Sometimes, it’s not always about being a wedding or portrait photographer in Huntsville. Sometimes it is about taking your point and shoot and capturing the fun your children are having at summer camp. That’s what I do every June. I go as camp photographer and capture the events of the week for a slideshow presentation for the parents on Friday night.
For ten years my girls and I have spent our summer at the Rustic Youth Camp in Russellville, AL. When the girls were younger they would look forward to the summer camp from the minute we returned home from that year’s camp. They’d shop year-round looking for clothes they could wear to camp. I loved that they were enjoying it. It’s a great place to be.
In addition to two Bible classes each day, the girls made crafts (check out the bowls in the slideshow!), played sports and went on field trips where they learned to walk the high ropes, rapel, climb a rock wall and canoe. Needless to say, great memories have been made at this camp, as well as life-long friendships. Most of the kids who live within 2 hours drive of one another get together during the year to stay in touch. Of course, Facebook helps that a lot these days, too. These kids are tight. On Friday nights it takes real effort to get them to leave the camp. Many choose to stay the extra night and sing together and sit up most of the night talking. I know with my girls, it usually takes a couple of days to catch up on their sleep once they get home!
I love being part of this special yearly event in the lives of my girls. The friends I have made are special to me and being able to watch my girls grow in this way is a blessing that I will always treasure. I’m blessed to be allowed to stay the week with a family that lives very close to the camp. I call it the Hester Hilton. They are wonderful people who welcome me into their home each year, cook me amazing dinners each night, and allow me to play with three of their wonderful grandchildren. They have a creek that we love to play in after a long day at camp. I SO want to live there!
Being away from Huntsville for that week is hard (I have to leave my precious Mandi Bear (Yorkie) home with Phil, and I’m trying to keep my photography business in the works while I’m away from home. Thankfully, the camp has recently added wireless internet access, so that has been a blessing. (Yes! Wireless internet at RUSTIC Youth Camp 🙂 )
This year I didn’t take my good camera because I had several upcoming weddings to photograph and didn’t want anything to happen to it. So, I faced the challenge of capturing images with my point and shoot. Needless to say, it was truly a challenge. Catching action in the moment is MUCH easier when you have no shutter lag! However, with some effort I was able to make some images of all the events of the week. I invite you to watch the following video presentation showing the events of this year’s camp.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z-QI9NLxuc