What makes a good photographer?

[upshotphotography]

A common statement I most often hear is, “Wow your images are lovely, it must be your expensive equipment”. It appears to be a simple enough statement with a simple enough response. Right? Well, it’s not so easy. In a sense the equipment helps but it is only a tool. In the same way a car is a tool to get from A to B but having a car does not inherently make you a better driver. First of all, any of us, and I mean any of us could take a great image. The fact that almost every person today has a very powerful camera in their pocket as part of the cellphone and the ability to take thousands of images at any one time, makes the chances of taking a great images all the more likely. Years ago you would have to wait a week between your rolls of film to see if it came out right. Today you can take an image and retake it until you have mastered the skill.

On the other hand, a statement I rarely hear is, ” Wow your images are great, it must be you.” In fact this statement is significantly more true. Wait! Don’t let me come across as arrogant as this is by no means the intention. What I mean is, is that we all have the opportunity to take great images. The skill lies within us all and the camera is simply a tool to express your curiosity.

This brings me to my next point, curiosity, which is quite simply the most important of all the traits. It’s our sense of curiosity that pushes us to be creative and take images form our own perspective. In this case curiosity does not kill the cat but rather makes you take a image of the cat whilst it is stalking it’s pray or sleeping in a ray if sunlight.

Sunlight, or rather light, is our friend and our biggest tool. Yes, even bigger than your 36Mpx DSLR with the finest optics. Understand light and you will take award winning images with 3Mpx cameras. I promise you. We are light benders, not photographers.

Learn a few key important factors about shaping light and be ready to take that great shot at any time and you will master the skill quicker than you think.

 

[corporate photographer]

Creative minds create great photos - the camera is merely the tool they use.

 

[JoeW]

Some people "capture" snapshots, photographers or artists create pictures. That is the ultimate difference. A photographer (through training or instinct) manipulates the setting, the equipment, the light, the perspective to create an image (rather than just provide a copy of what everyone else saw).

 

[5l.comSuMilles]

I absolutely agree the equipment is only a tool. The act of photography is the act of creation, isn't it? Photography is about capturing the moment, the memory, the beauty, the soul.