For quite a few years, photographic manufactures released new cameras frequently to add more megapixels. Of course, we photographers followed, dumping our "old" cameras and buying new in the hopes the additional pixels made us better photographers and produced higher quality images.
As a golfer continually buys accessories, photographers also have this compulsive nature to add to their kit. No matter how much you have, there is always some new gadget catching the eye.
It's a wonder why we believe things make us better, as if the real magic of photography is captured by inanimate objects, rather than our own artistry. Photography is an expressive medium, requiring personal involvement, not relegating the capturing of a precious moment to some amount of plastic, metal and silicon.
In the past year, the megapixel race seems to have melted away, more or less, replaced now by adding video capture to our still cameras. Immediately upon seeing this addition, how many of you started conjuring some way to incorporate video into your workflow—presumably justifying the cost of purchase?
I can remember many years ago meeting an older photographer, while I was out shooting some personal work. While I had one of the latest single lens reflex cameras and a couple of lenses tucked away in my kit bag, he had a simple twin lens Yashica Mat-124 (uses 6x6 film) strapped around his neck. We talked for a while, swapped business cards and resumed our individual activities.
A month or so later, while making a deposit in my bank, I noticed some photographs on the wall. You guessed it, these were from the photographer I met and there, next to each enlargement, was a card with his name and camera.
I believe we all know the creativity comes from within, but there is some secret hope adding a new camera or lens causes our work to break through some transcendental "barrier" and suddenly we produce art.
The camera is, and always was to me, a tool. While today I use Canon equipment, it's only because many years ago, the Canon representative in South Florida, where I sold cameras, offered me any Canon camera for ½ off list price. I bought an FTb with a FD 50mm f/1.4 lens. It could have been the Minolta or Nikon rep with the same type of deal. I am devoutly brand agnostic.
I write all of this as there may be some photographers who are not out shooting images because they blame their lack of equipment—that is an excuse. Whether you have a decades old instamatic (providing you can still find the film) or the latest Nikon, there is no excuse not to get up, get out and shoot.
There are few photographers using 100% of their camera's ability. Most likely, it's the 80/20 rule: Eighty percent of the photographers use only 20% of their camera's features and twenty percent of the photographers use 80%.
If you are passionate about photography, you have to make images and you'll use anything, a pinhole camera, a Holga, old film, anything at all which will capture an image. Don't let what you don't have keep you stuck in excuse land.
I will guarantee you, when in the passion of shooting, any question of brand or what you don't have is replaced with composition, focus and exposure. Give a photographer any camera and they will produce a stunning picture. Sitting at home dreaming of what you could do, won't add one image to your collection.
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