Photography is an area that has turned a leaf over the past decade through the advancement of digital technology. Photography used to be an art, an art that was exclusive to the truly talented photographer. Now there are two types of photographers out there. I like to categorize as ‘photographers’ and ‘people with camera’s’. Now before I dig any deeper into this, I would like to point out that I fit comfortably into the second category. I am a “person with a camera”
First off, I will date myself by admitting that the first camera I ever owned was digital. . . yes, it is sad but it is also true. Around 2001 I received the gift of a Kodak Easyshare camera with a whopping 2.1Megapixel resolution. I could enlarge a photo up to a massive 4″ by 6″ with only minor pixelation. Through a few more sub-par point-and -shoots I finally stepped up in 2006 and bought an SLR. Mind you this was a Canon AE-1 Program which was introduced in 1981, long before I was born . . . This was my first intro into what a camera could do. (using technology that was 25 years old). After many wasted rolls of film and several blurry, underexposed photos that made everyone dizzy, this past December I finally purchased a digital SLR. . . Ever since I have truly embraced being a “Person with a Camera”
Let me step back a bit and give you some more background info… My father has been a professional photographer for the past 35 years or so, therefor he knows a thing or two. He shoots mostly wildlife such as birds, plants, insects, mammals etc. and in my bias opinion he does a spectacular job. I remember back a while getting some pointers on photography and he said, “in order to get an adequate depth of field you must shoot at a minimum of F-11″ . Well, you try taking a photo of a cyclist at F-11… Especially living in Vancouver where it rains all winter and you are stuck in a dense forest. Realistically you are lucky to be shooting at F5, never mind a minimum of F-11. Cycling is an area that is extremely difficult to take photos in and everyone with a camera is trying their hand at it.
There are some truly talented photographers out there such as Harookz, Ian Hylands, and Dan Barham. Among others, these guys can do things with light that I could never dream of accomplishing. To take a crisp, focused, well exposed image of a cyclist involves working in the worst of lighting, the fastest of speeds and the most remote of terrains, really there is nothing working in your favour…
Again, Photography is an art, to even grasp a fraction of what there is to know takes decades and still you are only scratching the surface. Props to those that are doing it, props to those who are trying but from one ‘person with a camera’ to another, remember there is a lot of room to learn and a lot of room to improve. I know I know very little, I can learn a lot. I want to learn as much as possible.
Mind you these are nothing but the ramblings of a ‘person with a camera’ and who am I to give advice about photography?
Dustan
a photo by "a person with a camera"
