A Matter of Taste

I've been musing on how our photos evolve and the evolution of Taste. It's a big thing, Taste, and coincidentally, +Catherine Hall highlighted in her post about the intent and feel of a Ralph Lauren ad and the compatibility with some of our perceptions, feelings.

Firstly, Taste is subjective. Personally so. There is of course a group or a communities's taste vs an individual's taste.

Secondly, Taste evolves. What you liked a few years ago may not be the same as what you like now.

Thirdly, Taste varies depending on circumstance. If you're full in the stomach, you may not want more of the same. If you've been sucking a sweet, a drop of lemon in the next moment feels excruciatingly sour.

Fourthly, your Taste (for example, of food) depends on what is possible. Maybe you can't cook well. And you can't afford to eat at expensive restaurants often. So, you might know that what you're tasting isn't the best but over time, you accept what you get.

I was musing this when I encountered the different results from different devices - phone cameras, small sensor compact cameras, larger sensor interchangeable cameras.

I encountered different results shooting near realistic photos (my native and usual style) vs Tone Mapping (artificially enhanced HDR visuals) vs equisolid / equidistant fish eye visuals.

So where do I stand on HDR (or what is commonly perceived to be HDR)? Or Fish Eye visuals?
Well I do them. Tastefully, of course.

Encounters with my fish

You know how when you buy something and then you notice that other people have the same thing? Like when you have an Olympus and you spot other people also have an Olympus? Or if you bought some red soles and other people also have a Christian Louboutin?



Well, I finally acquired a fish, something that I had been eyeing for a long time.

I was leaning close to a wall for photos of street art. With a fisheye, you get closer than Robert Capa would say "close enough".

A couple came by. I saw that she also had a camera, aiming at the wall and stepped back to give her space. She gave me a huge smile and said "my lens is very wide". I peered closely and I thought I saw a Canon fish.

I wonder how her photos turned out.

Getting in touch with my artistic side

It's been a long time from my last post. As usual for the past 2 years, I've been spending way too much time having fun on Google+ This social network brings engagement, friendship and learning. And you can see it in my photos.

I sometimes look at what I shoot and how I shoot, then ask myself - how was it like when I used photo only galleries like Flickr or Picasa. And I reckon I think differently, look for different things. The gear might be the same. Or Improved. The software might be the same. or Improved. But the things that bring me the stopping of the heart? Way different.