It’s funny, but I just never think about pulling out my phone and using it to take photos. Last night our friends Edgar & Ann, both photographers, were at our place for dinner, drinking wine, eating food and talking about everything under the sun. Ann started it, although she might say otherwise, but she remarked about the patterns on the light fixture over the dining room table and asked me if I had ever photographed it. I admitted to having looked at it numerous times and thinking that it might make an interesting photograph, but I had never actually taken a photograph of it. Isn’t that weird?
I guess the thing for me is that I just don’t generally have my phone at the dinner table, and when I do my manners usually prevent me from playing with it at the table. Yes, that probably shows how Old School I am.
Like most people, when I do take a picture with my phone I’m often tempted to share it, or at least do something with it. But since I don’t share stuff on Facebook, Instagram or any other “share on the run” websites, I often just don’t bother taking a photo. But when I do I realize that it’s a great way to take photographs without the pressure of needing to Make Art and without the constraints of needing to be technically perfect – all “requirements” I tend to have when I use my Real Camera – it can just be a way to have fun.
I’ve stated before that I have gotten to where I don’t process my photos when I travel because I like to continue enjoying my travel and not feel compelled to start looking at my photographs. The same principals apply when I use my phone to take pictures. I usually just take a picture and forget about it. But once in a while it is fun to just play around with a different tool. I need to get better at remembering that. Sometimes I just don’t realize what I’m missing!