Photographer vs. the camera

[vonnagy]

Thought this was quite true:

A story about a conversation between Jack London and a photographer keeps coming to mind when I think about this issue. London was having his portrait done by noted San Francisco photographer, Arnold Genthe. London arrived for the session and began with praise for the photographic art of his friend: "You must have a wonderful camera...It must be the best camera in the world...You must show me your camera."

Genthe then used his standard studio camera to make what is considered the classic image of Jack London. When the sitting was finished, Genthe could not resist: "I have read your books, Jack, and I think they are important works of art. You must have a wonderful typewriter."

http://www.newtonsbaby.com/gravity/jycol0301.html

 

[terri]

heh heh... touche'!!

 

[Jeff Canes]

I am not sure how I feel about this, all I know is that good equipment and film does help if you know how to use them.

 

[terri]

I not sure how I feel about this

mmmm, sure you do, Jeff! If you're the one dedicating great amounts of your life to learning to USE the nice camera and understanding the uses of various film types, do you want folks to look at your best work and say, "Nice camera you must have, eh, Jeff?" ? Or do you want them to say, "Damn, Jeff - you do great work!"

ok, THEN maybe followed by, "So what kind of equipment do you use?" Equipment is secondary. Always remember that!

 

[Dew]

im split on this too

the camera is only as good as the photographer ... but the camera must have things that i need to perform as a photographer

if im using a point & shoot camera that the flash always pops up when im trying to do some dim light stuff ... then im getting rid of that camera ... i need for my camera to do what i tell it ... if it can do those things .. than any camera will do

all cameras cant do what u want it to do using the skills u have as a photographer

so to answer your question, i think a decent fully manual camera with a nice lens will do ... i've seen a cheap lens destroy a photo (cheap meaning low quality)

 

[Jeff Canes]

My friend and family all tell me that I take nice photos, but my gut felling is that the equipment is playing a big part, when I go on photo vacations to take landscapes I shoot large volumes of film and pick out the good one, is that art or luck; but I also have got some nice photos for my Holga

 

[vonnagy]

I think at the end of the day it the photographer that matters, i have seen some of the most amazing shots taken from disposables and el cheapo point and shoots. I've had friend demonstrate this point with pictures he took with fuji throwaway - on APS film for that matter!

Granted the same shot taken by a large format big bertha or 60 Gigabyte Orgasmopixel digital offers refinement, but at the end day, some artist had to take the shot, and if its good, its good - no matter what the equipment.

Moment captured

And Jeff, you've got some good pics - i wouldn't attribute all that to luck!

 

[Dew]

now if only we can get other photographers in on it ... to spend anything over $100 for a camera is senseless... all this nonsense about 5-6 MP cameras and spending over $1000 is just a waste of money ... its the photographer, not the equipment


now im gonna try and convince the hubby to turn in his Canon 10D for something else .. i'll let you guys know how that turns out

 

[vonnagy]

now if only we can get other photographers in on it ... to spend anything over $100 for a camera is senseless ... its the photographer, not the equipment

:lmao:

you make a good point dew!

 

[Dew]

well, didnt go over too well with the hubby about donating his camera

makes u wonder why people spend so much money on cameras if its not neccessary ... all these camera companies have us fooled ... "dam them!" i say

between my first camera and my second upgrade (both digital) ... the quality of my pictures are better .. but thats a difference of 2MP ... hell, i dont need it ... a lower resolution should do the trick

 

[vonnagy]

by the way dew, just read your profile:

Interests: being a slave to that man with the shaved head, have u seen him?

:lmao:

 

[Dew]

thats been there for over a month, you're just now reading that