Does The Camera Matter
- A blog post based on conversations with photographers.
Does The Camera Matter
In one way yes, in another way, no. The camera matters because it’s the tool we use to create photographs. The camera doesn’t matter because the camera doesn’t make the picture. The photographer makes the picture. The camera is the tool the photographer uses.
Different cameras will produce different qualities of files/digital photographs. Some cameras produce “higher quality” files, while some cameras produce “lower quality” files. Higher quality files don’t guarantee good pictures. All we get with a higher quality file is a higher quality file. We may have a “better camera” but having a better camera doesn’t mean we’re better photographers
So, What Does Matter?
Ya wanna make better pictures? Become a better photographer.
We become better through our studies and practice. We gotta do both. Studies without practice just leaves our head full of stuff we know. Knowing is one thing, doing something with what we know is another.
It’s our understanding of photography that matters. Our skillful observation of light and skillful camera use makes for good photography.
The skillful use of a camera matters. All cameras do the same thing, they’re tools for making pictures. What varies is the photographers that use the cameras. Our “variation” matters because our unique way of thinking about what we see can lead to unique photographs. By the way, our unique way of thinking about what we see is our “style”. ( A Lesson From A Dog In Developing Your Photographic Style AND Looking For Your Photographic “Style”? )
Our unique way of interpreting what is seen can create photographs that are different from all others.
Skillful photographers can create interesting pictures with any camera.
How we use the camera is what matters more than the camera. It ain’t so much about what we got, what matters is how we use it.
Our skills matter more than the camera.
Study And Practice Photography With Sam
You said, “The camera doesn’t matter because the camera doesn’t make the picture”. I’m agreed with you on this situation, but there is a myth which is If our camera doesn’t provide a standard photo, I don’t think the photographer can’t produce his best photo with his skill. So we need the best tool for getting the best photo because the camera and photographer are involved with each other.
I’m not sure what you mean by a “standard photo”.
But regardless of whatever a “standard photo” is in anyone’s mind, I think that whatever skill and camera a photographer utilizes in order to create a photograph, I would imagine that the goal of ANY photographer is to create the best picture they can with WHATEVER camera and skill they have at the moment.