I’d found that I was restricting the images that I posted on Flickr to a great degree. Now, while that is a good thing to do, and while it does give you the compulsion to show off only your best work, it also makes me restrict my images to under 200 in total and I’ve not been posting much because of that. Now that I’ve jumped in the pool (with a measly $25), I’m going to have to post photographs more frequently, and of course, keep increasingly my image quality.
I did say “Increasing My Image Quality” just now, didn’t I? So why am I downgrading my camera? It seems illogical even to me. However, I do believe in this little post I made some time ago entitled “It’s the photographer, not the gear” Where I boldly stated that a better camera does not equal a better photograph.
I’m going to put that statement (and my photography skills) to the test. In the next few months I’m going to re-explore my photography and put up photographs taken for the most part on my trusty Konica Minolta Dimage A2 (even though I have some brilliant Film Cameras and two Canon 5D bodies at home).
Why?
Its going to be an exercise in seeing differently. True, seeing things on a dimly lit LCD based viewfinder system, but its a restriction that I want to work with. It means that I wont be able to see the picture I’m taking properly in broad daylight (the LCD sucks in daylight, so I’ll have to use its measly LCD based viewfinder). It means I won’t be able to change my lenses much. But again, why all the pain? Afterall, a Canon 450D or even a Canon 40D is quite affordable.
Here’s Why
My work over the last few months has undergone a dramatic change. From mostly taking photographs alongside my Dad, I’ve moved to making websites. (Update: I’ve moved back to taking photographs, and making videos full-time in 2015).
Why would anyone choose websites over taking photographs? Because its a new challenge for me, and one that I’ve been wanting to explore for years!
Well, it’s resulted in me sitting in office and slouching over my computer for days on end. Its taken a toll on me (and by extension, this blog). I’ve not been seeing much of the outside world :-P.
I’m still going to be huddled over the computer for a great portion of my day, but I’ve decided that at least a part of it is going to be dedicated to photography and the outdoors.
What Can You Expect?
Well, I think you can expect me to be thinking of photography a bit more in the months to come. Hopefully, I’ll also be able to get down to posting my thoughts about photography and some of the new insight I gain in making the shift from Pro photography, to lay photography (strange deal, dont you think).
I hope you’ll stay with me through this odd journey to share my strange world.
You’re welcome to check out my Photographs before the deal on flickr.
If you come by later on, here are my most recent photographs on flickr.
Hi Susheel,
I love the idea of putting constraints on one’s photography as a way to work on one’s eye rather than worrying about the tool (settings, lenses, lights, etc.), which is why I have been primarily shooting with camera phones the last four years.
Have fun.
smiles, jen ;o)
I really think you hit on a few important points here. I just found your article, as I’m searching around for stuff that seems to articulate what I’m thinking…
And this is what’s been going through my mind: Allot of my favourite photographers used a small camera. Typically a Lieca. Many of the photographs that we all recognise, the stone cold all-time-classics where taken on the most basic equipment.
I’ve noticed people do seem to clam up when you whip out a big camera, or just act as though they are being photographed. At worst some people get aggressive. I’m also working in an area where theft is a real threat, So I’ve dug out my girlfriends old Canon A520.
While this is a basic camera, it does offer shutter and aperture modes, and it is unobtrusive. People really don’t seem to notice it. So whilst I can’t afford to supplement my gear with a Lieca system, I’m getting some great shots I would otherwise miss, with a camera that I can replace for £25 from ebay should the worst happen. Because of the small pixel count I can shoot all day on a 2gb card.
Yeah… I have to agree with you, in one fell swoop I’ve downgraded my gear and upgraded my photography.
The underlying fact is; your pictures can only be as good as the opportunity to capture them. Perhaps here, rather than down grading our gear we can look at it as simply the right tools for the right job.
Thanks for some thought provoking points.
I remembered posting here before in agreement with you and thought I’d update; I had enough of getting harraged for using the girlfriends camera, so…..
I bought an A570is from Ebay
I wanted a pocket sized camera that had much of the flexibility of my DSLR, and accepted there’d be trade offs, but thought them worthwhile in return for the small size.
I couldn’t really be happier. You can achieve a reasonable DOF with a pretty fast lens, f2.6 at the wide end, a shade quicker than most of the competition. it has nippy shot to shot time in continuous mode, if you shoot in Program mode. You can fully control shutter speed and the exposure compensation is excellent too. For some reason only slightly older canon’s have this full a feature set, they seem to be restricting this kind of fun to the upscale, higher end cameras these days
For what I wanted, in camera shops, all they could really offer was a Canon G shot or the higher end of the Lumix range, but I baulked at paying the same prices as a entry level DSLR, when I knew that the performance would be hamstrung.
Then I realised that Canons old A Series had a similar feature set. Bingo.
BUT
Even better, researching the range I discovered CHDK, a firmware hack, that turned back on features from high end models Canon turns off as you move down the range, So now my £50 camera has auto-bracketing for exposure, and well everything, zebra exposure overlays, time-lapse, motion detection and even RAW!
Yes RAW, the holy grail of photography in a sub-£100 camera!
So I’m very happy, I’ve got a pretty highly speced camera for not much cash. A minor point but I’ll mention, out on the streets it looks like an out dated mid range point and shoot, cos well, it is. Less conspicuous than specialist gear, not bulky like a DSLR, people hardly seem to notice. And hopefully a low risk of theft, even if does get thieved, that’s only few quid down the drain, not hundreds.
Blanko,
Thanks for the notes and the update. Yes, it’s the older Canons that seem to have the flexibility of manual control…
I should say, Canon’s G series of cameras is pretty good. I used a friend’s PowerShot G9 a short while ago, and it reminded me a lot of the old Rangefinder cameras. Sturdy, with all the controls easily accessible and clearly laid out.
CHDK is a cool tool… Yes, Indeed!