an understanding - finally

 

 
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It's taken a while, but I finally understand better why I use the equipment that I do. Earlier today I thought this might be an excuse. But it doesn't feel that way any longer. It's more self discovery.

While I admittedly purchased both my preferred cameras late in the film vs. digital battle, at the time it seemed like a simple continuation of an established trend (in my life of chemical film based imagery). Being a slow learner, and one not taken to jumping from one equipment choice to another without some period of trying to learn the capabilities of the tools at hand, the chosen format has taken me in what I feel to be a good direction. I'm clearer about  what I want to photograph, even if it does mean that I photograph less  - and less frequently as well.

But now that I  have made my decision to work with the present tools, the natural inclination in our family is to stick with what you've got until it wears out or breaks down. (Even then, we're likely to fix it and keep it running a while longer.) It's really an issue of conservation of materials and time. I'm not inclined to join the worldwide hordes in their rampage for the quick and easy digital because camera manufacturers made some compelling reasons for the entire planet to buy a new camera. What I have works - for me. I'm still learning how to use what I've got. It's not broken, so why should I switch to something else that runs on a cycle of six month obsolescence?

A familiar lament, I know. I'm concerned with the rampant consumer ism we're locked into. The glut of image capture is part of it. More and more, faster and faster. Does anyone benefit but appleadobecanondellhpleicamicrosoftnikonolympuspentax?