. It is also here where Amy finds out that the first available reservation for the ferry is 5:00 the next afternoon. Why did we not know to make reservations? We already have reservations for the night at the only place around, the Driftwood Motel (the No-tell Motel as Jarrod calls it -- he's a little spoiled) and it's completely out of the question to drive back from where we came to try and find another ferry. All is not lost however, as Amy is told we can park the car in the standby lane and hope someone with a reservation misses the ferry. Despair is replaced with hope!

So now we have to eat, and of course the No-tell Motel has the only restaurant around. We were starving, but the portions were so huge we only could eat a fraction of our food. And I felt so dehydrated after drinking about 10 Pepsis in the car, but the water was so bad I couldn't even drink it. And we won't even talk about the water in the shower. We probably would've been better off not taking a shower. Or just bathing in the ocean, which on a positive note was right beside the motel. 

There was nothing to do except wander around and watch the sunset. We got our car in the first slot of the standby lane, and after that we found ourselves back in our room watching TV. Very exciting stuff. Also very comical, as we all brought in sand spurs on our shoes, so whenever anyone would get up and walk around we would hear "Ow!" as they stepped on a spur. Being July 4th a few fireworks were shot from the beach outside our room, but nothing very exciting. There was absolutely no cell service (we have since switched carriers, so see ya, AT&T, the early termination fee was worth it) so I can't even check emails or surf the net. I think I finished the crappy book I was reading and called it a night.

Smith Family Vacation: Day 1

Finally I'm getting around to what I know you've all been checking this blog for daily: my vacation wrap-up! We'll tackle part of Day 1:

I don't know why Jarrod loves South of the Border. We always see the signs travelling up I-95 but we never go far enough to see this supposed glorious oasis along the interstate. We did stop there last year on the way back from DC, so I guess he has fond memories of that trip tied up with SOTB. He's very nostalgic to be 10 (today is his birthday -- Happy Birthday son!). Anyway, it was time to stretch our legs a bit so we stopped to hit the game room. Well, Amy and the kids headed to the arcade while I wondered around taking pictures. I've never been much for games. 

And this is when I learned something that I have suspected for years: I am just like every other tourist with a camera. When I'm on vacation I will never lug around a big camera again. This completely goes against what I think a pro photographer should do. I should always carry my big Canons and be ready for anything. I should get up early and stay up late, always looking for the perfect picture. That's what I think in my head: if I want to be a "professional photographer" I should eat and breathe photography, dedicate all my waking hours to the craft. If that's the case, I need another career path. When I'm on vacation I'm not interested in searching for spectacular photo-ops. I do want to take pictures of the new places we go, but I don't want to spend any amount of time searching for great composition and lighting. I just don't. I'll leave the big cameras for Saturdays when I know I'll be in photographer-mode, but vacations are for me.

Katie & Travis

What a great couple to come back from vacation to! They were married in a very intimate ceremony on Skidaway Island with a reception following at the Mulberry Inn. Such a great couple to work with since they did everything I asked! It was very hot, but that didn't stop us from wandering around downtown near the Mulberry looking for great shots.

They are from Greenwood, SC near where I grew up in Laurens, SC. One of the guests at the reception actually grew up in the same neighborhood I did and went to the same school that I, as well as my parents and many family members went to, and remembered the same people that lived around us. It's one thing to run into someone I knew back in Atlanta or Columbia, but from the Watts Mill area of Laurens is extremely unlikely. 

I can't tell you how small that town is. Just a small area of an already small town. It was called Watts Mill because that was the name of the textile mill that was practically in my backyard. Almost my entire family was born and raised in that area, and some still live there. Most worked in the mill. I remember going to visit my great-grandfather on Sundays while he was working. I can remember the sounds and smells just like it was yesterday. It was dark and spooky for a child, but so much fun. 

Anyway, things are much different in Watts Mill now. I'm not sure I would walk around there at night. Which is terribly unfortunate. It doesn't get much smaller-town than that. Watts Mill holds my complete childhood memories. And they were great.

Back to the Daily Grind:-(

It was kinda hard to go back to work today after an amazing week on vacation! I'll actually get more rest being back than I did being gone. We did so much walking in DC & NYC that sitting in front of this computer all day is not such a bad deal!

I found out several things while I was gone: 

• AT&T has no cell service along some of the Outer Banks (or at my house or work for that matter)
  
• It is highly recommended to make a reservation for the ferry to the OBX
  
• Don't drink the water on Cedar Island
• I will never, ever drive in NYC again, especially during rush hour
• I cannot blog from my iPhone
• Where I want to live
• And finally, where I won't live

I have lots to blog about and lots of work to catch up on. I came back to a really sweet wedding on Saturday I've got to squeeze in, also.