The Camera Dilemma

Back in PD (pre-digital) times, I was on a run in New York through Central Park.  I paused watching a father and 2 kids looking at a statue, the dad saying ” Now if I had a camera I’d crouch down here and take a  picture of that from this angle.”  I thought, but didn’t say – You have a camera -your eyes, and your mind is the film.

My reaction – and perhaps yours – when I see an appealing object or scene is to shoot it, knowing that’s in my icloud for posterity.  If we’re traveling we can show all 327 photos to friends and family.  (Nan is certain they’re eager to see all 327 – I’m not so sure).  With our cell phones, the shots are well organized and easy to recover.  But what about stopping to soak in the impact of the object or scene,  not thinking about the right settings on the camera?  The impact is temporary but deep.

Yesterday walking up Powell Street, right next to the curb, a stuffed, somewhat the worse for wear, rabbit   –  OK it was a bunny. It’s button eyes looking up pathetically.  My automatic reaction, get out the iPhone and shoot the bunny.  I didn’t.  I started wondering how the bunny got there – I probably wouldn’t have done so if the photo was safely in my pocket.  Did a child say “I’ve grown up and don’t need this bunny any more”? Did a  frustrated parent say “enough with this rabbit obsession already”?  Or, more likely, as with me and Benjamin 24 years ago, did the bunny fall out of the cable care?

Yes I will take 2 cameras to Lisbon and Israel, but without shooting everything in sight