Pages


Sunday 16 September 2012

The Fisheye



Being more of a photo lover rather than a photographer, I am always trying to find easy methods of jazzing up ordinary photographs. However no matter what I do, my ordinary, and rather tacky, pink Fuiji never quite delivers the professionalism you get from a high-tech and snazzy SLR Canon. However, being ever the optimist I persevere, and after instagraming many photos of my dog, and food, and the sky, I begin to feel quite chuffed with myself. That's the wonderful thing about instagram, it makes Paul walkers out of all of us. We can suddenly stand up and say 'Hey look how cool I am. I can take good photos which are bright and snazzy, and fade around the edges!'. Sure it may just be a close up of my Labrador's head, or the Nicoise salad I had for lunch, but it still looks pretty Arty Farty.  
But my only problem is I'm beginning to feel like a cheat. It's not like using a real camera is it? After I've chosen my theme on instagram, the finishing product looks nothing like the photo I took. And I miss the buzz of really taking the time to try to capture a good shot, (though I fail miserably). So recently I decided to invest in the Fisheye 2 which takes unusual photos through it's funky fisheye lens. The latest edition is a bargain at £60, and is perfect for amateurs such as myself who just love a good photograph, as it's so easy to use. 
I decided to take it with me on my recent trip to Europe with my boyfriend and we both had such a laugh using it. It was exciting to be using good old fashioned film again, and although the Fisheye 2 has a special view finder, we really didn't know how our photos would turn out, and isn't that such a thrill?! The sadness that enveloped us once the trip was over, was overpowered by the giddiness we felt as we handed in our film to be developed. It only occurred to me as I was handing it over, that I hadn't done it for years! I even felt silly doing it. How crazy is that? I'm sure the woman was eyeing me up suspiciously. 
However it was pure pleasure picking up our developed photographs in the morning and discovering a handful of absolute treasures. Looking through them together made us remember our trip. They were also a great way to share our experiences with our families. Of course there were a couple of blanks, and maybe a few thumbs in the corner (yes, what a surprise, they were mine), but most of them were good, and made us remember little things which we had forgotten. 
Don't get me wrong, I think digital cameras and smartphones are fantastic for taking fast and easy photos, but I think I've made a good investment in my little Fisheye. Sure my photos may not be as pristine as the many instagrammers that I follow, but they were fun taking them, and I must admit, they are a lot more meaningful than my frequent instagram of what I had for lunch. 

No comments:

Post a Comment