Tech or Tog?

CGeezer

CGeezer

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John
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I have, if you know me got a new camera this week. It has inspired me with a new found enthusiasm and I don't know if it's the better camera or just the fact I believe it is doing a better job for me.

Now to my question, when I look at some photos on TP I think to myself "well if I could afford a £2500.00 lens maybe I could take a photo like that too!"

So can I buy equipment to get good photo's? or is it the skill of the photographer? or a mixture of both. Ansel Adams didn't even know what a mega pixel was but his photos are considered some of the best ever taken. I think it's a case of the workman blaming his tools but there is only so much you can get from a kit lens that will never compete with the expensive VR's and L lenses, or does it?
 
A wide aperture, and higher ISO handling will mean you can get the shot, whereas with lesser equipment you couldn't, but it doesn't guarantee a good shoot ;)

Anything else is down to the photographer and how he uses what he has available :)
 
It is a mixture of both.

A) an total beginner won't take great photos with some minor exceptions even with the most expensive gear

B) Some things just require the tools. I.e. a flying bird will just need a super telephoto, some things like sports indoors will require good AF and very good high ISO and so on. Well, you can use the very limited kit to make art, but just not always and not with everything, so it depends.

BTW you could consider A Adams had 100 mp equivalent large format camera (very roughly that is what 6"x6" would scan at). I am sure he had respectable optics too.
 
Some peeps reckon photoshop is the short cut to nicer photographs...
 
joxby said:
Some peeps reckon photoshop is the short cut to nicer photographs...
Click to expand...

All you need is a wacom tablet and a decent screen, and no camera. It will take time, but photorealism is a well established painting genre.

I believe you were referring to the other breed of PS users :naughty:
 
CGeezer said:
Yes but isn't expensive glass the easier route?
Click to expand...

As said it will help you get shots that would sometimes be hard to get.

But how many times have you seen great shots taken with a very cheap lens the nifty fifty....!!!!


md
 
I think it's 90% the photographer, 10% the kit. That 10% becomes massively important if the photographer feels he or she is at a level where current kit is holding them back.

I deluded myself into thinking I had outgrown my D200 a while back. The instant I got the D3, I found a new confidence, I felt something change both in the way I approached taking a photo, my attitude to my own ability, and the results themselves. I guess I found the confidence I was missing with my D200. I say deluded, as I think the D200 was fine - my brain had somehow tricked me into thinking I could not get good results without the best kit. I'm not fussed either way, as the end result was the same - I got the better kit and I got the results I was after.

G.
 
This time last week I would be sifting through my latest batch of photos looking for the one that I would maybe spend a little time in pp with and wonder even then if it was to a standard where I would happily post it up for all to see. Now it seems it's the opposite. I have my new d300 and I have a selection of photos good enough to post and am spoilt for choice.

Have I overnight became a better photographer? Or as is my thoughts are, just better kit? I'm not complaining you understand just wondering if I need to keep learning or just save up for a d700 for when I feel I need more out of my photography. (Tongue in cheek)
 
I find that good kit helps to get the shot which you might not otherwise get, or be impossible to get. Sometimes you need a specialised tool for certain jobs.

Strange that no-one has suggested practice, familiarisation with your kit, or even take more photo's. Practise doesn't necessarily make perfect but it does give you the opportunity to learn how to improve for later, especially as most people don't specialise in one form of photography but take on a range of disciplines.
 
I believe you can shoot fablious photos with utter garbage and no photoshop if you know how, but "fablious photos" is a pretty non specific.
As already mentioned, only when you need a specific result does equipment and/or software start to become a factor.

So I've been shooting a few birds recently in the garden, camera on a tripod, 50mm, and a wireless shutter release.
Don't need a 500mm f/4, but do need wireless technology.....:)
 
I have increased in confidence and I'm sure my photos are honestly better overnight, As for practice there is never a day goes past that I am not taking photos of something or other and I even take my camera out shopping with me ( I'm called some very sad names for doing this :lol: ) I also do a little of every type of photography. I have a low attention span at the best of times but I love taking photos and am still not at all bored. Maybe a new lens and I will hit even new and bigger heights. I have a 300mm at the moment and maybe a 500mm will get me a little closer to the action and an even better photograph. :shrug:
 
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