Photographers Are People Too

Photographers... we all love 'em, or we all hate 'em. Sometimes useful for capturing a moment in an often beautifully artistic way, sometimes a pain when on vacation and trying to snap a photo for a few (or a lot) of cash. At the end of the day, they're still people too, and have feelings. I was thinking about some of the most common phrases said to me as a photographer that either shouldn't be said, or should be said differently, for various reasons. Let's look at a few:

"Wow, your camera takes great pictures."

Cameras are not what take the picture, a photographer takes the picture. There's a big difference.

Before I continue, let me reiterate that most probably use that phrase without intention to come across as rude. They may not realize what it means, and they're just using that phrase as a way to compliment the photographer's abilities, but therein lies the problem with that phrase. It places the emphasis on the equipment, and not the photographer's time spent on honing the craft. Most photographers are passionate about it, as I am, so the better way to say something like that would be "Wow, you take great pictures."

It's a simple change, but it means a lot.

"What kind of camera should I buy?"

There's not one definitive answer to this question, because there are a lot of variables to consider. Do you want to shoot film or digital? What are you shooting pictures of? Do you want interchangeable lenses as an option? Do you want to shoot video? You get the idea. I feel like the question assumes that the person asking thinks they can buy the same make and model as the one the photographer is using, and get similar (or the same) pictures as a result. No, and no. It doesn't work that way.

Nowadays the abilities between cameras as far as technical specifications are not that different. What is different though, is ergonomics. You may not care for the button placement on one type of camera, or the hand grip of another, but this other brand may fit your hand beautifully. That's the one to go with; the one that you feel fits best in your hand. After all, photography at its core is an art form, and you won't be inspired to create the art if the tools used don't feel comfortable in your hand, or you don't enjoy using them.

So, in short, the answer to this question is: "Whichever one you feel best using."

"I have an app on my phone that takes pictures just like that."

 Smartphone and app makers have really been pushing the photography community over the years, making apps that produce images that are quite stunning to the casual user. The little device in your pocket can now take images with a blurred background that look like they were shot by a professional. You can edit your images using the same type of tools a professional would use, or heck, have the phone do it for you with the touch of a button.

While, yes, one might have an app that does all of that, what you don't have is a photographer with years of experience behind the camera. There's much more to a captured image than the technical side. Composition, for one thing, is very important. Allowing images to tell a story, than just be a "quick snapshot." An app can't frame a picture in a certain way to illustrate something invisible to the naked eye; that takes a person, a human being, with an imagination and a story to tell.

No matter what happens in the realm of new technology, apps, camera phones, there will always be a need for passionate shutterbugs. There will also never be a substitute for experience. I'm sure mobile technologies will evolve to where even the most sophisticated artificial intelligence can aid in producing images that look visually superior, but the human element is what makes pictures truly unique, and that's the reason I'll keep on clickin'.