Funtography

As is the case for many amateur photographers, my first experiences with picture taking were with a standard point and shoot. Considering I typically upgraded every few years to keep up with expanding megapixels and added features (hellooo color swapping and miniature mode!) these models made for the average photo taker were always reliable.

Grandpa Walt

The appeal of a point and shoot is easy to understand – they’re economically priced, compact, easy to use, come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes, and are loaded with various filters and features that can make anyone look like a pro. To be honest, some of my favorite photos were taken with my trusty Canon and it’s actually those photos that sparked my interest in photography and lead to my eventual upgrade to a micro four-thirds Panasonic GF-1.

Main Street

Now, you may be wondering where, exactly, my loyalties lie and the truth is…I’m a bit of a swinger. There are some cases, such as family beach trips and car rides (not to mention the ever popular “self” portrait) where there is risk of damaging a lens or instability that simply make a point and shoot easier and more practical for use.  

Sleeping Beauty's Castle

What you can’t get from a point and shoot: crystal clarity, bokeh and the variety of output achieved from varying styles, ranges and makes of lenses. Admittedly, I am very new to the world of the mirrorless micro four-thirds. I have worked with but one lens and know less than I should about aperture, f-stops and the like (luckily I have an excellent teacher in the creator of this website J). Even with my limited ability, I’ve learned to appreciate these features and the freedom that they lend to seeing your vision come to fruition  - there is no frustration like visualizing a shot in your head and not being able to bring it to life because your camera can’t keep up.

Tomorrow Land

So, what’s my point, you ask? I suppose the end point is this: all art and all mediums are subjective. Shoot with what you like, when you like, however you like. What matters in the end is that you, the artist, are satisfied with the result.

Happy snapping!

-Heather