Written in 2014. I still think about this every time I decide whether to carry a camera.
Goodwood and why I'm leaving the camera at home.
There is a strange pressure that comes with events like Goodwood.
You arrive already thinking about what you will capture. The angles. The moments. The proof that you were there and paying attention.
Somewhere along the way, that can start to replace the experience itself.
I realised that I was watching things through intent rather than curiosity. Always half a step ahead, framing instead of feeling and thinking about output instead of presence.
So this time, I left the camera at home.
It felt uncomfortable at first. Like I was missing something. Like I was failing to do my job correctly, even though no one had asked me to do one.
Then something shifted.
Without a lens between me and the day, things slowed down. I noticed more. I listened properly. I stopped scanning for moments worth keeping and let the day unfold as it was.
It was not better or worse.
It was simply different.
I still love photography. I still enjoy documenting things that matter to me. But not everything needs to be captured to count.
Some experiences improve when left alone.
And I still remind myself of that.