OR...a wonderful and wet representation of how NOT to take photos! Yep, I think that's what we should call it.
I was all poised to do a Where I Run blogpost today and link it with Running Escapades Where I Run Linkup. Dallas passed on running, which was the perfect opportunity for me to do my 4 mile circle that I do in my town. Then it poured. No problem! I'm not new to running in the rain, I love it, so I threw my phone in a plastic baggie and headed out. I was actually really excited b/c it is SO beautiful outside in the rain. I put Pandora on a nature/instrumental station and it was such a fantastic run!
As for Where I run? Ah, well, not so much. I thought I could capture the beauty, peacefulness, and exhilaration of my run in the rain, but what you will get is a blurry, foggy, wet mess of shots. I had a good laugh when I got home and looked at my "beautiful run photos". LOL! I'll post them just for fun, but you are not allowed to judge my photography from this...or my run for that matter!
First mile I run up around the lake at the park. It's lovely. No, really!
Hill that leads up to the graveyard. Yep, looks like a muddy mess...but it wasn't, that's just my fantastic rainy-photog skillz. Don't hate me for taking such awesome shots. ;)
When running in the rain, I feel invincible! I actually laughed out loud a couple times when it started coming down really hard. Glad there aren't any people out other than me because they might just think I'm completely MAD, running down the street in the rain, LAUGHING out loud!
Photos of myself during such bliss don't even remotely capture how I feel, just the huge mess the rain is making of me.
Graveyard was beautiful and peaceful this morning. You would never know it from my picture though.
Oh the beautiful tree lined sidewalk! (note my dripping sarcasm please) It really is a nice place to run, shaded when the sun is out...if you can see anything through the BLUR!
Home at last and I pulled the phone out of the soaked plastic baggie. 4 miles perfectly when I hit my driveway.
Ok, so let's face it, there's just no capturing a rainy run properly. It's something you just have to GO DO and then you will know how fabulous it is!
This had me questioning a few things about the Princess Half, however.
It could rain and obviously, I love rain, so I wouldn't mind but let's assume it does not rain. I won't have to contend with a plastic baggie, but I have serious doubts about my phone taking any photos that are up to my standards. Obviously I cannot run with my DSLR, but I need to find a middle ground.
When not in
the rain, my phone takes ok shots, BUT, it's hard to handle/manuver and
I'm concerned that the CM's will have trouble working it when I try to
pass it off to them. I'm thinking I need to borrow a point and shoot or
find a cheap one (which undoubtedly will also NOT take shots that I
find pleasing to the eye) What's a girl to do?!?! I'm afraid being a runner and a photographer don't mix that well!
If you have run the Princess, what did you carry? Just your phone? A Point & Shoot? What kind?
I used my phone, but I have heard of people using small cameras---I just don't like the idea of carrying one. I was fine with my photos with the phone, maybe have the kids stationed along the route with your camera (Main Street??) and you can at least get a photo "worthy of your collections" inside MK before the castle!! Just telling you though, where the photographers sit, people have a nasty habit of running RIGHT IN FRONT of you when they are taking your picture (yes, running etiquette really, you pass to the OUTSIDE????) Warning to anyone running in the PHM this year. . I WILL trip you if this happens to me again---just sayin'. . . ;-)
ReplyDeleteLOL! You are funny! Yes, I'm debating having Savannah use my camera in MK but I don't know that she'll actually be able to find me? Rey and the boys aren't coming, but a friend who lives in FL is and she will be taking Savannah & her friend to spectate. I don't think I would mind holding one (I already hold a sweat rag usually though) so I'm unsure!
DeleteI'm so jealous of all you runners who have breathtakingling gorgeous running routes, especially ones that go by large bodies of water! There is nothing more relaxing to me than being near the ocean, but I'd even settle for a pretty lake lol! :) My route is a 2 mile loop around soccer fields, and while there is tons of greenery, the scenic-ness of it is pretty low.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I loooove running in the rain, I seriously feel like I could run for hours in it!
For the PHM, I just carried a small rectangle digital camera. I would definitely make sure that whatever you carry has a wrist wrap. I tried carrying my camera in my belt but taking it out so often got annoying so I ended up carrying it in my hands until about mile 10-11, then put it away once I knew I wouldn't be stopping anymore lol. Hope this helps :)
Don't be TOO jealous Lauren! I was thinking about how quite a bit of my run is not necessarily pretty looking, I have some fields, a parking lot, and a road running next to a railroad track too that aren't that pleasing to the eye. The roads are pretty rough as well. In fact, my son refuses to run in town, that's why I ran it this morning when he passed on running! LOL. I am SO envious of the beach runners, I have been dreaming of running next to the beach for years! Someday I will!
DeleteI'm leaning towards the p&s with a wrist strap! Thanks!
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ReplyDeleteI used both my camera phone and a point and shoot camera for each race, so I think I can help here. During the 5K I used my camera phone because I was using it to communicate (and post pics as I ran on my Twitter, not that easy!) as well as take pictures so they were easy to upload and post via social media. At each picture stop they had an official photographer AND an assistant photographer that would take a picture with your phone or camera that you gave to them. I literally had the phone primed and ready to go and I told the person, "press here". That's what they did. They didn't try to zoom or make it overly complicated, if you tell them which button to push and you have the app up and ready to go (I had the frame zoomed in a bit more so that the picture was really of me and the character and not half the park) then you will have decent pics and everything will work out fine.
