I recently  went to the Formula One race in Montreal Canada. It’s a fantastic event in a fantastic city and I’ve attended it more times than I care to admit. Anyone who reads this blog or has seen this website knows I am a professional photographer. Yes I do take pictures around Montreal and at the race track during practice, but not during the race. I recently read a blog on how sad it is that so many people seem to go through life now staring at their smart phones and not lifting their heads up and looking around. There is something magical about being at an event, weather its a Formula One race or a concert. That magic is lost when viewing the event on a 4” smart phone screen or through a camera lens. Yes I shoot concerts for a living, many artists put limit on the amount of time you can shoot, the number of songs you can be in front of the stage, and I’m ok with that. I love music, I love concerts, I love F1. The atmosphere the vibe and the total experience is lost completely if you do not let yourself be immersed in the event. I came home and sat down on the couch with a cold tasty beverage to watch the broadcast of the race. I realized just how many things happened during the race that I completely missed. I had fantastic seats and a big screen in front of me, but I still missed several significant events during the race. I’m ok with that. What I got from being there was so much more than the few details I missed. When you are on vacation, at a concert, or at an event, please, put the camera or smartphone down and just soak it all in.