Phoneography Challenge: My Neighborhood (part two; aka “What a Difference a Megapixel Makes) + bonus Rant

After yesterday’s Photo Challenge, (and my laughable phone photos) I decided to do a compare and contrast. I was so fortunate to get up and take sunrise photos this morning! It was (and still is) a beautiful day! If you read my post from yesterday, you saw that my phone (cheap and very affordable, yet still reliable for the things I NEED it to do) has “VGA Resolution” which means .3 megapixels (point 3 megapixels). When I first got the phone, I was surprised that the photos could be so bad. But, they are. My old smart phone that finally died, the original Droid, took ok photos, nothing to write home about. I took advantage of saving over $125 per month by replacing it with a phone from Cricket, just in case you feel how I did with my old phone. (Sadly tethered to everyone’s beck and call, a computer screen that required bifocals at all times, sounds that made a Pavlovian response in me of “argh, what now!!!” all for $150 per month, good god…But the waste not want not person in me had to wait until the bitter end).  My beloved camera, on the other hand, is capable of 21.5 megapixels. Hot damn, I love my big camera. It is a Canon 5d Mark II. I wish I could glue it to my head and have my thoughts compose and shoot. But, the point is, this morning, I took 3 different photos using the same composition with the 5D and the phone. These are the results. So, in the future, it is only a real camera for me. They are two different animals entirely.

BONUS: A Rant of Sorts: Even though I could droll on about this topic for a very long time, I will try to keep it mildly concise: I noticed quite a few responses by photographers saying they did not have a phone that took photos! I gotta say: “Bless you!” Woo!! I do think that some of the new phones have great cameras and great apps and I think it is cool that more people feel the freedom to be creative and artistic. But, I am grateful and thankful that I don’t have to have a smart phone anymore. I originally got one for business purposes. I like my freedom to use my face and my mouth and my brain. The other day, I went into a waiting room, I was the 4th person to enter. I sat down and looked around and was going to smile, nod hello to the other 3 people (all over 30 years old) and ALL three had their faces in their phones, not even looking up at all. When the person they were there to see came in to let them know they were ready, their behavior was verging on rude. The hand-held device is a brilliant little tool, but one that lessens human interaction and camaraderie in many cases; not to mention etiquette. Hopefully, a balance will come soon, and people will notice what they are missing. I think there is a time and a place for everything. A grown woman audibly playing “Angry Birds” on her ipad while waiting at her table at a very nice $20-$30 entree restaurant for others to join annoyed the heck out of me, for example. Even my kids (aged 7 and 9 at the time) pointed out how rude she was, as they waited to order before engaging on their hand-held games (Silently, and trust me, I see the irony). Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate many of the modern conveniences, like/love: my computer, wireless internet, the internet, satellite radio, (but I love regular radio NPR more), cell phones (especially texting for a quick note), digital cameras, photo editing programs, weather radar, GPS, refrigerators and freezers, microwaves, glass-top stoves, hot-tubs, heat, air-conditioning, fans, filtered water, swimming pools, & Netflix. Yes, live and let live, and each to his own. I still suck at thank you cards and phone calls to keep in touch. I am far from perfect. But, I want to interact with people in a kind and respectful, sometimes loving, manner. And I want to live in the moment and be present and mindful!!!!  The End (of the rant).