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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Thirty Four: Photographing the tourist in all of us > Chimping, Agra Fort, India, 2008
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26-MAR-2008

Chimping, Agra Fort, India, 2008

“Chimping” is a new term, describing the sound that digital photographers make when reviewing their images for the first time on their LCD screens. An “ooo, ooo, ooo” sound can be heard, a sound very much like that of a happy chimpanzee. This tourist is chimping silently in the chambers of Agra’s magnificent fort. She is using her precious time to look at photographs of the fort, instead of the real thing. But I can excuse her. I do it all the time myself. We all do. Comparing our pictures to our intentions on the spot is one of digital imaging’s greatest gifts. Even if we do miss a few moments of sightseeing.

Leica V-Lux 1
1/30s f/2.8 at 7.4mm iso100 full exif

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Phil Douglis06-May-2008 19:21
I first heard the term "chimping" from you, Tim. I agree -- it is always helpful when another photographer is there to drag me away from my screen and into the scene. As for those who tell us that somehow we are "missing something" by paying too much attention to our images, I can only second your point on that. Photographic seeing is just another way of absorbing and processing and yes, remembering, what we see. More importantly, it is our way of expressing ourselves. I travel so I can interpret what I see to others in my own way.
Tim May06-May-2008 18:44
This challenge of reviewing has many aspects to it. One is that it is good to travel with other photographers so that they can alert one to getting his or her eyes off the screen and into the scene. The other is as Rosemarie says the ability to notice if the image is bad before you leave the scene. There are some we've traveled with who even chastise us for seeing only through out cameras. I think that they don't understand that for me, and probably for us, the camera is a tool to help us record how we feel about what we see.
Phil Douglis01-May-2008 17:39
Everything you say is true, Rosemarie -- instant feedback has been the most important factor in the startling changes in my own photographic vision since I began shooting digitally in 2001. On the other hand, i often find myself studying existing images when I should be busily shooting new ones. It is a hard choice -- do we concentrate on improving what we already have or do we seek new ideas altogether? That choice is always with me. I follow my instincts, for better or worse.
sunlightpix01-May-2008 00:54
One of the greatest changes from chemical to digital photography is the immediate feedback digital provides. I think it's a tremendous benefit, given the expense of travel and the tourist may only get to visit once. The precious time spent reviewing allows us to delete poor quality images and recompose on the spot. I think it makes photography more accessible to everyone, creates better images, and it's fun too.
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