Camera And Photography

“Your sensor is filthy,” he said. I felt as if I’d taken my clothes to the dry cleaners and they’d said, “You wore this in public?” or as if I’d died with dirty underwear on. Due to the amount of dirt on the sensor I was in the camera shop for some time. Initially I walked over to each of the clean, shiny glass display cases to view the accessories inside. There were Rolleiflex and Leicas and all the current name brands. I thought, sadly, that it’s a shame I never inherited my father’s old camera equipment. There were long lenses and short lenses of every type and carrying cases for them all.

As I looked around I realized that I knew so little about an art where there is so much to know. I take pictures of what I like. I don’t know much about lighting, models, average white balance, macro or micro. As I looked around at the shop it pressed in on me and I felt like screaming, “Never mind! Give me my camera and I’ll go home.” Instead I perused the photo magazines displayed on the wall.

I view the magazines on the wall most that deal with work of various current photographers. When captured in its fullness nature displays a grandeur that takes my breath away. Those that draw us into these scenes with film magnify creation. In still life they move our hearts into beauty so that we are held still as well. The human body is intricate and awesome as well and with film one can capture realities we don’t appreciate day to day. As with everything beautiful there is the possibility to pervert and twist to darkness.

There are pictures of the human body in poses inappropriate. They push the boundary of decency as if that made them a better artist. They move to a dark balance rather than staying with form, beauty and light. This is the dark side of photography and it has become mainstream. That is unfortunate.

My sensor fixed I scooted out of the photo shop. My desire to shoot photos was once again ignited. I will try to focus a day or two to practice and experimentation. I don’t know all the technical stuff but I have an eye for it---and a clean sensor.