ReplyDeleteI used my point and shoot camera during the half marathon, because I didn't think my battery would last long enough to use my camera phone, so I used this instead. It was a bit cumbersome at times and I didn't get the instant gratification of posting pics to social media, but the pics turned out good. Also having the wrist strap as an extra security was a bit nice, rather than just holding my phone. My camera is also a bit higher grade than just your normal point and shoot, so the pictures normally turn out well, but even with the running and handing it off to the picture takers, I got some great pics from that too.
You can check out my PHM recaps to see if you can see the difference between the two ways of taking pictures and figure out which might be best for you.
Thanks Lena! I wonder if I can mess with my phone settings and fix some of the issues I would have using it. It shuts off if you wait for too long and you have to touch the screen where you want to focus and THEN hit the picture button. So, I'm concerned that the CM will struggle with it.
DeleteI have read your report multiple times, but never really paid attention to the shots, so I'll have to go look and see if I can tell the difference!
AHHHHHHHHH! I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS! Okay so I am normally really uncomfortable with graveyards...BUT that is probably my favorite photo. It's so peaceful, I know my description is cliche but I love it. The grass looks so green and beautiful too. Wow. I think I might love nature.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Princess Half...this past year I tried using my Garmin to track time and distance...stopping it by accident .5 in and not realizing until I had hit 4 miles....I had planned on using my phone for photos. I was pleasantly surprised. I'm not sure if you checked out my posts on my blog or the photos on my facebook page but I was not upset I didn't have a real camera with me. Plus I got to send the photos out to Miguel to say LOOK WHERE I AM NOW! haha
It's funny, I was always uncomfortable with graveyards as well, but when I found a nice running area through mine I realized it can be a pretty nice place to contemplate while running!
DeleteOMG, I would have been so annoyed if I accidentally stopped my Garmin! Yep, I really want shots that I can upload right away...ahhhh! I'm so torn! LOL
I drove to work from that town in the rain and it was coming down hard! I honestly never knew you could run around the lake until last weekend now I want to find time to go give it a try. Heard its a very pretty and quiet place.
ReplyDeleteLOL, yep, it was really coming down part of the time. I was laughing at how fun it was, I didn't even really feel that wet until I got home and was dripping all over the floor. Oh you will love the lake! There's a hill, but I like hills, and it can be gravely in parts as well, but I love running there, no cars!
DeleteI can actually tell that the run was a peaceful beautiful run... and one or two of those blurry hot-messes i actually liked. don't judge me.
ReplyDeleteI run with a small nikon coolpix. its small and lightweight and fits into a little camera bag on my running belt. it was only about $110 and while i have a great dslr, I actually really like running with this camera... the photos arent so bad either. again... don't judge me.
No judgement at all! It's why I asked, I need some sort of cheap point and shoot suggestions! I keep going back and forth on it, I just can't decide at all. I'm getting a new case for my phone and that may help me make the decision. Right now it's hard to hold b/c it has no grip and I drop it. Hopefully the new case will remedy that!
DeleteI used a disposable camera once. Wouldn't really recommend that... it was kinda fun to see what popped up when they were developed but if you're really wanting quality pictures, it doesn't do the job.
ReplyDeleteI don't really take pictures when I run, so not a ton of help here :(
Ooooh, I hadn't thought of a disposable, but wow, that is totally NOT instant gratification! I can't imagine waiting to see the shots! LOL! Spoiled by technology these days!
DeleteI carry a small point and shoot. It fits easily in my fuel belt, but I ended up carrying it most of the time. This year I'm running without the fuel belt and just carrying it in my hand. I don't use my phone for a couple reasons: I'm afraid of dropping it and with my phone carrier on the back of my sports bra, it's not the easiest to get out quickly.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm most worried about dropping it too. I ordered a new case that has more grip on it, so that may end up swaying me. I'm unsure!
DeleteYou just made me laugh:) Yes I bet being a photographer and a runner don't mix well at times.
ReplyDeleteBut I loved your rainy pictures anyway:) Just shows how much fun you were really having, because if you were miserable you never would have stopped to take the time to snap a pic:)
I carry my phone in some races, but I have yet to break it out for a photo (I will say I have regretted this a few times). Although I have taken starting line photo's before a race.
I've seen other runners with those cheap point and shoot camera's - Guess you could get a waterproof one?
But hopefully the weather will just be easy on your and you can just use your phone camera!
I know I'll want photos and since Rey won't be in Florida with me, I'm leaning towards my phone so I can send him pics, ya know? It's hard...I think I would run with my dslr if I could pull it off, but I would ruin it with how much I sweat! LOL!
DeleteI just got a new Nokia 1020. It has a 41 Megapixel camera in it...so its really a camera that makes phone calls. :) I got mine at the microsoft store and it came with a free battery/camera grip (adds extra battery, a real camera button and a tripod mount!)
ReplyDeleteDrLaura