My Place Under The Sun

Monday, November 21, 2005

Some Thoughts On Photography....

Having been behind the digital lens for a couple of months now, I have learned a couple of things. Some of which I will now impart to you, my friends.

1. It is always the photographer, not the camera.
So many times have I been impressed by photographs taken by point and shoot cameras, also known as P&S. Theories and priniciples never change, whether you use the top of the line DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) or an old P&S. What really matters is how you apply these principles and how well you work with your camera.

2. Great food, what pan did you use?
I'm stealing this line from my buddy, Dennis.
When we eat, do we ask our host "Great food, what pan did you use?" or do we enjoy the taste of the food?

This is the same with looking at pictures. Whenever non-photographers look at pictures, you never hear them ask what equipment was used or what setting the camera was at the time. They simply enjoy the picture. Photographers however are different, almost obsessed to knowing the settings, the lens and camera that was used to take a good picture, we tend to lose the essence of enjoying the work of others. This is also the reason why some photographs on the web come with exif data or camera settings.

Why do photographers do this? It is in the hope to use the same camera setting in case we shoot the same subject. Ironically, however, no matter how much photographers try to imitate another photographer's work, there will ALWAYS be a difference. Which is why I have chosen to no longer to include exif data in any of my pictures.

3. Bring Everything, Shoot Anything.
Something I learned from another photographer, Ted Madamba. When you have everything you can shoot anything. Though recently I revised this thinking, because after all, you wouldn't want to be carrying 2 or so Kilos would you?

Through practice you learn the equipment you need for certain shots. You find out that you don't need your macro lens for fashion or events shoots or your zoom lens for macro shot and landscape shots. Leaving a lens or two will eventually help out your carrying load and your bag as well.

1 Comments:

  • hi Ben (hope you dont mind),

    I admire your talents specially on photography. Talking about tips could you suggest to me where i could find art/photography school anywhere here. Im just thirty minutes away (Lapu-Lapu city). Thanks again!

    By Blogger Ms.B, at 5:59 PM  

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