An interesting read about photography in the hands of the people.

An interesting read about photography in the hands of the people.

Originally shared by Rob Masters

Some thoughts on modern photography.

As I have said, Alicia Smith and I went to see The Giants yesterday in Perth, and it was stunning. 

While watching and taking photos, started noticing something, and started looking around me. What I observed was very interesting and quite wonderful.

Firstly, I saw, in the thousands of people around me, maybe three or four point-and-shoot digital camera. This is a section of the market that is getting seriously squeezed.

Secondly, this created an odd sort of division in the crowd. There were those using mobile phones or the occasional tablet to record the event - and those with DSLR or Mirrorless kit. And almost nothing in between.

Then it gets interesting - from my perspective, anyway. Almost everyone who was shooting with interchangeable lens kit didn't just have a stock camera. There were video stabilisation grips, long and short primes, boom mics, monopods, highlift tripods with image relay remotes, chest-strap quick release systems, wide-screen specific lenses, all sorts of kit.

All of which, just a couple of years ago was the domain of either the pro, or the serious camera geek.

Yesterday it was in the hands of the regular folk. The stabilisation kit and boom mic? A young couple filming their 5-maybe-6 year old interviewing her 7-maybe-8 year old friends. The highlift tripod? Just a guy with his girlfriend. Quick release system? A young mother. And the list goes on.

Even I did not have just stock gear - I had reflector discs for some portraits I did later in the event, a second camera, and two lenses, even though I was travelling very light.

All the gear that just a few years ago cost a small fortune to buy, and you had to be 'in the biz' or a club to know about is now general knowledge and affordable by all.  And they are learning to use it, and to think about what and how they shoot as a result.

That has to be a good thing for the art.