Camera? I don't need no stinking camera....

In an earlier post I billed myself as a "part-time photographer," and this is true. I have the equipment but often don't make the use of it that I probably should.

So what.

I was keen observer of the world before I ever picked up a camera. In fact, I didn't purchase an SLR until I was the ripe old age of 20. It was a purchase made, in part, to try and record some of the natural beauty I was experiencing on my nearly weekly sojourns into the Ozark mountains. Another part of me just wanted something new to fiddle with, and a 1967 vintage Nikon F filled the bill nicely. The camera was nearly as old as I was when I made the purchase.

Problems quickly ensued. The F, though a wonderful camera in many respects... fully manual, built like a tank, just plain cool to look at, also weighed about 10 pounds when the 85mm f1.8 lens that came with it was attached. Not to mention the fact that the 85mm lens was not the most ideal choice for landscapes. So I picked up nice second-hand 35mm f2 lens. It worked better for landscapes, but still didn't bring down the crushing weight of the F by much, especially since I now felt utterly compelled to bring both lenses along! Add a tripod to the mix and my weekly outings became rather encumbered with gear. Not fun.

So very soon I learned that, on some trips, the camera would be staying at home. This is when I began to wax philosophical about not having the camera with me for every outing. I told myself then, and have even grown to believe, that, at times, a camera can actually impugn ones deeply personal connection with all things of natural beauty.

Having the camera was great, but not having it became no big deal. (It no doubt helped that after going through my first several dozen rolls of film I had produced only one or two images that I felt had any merit whatsoever.)

Eventually I purchased a newer, much lighter camera and lenses, but even then I kept the bag at home on some trips. On others I'd have the bag, but the camera might never come out of it.

I got in the habit of pausing over scenes that interested me. I would size them up and make a decision on how well I thought I would be able to capture it photographically before making the effort. Along the way I learned not to worry so much about the photograph, and concentrate first on enjoying the moment.

It works for me.