I love compact cameras. If you can fit it in your pocket, you can bring it everywhere with you, and that means more chances to shoot, thus better images.
How compact cameras can make you a better photographer
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compact camera
What your camera says about you as a photographer
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We've talked about how talent and skills are not enough to make a photographer stand out above the crowds nowadays. While I believe patience and persistence are the best way to deal with this, there are other ways a photographer might try to be different -sometimes even unconsciously.
An obvious one is camera gear. Indeed, today a photographer's camera is not so much about image quality but about signaling who you are as a photographer. These are some examples; they are generalizations and they won't fit everyone, but they might sound familiar to you. I definitely can see myself in 2 of these.
Read MorePhotography as meditation
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I walk a lot. Perhaps I got tired of driving after my last road trip through Europe; perhaps the Camino got me hooked. Whatever the reason, I am obsessed with walking.
Of course, I always carry a camera with me. Sometimes, I'll listen to music or to a podcast. Most of the time, though, I'll just take in whatever is around -be it birds chirping or a loud highway.
Almost all the photography I've done during these past 2 months has been done on these walks, I barely used the car. This is a big shift from the way I used to do photography, not too long ago. I've found joy in just walking around with a compact camera and capturing whatever I see, wherever I happen to be.
In fact, photography while walking has become a meditation of sorts for me. During those walks, I don't think about anything, I don't reach for my phone, I don't worry about the images I'm making. I feel present and in the moment, seeing what's around me, and capturing whatever feels right. Only time will tell if the images are any good, but I've been enjoying these walks so much that it doesn't really matter.
Don't worry, though, in just a few weeks I'll be hitting the road again, on a trip that will take me to 3 islands. Stay tuned!
For now, some images I made this morning:
The Swans
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I always carry one of my RX100s with me and try to take a few photos everyday no matter where I am or what I am doing. Most of these photographs are no good, but every once in a while, I run into a scene I love.
This was the case a couple of days ago coming back from the grocery store, shopping bag on the shoulder and camera in my pocket. It was a nice and calm night, and these two swans were hanging out on the river. I loved the contrast between the dark water and the white birds.
The RX100 doesn't excel in low light, but it is the best camera -by far- to carry along with the groceries. I took a few shots, hoping for the best, and kept walking. I really like the final image, an unexpected one that I was able to make only because I was carrying my camera with me.
New addition to the family: RX100VII
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I just doubled down on my approach to go compact with the purchase of the newest RX100, the mark VII.
The combo mark II + VA is near perfect for what I do. There were two main problems, though:
- The mark II is falling apart, and I'm afraid it'll stop to work at any moment.
- The lack of mic input in the VA has proven to be more painful than I initially thought, making my video workflow much more complicated.
The mark VII feels familiar in every sense, slightly bigger but the same camera. The mic input and the 200mm alone might be worth the huge price tag.
It's already been in the rain and heavy snow since I got it a couple of days ago, and it behaved like a champ. I'll share my final thoughts on this camera very soon for those who are on the fence.
Ditch the viewfinder
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Daido Moriyama explains why he doesn't like SLR cameras in his documentary "Near Equal" (10:02):
"If you use a SLR, you see things like this (through the viewfinder)
[...]
and when you do this, you want to have perfect focus"
I've been shooting compact cameras for a few weeks now and I have to agree with Daido.
Viewfinders put you inside your image. Using the LCD screen keeps you in the present, aware of your environment. You don't see the fine details, only the big picture of what you are trying to create. You don't worry as much about the exposure or the focus.
All of this makes for a more spontaneous photography, and creates imagery that comes from the gut.
I've been trying to apply street photography principles to landscape and fine art, as opposed to the more meditative and slower process that is usually involved in the making of this kind of images. Instead of adjusting my composition and settings to perfection, I take in my surroundings: the sounds, the smells, the textures, the colors. And then I shoot what feels right.
I don't think either approach is better or worse than the other, and images might not be that different after all. I do enjoy the process more this way, though, and in that sense it's been liberating.
I'd encourage you to give this a try: ditch the viewfinder and embrace the LCD screen for a distraction-free photography.
Life update: fall trip and going compact
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You already know about my fall trip and my decision to go compact on this trip. This is that same information but in video form, plus some of the highlights of my drive from NW Spain to SW Germany.