When Did It All Get So Complicated?
Longing for simplicity in a complex world
A few years ago I decided to get serious about my photography.
I used an iPhone to take pictures, but then a friend suggested I upgrade to a proper camera. He used words like depth of field, aperture, bokeh, the exposure triangle, etc.
I went to my local camera shop and poked around.
One of the sales guys started showing me a variety of cameras and lenses. He explained the difference between a full-frame camera and an APSC camera. I settled on a relatively small Sony A6600 with a 35mm lens.
It was a lovely camera and capable of taking beautiful photographs and videos. All I had to do was learn how to use the camera.
I got home, turned the thing on, and started exploring the buttons and features. Then I flipped out the screen and started clicking through the menu options.
Endless menu options.
I got on YouTube and found a tutorial for my camera. The earnest fellow on the video made it sound so easy as he bounced around from one menu feature to another. It was all a bit overwhelming, and I thought, “Why is this so complicated?”
It reminded me of a guy I met in Italy who was trying to figure out the menu on his new…
