"The Camera Thinks That ________"

The Camera Thinks

The Premise Of This Blog Post

Frequently, especially during a class that I’m teaching, a photographer says “the camera thinks that____”.

Accordingly, that blank is filled with something about focusing, metering, or exposure.

The Difference Between A Camera And Hammer

Because they’re both nothing more than a tool that enables a craftsperson to do their work, there ain’t any difference. In other words, a hammer drives a nail and a camera records light. To be clear, I didn’t say that a camera makes/takes a photograph. Because the photographer makes the photograph, usually by using a camera.

More Than What A Hammer Does

No doubt, that a hammer is a tool. But it’s a simple/limited use tool that drives a nail. While some tools may be “simple”, like a hammer, some tools go beyond simple. The majority of cameras that we see people using are more than simple light recording tools. An example of a simple light recording tool would be a pinhole camera.

Indeed, today’s cameras are sophisticated instruments. As an example, a thermometer is a tool that measures temperature, a camera measures light AND is a tool that records light.

A tool that measures ain’t thinking. To be clear, it’s doing what it does as a tool. However, it’s used by someone who THINKS about the information being provided by the tool.