I didn’t decide to live where I was born (though it’s a wonderful place to have been born), and whilst I really decided to live in London, it came together pretty easily in the grand scheme of things.
Now, I’m living in California. I really decided to live here. It took effort, money, and lots of time. It meant selling most of my possessions and moving a few thousand miles (and then a few thousand more).
Now that I’m here, in this idyllic place, I find myself wanting to document it. To observe it well enough to capture it authentically. To share it with others in a way that makes them feel something.
My wonderful wife gifted me two things to help: A Ricoh GRIII and an OM System LS-P5. Two wonderful, tiny tools that I can take anywhere in my pocket(s). I added to that the Soundman OKM binaural mics.
My plan was (and is) to capture the most beautiful places in Northern California as they are. That is, as they actually are, not how I wish they were. I’m starting with one of my favorites: Point Reyes Lighthouse.
I’ll write more about that someday, but I’m going to take a detour here, because whilst the intention of these tools was for a single, specific purpose, the mere fact of their existence and presence has changed me.
A quote often attributed to Marshall McLuhan (unsure of actual source) goes: “we shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us.” We might make (or buy) a tool for one purpose, but the tools change us.
When I walk my dog (Cacio), I often now throw my camera strap around my neck before heading out the door. Every time I do, I notice things (new and old) that I simply don’t seem to notice sans-camera.
When I know that my recorder is in my pocket, I find myself listening more intently during a lull in conversation or when I’m having a quiet moment—just in case there’s something interesting to capture.
Simply knowing that I have these tools—and knowing what they’re capable of—makes me more observant; more mindful. I notice—acutely—the difference between when I do have them and when I don’t.
Tools are just… tools, but the right tool can help you think differently. Can you make you notice. Can make you pay more attention, or more care. The tools don’t need to be fancy, they just need a purpose.
We shape our tools, and thereafter our tools shape us. If you’re looking to encourage something in yourself, it’s worth thinking about the tools that might help you get there and investing in them.