Your camera doesn't matter

I get some compliments [outside of this forum] on my pictures but a lot of times they start with "I am so jealous of your camera..." Like I have no talent and my camera does all the work. This makes me feel a little useless. I am certainly not one to boast about my abilities, so I just nod and walk away. In my heart I know its not just the camera but when you hear this a lot, you start to wonder...

I like to think I have some talent. The camera is a machine and has no creativity of its own, it can't compose a shot or choose the right time of day. It can choose the exposure and such if I put it on auto, but I don't think I get the best photos that way. Anyway I found this webpage written by Ken Rockwell, I found it reassuring.
/end rant.

I don't think this was a rant, but a well spoken truth.
Beware of putting your self esteem in other peoples's hands. It can hurt a lot.
Marcel

Jen, you aren't going to escape the critics, they will always be there. I hear the same thing and I just ignore them. If they get to be too pesky I hand them the camera and ask them to show me how to do it. That usually shuts them up. There is only one person in this world you have to satisfy and that is yourself. If you like what you are doing in photography then that is the only thing that counts.

The camera is nothing without the artistry of the photographer. Get the rant out you'll feel better, I suspect most of us on here have had similar comments, I have had similar about the Fuji S2 pro which is so old its steam driven. Don't let them get to you, obviously your work is good enough to elicit a response of WOW those are good. Ignore the stupid comments enjoy the fact that people like your work.

I like to share part of a positive private message with you from a fellow member.

"You can't purchase or upgrade creativity. Yes, the D90 will allow you much more freedom, but at the end of the day...it's still just a camera."

Don't let them get you down Jen, keep up the good work, your doing fine.

Rick

lol....that's not a rant, Jen. You just said what a lot of us feel like saying. Don't second guess yourself or your talent as a photographer. Those people just don't understand what it takes to create a good photograph. The uninitiated will always think it's the camera and not the photographer that makes this happen. Don't sweat it, kiddo.

Jen, my advice is take it as a compliment, some probably think it's the camera but to others, like your friends here on this forum that know better, we think your not just talented but great!

You have been an absolute joy to watch since joining here.

I have been a musician and a Martial Artist all my life as well as taking photographs.
I have been inducted into hall of fames, travel all over the world, had ups, and had downs..lol. I think with time you get a tough skin, there will always be those who think they know it all or refuse to give credit where credit is due. But that’s okay as long as you have faith in yourself and your abilities, the rest is just fluffJ. Creativity comes from within either you have it or you don’t?? I write articles for major Martial magazines, and there are always (I mean always) people who E mail me and tell me I am wrong, or don’t know what I am talking about. Like others have said if these people know better they should write the articles, or take the pictures…lol. Enjoy your talent, grow with it and reach for the sky. Settle for nothing less.

Jen
Don't sweat those type of comments, they are obviously coming from people unfamiliar with Photography and what it takes to create a photo not just take a picture. Your work in your gallery is very good art not snap shots Happy Shooting

I agree with what everyone else has said and just wanted to say, don't let it get you down. There's so many people out there who don't understand photography at all and think just buying a DSLR camera and snapping pics makes you a photographer. They don't understand what it takes to actually "learn" to use their camera and get amazing photos.

Thanks everyone, I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets comments like that.

I've been a pilot almost as long as I've been a photographer. One certain truth about aviation is one is always being evaluated. I used to say, "If I can't stand criticism and humiliation, I'm in the wrong business."

I have found that saying applies to many other endeavors, as well.

To be honest with you, I should be charged as guilty. I always thought that I would automatically have better pics if I upgrade to a DLSR. Some of my friends, who use point and shoots, always say they still have better results. But again, "better" is really subjective. Remember there are twelve elements of a merit image - impact, creativity, technical excellence, composition, lighting, style, print presentation, center of interest, subject matter, color balance, technique and story telling. I wonder why "camera" was not included in the twelve elements? LOL.

They mean well in those comments, Jen. They just aren't photographers and don't realize that might be considered a bit of a put down if you think about it too much.

Take it as a complement, and as well meaning, and don't lose any sleep over it. Keep making great images and be proud that people realize you're doing a great job!

