Taken June 24, 2008, in a little cave on the Current RiverBut really I'm dealing with the loss of equipment. The equipment I'm holding that was in the yellow waterproof case peeking out at the bottom of the picture. My daughter Hannah took this picture of me -- I hate pictures of myself, but it's the only one of me with my trusty, wonderful Fuji S2Pro and Nikon 28-105 lens.
What? Did it drop in the river? No. It but it is gone, apparently snatched from my house when I was away at an art fair. Nothing else seems to be missing except the equipment in that yellow case, which I think was on my dining room table, in full view of the front windows of our house.
It wasn't my best camera -- in fact it's a back up that I don't use that often but I do love it. I have three 35 mm film cameras, 2 medium format film cameras, a dozen or more Polaroid cameras, and a film APS camera thats just for fun, a Canon digicam that fits in my pocket and a couple of digital SLRs. Each has lenses and filters and flash units and gadgets galore.
Apparently, I'm more attached to my equipment that I thought. One of my film cameras is one of my first -- a 35mm Canon Ftb. It's a work horse, worth about $5 now, but it's not going anywhere! I started to learn my craft on that camera! (I probably COULD drop that one in the river and shoot with it later!)
Lots of people -- amateurs photographers and students, mostly -- want to know what equipment that pros use, hoping to duplicate results if they just had the right equipment.
I always say that it's the eye and vision of the artist -- not the equipment - that makes a difference.
Apparently the equipment matters too.
5 comments:
I am just heartbroken at your loss AND the violation of your being! Thanks for sharing with all of us - and thanks for sharing the smiling picture of you!
Hildy
I can't believe that someone would have the audacity to take your camera out of your home, off of your table, while you were away! Is that the only thing missing? It must be scary and you must feel horribly violated at having this happen. I am sorry you had to endure it.
For all that artistic merit should never be restricted by equipment or materials, we still need to be able to create and require something to create with. And it is impossible not to become attached to these things - they are like old, reliable friends (sometimes even more so than the human ones).
A friend of mine once had all of her acrylic paints stolen from her car. She knew that she could just turn around and buy new ones, but there was still a period of mourning in which she had a hard time finding inspiration after her loss. Those paints had been with her in times of need and trouble and when she needed to express herself. They were like a shoulder to cry on and someone to talk to when no one else would listen.
It's not just about the materials - in the hands of the artist they can transcend their material being as we use them to heal and better understand ourselves.
Ugh, this makes me ill. I have every belief that your eyes will create genius no matter what equipment you use.
It still sucks though.
Thank you, friends!
Hi there,
That is so awful and I am sorry to hear this happened to you. This thief took something that cannot be replaced and sadly they most likely didn't even give it a second thought.
On other news...I stumbled across your blog when I was looking for your email addy to say....We are only 8 booths away from each other in Normal. It will be nice to see you again.
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