david allio

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers

Water Lilies | ©2012 David Allio

A year ago I was poking fun at people that spent so much time on social media. Six months ago, I reluctantly started a blog. Now, I have three distinct blogs with links to facebook, twitter, tumblr, linkedin, google+, pinterest, and more.

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers

Recently, I was given the opportunity to play around with a small dedicated remote camera for the first time. These lightweight boxes are automated and do video as well as time lapse stills. This particular camera was not new. Image quality was not great – barely acceptable for web application even in reasonable daylight. But the most popular brand has evolved into a second version with significantly improved image quality and features, including a viewing screen and wireless to Internet.

This image was created by placing the camera on the end of a tripod and hovering over the water lilies at a range of about four inches. The automated settings for the camera with a built-in 5mm lens included an aperture of f/3.6 and a shutter speed of 1/1002th of a second, at a film speed of 100 ISO. Used in this way, the camera does provide for a unique perspective – an angle I probably would not attempt with an expensive DSLR.

At one time it was believed that a DSLR was the “right track” in the evolution of photography. Now, the “right track” may be an inexpensive remote camera. Or, in order to keep from being “run over” by instant posting on social media, a hi-rez camera phone for a few hundred dollars may be the “right track”.

Upon further consideration, maybe the “right track” is not the technology as much as it is to be a creative craftsman with the tools at hand. A lot of people were “run over” in the transition from film to digital imaging a decade past.

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers