'Is bigger always better?'
That is a question that I am finding myself asking the more I invest myself in this hobby.
As with most people, when one becomes heavily involved in a hobby or vocation, that they will often strive for better and better results. It would be rare for someone who regularly enjoys playing golf, for example, and not have them try to better their score. The same I must say, has been for my interest in film and photography. The more I shoot, the more perfection I want. That better lighting, that better sound quality, that better moment. So I seek the bigger camera, the bigger microphone, all in the pursuit of perfection. But seeking better quality doesn't come without its drawbacks. Today's blog will hope to explore some of those drawbacks.
Before I get into detail, I should inform readers of exactly the type of equipment that I am dealing with. I am not a professional photographer or videographer. Both are hobbies of mine in which I like to indulge in when I have free time. I have always been interested in artistic pursuits and until 4 years ago, sketching and painting was the extent of my regular artistic pursuits.
In 2008, I invested in a DSLR. I had been thinking of buying one for a few years before hand. After doing my research, I settled on a Nikon D90 (pictured above). I thought this was a good introductory camera for someone who was completely new to the field but was willing to learn as much as they could about techniques and control.
Early this year (2012), I moved onto film and bought a Canon XA 10 (pictured left). Again, after doing my research, I was impressed with the level of manual control that the XA 10 offered, particularly for someone like me who had worked with a DSLR before.
Both of these cameras are certainly not the best there are out there, and both certainly fit the prosumer mold, and both can deliver a level of control and quality that would satisfy most novice hobbiests. However, I began to encounter several interesting drawbacks that I didn't experience while working with smaller, more basic-level devices.
For the more experienced photographer or videographer, the issue that I am about to raise will seem obvious and many people would have developed their own techniques for overcoming this problem. But for newcomers, this will be an issue that you will inevitably face once you start to expand your technological investments.
The issue that I want to talk about today is the problem of intimidation. Big cameras with chunky accessories do intimidate people. Upon encountering one of my cameras, especially with accessories like flash and microphone attached, people who are not used to being infront of a camera are often intimidated, even though both cameras are designed for the everyday, non-professional use.
They certainly draw attention to themselves, which is bad for someone like me who wants to capture people in their natural state of play. People suddenly feel less comfortable when in front of a larger camera. They are more consciously aware that they are being filmed or photographed. It becomes something that people find difficult to ignore and they find it harder to be 'natural.'
Another problem that arises from possessing larger equipment is that your motivations are questioned more. You are not longer filming because you want to keep memories. Oh no! You are presumed to have ulterior motives.
"What are you doing with such a big camera?"
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"Why are you here? What do you want?"
And, in some ways, they are probably right. You may be shooting for more than just savouring 'happy snap' moments. But it becomes increasingly difficult to convince others that you are using your camera for personal reasons when you genuinely intend to use your camera for that purpose. While others are free to film and snap with their pocket-sized digital devices and their motivations not questioned, larger cameras will be questioned.
There are certainly grounds for people's concerns as there are certainly those out there who are out to exploit people. But I often find myself having to constantly reassure people (even my closest friends) that I intend to capture them at their best and not their worst. I explain to them that with this camera I could take a better picture of them then what most people can take with their regular cameras. Yet, trust in my intentions is often difficult to overcome.
But I notice that the same diligence in self image is not applied to smaller cameras. Yet, it is with these small cameras that I often find people taking photos of others when they don't look their best. My friends will not give a second thought to uploading their poorly taken photos of their friends looking less than ideal.
I know that today's blog is a bit of a rant, but its an issue that I often get tired of dealing with particularly when I want to just enjoy my hobby. Although I can understand people's concerns and I try the best I can to reassure them of my intentions, I can telling myself that this is the price you pay for a little bit of quality.
