Trust your instincts not the tech spec
It’s not about technology it’s about our knowledge and ability to use it wisely or creatively
This is my 8th post from my 52 problems series. This time I’ll write about things we think we need and things we really should focus on (they are quite often pretty different).
Many people seeing my pictures were telling me that these are great and the complement was always followed by “you must have a great and expensive camera”. They must have been disappointed or surprised when I was telling them that I actually used an old analogue camera 10-year-old SLR or a cheap smartphone.
I keep telling them that it’s not which tools you use, it’s how you use this what you have.
Advanced tech won’t do everything for you
Quite often people think that with the more advanced and expensive camera they will be able to take “better pictures”. This is the excuse of many people who would like to take pictures but don't want to learn the basics of photography, just want to believe that HAVING an expencie piece of equipment will let them do better things.
Quite often when I’m on holidays I see many 20 or 50+ men with full frame SLR’s or newest mirrorless cameras. When I notice that I always try to observe how they’re taking pictures. Quite often they use the Auto mode with flash open even if they’re taking a landscape pic in full sun…
It tells a lot about the owner and his attitude.
A hint - it means that they have no idea how to use it.
I want all the people to hear, listen and repeat: it’s not about the tools and expensive equipment what makes you a good photographer, it’s how you use the camera you have. You don’t need pricey gadgets to take good pictures. You need en eye which you train, patience and curiosity to know basics and time for experiments to start with.
Let me tell you the story.
Few years ago I went to a photography course as I was starting a new job as an editor/ translator in a photography magazine. To be able to do my job well I wanted to know as much about this topic as possible. I was reading a lot but also wanted to know more hands-on side and listen to the language people used talking about it. It was half technical, half anthropological experience.
Ann, our tutor told us a story of her first assignment. She was about to take pictures for a new fashion brand. The “creative” people from the company had many ideas and booked the studio of their choice with all the equipment, she just had to bring her camera. She took her good old full-frame Canon and few trusted lenses.
The main concept was to take pictures with a vibrant light, the one which makes soft splashes of colours. In the beginning, it occurred they had no physical filters they can use to get this effect. The concept of applying it at the editing stage wasn’t the solution and it wouldn’t give the same effect and would require more chargeable hours.
When they realised that, everyone went into a panic mode!
The studio was hired, time was ticking and they weren’t able to start as they didn't want to hear about changing the concept.
Ann was young and not experienced in such comissions, but she was a creative individual.
She just said, “I’ll be back in ten.”
…
She got back with a bunch of semi transparent plastic bags in various colours.
[Remember it was 10 years ago and back then in Poland, you were able to get this kind of stuff in every grocery store]
Everyone were confused what the hell she’s doing there… they had an expensive collection to shot and she came with disposable plastic bags.
It was a simple solution, an upgrade which helped her to get the effect they all were after. She took the tape and covered the small flashlight with a pink plastic bag. The coloured light filled the space as she pressed the trigger.
During the whole photoshoot she was changing plastic bags, using one, two to get a nice mixed light.
The photoshoot was done. Pictures were amazing, even didn't require much post production.
Ads with a picture from that session was printed in many high-fashion magazines. No one apart from the team (and our group at the photography course) knew that this expensive photoshoot of even more expensive objects was successfull because of a bunch of plastic bags.
Ann knew the craft and was able to improvise to get the effect they all were after. They didn’t have time to buy a piece of "professional" equipment. Her approach saved the day and let her take amazing pictures which helped her to get more commissions.
(She said that since then she always has a set of plastic bags in her photo bag.)
It’s not about the equipment, it’s about you
We don’t need an expensive piece of kit to do great things. Having a certain level of skills and knowledge we can improvise and achieve the effect we want with the things we have.
As Chase Jarvis said “The best camera is the one that’s with you ” (or as photographers are saying; the one you left at home).
You should get to know your equipment well and make the best use of it, expand your horizons, hack things and explore. Upgrade when you need but do not fixate on the newest and most expensive.
Technology is here to support us not to dictate what to do. If you let yourself to be ruled by tech without being creative you’ll get bored easily.
Next time when you’ll want to say you can’t do something because you don't have "good" equipment, think twice.
The topic of using “the right” product is still present in many job ads (sigh). You are told that for a UX job need to know (and here comes the list of apps prefered by the company). People who create these ads are forgetting it’s not about the software but about skills and ability to learn.
If you know few other apps, you’ll be able to catch up fast.
It’s about analytical thinking, the ability to recognize patterns and applying them when needed.
You don’t have to be master in everything from the start.
Be the curious and you’ll become one.
