I recently traveled to Hollister, Missouri, with my dad for a family reunion. I hadn’t seen this side of my family in over 15 years - pretty crazy how time flies. When I was younger, we used to have these reunions fairly often, and I always enjoyed them. Over the years, though, life got in the way, they became less frequent, and with family spread across the country, it’s not always easy to connect.

We stayed in a large lake-front rental home for eight days with 19 family members. Being in the Ozarks meant lakes, swimming, moderate hiking, and plenty of time outdoors. I made a point to swim in the lake every morning and afternoon, and we also went kayaking and tubing behind the boat. It had been years since I’ve done that, so that was quite fun.

Of course, photography was always on my mind. I brought two cameras: my Leica M262 and my Olympus Stylus Epic loaded with a roll of Portra 400. The Leica has been my go-to for a long time. Its battery lasts forever, and its simplicity lets you focus entirely on making images - no extra dials, no live view, just a tool for capturing the moment. Even when I didn’t have much time to wander, I tried to stay observant, ready for anything that might catch my eye. Reviewing the images afterward always teaches me something new about why I made a frame and what I found compelling.

I did manage to break away occasionally to explore the town on my own. I wandered through pawn shops and an Amish grocery store, discovering little treasures along the way - like a giant glass bottle of local, organic chocolate milk for four dollars. Couldn’t say no to that. It’s the small moments that make traveling and observing so rewarding. But mostly, my time was shared with family, which comes with its own restrictions on where you can go and what you can do, but that’s okay. Family first.

After Missouri, we drove to Nashville for a couple of days. It had been a while since I was last there; I think the last time was a few years ago when the band I was in briefly recorded with Trevor Keith (but that’s another story…). I never really had a grasp of Nashville, so I was curious to see what it was like. My main stop was the Gibson Garage. As a guitarist and a lover of Gibsons - especially SGs - I hoped to find some amazing vintage guitars, and I did. There I played the guitar I’ve wanted since I was 12: a 1964 Gibson SG Standard. Incredible neck, wood, character - just inspiring to hold. Selling for $25k was a bit rich for my blood, but playing it was a highlight of the entire trip. I still dream about it today, ha.

Downtown Nashville, however, was a bummer. I expected to hear original music, but almost all the bands on the main strip were playing covers. It was loud everywhere you went, with multiple venues blasting music at the same time, making conversation nearly impossible. Perhaps this is just my own complaint, but it struck me as chaotic and frustrating compared to the peace and quiet I enjoy elsewhere. We did manage to find a cool little jazz band amongst the chaos though.

In all, I had a great time. Swimming in the lakes, wandering through towns, exploring shops, playing guitars, seeing family, and making pictures - it was all worth it. Traveling to places I haven’t seen before, and revisiting places that bring memories back, is something I’ll always be down for.