Photography & Technology
So....
I've been talking a lot about photography lately.
More talking than shooting (work and the upcoming holidays have been keeping me busy, VERY busy), but I guess that's ok - you need to analyze rather than just always go nuts with the camera.
Here's some ideas/realizations that I've come across.
- I'm grateful to 'bad salespeople' at camera stores.
The best advice I ever got was "If you buy this stuff, your pictures will end up
looking JUST LIKE every other photographer's!...Experimenting! THAT'S the key to a great shot!"
I went home that night and found a way to mod a snoot and light gels.
I spent a heck of a lot less money, failed at a couple of things (home made ring flash)
and found amazing success with other DoItYourself projects (various reflectors).
Now I mix my pro (I call it semi-pro) gear, and my DIY items and get shots no one
else can replicate.
- There's point and shoot cameras, and there are PROFESSIONAL cameras - and you need BOTH.
I got into digital photography because I am obsessed with History. I am a History Specialist, as accredited by the University of Toronto. I WANTED/NEEDED to capture my family and our history.
However, I also needed to get back into art, a passion I abandoned whilst pursuing academia.
SO, digital photography; great way to make and share art, cheaply and effectively. So easy to manipulate as well, digitally or physically.
HOWEVER, I got my professional camera not too long ago, at a ticket price of 4 times the cost of a point and click, and triple the size and weight, it was definitely exciting, yet slightly annoying, to carry around.
As a semi-pro/pro photographer, my rule is: Experiment/play around and take risks at shoots, BUT when capturing REAL LIFE (like a video/photo of my nephews learning to swim, for example) - get results, in any way. So, whether that means IMAGE STABILIZATION or AUTO-FOCUS, it really doesn't matter....it's getting that shot that makes all the difference. It may not be perfect, you may not have it centered, and it might not be the perfect tone, but getting that moment captured regardless of the camera, is the important thing.
Heck, my sister is known for having most of her family photos taken by her iphone (she's not me, and doesn't carry her camera around everywhere), and I just got a Blackberry pearl, which has a 3 megapixel camera and FLASH (FLASH photography on a mobile device....was I the last to know about this?!?!) haha.
I don't want to, nor can I, pay attention to details when running around trying to get a shot of my very energetic nephews. That's where the divide between ART and REAL LIFE happens for me.
I don't want to fumble with my camera, lens or accessories, I just want good shots of my nephews, in the moment.
:)
/Technology gets cheaper and cheaper, BUT being a pioneer is PRICELESS
That one is self explanatory.
Although digital imaging is now one of the cheapest hobbies/art forms, for those that are truly passionate about it, it can still cost quite a pretty penny.
EVEN RIGHT NOW I'm thinking of the newest HD camera that is water, freeze and shock proof and thinking of all the wonderful ways I could use that little camera....while forgetting how obsolete, useless and overpriced it will be a year from now.
P.S. here is a shot of my indoor (aka WINTER) portrait studio.
I love outdoor/natural light, and have a lot of windows in my studio BUT nothing beats shooting outside.
I once had a shoot on a golf course, and another time on a mountainous hike in B.C.
The tougher ones really are memorable.
I've been talking a lot about photography lately.
More talking than shooting (work and the upcoming holidays have been keeping me busy, VERY busy), but I guess that's ok - you need to analyze rather than just always go nuts with the camera.
Here's some ideas/realizations that I've come across.
- I'm grateful to 'bad salespeople' at camera stores.
The best advice I ever got was "If you buy this stuff, your pictures will end up
looking JUST LIKE every other photographer's!...Experimenting! THAT'S the key to a great shot!"
I went home that night and found a way to mod a snoot and light gels.
I spent a heck of a lot less money, failed at a couple of things (home made ring flash)
and found amazing success with other DoItYourself projects (various reflectors).
Now I mix my pro (I call it semi-pro) gear, and my DIY items and get shots no one
else can replicate.
- There's point and shoot cameras, and there are PROFESSIONAL cameras - and you need BOTH.
I got into digital photography because I am obsessed with History. I am a History Specialist, as accredited by the University of Toronto. I WANTED/NEEDED to capture my family and our history.
However, I also needed to get back into art, a passion I abandoned whilst pursuing academia.
SO, digital photography; great way to make and share art, cheaply and effectively. So easy to manipulate as well, digitally or physically.
HOWEVER, I got my professional camera not too long ago, at a ticket price of 4 times the cost of a point and click, and triple the size and weight, it was definitely exciting, yet slightly annoying, to carry around.
As a semi-pro/pro photographer, my rule is: Experiment/play around and take risks at shoots, BUT when capturing REAL LIFE (like a video/photo of my nephews learning to swim, for example) - get results, in any way. So, whether that means IMAGE STABILIZATION or AUTO-FOCUS, it really doesn't matter....it's getting that shot that makes all the difference. It may not be perfect, you may not have it centered, and it might not be the perfect tone, but getting that moment captured regardless of the camera, is the important thing.
Heck, my sister is known for having most of her family photos taken by her iphone (she's not me, and doesn't carry her camera around everywhere), and I just got a Blackberry pearl, which has a 3 megapixel camera and FLASH (FLASH photography on a mobile device....was I the last to know about this?!?!) haha.
I don't want to, nor can I, pay attention to details when running around trying to get a shot of my very energetic nephews. That's where the divide between ART and REAL LIFE happens for me.
I don't want to fumble with my camera, lens or accessories, I just want good shots of my nephews, in the moment.
:)
/Technology gets cheaper and cheaper, BUT being a pioneer is PRICELESS
That one is self explanatory.
Although digital imaging is now one of the cheapest hobbies/art forms, for those that are truly passionate about it, it can still cost quite a pretty penny.
EVEN RIGHT NOW I'm thinking of the newest HD camera that is water, freeze and shock proof and thinking of all the wonderful ways I could use that little camera....while forgetting how obsolete, useless and overpriced it will be a year from now.
P.S. here is a shot of my indoor (aka WINTER) portrait studio.
I love outdoor/natural light, and have a lot of windows in my studio BUT nothing beats shooting outside.
I once had a shoot on a golf course, and another time on a mountainous hike in B.C.
The tougher ones really are memorable.