the effect of the digital world

[caseywise]

so for the old school and the new shcool,

in our world of digital cameras, phones, and video. i ask if this technology hurts the overall feeling of our sport.

my answer is variable. having a small, portable camera along is a great way to document and share your the time with others, such as you all. theres nothing better during the dreggs of march seeing a pic of a fish caught in some other climate such a sea run steelie caught on the deschutes.

then theres the camp of those who simply go out, by themselves, to enjoy their time all alone. no need to document, just enjoying the time without the grabs of life.

i respect, and have done both, and was just wondering.....


what do you guys think?



casey

 

[milt spawn]

An excellent question, and one I think about often. The new technologies are truly amazing and advancing at a rapid rate, hence the latest "buy back" programs. Unplanned obsolescence perhaps? I was given a digital video cam for xmas and it has been fun to mess with. It is the first digital I've owned, I used to carry the 35mm "disposable" type and thus have a lot of old prints. I like to be able to delete the junk. I would definitely fall into the old school category, go out and do... but don't tell. Probably comes from my backcountry skiing exploits. Shhhh. milt.

 

[Ard]

I do both also, I'm not obsessed with photos unless I've decided to do a documentary of the day or trip for my own reasons. I actually took more pictures when I was shooting Kodachrome. I still use compass and maps more than my Garmin but I like the GPS for some things. It (GPS) has been great for finding slack currents on my river trips. I use the speed that it records to help me know where to be in reference to the water speed. The total trip time and average speed logs are good tools when traveling long distances like I do. The cell phone is great as a communication tool but there is still almost 50 miles of the river trip that has no service so it's not magic.

All told I use my share of new tech in combination with my old school tools.

 

[stl_geoff]

Im not to sure where I would fall. I grew up with all of this stuff developing, being slightly on the young side. However the first part of my life was tent camping, worm fishing and IF pictures were taken it was with a Canon AE-1 slr ( still got it though, its great!! ) Now, having grow up, moved out and able to do as I please, I still find going back to the "old ways" of doing things kind of fun and rewarding. Its nice knowing that I know how to read and use a map, use a compass and just generally find my way. I'm one of the only people in a group of friends that knows how to successfully build fires for cooking or for heat, or change them as needed. Now i will say that usually my digital SLR comes dragging along with me, but only when i feel like it. Usually there is a little P&S i carry but forget its there. I take a cell phone only as a last means, it goes silent when i hit the water and stuffed into a back pocket to forget about. I will use the GPS to navigate to places, only because i dont feel like having a piece of paper flying around my truck with the turn by turn directions written on it, or i would be just as fine using those. I guess you could say im alittle bit of a hybrid of both. Its nice now and then to have the techy stuff, but for the most part im still content with doing things the old fashion way.

 

[randyflycaster]

I think the new technology is great. I love slide film, but taking pictures was a hassle, as I often didn't know what I had until I got the film developed, then saw I had over- or underexposed and had, therefore, wasted a lot of money.

My only complaint is people - even anglers on rivers - talking loudly on cell phones.

Randy

 

[caseywise]

I think the new technology is great. I love slide film, but taking pictures was a hassle, as I often didn't know what I had until I got the film developed, then saw I had over- or underexposed and had, therefore, wasted a lot of money.

My only complaint is people - even anglers on rivers - talking loudly on cell phones.

Randy

it sure is nice to be able to shoot a picture, save it, and later share it via the internet, all from your phone! but hearing someone talking on their cell on the river, or where ever, is annoying.

 

[Ard]

Randy & Casey,

On the river?? What about the person at the table next to you in a restaurant who thinks the person on the other end of the phone call can't hear them? We just left a place the other day because of a "Loud Talker" sounds like an old Seinfeld show line huh? This person had more calls coming in that the order-line at Domino's and it wasn't going to make our evening out very pleasant. :ranting3: As for taking phone calls while out fishing I never have had one because like others I turn the phone off and keep it in a Zip Loc bag.

stl geoff,

It sounds like you are a well rounded person, congratulations on all of your skills.

 

[chuck s]

I'm both, but where some folks dislike those who talk or even text when out enjoying nature, to many those activities are part of the experience. Perhaps they are describing nature's wonders to a loved one who can't get out. One thing the digital age has given me is a great ability to tune out those things that used to annoy me and besides if they are busy chatting or texting, guess who's concentrating on the fun and catching their fish! I like carrying a small device that gives me emergency comm, if needed, plus pics, in many areas anyway, and can even manage a short video! For sure the quickness between taking the pic and posting it or even viewing it is great as I certainly do not mind missing out on the developing and time doing so.

I'm old school enough to shut the phone down if not in a situation where it's serving as emergency comm and when I do have it turned on, I mind my manners when taking calls especially in a group, or area where doing so would be inappropriate. I have very little patience for those taking calls driving, or worse yet texting and similar breaches of common sense and safety.

