July Roundup: Shiny Object Syndrome
I love creating content.
There’s just something about the act of creating that gets my juices flowing. Writing, designing, producing, editing…
I’m partial to certain media, though. At Fisheye, my work consists heavily of video production, and that is something you will never find me complaining about.
One of the many things I love about the process — as cliché as it may sound — is that it beautifully merges both art and science. I guess I’m more of a tech nerd than I originally thought. Start talking codecs, frame rates, color science, Sony vs. Canon, and my mouth immediately salivates.
If you’re a professional or amateur photographer, you’re probably aware of the mirrorless body battle going on between Sony and Canon currently.
Sony just released their latest mirrorless body — the a7S III — shortly after Canon released two of their most revolutionary cameras: the R5 and the R6.
See, I love this stuff. I’ve watched professionals debate these cameras for hours and hours over the past several weeks. It’s entertaining for me, but I also find myself deeply entrenched in the specifications as I am also in charge of coordinating our tech stack here at Fisheye. New gear drops almost daily, and I want to be aware of any piece of equipment that will better tell the stories of our partners through visual media.
But this is where I see many cinematographers and photographers fall by the sword. And this is the type of distraction I am easily subject to —
We always think we’re one step away from achieving our full potential. “Gah, if I could just shoot this footage in 8K Raw, then I would REALLY have the perfect image.”
It’s a strong temptation to think that your equipment is hindering your abilities. Let me be clear: It’s not.
Especially in today’s age, we are far more limited by our creative capacity than our technological one. Cameras, lenses, and computers are only going to get better, faster, and cheaper. In the end, the talent of the storyteller will shine through.
I have to remind myself of this constantly. That’s not to say that investment in technology is unimportant, but we must make sure to hone our craft through education and practice simultaneously.
Avoid SOS (Shiny Object Syndrome). You’ll be better because of it.
