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For the past couple of years, I have been urging folklorists to take the plunge into digital photography. If you are one of the laggards, perhaps Nikon’s announcement that it is discontinuing nearly all of its film cameras in 2006 will persuade you to go digital. Folklorist Varick Chittenden, director of Traditional Arts in Upstate New York (TAUNY), recently researched and bought his first serious digital camera. How did you first dip your toe into digital photography? It has taken me a relatively long time. I was that way about computers and word processing twenty years ago, finding it hard to give up the yellow pad and pencil to draft everything before I labored over my electric typewriter. About four years ago I did buy a basic Kodak point-and-shoot digital for TAUNY, but only used it occasionally to document some activity in the gallery or for our newsletter. I didn’t like the small size and tiny controls. They just don’t feel right in my average-sized male hands! Every time I needed to take photos, I found myself grabbing my trusted Minolta 35 mm SLR film camera because it was familiar, and I knew I could get adequate results. What finally made you decide to buy a serious digital camera? With film, I never felt that I was very good at controlling light situations and often ended up with disappointing results. The idea that I could adjust the images back on the computer was appealing. Also I really could see that the handwriting was on the wall for film when I saw almost everyone at family or public events using digital and then going to the drugstore to make their own prints. I just knew I had to get with the program! How did you decide which camera and lenses to buy and where to get them? I decided to buy a serious digital camera when Nikon introduced its D50 in the fall of 2005. For the first time, the price for a good camera with good lenses was under my one thousand dollar limit. I saw the D50 written up in the New York Times and began to look online for more details from Nikon and for reviews by knowledgeable sources, like PC Magazine and epinions.com. The reviews were unanimous—this is the right camera for the serious amateur who wants flexibility and the feel and quality of a traditional single lens reflex camera. I decided on the D50 and on two Nikkor lenses—one is 18–55 mm zoom, the other is 55–200 mm zoom—because of the recommendations of reviews and conversations with photographers. I found dozens of stores online, some with remarkable discounts. Some of those stores were advertising two lenses and the Nikon body at a great savings, but the lenses were not made by Nikon. I decided to buy from one of the stores that the pros use, like Adorama or B & H, for the combination. What software did you first use, and how did you learn to use it? The first software I used was Microsoft Office Picture Manager, part of the office suite that came loaded on my Dell PC, which I purchased about four years ago. It does the basics— cropping and other simple adjustments— adequately for my ordinary photography. Frankly, I learned to use it mostly by trial and error. I find I’m not very adventurous in making adjustments, mostly out of fear or frustration, but I’ve gotten better about that over time. Later I installed Photoshop, which I was able to do free, courtesy of the college where I taught. I found that software way over the top for my abilities or needs, so I have since purchased Photoshop Elements 3.0, a simpler version of Photoshop that I am gradually learning to use. How do you store your digital photos? At first, I stored all my images on CDs. After I acquired Photoshop, I stored them in folders on my hard drive for easy access, backed up with CDs and DVDs. When I was having my PC rebuilt last year, I installed a second internal hard drive, which I now devote exclusively to images. My next step will likely be an external drive to store and carry larger and more images. I still use CDs and DVDs as backup, but the drives are more convenient for quickly accessing images. How did you learn to use your new equipment and software? When I purchased the D50, I also bought an instructional DVD that covers just about anything. I wish I could find a one-day workshop for amateurs taught by a good teacher to help me to learn more. However, Nikon has made so much accessible, and digital technology is so advanced, I feel very comfortable with the camera already. What pros and cons are there for you personally and as a folklorist? As a folklorist, I’ve become a convert to digital photography. I never thought I would say that, but this camera choice and the little bit I’ve already learned about editing and storing images have made a big difference. The camera’s many auto features help me over obstacles that I have always had difficulty with, yet I have the option of manual controls when I feel I need them; the display provides instant knowledge of what I have and what I don’t in situations when I still might be able to shoot it over again. As for cons, storage and preservation have always been a problem for me, and I expect it will continue. I do think CDs and DVDs are easy to lose track of, and who knows how long they will last. Are you still shooting any film at all, ever? I still keep my Minolta 35 mm around and may occasionally shoot with film. But someone suggested to me not long ago a good use for our old cameras may be as bookends— that may be sooner, rather than later!

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