I have yet another great reason to carry a point-and-shoot camera, but not an excuse.
The big heavy expensive cameras have their place. Never discount their usefulness. They are very useful but sometimes obnoxious.
For my day job occasionally I carry a video camera out into public. It isn't a camcorder that you carry on vacation. It's a broadcast quality camera. Then add the headphones and wireless mic system and it starts to look really complicated and obnoxious. I mostly shoot in a studio type setting, but the first few times in public with this set up felt well, embarrassing with everyone looking at me. There's this pressure as people watch you to see what you video tape. Eventually I got over it but with that kind of setup in public, people watch you.
I was talking to another photographer about her new DSLR and how she didn't like carrying it around because it was a little "embarrassing" hanging around her neck, and she looked like a tourist or just felt dumb with the huge camera hanging off her neck.
Eventually if you shoot enough you get over it and you don't care. At least I did, with my big setup. The interesting thing is now when I take my point-and-shoot outside and start to work for an interesting angle, I'm once again self-conscious because I'm focusing really close or at an interesting angle with this tiny amateur camera. A "professional" looking camera gives you an excuse to work for a "professional" angle. Now without a big setup I just feel weird.
Anyway the point is get over it. Just get the shot. Practice, you'll stop caring what passers-by think.
5 comments:
Hey! Dan- I have a question for you. I'm traveling international in a few months. I want a way to take high quality video with a discrete looking camera. I hear that you can get a point and shoot to do this function rather well, (esp. if you wan't want lots of video tapes). Do you have any tips for me as i search the market?
Kerianne,
Most point-and-shoot camera do video. You'll just want to make sure that the camera you choose will have video at resolution of 640x480 or higher.
Video will take up a lot of space on your memory card so either take lots of memory or take a computer with you to download all your photos and video.
Have fun!
How would it be to tote a video camera around for your job? Does creativity and art come harder when you are paid for it i.e. art on demand?
Candice,
A lot of what I do has already been scripted. So there is a limit of what I videotape. However there is a lot of creativity in how I get that scripted shot.
I would feel embarrassed if I were out shooting in public without my DSLR now.
In fact it has gotten so bad that I now feel embarrassed using my lone non-internally focusing lens (Tamron XR Di II 17-50mm f/2.8) in public!
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