Gear doesn't matter

4 years 7 months ago #654492 by Sue Bidwell
I had some photographer start preaching to me today about how gear doesn't matter.  Then he went on and spent 30 minutes talking about how much dynamic range his camera had.  :rofl:


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4 years 7 months ago #654497 by garyrhook
He's right: gear doesn't matter.... until there's something you want to do that requires technology to accomplish. But that doesn't make the two positions mutually exclusive.

Honestly, I think the whole "gear doesn't matter" is moderated by what you expect out of an image. And the mantra comes from a filmic era where you could get away with a lot of things because of the way film behaves (vs. digital).

But creating an interesting image is, fundamentally, about your vision and aesthetic.


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The following user(s) said Thank You: KCook
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4 years 7 months ago #654500 by Shadowfixer1
Gear doesn't matter until it does. Newer technology helps you make an image easier than it did back in the day. Like Gary said, it depends on what you are trying to do and if that one piece of gear will let you do it.
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4 years 7 months ago #654612 by fmw
Obviously you can't make images without gear.  So that statements needs some modification.  I'm one of those who preaches practice over hardware. 

I'm an old photographer who has been shooting since the 1950's.  Over those years I learned a lot of photographic techniques which are now automated in digital cameras.  But those techniques can be used with a digital camera just as they did with film.  So the convenience features really aren't necessary for making good images.  They are convenient. 

In a macro sense, gear doesn't really matter.  The brand of your camera body is immaterial.  You don't get better images because of a brand name.  You can accomplish beautiful lighting without expensive artificial lights.  I takes more work.  It is inconvenient.  Tripods are the single best piece of gear for technically sharp images.  High ISO settings and  stabilization don't do as well as the tripod.  they are convenient.

We should all understand that a good photographer can make a good image with poor gear.  A poor photographer fails to make good images even with the best equipment.  I was always impressed by how well my golf pro could hit the ball with my clubs.  It wasn't the clubs.  It was his skill with them.  The same is true with photography.  It isn't the gear.  It is the skill, the vision, the technique.

I think most of the old timers will agree with me.  For the newbies I recommend working on the skill, the vision the technique.  Use whichever camera you have.  Any camera capable of controlling exposure will do.  You can fool around with gear after you know what you are doing.


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The following user(s) said Thank You: Shadowfixer1
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4 years 7 months ago #654622 by Nikon Shooter
Gear will extend your skills and creativity
given they are there in the first place! :P

Light is free… capturing it is not!
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4 years 7 months ago #654719 by Ozzie_Traveller
G'day Sue

Some good thoughts above too

Putting this into another context ...
If you need to do some 'bread & milk' shopping from home, does it matter whether your vehicle is a volkswagon beetle or a v8-mustang? Answer = 'no'

If you want to tow a boat to go fishing, which vehicle is better at that task?

It comes down t the old saying 'horses for courses' ~ the need for the right tools for the job

Hope this helps
Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/

Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/

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4 years 7 months ago #654788 by KCook
  • We should all understand that a good photographer can make a good image with poor gear.
Right.  But all you are really talking about is the outcome.  When it comes to the shooting experience, the gear can be a major factor.

gottahavefuntoo

Canon 50D, Olympus PL2
kellycook.zenfolio.com/

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