.. some days I wish I could unlearn all that I have learned about photography in the last few years.
Some days, I wish I had a point and shoot camera and could just take snaps of my kids, not caring about the light, the composition, the pop-up flash.. none of it.
So, as much as I would love everyone to learn how to use their SLR cameras, I caution you that there are downsides. First there is the obsession. You will spend hours pouring over books and blogs, hours practicing with your children and your friend’s children. And some of you, like me, will start up a business (having run out of friend’s children to practice on) to pursue this passion. Which is all well and good…except when you want to take a snap of your child, you whip out a cell phone camera. Not a point and shoot, but a slow slow cell phone camera. And you miss moments. Lots of them.
Like this one, from February 2006, where both my girls cuddled up for the first time and took a nap. I am so glad that I did not care about the flash, the sheets, the outfits, the anything. I just took the photo. And I love it.
I see so many classes and workshops for moms with cameras (they didn’t have those workshops when i was starting out). Remember, it is like riding a bike, once you learn it, you cannot unlearn it. You see flaws in a photo before you see the beauty in a photo. You see the light before you see the moment. You see the tree sticking out from a person’s head and move to get a better composition rather than just TAKING THE PICTURE. You cannot unlearn these things. At least I cannot. I have tried.
So for now, I stick to taking videos of the kids. I know nothing about videography. And refuse to learn.
xoxo, Rashmi
5 Responses
That is just the sweetest picture ever!
That pictures makes me want to weep!
And SOOO true! I wish my old point and shoot was good enough for me now. I have far fewer pictures of my kids now than I did before because now taking pictures seems like work to me.
ha! love this about the video. so true though. just today there was a great moment with my little guy and i thought, oh, i should take a picture. but, i haven’t dumped my cards from my trip, my phone was in the kitchen, and don’t you know, i have this work (website portfolio) that i’m working on, and i really have to make some progress on it, and… on and on. later tonight while i was giving him a bath, i realized how bummed i was that i didn’t just take the darn picture. he promised to repeat his “superman” escapades with the 2 year old neighbor tomorrow (capes, sunglasses, and magnifying glasses). i hope so. lesson learned.
What a sweet picture! Very, very wise not to get started in video- ha, ha. If for no other reason, it takes up MASSIVE amounts of space. Hence why Dave is at this very moment at Best Buy buying something bigger so that he can transfer all of Carmen’s funeral video!
What a precious photo. And great lesson!!