Black and White

So, I started thinking.

If taking photos was not so easy. If it would cost me precious time and money to develop each frame. If it was not just a matter of sticking the memory card into the computer and importing the shots into the photo database software. Would I then stop making the same misstake of taking photos that I know will be bad and actually start to think beforehand?
Should I go back to my old Minolta and shoot, and develop, Black and White again?

I thought about this for a time in my bed, and then I got up, turned on my computer and started to brows through my b&w collections from way back (before 2008). And man was it a lot of crap! Sure, I did find some that I could put up here without totally embarrassing myself, but the main bulk of the work was, hm, not that good.

Is it possible that a second go at it could be inspiring, fun, worthwhile and a big improvement over the crappy frames of poorly exposed artsy shots of stones at the shore with water stains from the amateurish development that this is just one example of:

Me, the photographer

So, I take a lot of photos. The amount varies, but lets just say that over a period of a couple of months, it stacks up to a lot. Now, most often, one of my children are in front of the camera. Sometimes with a prop. 

But I do try to do this once in a while as well.

And yea, sure, sometimes, I happen to stumble and get some nice results even if I just fiddle around without tripods, lighting equipment and all other stuff that I should really learn how to use in order to get to a level that I want to be at.

Too often I take shots that I know will be bad. Handheld macros with insufficient light will never be good, but I keep trying. Boring shots of boring stuff in boring light will never be anything but boring. But I keep trying. Pictures of people inside, with poor lighting, whilst they are moving about will not be sharp, even if I use a 1.4 aperture (it might be sharp somewhere in the frame, but hardly ever where I want it to be).  So why do I keep trying?

I don't know.

I should learn more. I should study the classics. I should get better at using my camera, my flash, my image software. I should learn how to direct people. I should learn more about composition than just the 'rule of thirds'. I should stop taking photos that I know will suck.

Why me?

Yesterday I went to the library with the kids to return some books. It is a great place to kill an hour or so. Especially since they have a fenced in play area where the smaller kids can play.
I usually read a book or two for Tage there whilst Knut walks around and plays with the toys and books, and almost every time some other kids comes up to me and wants to listen too. Yesterday no less than tree ~15 month olds came and wanted me to read their books, one even wanted to sit in my lap (which made Tage freak out and me a bit uneasy). And I don't mind. But I do wonder why. Do I really look that soft? Are kids not suposed to be scared of men with beards?