I recently purchased a Narrative Clip which bills itself as small data logging camera. You can clip it on your shirt and wear it throughout the day. It takes photos of what you experience right in front of you. I’ve had the opportunity to use it for a few days and I am impressed by it. Sometimes I want to take a photo, but I don’t want to be intrusive with my surroundings. This where the Narrative Clip comes in. It’ll take that photo without a flash or as so much as an audible shutter click.
To the right is a photo that was taken by the Narrative Clip while I was walking around McMinnville, Tennessee, courthouse square. It was a unique accident that it got a great photo of the Central Church of Christ on the square. However many of the photos are of darkness (in my pocket) or of the ceiling. It really makes a difference of how you position the camera. You almost want to have it pointing down to overcompensate for what happens when the camera is clipped to your shirt collar. Because of the way one’s chest is curved, it will by default point up. I’m still playing with the idea of putting the camera on a hat.
I don’t plan on wearing it everyday, although the thought did occur to me to have a photo a day blog where I would post the best photo of the day from the clip. But that it still far off.
My primary objective is to wear it while on vacation or short day trips. If only to remember that quaint restaurant or attraction along the way. I’m a bit apprehensive about photographing people without their permission, even to the point of coming across as a voyeur.
The clip wouldn’t be for everyone. Someone who is concerned with getting the best photo would be better off spending some money of a true point and shoot camera. Rather this Narrative Clip is a true novelty camera. More of a toy. More of a “Oh wow, I remember that scene from today.”