I’ve been carrying my point and shoot with me a lot lately instead of my DSLR. I shoot a lot of “what I’m eating” and quick location shots for Consuming Louisville and I find that for the shots I need to take my point and shoot works brilliantly. It does what I need it to do and it fits comfortably in my small bag. A year ago I packed my DSLR everywhere and I hardly ever picked my point and shoot up. I was still in the “gearhead phase” of my life as a photographer. Even if my point and shoot would have worked great in a situation, even if I didn’t need the fire power of my DSLR the DSLR was always what I reached for because you know, I’m a photographer, my DSLR is my baby and I’ve got to always use it. Or so I thought.

I’ve evolved and progressed further down my path as a photographer. I can now embrace the notion that it really is not the camera you use. The camera is just a tool. In some situations the small tool is all you need. But not only do I now use whichever camera will work for the job I also don’t care what camera you’re using. I can’t recall the last time I felt compelled to ask someone what specific camera she uses. Lenses? Yes, I love to chat about different lenses but Canon or Nikon? Who cares. 5D or Rebel XTi? So not important to me. It’s the work you’re producing that matters.

In my professional and documentary work naturally I still use my DSLR but that’s because it’s the right camera for the job, not because I feel the need to justify my existence as a photographer by pulling out the largest and most expensive camera I own. Those toy camera enthusiasts? They might be on to something. I think a toy camera might be my next gear purchase.