Learn Before You Leap

I like photography. I like how one can capture a moment that will evoke thought and feeling among those viewing my work. I like using my lenses to show things that might otherwise be overlooked. What I don't like though, is the notion that the more one spends on equipment the better the photographer will be. That, my friends, is just marketing B.S.
Photography is about light, and how you arrange objects in that light to create a pleasing image. Owning thousands of dollars worth of equipment is no guarantee that one will be a great photographer. Yes, good equipment can be beneficial,but only if you know what to do with it. Hand a child 10,000 dollars worth of gear and what you will get is a snapshot. Hand a pro a 150.00 camera and you will get a gorgeously lit and composed photograph. Many people who have seen my images have asked me what kind of camera I use. I answer with "a DSLR". Invariably the response will be "what brand and which lens?" When I tell them,they are amazed that I use a camera body bought used, my close-up shots are done without a "macro" lens and my most expensive lens cost me 200.00 NEW!
The point I am trying to make here is that photo enthusiasts who are unhappy with their work tend to think upgrading their equipment will solve their woes. They would be better served by purchasing a few books about photo techniques and applying them to their work. After all, improvement comes from pushing the shutter button, not from pushing a credit card across a counter, and that is something camera manufacturers would like you to forget,believe me!

The picture here was done with a Canon Rebel XTi and the basic 18-55 Kit lens. Shot just before sunrise on a cool morning with mist rising from the water, the image has a kind of prehistoric quality to it.