"On the use of the camera" response

In this article, Margaret Mead is arguing with fellow Anthropologist Gregory Bateson about the use of a camera in obtaining information. The two types of camera use that are being disputed are still photography(camera fixed on a tripod and not moved) and filming off a tripod(photographer holds camera and moves around). Mead argues that still photographs, taken in the exact same place for a set period of time, are most useful because they reveal things going on in the background as well as the foreground. She also believes that in order to capture the image of something interesting you have to wait for it. Bateson, on the other hand, believes that the photographer should move the camera to places of interest, where things are happening at that very moment. He states that the camera will not detect anything at all if it is held down by the tripod.
I agree most with Bateson in regards to this dispute. While I do admit that sometimes it is better to stay in one area and wait for something to occur, I think that the camera's true potential is severely limited when it is mounted on a tripod and stuck in one position. If the camera is sitting on a tripod then all it is doing is capturing light and displaying an image to be analyzed. If the camera can move around, however, then it is able to explore different viewpoints, environments, and aspects of the surrounding area. This means that the camera will view and interact with a lot more than it would if it were stationary.
Another reason why I support Bateson's viewpoint is because I think that having the camera move around freely can avoid making someone observing the images feel detached. By having the photographer move the camera around, you're not only seeing more of what's happening, but you're also seeing the photographer's point of view because he is the one deciding what to film and how to film it. This can make an observer feel like he is actually exploring the place within the photograph himself. Evidence of this can be seen from movies like The Blair Witch Project and other horror films, which use the camera to create an additional point of view for viewers to make the experience seem more realistic. This technique is used frequently in films today, thus demonstrating how effective it really is.