Photographers and equipment.

20/11/11

Why is it that so many photographers are more concerned with the equipment than the photograph and the creative side that went into it? At a recent photographic club meeting I attended (as a one off) a lady photographer was showing her wildlife images and every single question asked was along the lines of “What lens did you use?” Or “What was your ISO?” or “What body do you shoot with?” you get the idea. I tried to redress the balance by asking things like “was it her interest in wildlife that drove her photography or the other way round”. I may not have asked the best questions in the world but I was more interested in her thought process and wildlife knowledge than what make of camera and lens she used. I am not sure why these questions are asked because if that person was in a similar photographic situation the light would be different and settings needed would be different, plus each photographer would (or should) be interpreting the scene in their own way.

It’s the final image that counts. It’s learning and honing the craft of making photographs that counts. It’s finding your vision and inspiration that counts. It’s good old hard work and practice that counts. These can all be done with a £50 35mm film camera on eBay or a phone camera or a Mega Expensive Phase One back on a Hasselblad.

I know that technology is wonderful and I feel that it’s never been a better time to be a photographer. What technology will bring us next I don’t know but I am sure some of it will amaze and delight us - BUT the bottom line is the image. Never think that the mediocre image you’re looking at on the computer screen would have been a winner if only you had got that better quality lens or that updated body because the news is it would still have been a mediocre image. What might have made that mediocre image into a winner is working on all those things I touched on in the second paragraph.

So instead of spending your money on replacing your body or lens because you think it will help you make better images, spend it on some tuition or some good inspirational books or a good tripod or simply travelling about more with your camera and getting practiced in the art of photography. Your photography will be all the better for it.