nice camera

One of the most infuriating things I hear as a professional photographer is "nice camera – it must take great pictures".

Often I will just smile, say, "yes, it does" and walk away. But every so often, I engage in that conversation, attempting to enlighten someone who was probably just trying to be polite. Just this past weekend, for example, I had a bridesmaid comment on my camera. Bridesmaids are part of the group I tend to simply smile and walk away from (along with the parents of the couple, the bride and groom and groomsmen). But this particular bridesmaid also wanted to be a photographer.

So I engaged.

It went something like this:

Her: "Nice camera. That is way better than the one I use. No wonder you take great pictures."

Me: "It's not a bad camera, but you can make great pictures with any camera, really. Don't let the camera hold you back."

Her: "If I had a camera like that, I would be a way better photographer."

Me: "Seriously, it has nothing to do with the camera. A good photographer will make a good picture with any tool you give them. Don't worry about the gear and focus on making interesting images. A camera is like a pen – having a more expensive one doesn't make you a better writer"

Her: "I wish I had a camera like that, I would be way better."

You get the idea. No matter what I said about the gear, she still didn't understand what I was saying. But the fact is the tool doesn't matter. I could use an old film camera, a crappy digital back up, an iphone or a plastic camera with instax film, it wouldn't matter. I will still make the same type of images I make with my more expensive camera. (Aside: my "expensive" camera is a Canon 5D MkII – technically a "prosumer" not a pro camera – that I've had since late 2008.)

The tool doesn't matter, the maker does.

Give an artist an old brush or a writer an old pen (or keyboard). Give any professional a tool that is less than "ideal" and they will still perform. That's why they are professionals – they get the job done no matter what is thrown at them. Sure, having nice tools is great, but it isn't necessary.

If you were a photographer in the dark ages (10 years ago) when film was all you had, your camera body lasted you for years. Steve and I updated our bodies occasionally, but once we found a camera we loved, we stuck with it. There wasn't a need or desire to upgrade constantly – the bodies didn't have a certain life span or size of files, they were simply one part of the tool box we used to make images. In fact, we still have a couple of our film bodies and they work as well today as when we retired them for good, six years ago.

Put another way, is my phone call or text better because I made it on the latest smart phone? Is my lawn more well groomed because I cut it with the latest lawnmower? Is my house cleaner because I used an expensive mop? Of course not. What a silly question.

How a creative approaches their craft is more important than the gear they use to create it. A bad image maker will still make bad images with the latest and greatest gear at their disposal. And a great image maker will make great images with anything you hand them.

So, yes, I have a pretty nice camera, but it's only a tool. It's not what makes me a photographer.