The New Age of Photography
A brand-spanking new digital camera pops up every few months, each model trumps the previous in features, complexity, and specification and that’s the beauty of digital photography.
The gadgetaholic in most of us are fueled by these innovations and advancement in technology that make the photography better and simpler.
For example, the advancement of sensor design allows us to shoot low-light situations easier than ever. ISO settings like 1600-3200 are the norm these days wherein back in the film days, ISO 800 was considered fast.
Digital Photography’s Crutch and Poison Pill
The intrusion of such progress in technology, unfortunately, the gear becomes the center of attention for many photographers, particularly hobbyists and beginners. Camera owners end up checking out what their cameras can do for them, rather than what they can do WITH the camera.
The cameras are packed with so many features that most photographers won’t really need to succeed in creating a great photo. Many photos don’t require complex technology to achieve, but the financial and emotional investment most photographers commit to their gear make learning photography fundamentals and developing an eye for photography a secondary (or tertiary) concern, which is unfortunate.
The Camera Isn’t At Fault
Having said that, our gears must improve, that’s what science is about and that’s what makes the camera equipment industry grow. I don’t necessarily agree to the “it’s the photographer, not the camera” mantra completely as it’s utterly narrow-minded to think that great gear doesn’t improve photography.
Great gear makes output better, reduce response time, focus accuracy, better colors and sharpness, etc. However, until the camera becomes a part of your body and mind and not a separate activity, your photos will that high-tech camera will never go beyond mediocre.
Which Comes First?
That sounds like a chicken-and-egg scenario, right? How can we become “one with our equipment” without spending a great deal of time fiddling with it?
My advice is simple, go back to the basics. You only need to know the following hardware-related skills, and it applies to almost all cameras:
WAIT! Don't Miss! Grab This Free Book NOW!
- How your camera tends to meter – Learn how to use auto-exposure lock and exposure compensation.
- How to be aware of which white balance and ISO to use
- Get used to using center AF point.
Here’s a great interview with Bob Holmes and you can skip to the 2:50 mark and 7:25 mark on his advices on what the camera should be so it won’t get in the way with your photography.
I like what Bob mentioned in the video:
“Photography is deceptively simple, you can’t expect to pick up a violin and play it within a week, but people expect to pick up a camera and take great photographs in a week, but it just doesn’t happen…
The only way to do that is practice, practice, practice…”
(Clearly, Allen Iverson didn’t say that, by the way, to my basketball friends).
Strive for Better Photos, Not Better Files
That goes without saying, if you’re new at photography and picked up a decent set of gears and you approach a professional or someone with more knowledge in photography for help, spend more time asking about composition, angles, lighting, and other non-gear related tips.
If you always feel that upgrading the camera is your best way to get better photos, you’ll end up spending tons of money getting better files, not photographs.
Readers Found This Page With These Terms
- how to take a really good simplified photo (1)
About David L. Tong
Hi Dave! You mentioned that when you meet a pro, ask about composition, angles and other non-gear related stuff. Indeed, not just in photography but also in all other disciplines sometimes it takes a pro to weed out the needless and the less important stuff that bury the ones which really matter. Maybe many people who woke up in the digital age care little about composition or angles. I mean why worry when you can just shoot and shoot until you like the outcome in the LCD screen?
When I attended the FPPF photography course in Intramuros, even our resource speaker hailed the arrival of digital camera especially the LCD screen. It’s like the LCD screen at the back of the camera became the greatest photography invention! I went to Baguio and saw a few old photographers with manual, steel cameras slung on the necks. No one wanted to have their photo taken with them. So they ask tourists if they, the old photographers, can take the tourists’ photos with the tourists’ digital cameras so the all the visitors can be in the picture. I think those old folks were pros.
Maybe for a lot of people, the technical nature of photography isn’t all that important even if its deceptively simple, as you put it. Even the crappy photo from my blackberry serves its purpose at work. Maybe it’s all about communication. Just look at all those photos at facebook, hahah! For those who make their living taking photos, and other professionals in the imaging field, of course, they don’t want to leave anything to chance so they get the best gear money can buy. For hobbyists and other sundry collection of folks, well, if my picture “communicates” in the place where I want it to appear it’s all good- whether its from a cell phone camera or from a top of the line digital camera.
Best regards!
Excellent comment and insight Ram… and you’re right, the immediacy of an LCD tends to be abused these days, instead of it being a “quick feedback” tool, it’s becoming the “output medium” for many.
One of my favorite exercises to new photographers who asks for hands-on coaching is handing them a 512MB or smaller memory card to shoot while covering their LCDs and letting them shoot using scene modes of their cameras.
With scarcity in mind, most focus more on taking the time to get the framing right, and just let the camera do its thing… They’re often (90%+++) surprised with how good their photos can be even when shooting in scene modes.
Thanks again for commenting :)
I agree with the “get used to using center focus point.” I got used to my film camera that I set the focus point of my dslr to center focus only. I miss the focal plane of my old film cameras, especially when doing manual focusing.
I love the idea of gazillion AF points, but until we’re really good with one, it’s best to keep it simple hehe.