I can see enough of my future to know that my next camera will have shallow water ability so I can stick it under and click a bug on a rock rather than seine to see what's active, or to stick it under to catch a pic of my released fish swimming off.:fishing:

 

[mikel]

I'd pass on all the techie progress in the last 60 years to have a world that is semi safe and makes sense again.

 

[Jackster]

Years ago, when I was working I realized I could make a bit more money sitting in a cubicle working 9-5:00, playing office politics and dreaming of my short vacation OR... I could make my own hours and plan my week around runs and hatches and carry a cell phone with me on the river to take and make calls as needed. It was a no brainer for me. Those who I fish with never knew I was conducting business unless I slowed the pace so much that they noticed. I didn't blab out loud or set the ringer on high and if a call was needed I stepped to the shore of the stream, sat on a bog and did my business in a quiet, unobtrusive manner. No one ever noticed or mentioned what I was doing. It was my call in doing this for sure but I would do it that way all over again in a heartbeat if I had to. It was just about perfect! Thank goodness for cell phones and the death of running off to find a working phone booth!
Now 2 way radio's! Man they can be obnoxious! If it isn't the insane ring tones they have it's the constant jabbering back and forth. They're not like a cell phone where at least one end of the conversation is muted. They're just plain loud both incoming and outgoing. Needed, yes at times but c'mon now, do you really need to constantly ask your pal who is within view if 'the hatch' is coming off around him... 300' away!
I like carrying a digital camera but now hardly use the darn thing. Maybe the novelty has worn off or maybe my fishing skills no longer warrant taking pictures!
What I can do without are posts that are way too long showing pictures of every single fish caught that day. After a while, to be honest, most fish look about the same. Exceptional fish I can understand taking and posting pictures of but every fish? Sometimes these are cookie-cutter stockers all raised at the same time with the same-looking blunt fins, pale colors and all withing an inch or two of each other. C'mon now... spare us the picture taking overload or we'll just have to confiscate your camera!

 

[Bigfly]

Working for years as a photo guy for a paper, I had my camera chained to me 24-7.
No matter where I was, it was adjusted to the light exposure, within reach, and I was ready to capture any action. House fire, earthquake, vehicle carnage.
Even all of the above simultaneously!
I finally realized they are going to line the bird cage with my life shortening efforts. Why live less just to help out a parrot?
I do get a few digital pics of fish, but I am in the moment now, rather than watching.
For me, only one or two fish every year warrant a pic.
Knowing that one of those may decline to pose, leaves me with one good fish photo to cherish. Seems enough.
As far as the folks who talk on the water, or restaurants, I think bigfly's personal short range jammer is the product for you.
The FCC may recall it, but in the meantime, one click and their signal is interrupted.
Of coarse, when everybody has one, none of us will be able to talk.
"Bringing back civilization one great product at a time."

As far as GPS, I'm only ever temporally disoriented, not lost.

Jim

 

[wt bash]

I nearly always carry a digital camera but only use it when I see (or catch) something that warrents it. I still don't own a cell, I just don't need to talk to anyone that bad that I need to have a phone on me all the time. Have there been times when I could have used one, sure but its never been a neccessity.

 

[rangerrich99]

At 41, I grew up kind of in between Old and New schools. And when I was younger I was all about the new, modern, high tech whatsiz gizmo of the week.

Now, I look at things differently. The only thing I bring with me when I'm on the water, is a camera. The phone stays in the car (not a big deal since 99% of the water I fish is without cell service), and since I've been reading maps and using compasses pretty regularly since I was about 9, I see no reason to carry a GPS. Besides, I don't want to lose the skill of map-reading and compass navigation. I've fished with guys with GPSs that get themselves lost. Or the batteries give out, and they get lost. It's amusing, but also a little disturbing.

Anyway, I purposely keep all electronics out of my fishing experience, except the camera. I'll take a few pics of the place, a couple of the fish, and a few of my friends. If I get lucky I might get a pic or two of a few herds of elk or whitetail, maybe a bobcat or a mountain lion, maybe even a bear.

Otherwise, I don't even wear a watch most of the time on the water. And I don't fish with people who insist on talking on the phone while fishing. It's almost as annoying as people who text while you're trying to have a conversation with them.

So, no phone, no GPS, no watch, no iPod (if that's the thing that holds 10,000 songs and sits in your shirt pocket. Fortunately for me, most of the guys I fish with are of the same mind, which is probably part of the reason we like to fish together. Just peace, quiet, and immersion in the environment you're in.

In other words, Facebook can wait for your update until you get home. Seriously.

 

[Editor]

What I like is being able to take my iPhone out, snap a shot on the riverbank and instantly post it to Facebook and Twitter (and now we can all access the forums remotely too so could upload here too if I wished) in real time.

Just must try harder not to drop it in the river like I did last year!:doh:

 

[Ard]

I finally realized they are going to line the bird cage with my life shortening efforts. Why live less just to help out a parrot?

That's funny stuff Jim It is exactly where the news paper ends up in this house...........

 

[Bigfly]

Ard, if parrots could read I might have carried on.
I'll add, the digital thing is great for fishing!!!
Especially underwater.

Jim