Confession of a Bagaholic

AudioBlog LogoOk, I admit it…I’m a bag (camera bag) aholic. Are you?This audioblog seeks to give an answer to this “condition” that plagues photographers everywhere. How should you carry your gear? Why do camera bags suck? What is the best way to carry your gear for travel photography?  All of these and more are considered and answered in this therapeutic audioblog. The images below are referenced in this audioblog so give a listen and let the healing begin. To order the bag seen below (does not include insert) call: Iomar Perez in Puerto Rico at 787.612.6862.

To order a Y Strap just click on the link.

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A Digital Point And Shoot Camera for Photographers?

sigma dp1 image

Rarely do I get excited about new cameras (let alone another digital point and shoot camera) introduced to our already-flooded medium, but a new offering by Sigma (DP1) needs to highlighted. I have been watching the development of this camera for over a year now and it seems that Sigma will now have it (DP1) out by Spring 2008…early Xmas anyone? For more information click here.

Thought For The Day.

Our Fearless LeaderSadly enough, it bears repeating (and repeating…): digital and analog are different and choice is good. Why does one have to win? I just came across oh-yes-yet-another-article in which the author in the very first paragraph states that digital is better than analog. “There. I said it,” opines self-described “fussy pro” Jim Richards in NARFE magazine.

Nice, of course, to see the huge ad for a SONY digital camera-whoops, I mean “illustration”- inserted in the article as “content”…who do you think is paying for this fake article, eh? We are, as the flood of mis-information continues to poison our industry.

Merry #@$%^ ing Christmas!

"It" Takes Great Pictures

It? Who- or what- is this “It” anyway?

How many times have you said this: :”Yeah, It takes great photos“? But what does this really say about our relationship to our technology?

You are the photographer- right?…the camera is just a tool. Some of the best works ever made were made with not-so-great cameras, and, as we all know, give a camera to a good photographer, ANY camera and they can produce good work. Give a camera to an inept photographer- even the BEST-MOST-AMAZING camera- and can you reliably expect phenomenal results? Not so much.

The upshot? It ain’t the camera stupid.

Sure, the Photo Industrial Complex loves it when photographers pile on all praise and gratitude to them, ie: their products. And YES, there are some really good lenses and camera systems made that can enable you to get a shot or explore possibilities not possible with other equipment, but it is worth remembering that these tools are useless in the hands of an idiot… and yet marvelous in hands of a talented artists. The gear- or IT- is just a tool.

So the next time you are about to give credit for your vision, talent and hard work to the Photo Industrial Complex/your camera manufacturer- remember that, actually, you deserve the credit… after all, they already got their reward when they swiped your credit card.

The Open System

There’s lots of talk today online and in print about open camera system architecture…that is to say, a camera system that will accept different camera backs (medium and large format) and perhaps even lenses made by different manufacturers (see new Zeiss and Voigtlander offering for Nikon).

Very Cul!

Hasselblad of course screwed up this warm group hug and collective back rubbing with the introduction of the H3 which is a closed system (read: they want all your money) – definitely a lame move on their part.

The best (most flexible and cost effective) open system to date is: analog FILM married to a good scanner. Lots of options with a minimal investment and proven, time-tested technology to boot.

The best- or at least coolest- digital open system so far?…consider the Hy6 (you know, if you have $30,000.00+ just kicking around)!

I, for one, will stick with the film option.