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January 24th, 2010

Where Is The Romance?

camera life | 3/17/09 – 12/21/09

I can remember the first time I saw a photograph of a photographer that I was in awe of with their camera. This camera was a precision instrument built to take abuse and keep dishing out wonder, year after year and the camera in this portrait was absolutely beaten to shit simply by the amount of its use. Given who this photographer was however, it was clear this cameras function underneath the brassing, dents and the abusive behaviors of creative struggles was completely intact.

This I found romantic.

For the past 5 years, I have averaged two new (simplistic) cameras a year or guesstimating about 15 or so as I consciously stopped counting, collecting them on a shelf or blasting them with a shotgun. Cameras that approach the level of interesting that my film cameras once held, are also simply priced beyond their own usage or value. Of the 100 or so photographers I know, only 2 of these photographers own such contraptions and they are strife with issues.

People have sung songs about film and people have sung songs about film cameras. No one will ever sing a song about a camera not designed to last more than 1 year.

This is not only not romantic, this is like being in love with a woman who asks to be your friend with every love letter you send her.

This I find heartbreaking.