Perfect Poise, Perfect Life
Bring your body into balance and revolutionise your life
By Noel Kingsley
Publisher Hodder Mobius
AVAILABLE HERE
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My heavy camera bag
Gold Hill, Shaftsbury, Dorset
Having just returned from holiday in Dorset, where the silence is broken almost only by birdsong, the rustle of leaves in woods and the occasional cow moo, sheep bleat or the click of my camera shutter, I'm feeling very refreshed and ready for lots of exciting things this autumn. We were fortunate with the weather for the first week when it was warm and airy, just great for country walking and photographic sojourns.
Indeed I did more photography in the first week before the rain set in, than I had done for many months. Using a Hasselblad camera (old fashioned, medium format film camera) which is desperately heavy but capable of producing wonderful images (if I use it properly!), I was reminded how important it is to look after myself when carrying it all.
My favourite time for photography is usually before breakfast when the sun is low and shadows are long.....so on holiday I was up at 6.00am and coming back to our country cottage for 8.30am having had a good two hours and then left it alone for the rest of the day. These early morning photographic sojourns involved walking considerable distances with the camera bag which includes three heavy lenses. You would be right to ask me why bother when there are now wonderfully small digital cameras that fit in your pocket, but that's another story. Just to suffice for now.....I like the old fashioned techniques.
When carrying heavy things such as large camera bags, shoulder bags, boxes of books and heavy babies it's important to consider a few helpful things that may make life easier.
Here are a few suggestions to help your posture when carrying heavy weights....
1. If you can, get someone else to carry it.
2. Put the bag, box or thing down frequently and don't hold it for the sake of it.
3. Keep the weight as close to your body as you can, so you bear the load through your spine.
4. If the bag has a strap, wear it diagonally across your body to spread the weight through your spine.
5. If the bag has a strap, occasionally carry it over one shoulder, then switch to the other shoulder frequently, as well as wearing the strap diagonally (as in point 4 above). In other words, vary how you carry it so you're not getting stuck or carrying it in one manner for too long.
6. Don't carry more than you need. Take things out of your bag if they're not needed on this occasion.
7. Keep your neck free of tension as much as possible.
8. Avoid hunching your shoulders.
9. Think of your head going upwards so you lengthen in stature as you walk.
10. Avoid leaning to one side or forwards as you walk.
Ah yes, it's great to go on holiday. It's also great getting the opportunity to do some more photography. But it's also great to be back; at least I don't need to carry that heavy bag for a while! I'll show you some pictures I took, soon when I've had chance to develop them.
I hope all's going well for you! :-)
