The above image at the entrance to L'Eglise St. Etienne-Calvignac, in the Lot Valley of southern France, is one of many favorite images that I have captured inside ancient churches and cathedrals throughout France. This one is particularly special because it was taken in the Lot Valley, where I have lived on and off over the last fifteen years.
Setting
Dark, dusty churches and cathedrals can be a challenge to capturing the best photo possible. Stained glass windows, wide ranges in the kinds and quality of inside lighting, the ever-changing natural light that finds its way in from outside, and the effort of being respectful in a holy setting; all add to the difficulty in determining what might be the best vantage point for the photo you want to shoot.
This photo is also a favorite because it "appeared." A friend and I had been exploring Calvignac together. I had my Canon PowerShot A550 out and in my hand when we went into St. Etienne. It is a small, dark church with very few windows, perched at the edge of a cliff that plunges to the valley below. When I finished looking at the statue of the Virgin, I'd pivoted left and back to the center of the nave. Suddenly, my eyes were blasted by brilliant light coming in through the high window and the transom over the door. For a moment, I couldn't breathe. I knew this was a shot I had to have. I wondered if anyone would believe me, if I were to tell them what I had seen?
Vantage Point
Since we were alone in the church, I didn't have to worry too much about the noise or disturbing anyone. Whenever I shoot inside a church or cathedral, I never use a flash. Even though it's mostly out of respect for the setting, I've also learned that light can do damage to cherished old and fragile objects. I turned on the camera, set it to "no flash," and shot this shot from right where I had pivoted. After capturing these elegant finger tips of light that plucked the strings of my heart; I moved to other locations in the church to see what I could capture from different vantage points.
From the front of the nave, you lost the beams altogether. By the time I moved to the other side of the church, the beams were waning and although you could see them, they had lost their definition and were much less brilliant. There was a hint of color highlighting a saint. But in those few moments of movement, this magical shot was gone.
Am I Really a Photographer?
I am a camera in my pocket kind of girl. You will find me wandering the Lot with my camera in the pocket of my overalls. The Lot presents a photo op at every turn, and sometimes every moment. I've learned from my snails on my terrace to take it slow and be patient. I often say: "It's a gorgeous place and who could go wrong with a subject like this?" But, I have also learned I have "an" eye and am able to be present in the moment and feel my place.
From time to time, I ask myself: "Am I really a photographer?" Don't "real photographers" haul all that equipment around with them? Do I want to be dangling over the side of a cliff with a camera bag full of lenses, filters, and other stuff that only loads me down? Do I want to spend a small fortune buying all that gear?
It is for these reasons that I only shoot using a fixed lens digital camera. I want to be as "hands free" and unencumbered as possible.
That said, I sometimes wonder what my photos would look like if I used all that gear? Would my photos be "better?" What would make them "better?" Would I be "happier" with my photos? I would guess it's possible, but I don't want to be carrying around all that equipment and I don't want to spend all that money.
Light.co and the Light L16
Recently, I discovered a new compact camera developed by Light.co, called the Light L16. When I saw the $1699 price tag before even reading about it; my initial reaction was "no way."
As I read more, and listened to some of the videos; it became clear to me that this could be the perfect camera and technology for someone like me.
The Light L16 uses folded optics and 16 lenses: 5 at 28mm; 5 at 75mm; and 6 at 150mm. With 10 sensors, the resulting image is fused together in the camera to reach 52 megapixels and supports jpeg, tiff and dng formats.
I confess this lens information is Greek to me, but I do understand the formats and the megapixels. As I've written before, the important things to me are: being able to keep my camera in my pocket; the results; and, the cost:
Camera in My Pocket
Since the light L16 is the size of a smart phone, it would easily fit in to the pocket of my overalls. (Et, voila!) It is exciting to think that a camera that size could provide me with the freedom and flexibiltiy to carry it with me all the time and take amazing shots that would normally require all that gear!
Impressive Results
The promised results scream my name: crisper images; richer images; infinite depth of field control; and, incredible low light performance. Although all of those sound good, I'm most excited about the incredible low light performance. As in the photo I shared from inside St. Etienne, most of what I shoot in the Lot is shot in low to no light. I can't help but imagine what my shot would have looked like, had I taken it with the L16?
Cost
As a self-employed social worker, about to become a fixed-iincome, social security, early-retirement girl; choking on cost is not unusual. I must be concerned about affordability and value to cost. Although $1699 is a huge expense for me: the freedom and flexibiltiy; the promised results; and the fact that you're getting thousands of dollars of equipment capability built right into the L16; makes the cost blow a softer one. It is no longer a deal breaker.
Summing it Up-The Magic
The #VantagePoint project by Light.co inspired me to consider my shot further. Here, photographers are able to share their favorite location to shoot.
Thinking through the process of taking the shot in St. Etienne, I relived the shot and relived the day with a new friend. All of our days and moments are important. For me, the joys in photography are in: the feeling the photo conveys; the memories it makes in the moment; and, the reflections it stirs in the future.
Had I not already been leaning toward this new technology; Dave Grannan, Co-Founder and CEO of Light.co would have pushed me over the edge when he said in a video that the Light L16:
"...captures the magic of every moment of every day...the emotion, not just the facts!"
And, that's my goal!
