Photographs are taken by people – not technology
Wed, Feb 11, 2009
This probably isn’t news to anyone reading this blog, but I wanted to take a few minutes to say it anyway.
It doesn’t matter how much money you spend on a camera or lens, if you don’t have the basic skills to take a good photography, you’ve wasted your money. Believe me…I know 
Digital Photography School had a guest post from Dan Dyer at Automatic Camera that highlights this fact. In the post, titled Stop wishing for that Amazing Camera and Appreciate The One You’ve Got, Dan writes:
All cameras have are essentially the same thing, a shutter that exposes light on a light-sensitive surface. Sure, there are differences in engineering tolerances and technical ranges and the latest technology. But Ansel Adams didn’t have today’s latest gadget. He had know-how, and practice.
The real difference between an average photo and an amazing photo, is the photographer, not the camera.
I agree wholeheartedly. I’ll use myself as an example to illustrate Dan’s point.
I have a great camera (Canon EOS 5D) and a great set of lenses (Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM, Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM). All this technology and glass doesn’t do much for me when it comes to the final photograph.
) and a great set of lenses (
, 
, 
, 
). All this technology and glass doesn’t do much for me when it comes to the final photograph.Let’s look at two photos…one by me and one by my wife (who’s much better than I am…see for yourself at her blog and website). The first photo is mine, the second one is hers.
- Windmill at Penn Farm – Taken by Eric Brown
- Windmill at Penn Farm – Taken by Tracie Brown
Take a look at the two photographs…both are of the same thing…a windmill and barn. Mine (the top photo) is very straightforward…a windmill and barn. Tracie’s is much more than that. Look at the composition. Windmill, barn, tree and farm implements. In my opinion, she took a photograph and I took a snapshot.
How about another example? Sure! This photograph is of an old granary on the farm. Again, top picture is mine, bottom is hers.
- Old barn at Penn Farm – Taken by Eric Brown
- Old barn at Penn Farm – Taken by Tracie Brown
Again…mine is a snapshot of a barn…hers is a photograph.
Now…Tracie does use the ‘latest and greatest’ camera and lenses but it’s her skill that gets the photograph. She currently uses a Canon 5D Mark II but up until 2007 she was using a Konica Minolta Maxxum 5D and before that, a Konica Minolta Film camera. She has a creative eye and can ‘see’ a photograph before she takes it.
So how do you get from taking snapshots like me to taking photographs like my wife? Practice, Practice, Practice. The ability to see creatively is a good skill to have as well.
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Tags: Camera, Canon, Canon EF lens mount, Canon EOS 5D, Dan Dyer, Photography, Techniques and Styles
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