Where would I be without my digital camera? Of course it's been long discussed how photography transformed the role of painting at the end of the 19th century into the 20th, as the artist shifted from reporter to innovator. But film was still precious, something to be used deliberately. Gradually film became less expensive and processing more instantaneous, hence the Polariod Instamatic; however in the digital age, I hand the camera to the kids and say, have fun, without even a second thought as to how many pictures they'll take. Only in the digital age could someone do an arm's length self-portrait, easily deleting any misfired shots. For me, it's less about the quality of the image, but more about the access. While some folks improve their apparatus, I instead go for cheap and easy, carrying my camera as a sketchbook instead of the finished product. True, the iphone has potential in this department, but my snappy, point n shoot Canon suits my needs perfectly. Here is a pic I took in Maine, intended to make its way into a painting, not a finished photograph.
For those photographers out there, both professional and novice, I'd love to hear about your relationship with your camera(s).
1 comment:
Interesting topic ! When I need (or want) to do research I take my sketch pad and not the camera. Taking photographs is an activity in and of itself....probably a holdover from the early 70's romantic preoccupation with the photographer, just at the time I was starting to shoot.
I resisted a digital camera at first, but now I love my Canon Rebel. So easy and such amazing results.
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