Damn Racist Cameras!

I had the 'luxury' of doing a photo shoot today (long story). It was indoors, and there was a requirement that the (professional) photographer use no flash in his pictures. This was a problem...

Why? Because I'm a black man... a very black man...

It was while I watched the photographer struggle to improvise that I realized a few things. Firstly, it became clear that cameras are designed with white people in mind :) Think about it... unless a room is pitch black, chances are if you take a picture of a white person, a silhouette won't be the end result. With black people, the risk is much higher. And with darker-skinned black people, even higher. Today, my face was consistently a dark blob in the photographers shots, which led to some frustration. He (a white man, I should mention) showed me sample pics of what he was asked to achieve with me, and then said to me, "Do you see what's different in all these pictures? All these people are white."

The other thing that struck me is just how far cameras have to go. I'm dying for the day when I can take a picture knowing that the end result will be an exact replica of what I saw with my naked eyes. I don't want to worry about red-eye, or exposure, or colour correction... everything will come out just as I saw it. Effectively, I'm looking forward to the last days of the professional photographer.

Thankfully, my photographer today came prepared... He didn't turn up expecting to use additional accessories, but ended up having to use the largest fluorescent bulb I've ever seen, in an attempt to shine more 'natural' light on my dark face. Prior to that he asked me to stand directly under the ceiling light... I kid you not. As I watched him fiddle with his tripod, and move his light up and down and to different angles, and review each failed shot and try again, all I could think was "If a professional has it so hard, no wonder I'm not happy with my 10MP point and shoot camera!"

One of two things needs to happen - either cameras get better, or I get lighter. I have a feeling the latter won't occur.