Well Jen,
Here it is from some one who knows what it's like to continually try and not achieve, but do appreciate others, I have no vision, no imagination, My camera's show in excess 6,000 actuations all snap shots not one photograph, My gallery has gone too embarrassed, Those that did view my gallery know in their own heart what I mean, Please this is not a cry for help, just my facing my truth,
I realize I am like countless others, snap shooter, although I am aware of the intricacies of photography, thousands are not,
As like others I fell into the trap of buy lenses, buy camera's, buy accessories, thinking, hoping, but it just has not happened, I have been playing with all this since 2005, with not one "photograph", No I am not being too fussy, Just realistic
In my own way I envy those that can, spurred me on Hahahaha,
I have D50, D90, D7k, 10 lenses, four tripods, 5 heads (including Gimbal), video camera+, filters, light modifiers, two size reflectors, speed lights, batteries, cards, chest mount cameras support, add infinitum - to help me achieve zilch, and you my dear are doing outstandingly with much less, stay small, good for you, I hope you and all other's good fortune,
Because you have talent I say, as do others, ignore the nay sayers, listen and learn from your pears, But one request there are those here that have the Nikonian leanings , be ever watchful, much success to you and all

I can make no more excuses about my imagery now, apart from needing better glass LOL. I have a camera that was THE Pro camera to have a couple of years ago, until the D3 came along mine was the dogs whatsits! So I can't say "well I am using a Fuji S2, its very old you know!" Now anything I produce good or bad is down to me, my vision, my settings, my shot. They are getting better, sometimes inspiration fails me and I fall back to the Standard type shots, but every now and again THAT shot appears, from a change of angle, closer zoom or breaking the rules (got a good one the other day by chopping the top of a head off, beacuse it changed the point of interest in the image to the guitar that was being played) Each and every one of us can create something that only we saw, only we thought of and shot. Sometimes it works, sometimes its awful but its all experience, and for those of us (like me) who aren't that intuitive when it comes to shooting its all about the learning from experience. We all know that the photo is generated by the camera but we create that shot, that image is purely ours. I have bad days, day that I come back with maybe 2 or 3 shots that I look at and think, they're OK other times I have a brainwave I'm in "the zone" and nearly everything works (few and far between) but if it was easy it wouldn't be challenging, if it was't challenging it wouldn't be interesting. So we all persevere, we all look at the work of others and think "I wish I could do that" well the bad news is, you can't because you are you. You see things differently, I will tell you straight, others will have looked at your albums and said "I wish I could do that" even you imnuky because we are all hyper critical of our own work. We all think that we aren't as good as we could be without remembering that everyone else is thinking the same. We all think, "there is so much to learn" "I wish I had more time to take photos" I think thats probably true of everyone on here, even those employed to take photos.

I will stop rambling now, don't know where all that came from. Keep your chins up people, everyone is in a similar boat, all paddling frantically to catch up with a percieved ideal that in truth no one has. Keep shooting, keep trying, keep learning but most of all keep enjoying it.

Mark

"I am so jealous of your camera..." Like I have no talent and my camera does all the work. This makes me feel a little useless. I am certainly not one to boast about my abilities, so I just nod and walk away. In my heart I know its not just the camera but when you hear this a lot, you start to wonder...

Click to expand...

Jen, you are an exceptional artist/photographer. I see your photography as thoughtful and expressive, and it's clear to me that you have a gift, and a very kind and compassionate soul, which is why comments like that get to you once in a while. Chalk up their comments to their ignorance, and keep right on going and doing. Life is way to short to give people like that any kind of "energy" or let them use up yours.

You have a lot of nice comments from your friends on this forum. If you need a boost, print them out and look at them whenever some idiot makes a stupid remark.

I was going to leave this one alone. Jen, you have the rare ability to put so much emotion into a static image. Its like you take a thin slice of your soul and inject it into your shots.

I really can't think of any other way to put it. I had to dive in because a close friend looked at one of my shots and said, in obvious amazement, "YOU did this?" as though I were a knuckle dragging neanderthal unable to encapsulate a coherent thought.
My response? "I just stole it off the net."

I know I'm late to this party, but us neanderthals is like that.

Pete

Jen, think of your camera as a tool through which your creative genius is visual to others. Some tools are better than others but they are tools none the less.!!!

Joe,
Excellent point, think of the camera as a brush or a chisel it is merely a tool that allows an artist to create their art. Michelangelo's David wasn't sculpted by his chisel, it was him using a tool to create something from a block of marble.
Must remember that analogy in the future.