Through the last few years digital photography has played a stronger role in all aspects of life. What once was an asset for personal occasions and entertainment now reflects catching a moment in time for developing structures, travel, and individual activity. The best example is the smart phone camera, and extends to dashboard camcorders. Anything that will serve as a form of information and communication has equaled its familiar role of entertainment and memories. The one single concepts still remains, “you get what you pay for”, but this has actually falls short from the truth with today’s technology. Instead, the development of any picture now falls on the individual and how the use the newer devices. The point to be made is that there is still an obvious difference when taking pictures “on the fly” as to when planning a picture, and making it a steady shot.

Each year, I had a small fund that was to help in having redundant supplies for the role sole purpose being able to continue a project or projects, without worry of running to the retail store for a replacement. It wasn’t a big fund, and currently, that fund stopped. It was a need since most of anything used in the truck takes a large amount of punishment and wear and tear, along with the extreme weather season periods. During that period, I obtained two Mustek Camcorders (about $79.00 each), and an RCA Camcorder (also $79.00). The idea was way before the dashboard camera became frequent in truck stops. My purchasing choices was geared to what was available in truck stops, since having drivers roll into mall areas is desired. Eventually, the dashboard camcorder did become more popular (for about $100.00 or more). Many drivers don’t want them, fearing they could be used against them in an accident. I see it more helpful in such situations, and for other reasons. As far as the dashboard Camcorder, well, it had just as much value when on break too. Security. If nothing else, it was a deterrent, and on one occasion, it also caught an incident as it occurred.

But even a digital camera is useful, especially when I became an Independent Contractor. I used them for inspecting trailers at the time of hooking them up, to have evidence of “pre-existing” damage. It also came in handy when damage or breakdowns did occur. Instead of spending time on the telephone with the company, detailing the issues, a picture was able to be emailed, and like they say, pictures speak in volumes.  When it was a conflict of interest, because their records showed the trailer was just in a shop, sending a picture helped enforce my concern. On other occasions, a mechanic was able to analyze the picture and note that the trailer was still good to use (I just annotated that in my DVIRR – Driver’s Vehicle Inspection Repair Report).  There were times that cameras were absolutely not allowed to be used on certain customers property (rarely), and in those cases, I made a second stop not too far from the customer and did it at a truck stop or rest area. Of course, making notes of this depended on the reasoning. One way or another, digital cameras and camcorders have found their way, and value, in the trucking industry depending on the individual’s purpose. It all sounds like so much work, but that is why it is called the “workplace”. It is more thought and planning than anything else. The records keeping can also be redundant, but it holds it’s value the first time it becomes needed. Typically, every professional driver should carry a disposable camera, that takes the old type pictures, and they simply fill a few cards out with the film used, and mails it to the supervisor or their safety department. Having a digital camera actually saves time, when it comes to simply emailing into that department or person.

The cameras all were well used, and still functions today. Of course, when it came to the quality of the pictures, many factors had to come into play. Distortion is one thing that still happens often, and that is because of the camera speed [click], movement [why they are called still cameras], and lighting. I even found that some pictures taken at night were prone to distortion, because of the street lights in parking lots. To correct this issue at night, I used a 16 LED flashlight to outshine the lighting from the street lights. The problem was that the street lights use alternating current (60 Hz), and the flickering we don’t notice was enough to trouble the digital camera’s focus. Using the battery operated flashlight helped give a constant beam that the camera needed. I also got in the habit of taking a couple of pictures of the same spot, just in case the first picture still had issues. I tried to also go back and run the camcorder, when I was uncertain of the quality of picture, since the video recording happened while I was inspecting, and I could also narrate my observations. There was just one difference in making this a habit; file size.

