Not long before Christmas I broke my camera. it was in its bag on the kitchen bench and somehow toppled off. I though it would be OK as although the bag was open it had padding and the camera didn’t fall out. However when I looked through the view finder I couldn’t see properly. It was impossible to compose a picture accurately and I couldn’t see the guides. It would take pictures, which was helpful in the short term, but I couldn’t see using it in its current state as a viable long term solution. It was going to have to go back to Cannon which even if it was reparable could take up to six weeks.
I panicked, aside from the cost, how was I going to survive for up to 6 weeks without my camera? It was at this point I realised how important my camera was to be and how much I dislike taking more than the occasional picture on my phone.
I realised that for me photography has become a spiritual practice rather than simply an interest. If I am feeling a bit down getting my camera out, even if only in the house or garden, never fails to lift my spirits. It make me look outside of myself in a positive way and enables me to notice the miracles around me.
Back in the spring I fell flat on my face while running for a train, smashing my glasses and cutting my face slightly. This all healed quite quickly but had the longer lasting effect of damaging my confidence especially crossing roads when I would have kind of mini panic attack concerned that I would fall over ( I had previously tended to skip across roads quite fast and I didn’t feel safe doing this any more). However If I was out with my camera I had no problems with any of this, it was as if my attention was absorbed in something other than myself that was more important than worrying about if I was going to fall over or not - my attention was fully engaged with seeking beauty in the ‘sparkling moments’
So I decided my camera was essential to my wellbeing and I couldn’t really mange without one for six weeks - what to do? an additional problem was that I was in the middle of one photography course with a local photographer and was due to start an e-photography course in January.
I went into work next day still wondering what to do and then I remembered that the shop I had bought my camera at had a second hand department. I quickly looked at their website and discovered an old Cannon body an a price that was just about affordable. Fortunately I didn’t have a meeting so was able to take an early lunch and high-tail it down to the shop as quickly as I could. Success! I returned to work with a new camera body (and anyway I reasoned it would be useful to have a spare for emergencies)
My camera is now with Cannon and is repairable at a cost that is just short of my insurance excess! It may not take the full 6 weeks to fix.
in the meantime I am using my new body to practice with the 1.8 50mm lens I got for Christmas (which I used to take all of todays pictures)
Enjoy your day!