Don't Forget Your Roots

In a field where we strive so hard to constantly push the boundaries forward, it is often easy to forget where we came from. Now I'm not saying to dwell on the past - but we've all had plenty to learn from in past experiences. Without an old-school, there would be no new-school.

Monday was a full-out media blitz here on analog Mars. Among those here were three photographers - a two person team of Brian and Joaquin, and George. Brian and Joaquin started their work the previous night, and when I first saw them set up their equipment, I was extremely impressed. They are a young team - probably no more than a few years out of college. Despite the tremendous digital revolution taking place in the world of photography, they're old-school. Medium and large format film cameras were their weapons of choice.

George, the third photographer, arrived Monday morning with the latest in high-tech. A pair of digital SLRs slung over his shoulders with equally impressive lenses on each. George, who has been a professional photographer since the early 1980s, is clearly a different breed of photographer than Brian and Joaquin.

When I talked to Brian about their cameras, he said simply: "you just can't be a neg." I have to admit that this intrigued me somewhat. When I made the switch from film to digital I was ecstatic to finally be ridded of film. Lousy prints, cumbersome cartridges, slow speeds - all features I was finally freed of the shackles of.

As I watched Brian and Joaquin work - constantly checking their light meters, making delicate adjustments of seemingly cumbersome and archaic camera systems - I suddenly began to see their set-up differently. There was an impressive nature to their work that was both meticulous and graceful at once. Their dedication to composition was unlike any that I had ever seen.

I probably identify more as a photographer with George; the new-school of high-tech junkies. If you rattle off a couple hundred photos, a handful of them have to be good on sheer chance alone. I was letting the greatest features of digital become my greatest hindrances. In short, I forgot my roots.

When I used to shoot in film I had a certain commitment to composition. Each shot was valuable. I had a limited number of frames that I could shoot, and I wouldn't be able to see any of my work until several days after shooting.

Thinking more about the old-school ways, I looked through my digital lens a little differently today. I was patient and selective. I paid more attention to lighting and composition. Most importantly, my photos were better, and I remembered why I enjoy photography so much.

This is a lesson that applies beyond photography. In a high-tech field where our goal is to advance the reaches of human civilization, we often get caught up in our own technology. We rely on advanced computing power to make up for our sloppy and cumbersome computer programs instead of just writing clean software the first time around. We add weight to flight vehicles to make the engineering easier, only to add unnecessary complexity and risk in the long run. We've forgotten how to engineer cleanly because we know our advanced technology can cover up our sloppiness. In short, we've forgotten our roots. Perhaps we all need a lesson from the old-school from time to time.

Kevin Sloan
Commander, MDRS Crew 50