At 1400BST today we passed into The Bay of Biscay. I ventured onto the weather side, of which there was some but no precipitation actual or in sight, to take a photo of where we stood a few years ago observing the tidal race and spectacular scenery. Last time I passed by it was dark, and it was October.
Since then I have been sat looking at water passing by, iPod connected and iPad displaying the manual to my camera and flash controllers. Sadly, I have rather enjoyed reading them. Aided by Meatloaf, REM, Pink Floyd and Guinness, the afternoon has disappeared at 22 knots and I now find myself tapping out the results of my exertions.
I am taken aback by the realisation that I have become like the camera. Set this, do that get the end result. Set me floating, provide mental, visual and aural stimulation, supply Guinness and my joy is complete. This is obvious and I understand it, although not all may.
What is desperately sad is that the six modes of focusing that Canon make available to me and which I still have little understanding of after eighteen months of trying are still a mystery to me and I've just read all about them again. For the umpteenth time.
Even with camera in hand, subjects in abundance and time to get to grips with it. The options stare at me from the panel on the rear screen and leaves me staring right back at my own inadequacy as I move sliders, select modes and then wonder what effect each change will make. Again.
Drat, I ought to know this stuff but try as I might it leaves me coldly aware of the fact that it may just be that my time striving to employ the heights of technology that some geeky genius of a nerd, probably in his teens and a tee shirt, bouncing around in Canon's R&D playground has put together for a dare has passed the point at which the law of diminishing returns ensures that it just goes "whooooosh" over my head like all those deadlines that Douglas Adams had.
Simplicity is now elevated above whatever virtues the advertisers fill brochures with, and next time I watch a YouTube of some kid extolling the wonders of the latest gadget I shall turn it off, or enter "Tom&Jerry Fred Quimby" in the search box unless the number of buttons is less than the number of fingers it's taken me to type this.
Maybe that's why I still play records and why I may just set the flash triggers to full on automatic mode in future. Maybe I'll do the same with the camera.
At least changing lenses hasn't beaten me. Yet.
Carrying them has, but that's another story.
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