It happens now and then when I'm invited to an event, like a boat cruise, a visit to zoo or a party. Since I like photography and am in the middle of a photo-a-day project, I usually take my DSLR bag with me. However, I've noticed that keeping an eye out for interesting scenes, fumbling around with accessories and settings and generally carrying the damn thing is keeping me from fully enjoying the event. The problem is accentuated when I'm at the event with family members, because then I have to divide my time between camera and them and feel like getting "in the flow" with neither.
So, I've tried to divide the events in half, usually spending first half with camera and second half without. It has been kind of working - now I'm spending half the event as a photographer and half as a late-arriving guest (who will miss all photo opportunities).
Since I have another event coming up soon, I was wondering if anyone has figured out an alternative strategy for handling such double-duty events?