There have been a few discussions lately between friends about the merits of various cameras, image quality and useability. But, after all the discussion our good friend Annie summed it all up with the line "the best camera is the one you have with you at the time".
Yep. Gotta agree with that!
The main camera I use for work is without doubt better in terms of useability and image quality than any other camera I've ever owned. I have no interest in Nikon v. Canon debates, or which is the best DSLR or the best camera phone. I am firmly in Annie's camp on this one... the best camera for you is the one you have with you at the time.
My camera phone is clearly not as good as my DSLR, but what good is my DSLR when it is sitting at home and I am faced with a sunset or a scene or a snap that just has to be taken?
Everywhere I go I see potential photographs, but I don't have my big camera everywhere I go.
I have just very recently been dragged into the 21st century though, so I do sometimes have a camera phone. Not always. I don't carry a phone around with me unless I really have to... I have a very real and very strong aversion to phones, but that is probably a whole nother story!!
Anyway, twice recently I had my phone with me and saw a few scenes I wanted to shoot. No big camera, just a mobile phone.
At that particular moment in time, the mobile phone had the best camera for the job... well, it was the only one I had so there was no competition was there?
The images are extremely poor quality in comparison to the DSLR. Noisy shadows, blown highlights, blur, ridiculously long shutter lag... heck, I could've made a cup of tea in the time between pressing the shutter and the image recording!! But for all that, I actually quite like the results. They are no use whatsoever for printing or blowing up to any size other than web-size, but there is a certain quality (ok, poor quality), but a certain quality nonetheless that I actually rather like!
The images have a slightly documentary feel to them. They aren't prizewinners or works of art for sure, but there is something appealing about them. They are snaps, and they do what snaps are supposed to do, remind you of happy times or moments; they are a visual record of a moment in your life that had some particular meaning at that moment. They have soul and meaning, maybe only to me, but that is why I like them.
There's a different quality to a high quality, clear and thought-about photograph, but it's not necessarily any the less for being a snap.
Sometimes we need to step back and remind ourselves of what it's all about... I love creating images and photographs, I love making people feel special and better about themselves, allowing them to escape to fantasyland for a while if they need to, but I also love the plain and the simple things in my life. Sitting on a bench on Brighton seafront with John, watching the sun set behind the pier.
Or walking the dog on another grey, muddy, slightly frozen, slightly thawed January day and laughing at him as he splashes through the mud, then inwardly crying at the mess and the stench of wet dog for the journey home...
...and grinning a bit at the thought of John's face when we both appear at the back door and Hogan shakes himself before wagging his tail to be let in!!!
These are moments for snaps. They may be poor quality, but they are top quality in terms of emotion and feel. Can't grumble at that ;-)
Rebecca,x
Nice blog Rebecca.
ReplyDeleteI didnt think about that camera thingy all by myself lol. On my phone I have a few basic photo editing apps. One that Simon recomended is called "Best camera" and thats how they promote it. The idea struck as being very true.Also a phone camera can be usefull to use as a type of note book a quick snap of something to remind you to go back and photograph later.
Thanks Annie, I'm glad you like the blog! I'm struggling to edit it to get the spaces between paragraphs to try & get it easier to read so must apologise for it being all clumped up... I'm working on it ;)
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of the notebook Annie, using your mobile phone as a visual note book for later, that's a great idea!! Ah, see what I've missed all these years resisting the pull of the 21st century and the mobile phone, haha :D
Good blog Rebecca, but I will not be dragged into the 21st century re phones and cameras. I have used mine but as I do carry my DSLR with me I tend not to use the camera side of the phone - heck I even detest using the text side. :). I like Hogans image I did say it looked like a sketch but as has been pointed out it is more like a charcoal drawing.
ReplyDeleteThank you Walter and I would definitely use the DSLR over the phone any time if I had it with me... but, unfortunately I don't :( and I totally agree about the text thing, I hate it too!! I do it if and when I have to, but otherwise the phone stays switched off most of the time. If I'd had my way I'd never have had one at all, but now I've got it I'll use it for some things and it is handy to have the camera, even if the pics are poor quality :)
ReplyDeleteYour not the only oneI dont seem to have any control over the spacing using the editing tools oin here LOL I think I have but never looks right. Using windows live write i feel more in control but feeling is as far as it gets there too.Your blogs are enjoyable to read how ever they are layed out . :D
ReplyDeletethanks Annie, I will keep trying to edit this one as I'm really conscious of people who struggle to read big chunks of text. For some reason, it's just not playing the game and stays all clumped up no matter what I do!
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