It also demonstrates quite subtly my love for photography, my invariable desire to freeze time and capture it through my lens. That’s the magic of photography. It tells so much about the creative side of a person without using a single word.
There however seems to be an unending clash between my professional commitments and my passion for photography. While making numbers meet remain my priority, I hardly miss a good opportunity to celebrate the beauty of photography. And regardless of limitations and obstacles, I have always endeavored to capture beauty between my lenses and hence prefer to stay up-to-date about innovations in photography and world-class lenses and cameras.
There are several dimensions and perspectives to photography. Most people enjoy taking photographs to capture memories to relish it for later. Others consider it an art, a creative outlet to express themselves. The crux of the matter is that photography is something that most cherish. This is all the more true about the youth in Nigeria, for whom photography is a form of documenting time. With the popularity of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and hundreds of other social media sites, photographs define the youth and their lives. And that’s why most believe that they require a top-notch DLSR to be able to capture the right hue, the proper light, the perfect profile – in short, achieve perfection in photography.
But like I said, photography to some is an art. And for the perfect art you don’t always need the perfect tool. A DSLR is nothing but a tool to take better photographs. Today there are several pocket friendly, point and shoot cameras that are posing a serious threat to DLSRs. I for instance prefer to carry my Sony Alpha 7S camera with me, so that in case I do find something interesting to click, I do get to click with ease, without compromising so much on the image quality.
I love this particular photograph taken at Trafalgar Square, London. This one snap communicates the essence of my perspective. Notice the cameras people are using for immortalising their moment at Trafalgar Square – ordinary point-and-shoot cameras and mobile phone cameras! And this is precisely what distinguishes between the two. A DSLR is not portable, expensive, requires additional gear to use, and is inconvenient for toting around with. A small camera on the other hand – such as Nikon COOLPIX, a Sony CyberShot or even a phone camera is therefore the answer to those woes.
Let me explain things better. I took this photograph with my Canon 1DX during the Photowalk in Lagos. The whole idea of the Photowalk was to capture the life of Lagos with other photographers and friends. I was not taking photographs on a random day – but on a planned occasion. In such times, I could therefore pack my DSLR as the occasion justified it. But otherwise using a camera with a micro four-thirds would have served me just fine. A micro four-thirds camera is smaller and lighter, can take videos using viewfinder, have smaller sensor size for deeper depth of field, stabilizes the image as it comes without a mirror etc. In short no less effective than a DSLR.
The most important thing to remember is that photographs capture moments and store memories. So whether you want to spend thousands of Naira for a DSLR or restrict yourself to a more convenient point-and-shoot or micro four thirds is a personal choice. Moreover, in case one is not satisfied with the quality of photos their small P&S camera has taken, they can always rely on a good photo editing software or app. Adobe Create Suite, Photoshop CC, Serif PhotoPlus X8, Pixelmator are among some of the most reliable software for people to use to add the final touch to their captures.
As customers, each of us have different needs and purposes, topping these will our buying power and behavior. An amateur might not want to start off with a high-end DSLR, while a professional would invest more time, effort and money in owning the best in the market. Lens manufacturers have recognized the change in buyer needs and have come up with models that complement different buyer personas. Even as bankers we have to do that. We can’t have the same types of accounts, loans, cards etc. for all customers! And that’s exactly what a Sony, Canon, Fujifilm and all other camera manufacturers have been doing. They have studied their markets and customer’s needs. They know that though the DSLR has some great positives, some of its drawbacks could be answered by the more convenient and equally competent point-and-shoot and micro four-thirds cameras.
Your pocket friendly point and shoot camera may not be mightier than the DSLR – but it’s nothing less of a star on its own. Ask any professional photographer and they will confirm that they always have a personal favorite in a point-and-shoot camera for instant clicks.
Be First to Comment