IT’S ABOUT TIME!

by Michael Hickey

So here we are, 2012, and I've finally made my personal transition to a digital camera. Yeah, I know, what took me so long? The most honest answer is I'm not exactly easy with change. At best I'm reluctant friends with change. Dianne Rose turned me on the word 'Luddite' - at that time I had no idea what that word meant. She informed me it meant 'someone who's against the concept of technological change'. I had to agree, she pegged me correctly. I was simply happy with shooting slide film, and saw no need to change. I was very comfortable in my photographic ritual. I was rather intent upon staying with film for as long as I could.

In life in general, they say change is inevitable. We all can attest to that with our personal experiences. I suppose it can be said for me that the pull of change was gradual, but very steady....and that pull has a name: Janet Hickey!! Yes, my dear wife kept at me in a very kind and persistent way with her urging me on to get a digital camera. Just this April I finally went for it. Janet and I went to our favorite camera shop, and it literally took me around two hours to leave with my new bag of goodies. I was so averse to make this major purchase that at one point I distinctly recall feeling a bit dizzy! I was very much afraid to commit to this change. (I got not only the new camera body, but two lenses, a tripod and head, and the typical accessories.) I knew two things when I left the camera shop: the owner was VERY pleased with my purchase, and I was very scared of what I was going to do with all of this!

When I got home with the new camera, I just let it sit in the box for several days. I needed to let it all sink in....I've never quite had the simultaneous feeling of sticker shock and fear of the future. So I began reading the manual first. The camera still remained in the box. I nearly wanted to cry I was so overwhelmed when I opened up this monster 436 page manual. I really did feel a bit of despair! But I kept at it. The more I read, the less intimidating all of this became. (I'm still not finished with the manual, by the way; I'm on page 325, and have been for some time now. I will finish it, I swear it!)

Now that I've had two full shooting sessions with the camera, I can say that I'm extremely pleased with digital. I no longer feel the trauma of change within me when I'm working with it. I'm the type of person who needs to find a comfort zone - and after my second shoot at Longwood Gardens, I feel like I've found a rhythm with my camera. My first 'real' shoot was fireworks on July 4th at Tamanend Park in Southampton, which was an amazing experience for me.   I never shot at night with my older manual camera because I couldn't see my settings in the viewfinder to make on-the-fly adjustments.  With this new digital camera, everything I need to work with is right there in the viewfinder.

I know I'm just going to fall more and more in love with this system. All of the incredible options available no longer seem like obstacles, but a means to convey my artistic intentions. I can't wait to continue to learn from my mistakes and grow as an artist. I am now friends with change....my next adventure? Buy my first cell phone!!

Don't hesitate to offer any comments...I'm still learning with this new camera!