24 Comments
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Amy Grass's avatar

Love this, Laura. I'm continually wrestling with giving myself permission to not be good at things, so I needed this reminder! Also, Buy Nothing is the best 🙌🏻

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Laura Bass's avatar

Thanks, Amy! And yes, Buy Nothing really is the best!

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Joy Nicholas's avatar

Love it! Such a good reminder! And I too loved the excitement of picking up my pictures. But I’m also grateful for digital photography/ videos. I wish I had more photos/ videos of my oldest kids, but digital was more expensive/ less accessible then.

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Laura Bass's avatar

Yes, I’m glad we have both options! Film is fun but there are plenty of moments that are much easier to capture with a phone. Even if the amount of photos on my camera roll sometimes overwhelms me, I love having the photos (and videos)!

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Laura Tremaine's avatar

I love this! (And not just because you've quoted me here.) I've long struggled with the idea of doing ANYTHING for fun, without attachment to an outcome. This is such a good reflection on the joy of trying things...I think is something that we subconsciously miss about childhood.

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Laura Bass's avatar

Thanks, Laura! Doing things just for fun has been a struggle for me, too, but watching my kids try new things has been a big inspiration, so I think you are spot on about missing that part of childhood!

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Stacy Bronec's avatar

I joined the workshop for many of the reasons you did! I am still waiting to get the film I ordered in the mail, so I haven’t taken any pics yet. Excited to be a beginner with you this summer!

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Laura Bass's avatar

Excited to be beginners together! I hope your film arrives soon!

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Nichole's avatar

I relate to this so much. I’d like to chalk it up to aging and getting set in my ways, but I’m pretty sure I’ve always been this way.

(I have the same model of camera on my bookshelf - it was my dad’s, and the lens cap is from Walt Disney World because he lost the original there the one time we went when I was a kid. I don’t think I’ve ever used it, but I doubt I’ll ever be able to get rid of it.)

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Laura Bass's avatar

I have some things of my dad’s that I feel the same way about! Love the WDW lens cap—so fun to have a memento of a trip as part of the camera!

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Laura Rennie's avatar

“Maybe film could be for me”—love this thought and that you took the chance on yourself! You’re being a great example to your boys, and you inspire me, too! 🩷

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Laura Bass's avatar

Thanks, Laura! 💕

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Kimberly Knowle - Zeller's avatar

Love this!! Your post reminded me that I have a box of cameras of my dad’s and it would be a great way to honor him and give one a try!

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Laura Bass's avatar

Oh, that would be such a fun and special thing to do!! I want to hear about it if you try them out!

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Davia Broberg's avatar

Love this! I like some of the blurry photos you took too! I just finished Curiosity as a Creative Practice and there were some intentional blurry motion shots that we took (as I’m sure you remember). I also bought embracing mystery from Ashlee. I’m looking forward to following some of her prompts in film. When you talked about being a beginner I immediately went to Zumba/dance/ hip hop fitness for me… and then you mentioned you would not be doing a TikTok dance and it made me laugh. I used to feel like I was dyslexic when it came to dance but now I’ve been doing it for so long and it makes me so happy to be dancing! So you just never know! 😉

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Laura Bass's avatar

That’s true—I should never say never (but seriously, my lack of rhythm/coordination is really something!). I really enjoyed the blurry photo week in Curiosity as a Creative Practice!

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Ashlee Gadd's avatar

Well, you know I love every word of this. Especially the new-to-you camera origin story ❤️ I still need to join the Slack group but I'm doing summer on film, too!

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Laura Bass's avatar

Thanks, Ashlee!! Excited to hang out on slack and talk film this summer!

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Erin Strybis's avatar

"there’s something beautiful about practicing the art of waiting in our world of instant gratification." Ooh I needed to read this today. Thanks, Laura 💗

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Laura Bass's avatar

Thanks for reading, Erin!

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Aly Prades's avatar

I am so here for this and I have felt similarly about watercolor! Way to be a beginner again 🎉

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Laura Bass's avatar

I’ve loved following your watercolor journey, Aly! Yay for being a beginner!

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Kendra Kruckenberg's avatar

Your first roll of film!! And what a beautiful story of synchronicity finding that camera was ❤️.

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Ashley C. Shannon's avatar

Yes! It's the waiting I miss from the 90s, the anticipation of whether any of the pictures will turn out and match the memories they represent. We lose that now with our instant photos on our phones. I had forgotten that feeling.

So enjoyed reading this! I also love the idea of being a beginner! Whenever I can be a novice, especially in front of my kids, I grasp at the opportunity to make mistakes and show the process of learning and growing.

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