While out driving around in Arizona last week I came across this old cemetery. I have always been intrigued with old graveyards and couldn't resist driving up the dirt road to where a handful of grave sites were located. As I walked around the area I could see a monsoon thunderstorm brewing to the North. The sky darkened quickly and I scrambled and stumbled to unpack my camera equipment and make my setup. Using my new digital equipment has created a new work flow for me in preparing to make an exposure. I find myself fighting with the camera a little more than in the past. In the old days, ( just two years ago) I was a film photographer and worked with a large view camera. I had a procedure when setting up my camera and composing my subject. With the many years of using a view camera my setup became a systematic routine with each step done in order. While I was in the process of assembling my gear I would be visualizing the scene, anticipating my filter choice for contrast control and how I was going to handle the light for exposure and development of the film. The camera was completely manual and didn't tell me anything. I would set the camera movements according how I envisioned the subject should appear, and then with a hand held light meter determine the proper exposure. While I enjoy the new technology of the digital era, there are some draw backs. I really don't like all of the camera functions and programs I need to deactivate to get the camera to operate as simply as possible. Technology is great, but sometimes it gets in the way with my style of photography. I am sure there are some photographers that may not agree with me and I can certainly understand that many of the new camera functions are a great advantage to their style of photography. All of the various styles used in photography are what makes it so much fun and interesting.
No comments:
Post a Comment