Another thought about "pro gear"

[losfp]

Not so much a thought as a small series of ramblings really. I was at a wedding last weekend, and by coincidence was seated next to the official photographer at the reception. What are the odds eh? Two Nikon DSLRs attending, and they end up sitting next to each other

Was quite a nice bloke, we had a good chat about photography specifically, but also a lot of stuff in general.

Now what was interesting to me was his gear. Nice shiny new D200, but the rest of his gear could quite easily have come from my bag under the table. He appeared to be using an 18-70 throughout the whole thing (confirmed at the reception), plus an SB-800 (no diffuser). He had his old D70 in his bag as a backup, but it never made an appearance. He was also shooting JPEG.

I checked out some of his work from the photo shoot with the bride & groom after the service, and bugger me if they weren't great! Nicely exposed, beautifully framed and shot. So it just goes to show that the best photos still come from skill - the knowledge of how to use the light, where to stand, where to point the camera, and how to pose your models.

If you ain't got that, then the sharpest lens in the world won't help you

It was quite a good dose of perspective for me actually, and got me thinking about how I am going to improve my photo-taking abilities, instead of endlessly lusting over cool lenses (fun as that might be)... Obviously my gear is mostly good enough!

[Aussie Dave]

I think everyone should read this, at least three times....

This is so true. It ain't the equipment, it's the driver.......

Thanks for posting

[dooda]

Funny,

I hear this repeated so often, I even get to rolling my eyes about it sometimes. But it's amazing how often I get lulled into believing that I need such and such a lens in order to get the certain quality that I need. It would be interesting to see how he gets the most out of his kit lens.

[Raskill]

It's true, very true.

But at the end of the day, you look cooler and chicks dig you if you have all the best gear

[Glen]

A big lens always gets you lots of attention

[Raskill]

A big lens always gets you lots of attention

I would say there is a certain amount of truth in that. If people think you are 'professional' by your equipment, then they are more likely be accomodating. Rightly or wrongly. Also, clients feel more secure if you have great equipment.

To give you an example, my mate was recently married and the photographer (whom is utterly excellent) was using two Leica film bodies with tiny little lenses. My mate was horrified and worried that the photos won't be any good. I had to assure him the cameras were worth about $10000 each before he would settle down.

[Dug]

It's how you use the gear not the gear itself.

Way too many people get tied up in equipment and forget about what photography is.

Have a look at the work of Edward Weston or Imogene Cunningham both worked with simple cameras and single fixed lenses.

As an exercise, every now and then take out a camera and a single lens and concentrate on what you are doing rather than what lens you will choose.

[Grev]

Wow, a D200, SB800 and a kit lens, something to learn there!

For the past fortnight or so, I have slowed down on taking photos and just studying photography theory and looking at other's works and try to see what style they use and what I like and trying to develop my own.

[TonyH]

This will set the cat amongst the pidgeons a little anyway.

I believe if you have limited or beginner skills, and have great gear you'll get better quality photos even if it's just jagging the odd spectacular one. With the auto modes on the cameras (DSLRs) you will get mostly well exposed and focused shots. If you are shooting interesting scenes you'll get good shots.

They may not be fantastic shots but they will be more than acceptable shots.

A crap camera and crap equipment in the hands of a novice will give generally crap shots. A crap camera in the hands of a pro on the otherhand can be made to sing.

I believe that's the real difference.

[Dug]

the most important thing is THINK! before pushing the shutter

[Nnnnsic]

the most important thing is THINK! before pushing the shutter

That's not always necessary.

[Dug]

the thought process can become automatic but there is still a though process happening.

To be able to do that you have to be comfortable with your gear.

Much like changing gears in a car or turning a corner, you don't actually consciously think I had better change gears now (Manual car of course)

you just do it Unconscious thought process, but still a thought process.

[DionM]

100% agree.

But when you do learn to nail exposure, framing etc ... why ruin it with a soft low-contrast lens?

I love my L glass for my 20D ... and when I get the exposure and that right, the whole image just sings. Great colour, contrast, sharpness ... and beaut AF speed.

[MATT]

I prefer the spray and prey method,


MATT

[Onyx]

I'll stick to my philosophy: Spend like a pro, shoot like a 'ho.

[kenny12]

yes its is the photographer that makes the photograph,

[xerubus]

plain and simple.. the photographer makes the shot.

i have seen many times some pro newspaper photographers at incidents, all decked out with 1dsmk2's, bees nuts lenses, and a little sheep that follows them around to take notes... and there shots... turn out plain ordinary.

common mistake people make is to buy gear that looks all flashy and expensive, hoping that it will then make them a 'pro'... couldn't be further from the truth.

cheers

[Grev]

plain and simple.. the photographer makes the shot.

i have seen many times some pro newspaper photographers at incidents, all decked out with 1dsmk2's, bees nuts lenses, and a little sheep that follows them around to take notes... and there shots... turn out plain ordinary.

common mistake people make is to buy gear that looks all flashy and expensive, hoping that it will then make them a 'pro'... couldn't be further from the truth.

cheers

Image is quite important I guess and it's human nature to judge people on appearances, otherwise there would be no girls dressing up in mini skirts or goths or punks and all those people that are screaming at people to look at them.

And it comes to the fact that you want people to respect you because you look like a "pro", even if you have mediocre photography skills, you would still be praised.

I know I hate these generalisation as well, but the thing is there are so many people out there and you're not going to tell everybody that you're a pro too, even though you don't look as flashy.

Then again, those big chunks of glasses are better lenses.