The weather was too nice, however, and I couldn't help myself. My friend Nathan and I headed to the Sarni Tennis Center to hit for a couple hours. It was only his second time out on a court, but he caught on quickly. Nathan and I have spent our fair share playing ping pong, so some of his skills transitioned to my favorite racquet sport incredibly well.
Not only are tennis courts where I play tennis, it's a place where I find comfort. I'd go out and even say going back out on a court after so long was a nearly-surreal experience, but that may have been the leftover pneumonia. My comfort lies in the fact that I've spent so much time on a court, whether at schools, country clubs, or right in my neighborhood. The funky rectangle never changes shape no matter where I go or what equipment I use. Bringing a friend out to enjoy the sport I care so much about meant a lot.
He was excited and ready to learn, and vastly improved within the short two hour period for which we played. We took advantage of every moment, and I tried to expose him to as much of the sport as possible. Serving, we'll have to serve to lesson number two.
How does this relate to photography? Well, at first, you may think nothing. And... you'd be right.
Though taking pictures while playing a sport is usually difficult, it doesn't take away from the fact that we took the experience for all it was worth. Sports, unlike most events and occasions are not easily snapchattable.
Photography is a way for us to enhance our recollection of good memories, and instant photography/ film photography emphasizes this. No one is going to spend money on film without dedicating it to something of importance, or of intrinsic artistic value. However, modern technology has allowed anyone (almost everyone) to unlimitedly record all aspects of any event. Much of this has taken away our appreciation of those events.
It's the experience that matters and although technology is useful in keeping these memories a part of your life, it can sometimes become more important than the memories themselves. So next time you're at a show, out a dinner, or back home, remember to spend time spending time, rather than taking pictures.
On our way back from the tennis courts, we checked out the Millennium Science Complex, which is, unequivocally, the coolest building on campus. Frequently overlooked, however, is the garden that stands beneath the "space ship" portion of the complex. As we weaved through the gravel path, the light hit the greenery just right. It was a good end to the day:
Sometimes I like to leave my phone at home when I go outside, just because that way you kind of have to look around and really spend time spending time, as you said so well. Today it's often "pics or it didn't happen," which is fine because it's the world we live in today and we like to have a visual reminder of something, but we spend a lot of time living through a lens. Thanks for the post!
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