Equipment or subject

[Phillip Ross]

I was just looking around the net for a new camera as mine was the victim of an unfortunate accident with a pavement which broke the battery cover and a few monhs later after using vast rolls of black electrical tape to keep the batteries from falling out i discovered a small chip in the lense, it still takes decent photos (as you will see from the jack daniels and gin picture) but when it comes to landscapes there is a small round blur on the images which is almost impossible to remove even with vast editing.

And so we get back to my trawling the tinternet, I came across a message board on photography and was a little taken aback by the discussion, which to me made the members of this board out to be nothing more than photographic equipment collectors and not photographers.

I feel it's all well and good owning the latest hi-tech camera and expensive lenses etc but does owning these actually compensate for anything, other than the obvious extras you would get with a more expensive model camera compared to say my camera which is just a standard 7.5 mp fuji s5700.

I do wonder if many hobby photographers are more intrigued with the vast amounts of equipment available to them or if they do indeed take up photography for the art of it.

I personally have managed to take some great shots using cheap cameras (under £100) and feel the only reason for me to upgrade is A) my cameras health and B) as I am trying to break into the art world with my images i require at least 10 mp for printing purpouses.

What are your views on this subject? are you more of a collector of photographic memoribilia or are you a photographer who's love of the world around us drives their creativity.

[Andrew Degenhardt]

I bought a used Ricoh from a friend of mine for 125 bucks. It's a manual camera and takes amazing shots. I am continually amazed with the quality of shot from this camera. At first thats all I had, and I took a few rolls of shots, then my mom gave me her old Pentax camera with a zoom lens and a 2x lens, so now I can take good zoom shots. she also gave me her remote wire and I bought a cheap tripod from walmart. So I dont have much equipment at all and I can do a heck of a lot with what I've got.

shooting is something I enjoy, it's somewhat of a hobby, but I do intend on doing it professionally and showing in galleries or books. I'm always looking for that shot that can show people an interesting aspect of the world in a way that is different, new, or just plan capture some beauty in something that is obvious.

I could go outside right now and find something to take a shot of. the thing is, I would have to look. thats why photography is a good practice, for anyone to take on.

[André Untiedt]

Dear Mr Ross,

Your point is well taken. And I am continually amazed by the creative genius captured "on film" (so to speak) by artists with equipment less than best. Indeed the key point, imho, is the photographer's ability to observe or create the shot.

That said, I have personally experienced the difference in the quality of the image, and thus the impact of the communication, when that same shot is taken with professional equipment. I believe it is all part of professionalism. Read up on pro sports photographers and you find they can set any setting on their (pro) cameras blindfolded. They are professionals! I find nothing wrong with desiring and owning the best equipment you can lay your hands on.

But put that pro camera in the hands of a nincompoop and you will likely get unremarkable images.

To get back to your premise though, I think collectors of high end equipment are... collectors of high end equipment! Who might or might not be great photographers also.

Respectfully,
Andre

[Phillip Ross]

Hi andrew and Andre, yes its amazing the shots you can get from some cheap equipment i do agree with Andre that there is a certain quality you would expect from more expensive equipment used by the pros but even with a cheap camera if you have a good eye and know your way around several computer editing programs you can create some amazing images check out the new ones ive just taken and uploaded, im still using the fuji s5700 with the chipped lens lol but its still producing some shots that suprise and shock me. i hope you agree

I find you can make anything into a good subject using the correct lighting and a little imagination, the ones ive just uploaded were just a pile of archaological rubbish i dug up whilst metal detecting piled up, a nice piece of rose quartz i found whilst on a trip to the beach, a previously printed photograph i had taken of hebden bridge and a few nightlight candles, cheap, cheerful and suprisingly effective.