Does anyone remember what a film camera is? It has been a while, I know—it was popular (but going out of style) when I was a kid, which was not too long ago, though, in the world of technology, it was several decades ago. Photography used to be so much more complicated in the pre-digital centuries. Coming from the late 1800s when you only had one portrait shot (and smiling at a camera was a cardinal sin) to present day photo shoots with enough pictures taken to wallpaper the White House is quite a feat. I doubt I fully appreciate what the digital age has done for me with photography because I have so little experience with film. (Did photos used to be “developed”?)
With this change to digital photography, people have no reason to be picky about making sure every shot is a good one. With a mere 2-3 button clicks, the picture is erased—if you even go to the bother of erasing pictures one at a time. I see kids running around with cameras all the time, snapping “pics” of whatever they see. Now that you can see everything on the screen on the back of the camera, kids that don’t understand the concept of a viewfinder are no longer clipping of the top of every person’s head, or taking the picture of Niagara Falls that is so far out of focus that you wonder if it is a waterfall 3 miles away or an abstract photo of gray blur and mist with a hint of a hand in the left corner. Everyone has become a “photographer.” Or, so they call themselves. (One good shot out of every 1,000 isn’t that great, but the ones in between are good memories, just don’t plan on printing them [if you print them anymore].)
What could be more ridiculous in the hands of a tourist than a camera? When taking pictures at home, my family will average about 30 pictures of a single day event. Tourists somehow manage to take 30 pictures of each single stop they make—including the big mac that Jonny didn’t finish and Mary’s thumb-sucking in the back of the mini-van. One picture would be sufficient, but it’s just a digital file so take 30. You’re just going to download them to the computer and never look at them anyway. (I am still trying to figure out the purpose of most photography is.)
Tourists that come into the shop with cameras are by far the most aggravating. After they have snapped 12 pictures, the classic question always comes up. “May I take pictures in here?” I have yet to lie to a customer and say that it is a policy of ours that there be no photography allowed, but the temptation is strong by the end of a day! If you give permission, watch out—you will be their next subject to shoot 12 shots of. The purpose of those pictures? Well, I would imagine it is so when they go home, they can go over to the neighbor’s house and show Mrs. Smith the pictures of the stranger that they don’t know and will never see again. (That is presuming they are part of the 3.76 percent of people that look at the pictures they take.) Why should I smile for a camera with a loud tourist from who-knows-where while I’m making candy? Why would you want a picture of me? I’m not even in costume! Take a picture of your child riding the train or wearing a cool hat.
When I do travel, I do take some pictures, but I am picky about what I photograph. I like cool pictures that I can use as desktop backgrounds or sunsets that I will print and hang on my wall. Occasionally I will take a picture of a sign that says something classy that I need to go home and duplicate (Save the expense of an over-priced sucker-trap gift shop item.). Most importantly, I find it much more enjoyable and interesting to spend my vacation seeing things through my own eyes instead of a camera viewfinder. I would rather think back on the good memories in my head than look at thousands of pictures of strangers and nothingness that carries few memories of my interaction with my family and the “good times” we had. Put down the camera and enjoy the trip, and take those few pictures that you will enjoy and treasure. By taking fewer pictures, it is easier to go back and look through them because you were concise with your photography rather than weeding through hundreds of pictures that are worthless.
"The quickest way to make money at photography is to sell your camera."
- Anonymous
No comments:
Post a Comment