There's another class of Nimble Photography that I rarely discuss: parents photographing young children.
These intrepid souls are perfect candidates for a life of nimbleosity. They already have to schlep more stuff than they ever imagined possible - bags full of snacks, water, extra clothes, books, toys... and things I don't even remember anymore.
And the irony is, even with all of this gear, parents have to move fast.
It's like watching basketball on TV. You don't realize how swiftly players move until you stand court side at an actual game. It's the same with children. Look away for 5 seconds, and they are disappearing on a distant horizon. You have no choice but to hobble after them.
When we're not wrangling, cajoling, or admonishing, we want to photograph these dear angels. That's what parents do. And pushing beyond the smartphone snapshot requires a little practice and some decent gear.
In my opinion, most compact cameras react slower than the children we're pursuing. On the other hand, DSLRs don't fit in backpacks already stuffed with granola bars and jackets.
I think the preferred tool for chasing down kids is a good mirrorless camera. Maybe a Panasonic Lumix GX7 Micro Four Thirds camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. That tilting electronic viewfinder could come in handy for knee-level kindergarteners.
What I'm driving at is this: I want to officially welcome parents to our world of traveling light with lots of might.
I know you're a bit tired right now. But trust me, you'll feel better
in 20 years or so.
Derrick