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Page 3 of 4
Facing Adversity
Hall was preparing for a trip to Nepal in 2000 when he noticed a
twitching in his fingers. It seemed minor, more an irritant, but he
thought it better to visit his doctor.
“He wasn’t sure what it was,” says Hall. “But he gave me some
medication that slowed down my metabolism, which didn’t work out too
great for preparing for a trek to Nepal, so I stopped taking it.”
The problem got worse and, when he returned from his trip, his doctor
referred him to a neurologist who identified the problem very quickly.
At only 45 years old, Hall was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, a
neurodegenerative disorder commonly associated with tremors that keep a
person from performing some of life’s common activities. For a
photographer who depends on his hands to control and carefully compose
a photograph, such a disease can prove both challenging and
frustrating. But for Hall, the disease hasn’t dampened his passion for
photography.
Hall now shoots using digital cameras and has found that the latest
technologies in cameras and lenses offer him the tools to minimize the
adverse effects of the disease on his photography.
“I have to be very aware of what I’m doing with every shot that I
take,” he says. “I need to make sure that my shutter speed is fast
enough if I’m handholding the camera or use a tripod, which I’m using
now more than ever.”
Hall also appreciates the instant feedback provided by the camera’s LCD
for confirming exposure and composition. He especially enjoys the
ability to make exposure corrections quickly and easily.
“The immediate feedback is priceless,” Hall says. “The ability to look
at the display with the histogram and to confirm that I’ve got the
exposure right is indispensable. I also like being able to go back to
where I’m staying and download the images around people I’m traveling
with. It provides a great social environment.”
Hall has especially benefited from the Image Stabilizer (IS) technology
found in several Canon lenses, which he uses with his EOS 20D. The
lenses counter unwanted camera movement and help to deliver sharp
images in situations that could result in a soft photograph. Whether
it’s a relatively slow shutter speed or, as in Hall’s case, tremors
caused by the disease, the IS lenses help ensure that his images remain
sharp.
“Those lenses with the image stabilization have really come in handy,”
he says. “Since there are times when a tripod just isn’t practical, I
have to depend on my IS lenses, as well as make sure that I’m using a
fast enough shutter speed.”
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