Day Five: The 30-day writing challenge

It was my first time to shoot in the rain today. Although I think I had decent photos, I wasn't ready for the day at all and had a difficult time all through out.

I woke up after taking a nap from my research work just two hours before covering the UAAP opening at the Marikina Sports Center and hadn't thought of everything that I needed for the task. I usually have a checklist in my mind about what equipment and gear to bring at least a week before a shoot but somehow, my other deadlines erased all my excitement and foresight about covering the games.

For one, I had no time to borrow a long lens. The outdoor stadium was just too big for my 50mm prime (no zoom). Good thing my friend Kiko had another friend's cam and lived in Marikina so I was able to borrow a 28-100mm. But since the cam was a Nikon, the knobs didn't suit my muscle memory well.

Also, I brought a thin disposable raincoat which I remembered I had stocked from way back. It got ripped while I was moving around. I wore sneakers and naturally they got soaked in the puddles on field. I forgot my hair rubber bands so my hair was plastered all over my face. I didn't bring any plastic bags to cover the cameras so I asked a vendor for one and used my scarf to cover the other camera. I didn't bring a towel to wipe water from the lens and the viewfinder. I brought my ginormous shoulder bag which was not waterproof and which bulged funny inside the raincoat. Overall I did not have fun and the thing that bothers me is that my difficulties were preventable.

Well preventable to a degree. I realize I need to invest in a lot of things to function well in this business. Improvisation can only get you at par but not above par. Aside from the lenses which my colleagues always convince me to buy (it's time, you deserve a better lens, it will do wonders to your learning curve blah blah blah) I should also consider buying another metal-bodied camera which is more weather-sealed. Mine is an amateur unit made of plastic. Water, sand and dust get into the tiny openings. I also need a waterproof padded bag to protect what I have and a monopod for when I'm shooting while moving around in low-light. I should buy durable raincoats and rainboots with traction which I need for commuting anyway. So many things on my list. The problem is that I don't have the money. How many times will I have to explain to people that I don't have 150 fucking thousand  to buy these things!  When I see rich hobbyists with tons of gadgets which they don't use but brag about, I have this strong urge to whack their heads with one. I'll choose the 300mm--much more substantial. Life is unfair. There's too much undistributed resources.