If you think about the amount of file size created, a picture simply creates a still picture, with a very minute extra, if you use the date and time settings, compared to a video file. The video not only holds a picture every second, but it also stores the audio. If this was to become a daily routine, a computer would be filled over time. This is where an external Hard Drive comes into play. Of course, now you do have to go to a mall. But the external hard drives hold “Tetra bytes”  of files now, and they are affordable. In many ways, this might be an expense worth doing, since attempting to save them on DVD [4.7 GB] would definitely be time-consuming. For many drivers, just having up to 7 days of records is fine. But the Owner Operator may envision the need to save a longer period of time, to assure responsibility.

Many will point out to keep a record of every inspection would be more work than is necessary, but there is some who would find it worth while. Creating the organization of folders and storing them seems to also be so involving…until you make it a routine. The individuals who would find this most helpful are more likely those who are independent contractors or owner operators. It still is a form of records keeping, and actually can be recalled upon when questions like where you were, the weather or road conditions at the time, and yes it can also reflect on the mood you were in at the time. In my opinion, once something has occurred, it can never be changed, only falsified or ignored. Whatever occurs in reality is something to learn and live by, and if it leads to improving an ability or action, then it was noteworthy of happening. For this reason, the needs to be a personal interest in when and where cameras and videos take place in the workplace; the good points are just as important as the bad ones.

Deciding on the time and place for digital recording

      There are some things that comes naturally to some, but there is still an amount of patience, experimentation, and deciding on a results that has to be acquired. This is done by planning and repetition. There is no other way of building the talent or outcome one is expecting. Even I spent years looking over older pictures, evaluating how to make them look good. And when it comes to photography, it may start out as simply “point and shoot”, but over time and routine, you start developing your own expectations, needing more time and experimentation to reach that outcome. Bottom line, you have to start somewhere, and allowing time to pass for you to review and judge, that desire to improve will come naturally. Don’t let the first poor expectation make you feel it was a waste of time, or it is a poor camera. For now, even if you were to plan on using it for trailer inspections, just do it. Later, review it, and over time, try to develop your aim, steadiness, and expectation. By simply starting to use it already expresses the most important part of inspecting a trailer…it says it was done. Even if you have no real purpose for a digital camera or camcorder, use it for trailer inspections, just to get in the experience.

      In the beginning, you will see a less than professional appearance. As far as I am concerned, even a professional photographer is their own critic. So you should not give up. Experimentation is one of the best lessons. In the beginning, simply focus on that “pointing and shooting”. Get the aim down. Then, work on your steadiness. Distance will also become a personal learning experience, since too close might make it hard for the camera to focus, and too far might not show the exact detail you wish to catch. Finally, lighting will also affect a digital camera. Those old outdoor street lights will be a possible factor because of that “sixty cycle hum”. Learn to explore the devices settings when it comes to lighting, affects, picture adjustment, and even the time and date settings (not available on all devices). Start out as a personal interest or a form of self entertainment. Then, plan on improving and deciding on how to use it, and when.

Photoshop Software

I do have an opinion on when and how Photo Shop software comes into play when planning on the digital camera in a workplace, avoid it. Basically, you really do not want to alter pictures for damage reporting, or any criminal issues. Even using it to mark up a picture to comment on it can be considered altered or not useful. If you wish to comment or draw on any picture as evidence of damage, always make a copy of the picture file, and rename the original as “raw”, meaning “As is” picture, and the second as “edited”, and submit both versions to whatever recipient. If you plan on improving on the picture with photo shop programs, again, submit the raw version with it, and make sure their identified as raw and enhanced so the recipient can understand and value both the original and the improved version. As long as you make this a rule, especially for accident scenes and damage reports, then yes, experiment with any graphics software program you wish. Honestly, that original picture may appear too dark, or tone may be off, but the recipient can always lighten the picture with whatever viewing software they are using. With that said, once you start working with one software, experiment with other graphics software, to include the paint or graphics program that came with your computer (sometimes the simplest program can give you a better result, and easier to use, especially when you find a software tool that serves your purpose, and in a timely manner). And, by using more than one Photo shop program, you may find a better tool in one, and flip to the next graphic software for the other tool.  Even making an album (a series of pictures for the same subject) can be a way of keeping those filed pictures together. They old line is, “How does one get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice’’”.