It is Not the Camera

On occasion, people have remarked that they liked a photograph I took and that I must have a "really good camera". I do, but I like to think the reason that they are appealing is that I took a good photograph, not because of the camera.


It is true that the new cameras are amazing, some of the new lenses have their own computers, and in automatic mode the camera can get a decent exposure out of almost anything. But really this just means you can get a technically OK photograph much more easily today. And this is significant - The advances I appreciate most are: 1) immediate digital feedback, 2) fast autofocus, 3) low light performance, and 4) digital post-processing. But in truth it is not necessary to own a camera that costs thousands of dollars to get these advantages. Even the $200 digitals today capture most of these advantages.

And you can use film to get great digital pictures. I spent this week cleaning and repairing my old film cameras. The photograph above was taken with a camera that was the cheapest SLR made at the time I bought it 30 years ago. A roll of 35mm film cost me $7 to process, scan, and print at Walgreens. I thought the scans weren't that good though and I am going to look for another place to develop my film. To continue my experiment, I have my "good" 35mm loaded up now and am running a roll throgh it.

If it isn't the camera then what is it? Well, it helps a lot to have some technical proficiency, but it is the ability to see appealing subjects and capture them in an artistic manner that is what really makes a difference. I don't claim anything special about the photograph above but I like it. It was taken on a walk in the neighborhood while testing the camera to see if it was working OK. I shot it laying on the ground looking up and let the camera set the exposure. Being an old camera I had to advance the film and focus it, but with a new one I could have just pushed the button. To the degree it has interest, it is because of the way I saw it and framed it in the camera - it's the photographer, not the camera :-)