Why Not Let Someone Else Take the Pictures for Once
With cameras so cheap and available, everyone has become an amateur photographer. Then with digital photography so accessible, the average person can not only take the pictures, but print them or distribute them online for little cost. Yet, here are some reasons why being the chief photographer isn’t always best at all.
First, if you are the family photographer, you know the bondage it can be to always be looking for the ‘perfect shot’. If you’re going to be good at it, you must think like a photographer. Yet, when you get done, you have a set of good pictures but no memories of what happened? Recently we got a call to watch a TV station to see our granddaughter in a parade. I spent the time trying to get the camera to focus on the TV and missed seeing her. I wish I had just enjoyed the moment and waited until they sent the pictures.
Electronics in cameras have definitely made them simple to use. However, keeping all its potential in your mind can be a different story. What do all the icons on top mean? Do you know how to turn on or off the auto focus or flash? What does P, TV, Av, or M stand for? Of course you can look them up in the manual but unless you keep using the features, you will forget and then they are as if not present on the camera.
As the photographer, you are often required to get into obtuse contortions or obnoxious places to get just the right shot. Further, you can lose a lot of friends by sticking the camera in their face every time they smile. You may well be required to prod and cajole them into smiling just once more. Why not let someone else be the bad guy for a change?
So you do it anyway and get a camera full of shots. Now guess who will get requests for CDs full of pictures, as if you have plenty of free time to dedicate to this. Or you might spend your time sending the pictures to others via email or posting them on a webpage.
But it’s more than just the time involved. Though digital photography need never be printed, some friends simply don’t have access to this media. They will probably want you to print the pictures and this means lots of expensive ink and paper. Are you without a printer? If not, be sure to get one that has multiple ink cartridges so that they can be replaced individually when all the relatives keep asking for more prints.
If you want to look like a tourist, by all means hang a camera around your neck and draw it to your eye regularly. And don’t be surprised if people decide your pictures are more important to you than they are.
Think of this: if you have a minor plumbing problem, you fix it yourself. But if a major problem arises, you call a plumber to fix it. The same can be said of photography. Of course you don’t want to throw away your camera. But also relax and enjoy life and, at least sometimes, let others make the photo recordings.
When you want your photos done right, choosing the best photographer for your needs is worth the investment. If you follow the principles above, you will likely be glad you had it done professionally. Del Haven Studio is the location of an experienced Virginia Beach Maternity Photographer who is very skilled – as you can see from her website portfolio.
