"Wow, you have a nice camera!"

[Steph]

But the photographer who has increased their skill & knowledge to be able to use a 5D to it's full potential and take amazing photos with it does so because of THEIR skill, knowledge, hours of learning, hours of practice, creative eye, and passion. It is not in the camera. I could take five 1Ds out right now & hand them to five unskilled, untrained people and one might get a good shot purely because of luck and a good quality camera.

Yep! We don't disagree. I never said that the camera on its own was responsible for the good shots. What I am saying is that photographers should aknowledge that the quality of their shots depends in part on the quality of their equipment. For some photographers it seems to be a problem to acknowledge that with better tools you get better results. And is not that why most photographers feel the need to constantly upgrade their equipment?

 

[Village Idiot]

see sig.

 

[LuckyStarPhotography]

Yep! We don't disagree. I never said that the camera on its own was responsible for the good shots. What I am saying is that photographers should aknowledge that the quality of their shots depends in part on the quality of their equipment. For some photographers it seems to be a problem to acknowledge that with better tools you get better results. And is not that why most photographers feel the need to constently upgrade their equipment?

Agreed.

But...

For someone to look at a photograph I took and the first thing out of their mouth is, "Wow! You must have a great camera." "Or...what kind of camera do you have?" or anything similar it would be like looking at a Picasso and saying, "Wow! He must've had one hell of a brush!"

(Note: I am not comparing my photographs to Picasso's paintings./note)

So back to the OP's point... It's not really a compliment to the photographer. It's a compliment to the tool and thus the compliments could very well be forwarded to Nikon or Canon or wherever.

Oh dear I've enjoyed this conversation entirely too much this morning.
eacemrgreen:

 

[kundalini]

What that person is complimenting is your tool, not your talent.

I'd be more than happy, even delighted, to get complimented on my tool. :taped sh:

 

[Battou]

At one forum I was on I got that constantly, I tried being nice and hinting that my camera was nothing spactacular and they too could have and use the same twenty five dollar wonder. Then I grew tired of hinting to them about it and told them they obviously wern't getting the point and gave a sphiel about the camera is only a tool....Not long after that I find I can not connect to the site....I almost think I was IP banned for it.

Does this Link work for anyone here?

 

[Jon_Are]

Then by all means, tell them how little they know- make them sorry they said anything at all.

Well, that would be rude, wouldn't it.

I'll concede that the nice camera comments were, deep down, not intended to be negative. What prompted me to post, though, was that person after person after person came up with that remark, and not one mentioned that there may be some level of skill involved in producing a beautiful shot.

These are educated, nice folks - some actual friends - who were offering a standard (but still, I maintain, semi-ignorant) reaction to a nice photo.

Such a viewpoint, it seems to me, does a disservice to both photographers and the art of photography.

Oh well, life goes on.

Jon

 

[dEARlEADER]

Agreed.

But...

For someone to look at a photograph I took and the first thing out of their mouth is, "Wow! You must have a great camera." "Or...what kind of camera do you have?" or anything similar it would be like looking at a Picasso and saying, "Wow! He must've had one hell of a brush!"

(Note: I am not comparing my photographs to Picasso's paintings./note)

So back to the OP's point... It's not really a compliment to the photographer. It's a compliment to the tool and thus the compliments could very well be forwarded to Nikon or Canon or wherever.

Oh dear I've enjoyed this conversation entirely too much this morning.
eacemrgreen:

I can see cause for the miscommunication. A crappy point and shoot can even get in the way of non-photographers with it's limitations. When I traded in my p&s for DSLR I had greater expectations. I thought I was buying my way out of the P&S limitations. This ended up only being partially true. While my images ended up being somewhat better it became clear to me that camera limitions are only a contributing part of what makes a desirible image. A non-photographer who has never moved beyond P&S would generally not know this. As such, when they see a good image it is assumed it became good due to the quality of the camera.

When I wasn't into photography, I was always cursing my Sony 6meg severe shutter lag, processing time, red eye etc etc...

 

[Alex_B]

Just make sure that it either comes in a cardboard box, or has a screw top!

I am shocked

 

[Alex_B]

Does this Link work for anyone here?

no, does not.

 

[Battou]

no, does not.

Ok good, it ain't just me then :thumbup:

If I could get access to the site I would have quoted my reply but....I guess that ain't happinin

 

[LuckyStarPhotography]

I'd be more than happy, even delighted, to get complimented on my tool. :taped sh:

I knew it was only a matter of time.

At one forum I was on I got that constantly, I tried being nice and hinting that my camera was nothing spactacular and they too could have and use the same twenty five dollar wonder. Then I grew tired of hinting to them about it and told them they obviously wern't getting the point and gave a sphiel about the camera is only a tool....Not long after that I find I can not connect to the site....I almost think I was IP banned for it.

