Another year has passed. I am not sure if it was a good year or a bad year, but definitely I do not think that this year will be much better. First of all, a happy new year to all and thank you for your readership and support. In case you have not noticed I have been quite actively blogging using photographs in my photoblog.
As far as photography is concerned, it has been a good year. Late last year I purchased my first serious digital camera, a Canon Powershot G6. Just a change from film to digital has somehow inspired me to take more and more images everyday. It has really opened up a new front for me.
Everything seems to be more immediate. Results are instant (well, almost) and feedback is at hand in a snap. It reminds me of the time I bought an auto-focus SLR—it was a Canon EOS 630 with a couple of lenses. I was really getting a kick out of not having to adjust everything while composing a picture. It was a very liberating experience. I could take pictures with the camera taking care of exposure and focus, yet I knew what the values were (exposure, etc) so I could adjust them if needed.
I have not stopped taking pictures since the camera came out of its box. It has been both therapeutic and inspirational. I find that taking pictures has become a strong creative outlet for me and it has also helped me think about other works that I am doing. Somehow it has made me think of painting and drawing and all sorts of visual communication media.
As far as other things are concerned, the world has not really been getting better. We had war, Iraq, anti-terrorism laws, stronger police powers, then the tsunami. It was like a thunder in a clear day when I first heard about it. I felt the same when I switched on the TV in the early morning of September 12, 2001 (Australian time). I was thinking that there would be thousands of casualties (now standing at around 150,000).
It has been good to see that people all over the world respond with compassion and heartfelt sympathy for the victims, but I feel that there is something sinister about the way in which western governments have responded to this event. On the one hand they are saying they are sending aid, but on the other hand who knows?