When friends and family ask me how one should approach photography, I usually tell them one simple thing: you, not your camera, take the pictures. It’s something very obvious but something I find helpful to remind myself of. Astronomy isn’t about telescopes; computer science isn’t about computers; photography isn’t about cameras. It is important to the extent that one should be familiar with their tool in order to accomplish the work at hand. But, at the end of the day, the work is what matters.

When I remind myself of this point, I end up working harder for photographs. I make images, not take them. I have to craft each photo using time, light, colors, and concept. At the end of the day, I am the author of my photographs. Realizing this distinction makes me take control. I can’t hope that my camera will give me a miraculously awesome photo because that will result in laziness and mediocre work. I can get lucky here and there but I can’t rely on luck – I do that when I pull the casino levers. Having the camera at hand means I have to be mindful and ready. With that said, I will be saving all my shiny pennies for a Canon 7D. The inner nerd in me screams for joy at the 8fps and HD video capabilities. It also won’t cost me a limb like the 5D MKII.

I was up in Kemptville, Ontario this summer for my old roommate’s wedding. I attended their family reunion at the family farm as well. Four generations made of almost a hundred people from all over the country return for a night of food, conversation, and fun. It’s a wonderful event. It had to be captured.

See the rest: www.esmondlee.com/kemptville. (Photos by Esmond Lee)

It was very impromptu decision to document this. I wasn’t expecting much and didn’t bring my camera. That’s something else I learned: never go anywhere without a camera. There are stories and inspiration everywhere at anytime.

Fortunately, I had my Panasonic LX3 brought to me later that evening and was able to take some alright shots. Purchasing the point and shoot to supplement my DSLR was a great decision. In the book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell believes that 10,000 hours of practice is required for someone to reach a level of true expertise. So, the more a camera is with me, the more I shoot, and the faster I improve. I think it’s also called working hard. Also, I don’t mind how, compared to my 40D, the LX3 is slower with bad focusing and limited zoom. I just making the images and adapt to the tool available to me. In the end, having a compact camera is handy in an evening where I want a beer in my other hand. The family reunion was definitely a night for beer. This series was fun to do. I think it’s great to throw together a quick and dirty photo essay. It’s just like a sketch or doodle. I have to keep the juices flowing and trigger-finger sharp.

Esmond Lee
www.esmondlee.com