Does this Link work for anyone here?

Doesn't work for me either.

I am shocked

I'm shocked too! (but totally in agreement)
Although I'm pretty sure Arbor Mist doesn't come in a box

 

[Puscas]

on the other hand: I had two times where people, seeing my 'bigger' camera, came up to me and said 'ah, you are a photographer, could you take a picture of us?'. So I was given their p&s to shoot them.
See, they thought I was good, purely based on my tools.

Oh, the irony....



pascal

 

[ksmattfish]

Different strokes for different folks. For plenty of photogs it's mostly about the gear and process. For others gear just doesn't seem as important. Most people probably fall somewhere in between.

Admittedly having the right tools for the job tends to make the job easier, but the differences between this camera and that aren't anywhere near as important to the creation of good photos as what's going on in the photographer's mind and the world around them is. I don't want to have to shoot wedding with a point-n-shoot camera, but if for some crazy reason I had too I could still get the job done and please the client.

I love my cameras. I'd bet I own more cameras than most folks on this forum. That's because for about 10 years I was obsessed with the tools. It took a long time for me to notice that I was sucking the same with 4x5 or point-n-shoot, and everything in between. It didn't matter at all if I was using a "better" camera, because I was spending too much time and energy concentrating on the hammer, and I should be concentrating on building the house.

I think most people aren't trying to cut you down when they compliment the tools rather than the artist, craftsperson, whatever... But if you think they are just give them a steely stare, and with a dramatic tone in your voice lay some wisdom from the masters on them.

"We don't take pictures with our cameras. We take them with our hearts and we take them with our minds, and the camera is nothing more than a tool." -Arnold Newman

"The mystery isn't in the technique, it's in each of us." -Harry Callahan

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." -Henri Cartier-Bresson

"...a lot of photographers think that if they buy a better camera they'll be able to take better photographs. A better camera won't do a thing for you if you don't have anything in your head or in your heart." -Arnold Newman

"Pictures, regardless of how they are created and recreated, are intended to be looked at. This brings to the forefront not the technology of imaging, which of course is important, but rather what we might call the eyenology (seeing)." -Henri Cartier-Bresson

...and my current signature from Minor White...

 

[LuckyStarPhotography]

Different strokes for different folks. For plenty of photogs it's mostly about the gear and process. For others gear just doesn't seem as important. Most people probably fall somewhere in between.

Admittedly having the right tools for the job tends to make the job easier, but the differences between this camera and that aren't anywhere near as important to the creation of good photos as what's going on in the photographer's mind and the world around them is. I don't want to have to shoot wedding with a point-n-shoot camera, but if for some crazy reason I had too I could still get the job done and please the client.

I love my cameras. I'd bet I own more cameras than most folks on this forum. That's because for about 10 years I was obsessed with the tools. It took a long time for me to notice that I was sucking the same with 4x5 or point-n-shoot, and everything in between. It didn't matter at all if I was using a "better" camera, because I was spending too much time and energy concentrating on the hammer, and I should be concentrating on building the house.

I think most people aren't trying to cut you down when they compliment the tools rather than the artist, craftsperson, whatever... But if you think they are just give them a steely stare, and with a dramatic tone in your voice lay some wisdom from the masters on them.

"We don't take pictures with our cameras. We take them with our hearts and we take them with our minds, and the camera is nothing more than a tool." -Arnold Newman

"The mystery isn't in the technique, it's in each of us." -Harry Callahan

"Photography has not changed since its origin except in its technical aspects, which for me are not important." -Henri Cartier-Bresson

"...a lot of photographers think that if they buy a better camera they'll be able to take better photographs. A better camera won't do a thing for you if you don't have anything in your head or in your heart." -Arnold Newman

"Pictures, regardless of how they are created and recreated, are intended to be looked at. This brings to the forefront not the technology of imaging, which of course is important, but rather what we might call the eyenology (seeing)." -Henri Cartier-Bresson

...and my current signature from Minor White...

Thank you for the quotes.

 

[abraxas]

Well, that would be rude, wouldn't it.

I'll concede that the nice camera comments were, deep down, not intended to be negative. What prompted me to post, though, was that person after person after person came up with that remark, and not one mentioned that there may be some level of skill involved in producing a beautiful shot.

These are educated, nice folks - some actual friends - who were offering a standard (but still, I maintain, semi-ignorant) reaction to a nice photo.

Such a viewpoint, it seems to me, does a disservice to both photographers and the art of photography.

Oh well, life goes on.

Jon

Exactly. I wouldn't read too much into it. I believe the best response would be simply say "thank you" and get on with your life--art.