The Camera as a de-cluttering tool: comment copy
Like redrose3125 , I posted a comment re: decluttering (http://ozarque.livejournal.com/642105.html) I'd like to keep (with a few extra notes here, in italics). The commenter I responded to makes the key point "if I take a digital photo of something, I can enjoy the photo whenever I like without actually owning the object anymore," and I expand why and how to use a camera...
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I highly recommend the use of a camera in de-cluttering.
Actually, a good camera is an all-purpose life-tracker. Parking? Take a photo of your location. Ditto when traveling-- it's a handheld breadcrumb machine. The only updated ferry schedule is a sign, or digital display? No problem. Your 300 page guidebook has 4 pages applicable to today? Only carry those 4 pages. You see an interesting article while browsing magazines at the doctor's office? Capture it. You can't read the tiny print? Magnify it.
What do I mean by a good camera?
* A fast camera-- one where there's almost no delay when you click the shutter. Most camera reviews will tell you if a camera is relatively fast or slow. A slow camera is like a dull knife- it works, but isn't as fun because you're noticing the tool, not your goal. This factor, plus optics, is why I do not recommend camera-phones for this.
* A small camera-- easy to carry / fits in your pocket (if using it for organizing. "Fits in your purse" works for a travel camera).
* with image stabilization - this makes a big difference in dimmer light, such as deep in the stacks of a library
* great optics, and optical zoom - this is what counts, not "digital zoom." (the latter is just camera software, and you're better off with your computer's software.)
For papers
1. Setting up a photo station is simple- I make sure I have a place to rest the camera and daylight or at least two lamps to keep the lighting even. That said, my camera works as a handheld photocopy machine in the middle of the stacks at libraries= you can get good handheld results with a little practice.
2. There are some small and *fast* cameras out there-- so doing this is much better than a standard scanner (or photocopy machine) for papers, magazines, clippings, etc. [In my case I have a Canon 870, which is compact (fits in a pocket) and can take photos as quickly as I can turn pages.] It's easy to spot-check the quality.
3. The camera lets me zoom in on details (better than a magnifying glass), take shots from different angles, etc. This works well for hand-written notes: I've found details I didn't initially see when just looking by eye.
4. Today's OCR software is good: the one I use gives me a picture of the text in the rare places where it cannot figure out the text, but this rarely happens (even for low-contrast / text-on-weird-backgrounds text).
For Goods:
1. When I look back at photos of donated items, I've learned that I don't miss them (quite the opposite, I usually get a "wow, that wasn't a flattering color" feeling)-- it makes it easier to contemplate another round of donations.
2. I can take detailed pictures of an item's identifying marks, so I know I have the info to search for a replacement on the net. Of course, this hasn't happened- see 1 above.
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I highly recommend the use of a camera in de-cluttering.
Actually, a good camera is an all-purpose life-tracker. Parking? Take a photo of your location. Ditto when traveling-- it's a handheld breadcrumb machine. The only updated ferry schedule is a sign, or digital display? No problem. Your 300 page guidebook has 4 pages applicable to today? Only carry those 4 pages. You see an interesting article while browsing magazines at the doctor's office? Capture it. You can't read the tiny print? Magnify it.
What do I mean by a good camera?
* A fast camera-- one where there's almost no delay when you click the shutter. Most camera reviews will tell you if a camera is relatively fast or slow. A slow camera is like a dull knife- it works, but isn't as fun because you're noticing the tool, not your goal. This factor, plus optics, is why I do not recommend camera-phones for this.
* A small camera-- easy to carry / fits in your pocket (if using it for organizing. "Fits in your purse" works for a travel camera).
* with image stabilization - this makes a big difference in dimmer light, such as deep in the stacks of a library
* great optics, and optical zoom - this is what counts, not "digital zoom." (the latter is just camera software, and you're better off with your computer's software.)
For papers
1. Setting up a photo station is simple- I make sure I have a place to rest the camera and daylight or at least two lamps to keep the lighting even. That said, my camera works as a handheld photocopy machine in the middle of the stacks at libraries= you can get good handheld results with a little practice.
2. There are some small and *fast* cameras out there-- so doing this is much better than a standard scanner (or photocopy machine) for papers, magazines, clippings, etc. [In my case I have a Canon 870, which is compact (fits in a pocket) and can take photos as quickly as I can turn pages.] It's easy to spot-check the quality.
3. The camera lets me zoom in on details (better than a magnifying glass), take shots from different angles, etc. This works well for hand-written notes: I've found details I didn't initially see when just looking by eye.
4. Today's OCR software is good: the one I use gives me a picture of the text in the rare places where it cannot figure out the text, but this rarely happens (even for low-contrast / text-on-weird-backgrounds text).
For Goods:
1. When I look back at photos of donated items, I've learned that I don't miss them (quite the opposite, I usually get a "wow, that wasn't a flattering color" feeling)-- it makes it easier to contemplate another round of donations.
2. I can take detailed pictures of an item's identifying marks, so I know I have the info to search for a replacement on the net. Of course, this hasn't happened- see 1 above.