I'm going to make the assumption that almost every photographer has done this, packed your kit, planned your shoot, arrived at your destination only to find that you've somehow for got to put the memory card in your camera.
Well, mistakes happen it how you react and recover that makes you a better photographer and person.
Yesterday, I was planning a hike to Waimea Canyon, on of the most beautiful places on Kauai, maybe on the planet and I forgot my memory card. Got all the way there, see something I want to shoot and no card flashes up on my screen. Well, crap, now what?
Bag it? Call it a day and find a pub? Actually go on the hikes without a camera?
As I've said in previous posts sometimes the best gear you have is the one in your pocket.
All of these images were shot on my iPhone and edited in Lightroom.
Was it the end of the world that I didn't have my DSLR, no. Was I disappointed, sort of. Not having my camera for this little adventure gave me a chance to shoot differently, pull myself away from the lens and just have a good, long look around at where I was and what I was seeing.
It was simply stunning.
I'm lucky, I wasn't shooting a "once only moment" of course. I know that. I brought a ton of other cards with me but focused more on my hiking gear, food and water than I did on my camera gear.
This isn't my first time forgetting a memory card, taking a lens cap of before jumping in the water with my camera in the housing and not realizing until I'm at depth and ready to take a shot.
In the end I truly enjoyed my experience hiking the canyon despite not having my camera, I do have a chance to go back so this time I will make sure I have ALL my gear.
Thanks for reading.
Scott
For more images and stories - http://www.scottstevensonphotography.ca/