PeterToronto
07-28-2010, 01:10 PM
Greetings guys
Marco Cinnirella recently wrote a guest post on my website that I had to share with you. Marco is a Psychology Professor at a British University, and is also a keen amateur photographer. *He posts regularly on photography forums, and is a fan of Sony DSLRs, and the micro four thirds system. *I*hope that you enjoy his post as much as I did when I first read it...
It dawned on me recently, not as a pro shooter, which I'm not, but as a very keen hobby photographer, that lately I have been living too much of my life behind the viewfinders of my cameras.
I first noticed this problem towards the end of a wonderful vacation in the Canadian Rockies.* It suddenly hit me that while I was still stunned by the scenery, as seen through my SLR viewfinder, I was absolutely blown away by it when I took the camera away from my eye and just lived and breathed the awe inspiring views for myself through my own eyes. *I was bitterly disappointed that I had more or less only seen some of the glorious views through my 24mm lens.
Most recently, I took a family vacation with my wife, three and one year old. *As usual, I had a couple of cameras, some lenses, and accessories with me. Very quickly I sank into the old habit of having the camera up to my eye virtually the whole time. *My poor wife was often left with both kids to look after as I wandered around looking for that elusive 'perfect shot' or new take on a seasoned postcard view. *How she put up with this for two weeks I don't know, but looking back it seems rather selfish of me.
What concerns me most is that I am beginning to realize how I am in a way experiencing some key events in my family's life, and children's development, through the lens. Somehow it's not the same. *For example, my 3-year old saw the ocean for the first time ever 'in real life' on this recent trip. *My wife took him onto the shore and built sandcastles and paddled with him, while I minded the baby and snapped away at my wife and toddler. *While I got some nice images, I missed out on this special little event and it was gone forever. * I never heard my toddler's reaction when the cold ocean water lapped over his feet for the first time, nor did I see the look on his face when he completed his first sand castle. You get the picture.
Back home, I realize that I'm no better. *I see my kids doing something really cute or new for the first time and my instant reflex reaction is to grab a camera (or camcorder).
It's finally dawned on me that some of the most key (maybe mundane for some people but special for me) events in my life are slipping by, and I am only ever experiencing them through a lens. *While I love photography I now realize the balance here isn't right.* I need to live and experience some things first hand, even if that means the only image I have is that captured by my mind's eye rather than that of a CMOS chip.
Peace
Peter
peter anthony PHOTOGRAPHY - Home (http://www.peteranthonyphotography.com)
Marco Cinnirella recently wrote a guest post on my website that I had to share with you. Marco is a Psychology Professor at a British University, and is also a keen amateur photographer. *He posts regularly on photography forums, and is a fan of Sony DSLRs, and the micro four thirds system. *I*hope that you enjoy his post as much as I did when I first read it...
It dawned on me recently, not as a pro shooter, which I'm not, but as a very keen hobby photographer, that lately I have been living too much of my life behind the viewfinders of my cameras.
I first noticed this problem towards the end of a wonderful vacation in the Canadian Rockies.* It suddenly hit me that while I was still stunned by the scenery, as seen through my SLR viewfinder, I was absolutely blown away by it when I took the camera away from my eye and just lived and breathed the awe inspiring views for myself through my own eyes. *I was bitterly disappointed that I had more or less only seen some of the glorious views through my 24mm lens.
Most recently, I took a family vacation with my wife, three and one year old. *As usual, I had a couple of cameras, some lenses, and accessories with me. Very quickly I sank into the old habit of having the camera up to my eye virtually the whole time. *My poor wife was often left with both kids to look after as I wandered around looking for that elusive 'perfect shot' or new take on a seasoned postcard view. *How she put up with this for two weeks I don't know, but looking back it seems rather selfish of me.
What concerns me most is that I am beginning to realize how I am in a way experiencing some key events in my family's life, and children's development, through the lens. Somehow it's not the same. *For example, my 3-year old saw the ocean for the first time ever 'in real life' on this recent trip. *My wife took him onto the shore and built sandcastles and paddled with him, while I minded the baby and snapped away at my wife and toddler. *While I got some nice images, I missed out on this special little event and it was gone forever. * I never heard my toddler's reaction when the cold ocean water lapped over his feet for the first time, nor did I see the look on his face when he completed his first sand castle. You get the picture.
Back home, I realize that I'm no better. *I see my kids doing something really cute or new for the first time and my instant reflex reaction is to grab a camera (or camcorder).
It's finally dawned on me that some of the most key (maybe mundane for some people but special for me) events in my life are slipping by, and I am only ever experiencing them through a lens. *While I love photography I now realize the balance here isn't right.* I need to live and experience some things first hand, even if that means the only image I have is that captured by my mind's eye rather than that of a CMOS chip.
Peace
Peter
peter anthony PHOTOGRAPHY - Home (http://www.peteranthonyphotography.com)