My Technology

I have chosen to discuss my Canon G7X Mark ii camera for my first consideration post. I am using this camera for a few reasons. One being I own this camera and understand a lot of its functions already, but another reason being it is one of the best cameras for vlogging on the market. It is also one of the most portable, yet still very high-quality, cameras on the market. The battery life holds for a fairly long amount of time which helps when trying to record and create content on a trip. Having to remember to charge my camera on a trip would just be an added headache, so having this Canon that will hold a charge for the duration of my trips is game-changing. 

Features I Need to Master

I need to master the manual mode on this camera. I have just used the auto settings in the past, but the manual settings will allow me to take much higher-quality photos. I want to get manual mode figured out and mastered within the next few weeks. I have a few trips planned coming up and I hope to have this mastered before then to be able to get the best content possible.

I also need to master the shutter speed settings and all that shutter speed has to offer to photography. I never realized how much of a difference shutter speeds make in final photography results until doing my background research, so I am excited to try to master this for better photos which will lead to higher-quality content for my platforms and my project. I plan to master this in the beginning stages of my project so that the outcome throughout the semester is better. 

The third thing that I need to master on my Canon camera is the stabilization settings for videos. I know that the camera is known for great stabilization skills, but I am not sure how to use those, but I look forward to researching and learning more about this to create higher-quality vlogs for my project. I plan to master this while creating my first few vlogs for my project, it will take some playing around with while filming to master. 

How is a Camera Social?

Cameras are used to tell a story, which makes them social. A camera can capture so many of life’s moments in still photography, as well as video, and there is so much value to that. 

A camera is also social because it allows for the creator to express themselves in many different ways. Photographers are able to create a final product with a camera and it can express their creativity. My Canon allows for me to express how I feel creatively while on trips. A photo is worth a million words and I think that is a very social aspect of a camera. 

Finally, my camera allows for me to share my life with others, and it also allows for those views to interact with my travels through the images. Although someone may not be with me, when they see the photos and videos I take with my camera on a trip, like this video, they can feel a sense of themselves being there. It sparks inspiration in others and makes them eager to see more of the world, at least I hope it does.

How Does a Camera Reflect Cultural Values?

Photography and cameras have made it so that more cultures are able to be seen by others all around the world. One of my favorite things about traveling is seeing new cultures and how they live, and I am so grateful to be able to capture photographs and videos from my time of integrating myself into other cultures. My camera allows others to observe the cultures that I am experiencing, which holds a lot of value. 

Another way that a camera can reflect cultural values is by allowing certain cultures to be remembered. Although I have not yet traveled to a place with a lesser-known culture, or perhaps a culture that may not be around much longer, cameras in general have a very powerful effect of capturing these cultures so that they are not forgotten. Those who get the chance to visit places like this and get to capture these cultures on a camera are powerful and can lead to keeping a culture alive. 

Affordances of a Camera

A camera affords me to have the ability to showcase such an important part of my life. Traveling has changed the way I see the world and everyday life and by capturing my trips in photos and videos I get to showcase how much it means to me.

My camera allows me to be myself. I get to express my creativity through my camera and filming my trips never fails to bring me out of my comfort zone in incredible ways. 

Constraints of a Camera 

Cameras are great, but they do come with some constraints. One of those constraints is having to remember to charge the camera and have it ready for use every time I need it. There is nothing worse than having a cool photo idea and not having a charged camera.

Another constraint of a camera is remembering to have a spare SD card and SD cards with space on them. It is no fun to run out of storage on an SD card in the middle of a shoot, pretty much just as bad as having a dead camera.

A third constraint of a camera specifically for my project is having to carry one more thing with me when traveling. Having a camera sometimes causes delays in airport security, so I need to remember to allow extra time for this. Also, having one more thing to carry while walking around a city can sometimes be annoying, but it is always worth it.