Hi, Luna!
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I'm driving back home on this narrow county road when all of a sudden
out of nowhere, this black cat runs in front of my car
what am I to do?
I stop the car, I take my camera out of my pocket, and I start taking photographs, of course
This is just one of the many examples of how carrying a small camera always with me has improved my photography
It took me a while to realize about this, but you don't need to go to Iceland to make great images
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to go there! I already had plane tickets, hotels, everything was ready...
But damn pandemic!
I also realized that you don't need big and bulky cameras to make good images
In fact, many times, they get on the way
There is nothing wrong with going to cool places or using more serious cameras
I do it as often as I can
But as photographers, I feel like we are focusing too much on photography trips
and dismissing or neglecting the rest of our lives, that are full with images to be made as well
Every morning, I go for a walk
I can't tell you how many opportunities, how many images present themselves on those walks
For example, this other black cat
Rachel and I went on a walk a few days ago, and we ran into this cat
I think he needed a lot of love but was too shy to ask for it
I took a few photos, he turned around, looked at me, opened his mouth and that's when I made this image
That I really like
It's not my best image by any measure, but I enjoy it, I like it
and it's an image that I would've never made if I didn't have a camera wiith me at that moment
Having a camera makes me a 24/7 photographer
You see, photography is all about timing, we can't be everywhere at the same time
but if we have a camera with us, if we are always ready to make an image, then we can take advantage
of the present moment, wherever we are and whatever we are doing
After all, the chances of making a great image if we don't have a camera with us, are pretty much zero
This is another good example, I saw these couple of swans on the river on my way back home from the grocery store
I took my camera out, I made this image while I was still holding the groceries on the other hand
Having a camera with me at all times also means that I shoot more often
and like everything in life, the more you practice, the better you get at it, and photography is no exception here
Because a small camera draws less attention, they are also ideal to go to touristic spots
or places were regular cameras are not allowed
I loved using these cameras in Venice, for example: it was very busy, the streets were full of people
but I felt like I wasn't bothering anyone, and it was also easier for me to move around with this small camera
instead of a big camera with a big lens
The best thing is that they are still very capable cameras
and I can do 99% of the things that I can do with my bigger cameras
During my last road trip through Germany, Austria and Italy, I only brought my compact cameras
and I was able to do long exposures, night photography, anything I wanted, anything I needed to do
They are also very, very useful for long hikes, like during my 130 mile hike at the Camino
The RX100VIII was the only camera I had for photography
I brought along the GoPro for video because the weather was not the best
but yeah, for photography, I only used this camera and it was amazing
super lightweight and always ready to capture the scene
Of course, it doesn't have to be an RX100, Fuji has cameras, Ricoh has good cameras, Canon has the G7X...
Any camera that you can fit in your pocket, or your jacket, or your purse, or your bag
any camera that you can bring with you most of the time will help you improve your photography
much more than a DSLR, or bigger sensors
Actually, if you are just getting started in photography, that's what I'd recommend
I'd recommend to buy a compact camera that you can have always with you
so you can practice, at home, out with family, on your way to the grocery store, at any time
so you can get better and improve your photography
and then, you'll have time to upgrade to a bigger camera
That's all I wanted to share today
Thank you so much for watching and see in the next one!