On Choosing Equipment

There is a common misconception in photographic circles that one needs to invest thousands of dollars in equipment to create beautiful images. This is demonstrably untrue. The art of photography has many facets, many of which are well-served using high quality consumer cameras, that are readily available at a modest price.

Now before people get the idea that one can open a photo studio with a “point and shoot” camera bought at K Mart, or Circuit City, there are certain types of photography that require substantial investments in equipment. Wedding, portrait, and fashion photographers among others, require specific (and expensive) tools to produce a product that meets the rather high expectations of their clients. Wildlife photography generally requires camera bodies that can shoot rapidly, combined with high quality telescopic lenses to allow well timed close ups of their elusive subjects. This gear tends to be pricey.

It is in the realm of landscape and “art “photography, that equipment requirements become more flexible. Though better equipment may be more adaptable in certain circumstances, the sheer portability of smaller, lighter cameras often means that an unexpected photo opportunity can be captured rather than missed. Increasingly, the image quality and resolution of consumer cameras approaches that of more expensive SLRs. More often it is the composition of the photo, and the attention to small things, such as stabilizing the camera with a tripod, or monopod, that will mean more to the quality and impact of the photo, than the cost of the camera used. There are wonderful “moments in time” that have been captured by clever photographers using suprisingly modest equipment.

The lesson to those of us who strive to master this wonderful pursuit: learn the craft of photography. Focus on technique rather than equipment. Buy new gear like the professionals do: namely to address specific deficiencies that impair your work. Do not assume that better cameras equal better photographs. Remember the old chestnut among photojournalists. The recipe for great images is f8 and BE THERE.