Portraits on a budget…

The way things are evolving, the challenge of a very long-term project will be maintaining visual coherence (assuming that matters to you). The look of your work will change with the technology.
Any saving you make buying an old film camera will (very) rapidly be nullified by the cost of film and processing.
A Sony RX100 perhaps?

Very true DPC. When we meditate we transcend the concepts of long term and short term. But when we buy cameras we must realize that everything changes- and in the case of digital cameras everything changes very rapidly.

Thanks DPC and Barry for your thoughts on this. Yes, I did take a look at the RX100, but it takes me a little over my already squeaky tight budget.

I hear you on the challenge of a long term project, but it’s something related to my bigger picture of being a Zen meditation and mindfulness teacher, and that is for life. I’ll bear in mind the coherence issue. There are some ways to address that in terms of seeking a personal style, completed via postprocessing, to give a certain look to the work, but who knows what I’ll be shooting with in another 30 years? As a Zen Buddhist, I think I won’t worry about that. I’m here now, and want to do the job. That’s what matters.

Thanks again. It’s good to be back on Lightstalkers after a 2-3 year sabbatical from working as a photographer. I feel like I’m onto something again.

Cartier-Bresson once said to the Dalai Lama that he thought his method of photography, of capturing the decisive moment, was a very good expression of Buddhist practice as activity for its own sake. The Dalai Lama replied, smiling, of course (more or less as I am quoting from memory,) “You photographers are always thinking of what your photographs look like and you are very attached to the results. You never use the camera without film in it.”

: ) Thanks for the lovely quote Barry!

/|\

@Ando

“I wish the video was good on it, that’s my only reservation. But it’s not. I could get by with iphone video for now”

I have used the X10 extensively for a year now and I think its video quality would trounce your iPhone video in an instance!

Both X10 and iPhone 5 have 1080p HD video – and the still images that the X10 produces are really very good indeed – way good enough for your project.

I remember seeing a photo from Marc Hofer in TIME magazine taken with the X10 – http://bit.ly/VeftbG

Best regards

Matt

Hi Matt,

I went to a dealer today, and ran some test shots on the x10. I’m sold by your faith too. It’s my kind of camera, and I shot a Fuji S5 for some years, and love Fuji’s processing.

Thanks for your feedback.