Tired But Happy

I often jokingly say to my friends that when I go on vacation, I work harder than when I’m at work. When it’s all about the shot, there is no down time even when it’s technically a vacation. 

During this trip to Oahu, I slept less than I ever had before. We were out exploring, swimming, hiking, and taking photos literally from sunrise to sunset. We rarely found time to sit down at a restaurant and even when we got back to the house, we were busy clearing the memory cards for the next day. For almost the entire week it wasn’t until 11pm when we finally got to bed with alarms set for 4am for sunrise. 

I remember the moment when we were at Honolulu Elks Lodge with our good friends Jordan and Coco. It was one of the last days of our trip. We were completely exhausted and finally put the cameras down for once and just relaxed. I recall seeing Sammy passed out on the lounge chair, feeling lethargic but high on life. I took a selfie of us (one of the only selfies I’ve ever taken) and showed it him later that night. He was ecstatic as he said he asked when did I take that photo, because he had no idea!

Producing results take a lot of effort, especially when it comes to photography. Dedication to the craft means giving it all you’ve got day in and day out, pushing the physical and mental limits. Even if I find myself overworked the end of the day, I feel more content than living life lackadaisically. Following this philosophy is how I try and live life to the fullest every day. But amidst all the diligence, sometimes I just need to lay down on a lounge chair and do nothing. 

I’ll always remember Sammy sharing the photo with the caption “So tired, but so happy”.

August 15, 2015 | Travel Stories
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