Summer Holidays – Part 1: Camping Trip
I just got back from almost two fantastic holiday weeks with the kids. I enjoyed myself a lot and I’m sure the kids did so too. They are really the perfect travel companions. For our first week of holidays we went camping in the Ardennes. This area is only about 90 minutes by car away and I spent a lot of holidays camping there as a child and later as a mountainbiking teenager. The more surprising it is that it took me so long to come back here. I’ve always loved this area with it’s landscapes, textures, light and people. Traveling is not about how many kilometers from home you are, it’s about going somewhere with an open mind.
On our way to the camping we saw some people having a paintball tournament on a soccer field and we stopped to watch for a while. The kids got the VIP seats.
Marshmallows taste only good when cooked over a fire or BBQ.
The first few days it was pretty hot, here’s Kobe seeking some refreshment by the lawn sprinkler.
Pushing the kids to do photography is not something I do, but I admit that I enjoy it very much that they start shooting pictures more and more. Very funny to see them directing people like I sometimes do. Maya took a portrait of me in which she asked me to look angry.
Our 60 year old English camping neighbor gave me one of the best compliments possible. He said: “your kids play like we did when we where kids”. I still think about that single phrase a lot. As a parent these days it’s not always easy to give your kids the space to play, explore and make mistakes. So each time I’m capable of doing that, it makes me very proud. It’s often about finding the right surroundings to let kids be kids and this camping was certainly one of those places.
Big thanks by the way to one of my Facebook friends who referred me to camping Try des Baudets. It’s just the right size and has the right atmosphere for a trip with small kids.
My holiday budget is very limited these days but I absolutely wanted the kids to have a couple of great weeks away from home. During this week, I spent just a bit more (mostly on ice cream) than I would spend during a week at home and still it was a true holiday.
One of the best ways to get to some nice spots without spending a lot of money is Geocaching. We found a couple really nice ones in the area around the camping. Kobe and Maya really love hiking in the forest, just like I do. Noa is slowly getting the hang of it too.
Here’s a family shot with the self timer.
On our last day, after packing all our stuff, we took a steam engine to the train museum.
After this week, Kobe went on his first boyscout camp and the girls and I joined some friends in a holiday cottage in another part of the Ardennes. I’ll post some pics of that trip later.
I so enjoyed this quality time with my kids and my batteries are recharged. There’s lots of obstacles ahead of me, but at least I have the energy now to have a good shot at getting where I want.
great pics and for sure, amazing b&w
I love the photograph of your two children walking in the woods. It looks like it could be from a fairy tale – like Hansel and Gretel. It’s kind of an eerie photograph. And I also love that your daughter took an *angry* portrait of you – so sweet.
Nice blogpost about family happiness in combination with your excellent PJ aproach. One ’s gotta love the GF1
Camping is so underrated even though it’s a proper adventure holiday – especially with kids. They see things with fresh eyes – and their excitement and wonder is infectious.
Great pics Bert! It captures the essence of your trip very nicely. Thanks for sharing your wonderful moments with us. It’s lovely to read it as it resonates with me as a daddy.
Nice post. Like you I have three kids (two girls and a boy). I am a photographer but spent 12 years as a television cameraman. Now my passion is portraits, but I am learning as I go.
Not sure of your personal background, but I am guessing there has been some family issue recently. I went through divorce ten years ago, I know how hard it can be, but I also learned very quickly how important the children are in our lives.
I love the photos you have captured here. As well as being good photographic images, they will mean a hell of a lot to you in years to come.
Keep it up.
Andy Mc
thx all
@Jef: the GF1 is indeed a fantastic camera for this kind of stuff
@Gerhard: Camping is indeed underrated. Just sleeping in a tent is so special for kids. And I have to admit that I still like it too.
These vacation photos are fantastic! I had a little bit of nostalgia with the slip and slide photos. Love it all.
As a photographer and father I appreciate being able to take time with kids. My kids are older, one is grown, but I truly appreciate getting spend time with them.
Your photos are wonderfully done and will serve as great memories for years to come.
Bert,
It’s something really special that you’re prepared to share so openly about ‘You’; how you feel, what you’re going through and so…it just serves to make this so much more than a Photography blog. Your blog draws on readers feelings and emotions on a really personal level.
It’s very heart warming to see you spending quality time with your children as so many of (and I’m not looking for the sympathy vote) didn’t have that. What your doing now will be remembered for the rest of their lives; you’re making memories and as you show…making memories isn’t all about spending £££’s … it’s about the ‘quality’ time. Not being a father myself, I can still imagine how good it must make you feel when a ’stranger’ says to you what he did; proof that you’re doing a good job!
I wish you all the very best,
Glyn
ps> You ‘do’ angry rather well, or was that solely down to Maya’s direction?
It looks like they had fun. Great photos! (:
beautiful family.
Heart warming to see good ol fashion fun
Great great images but much more importantly I guess is the fact that your batteries are recharged and your relationship with the kids is strengthened. That will see you through any busy/stressful times that might be ahead. I have 4 kids but am not a single dad – you have my absolute respect – I know the effort that must be required
All the best, Pete
I am so happy that you are writing your blog again, your work always helps me to reconnect with my creativity and strive to be a better photographer.
Best wishes
Si
Thx all
@Ashley: Some of the pictures make me think of my childhood holidays too and that’s not a bad thing.
@Glyn: Thx, the person Bert is closely connected to the artist, so I can’t really separate them, even if I wanted to. Also, choosing a life as a professional artist isn’t always the easiest path although it often seems glamorous from the outside. If my experiences, successes and failures can help other people, I’d be happy to share them.
@Pete: Camping with 3 small kids certainly requires some energy but it never feels like an effort. I just love to do things with them.
Bert,
1) Fantastic pictures…. as usual (:
2) Questions: Why would one go with GF1 instead of, lets say, cheaper and lighter, but very powerfull Canon T2i or T1i? Just wondering what the attraction is … besides having a new toy (:? The expense of new set of lenses with almost the same price range for the body – why not stick with Canon? Just wondering.
Hej Bert,
thank you for sharing you personal moments with us. I’m always stunned by your photographs, they have something I can’t quite grasp/understand but like extremely. I keep my fingers crossed for your family’s future; was quite speechless when you posted it. Having 2 children and expecting the 3rd in January I often wondered if the same will happen to us somewhen, and maybe changed my ways a little focussing more on family to prevent it.
I don’t push my kids to photography but they just demand a camera sometimes. Saturday my 2y old acted as VOL which did not work because she mistook/used the flash as camera and tried to photograph with it
. What I do push them to is not to say ‘please smile’ if they take a picture and I discourage them to put on a fake smile if anyone takes a picture of them.
Best wishes for you and yours, Fini
It is nice to remember happy moments of our family. Camping photos are good memoirs.
great shots I love you stile !
beautiful kids !!!
antonio
Awesome images, timeless