I was in a TV interview once. It was right after I had brought home a bunch of awards from one print competition. The well-meaning interviewer at the end asked me about my camera gear insinuating it contributed to the pile of trophies they were filming. If I had a dollar for everytime someone gave credit to my camera...I'd have a little more padding in my bank account. Statements such as, "you take such amazing photos...your camera must be amazing!" I'm the first one to say that if you consider yourself a professional photographer you need to have professional equipment...it is a given, not the reason for amazing photography.
I often challenge myself with lesser equipment. I often try to see what I can create when I don't have all my great lenses, lighting helps and exposure controls. Basically, when it is solely up to my storytelling, composition, available light, and utilizing everything inside of me not camera-related. Most of the time it is just me, or a sunrise, or my puppy. These are quiet and reflective mini-creative moments where I get to stretch and grow even further. I ask myself what greatness can I create with the tools available to me right at that moment with all the knowledge I have acquired over the last ten years of being in this business. (We always have some sort of photographic device on us, right?)
This photo below is a self-portrait in answer to one of those wishful-account-padding statements that someone asked me recently. This was created solely by me using the camera on my phone. I love my image tools... I really do. They allow me to create and bring my view of the world to light. I love communicating to the world with imagery. I am an artist. I'm educated. I am creative. A camera is just a tool that brings out the best of our vision.
I wonder if someone asked DaVinci what kind of paintbrush he used.
3 Comments
Mar 8, 2013, 10:35:56 AM
Jen - Hi Jari! I totally get what you are saying! This image has had some photoshopping done to it. It has been lightened and sharpened from the original and the shape has been changed. (some space has been added to the right hand side to make it square). I also have a spot on my cheek from recently being in the sun that was removed. :-)
Mar 7, 2013, 7:38:04 AM
Jari Carlton Cannon - You look amazing here, and I don't doubt your talent one bit. However (and I could be wrong), it looks like you've used more than your camera phone for this picture. It has a paintbrush feel to it as if the photo has been airbrushed. I only bring this up because there seems to be a lot of that all over, from magazine covers to family portraits. It would be depressing to the rest of us if you (and all those other models out there) truly looked this perfect.
Mar 7, 2013, 12:40:55 AM
Heidi - That's the best selfie I've ever seen!