Why Gear Is the Least Exciting Part of Photography

Why Gear Is the Least Exciting Part of Photography

Since I began taking photos 10 years ago, one constant has been that I have never been excited by gear. Granted, I like to have a nice camera and lens setup to shoot with, but it’s so rarely the focus of my attention. I’m happy to stick with the same gear until it falls apart, and I couldn’t even tell you what the latest model on the market is.

I remember when the day came to decide on my very first camera body. I knew I wanted to begin shooting, but I had no idea where to begin. How do you choose? Is the gear even important? After all, it’s the photographer that makes the image, right? In the end, my decision was made purely because the friend who promised to help me learn the basics was a Nikon user.

Since then, I’ve had various models. I began with the D60, later upgraded to the D90, before the D7200, and I now use a D500. Often, I’d upgrade because I felt it was what’s expected and that having an “old” model made me look amateur. In regards to lenses, for years, I used absolutely nothing outside of the 50mm. I’m a portrait photographer, and this lens is suited to almost every type of shot I wanted to take perfectly. With this lens, I never wanted for anything. And even though I have since broadened my horizons, adding two different lenses to my collection, the 50mm is still my go-to.

I find there are two types of photographer. First, there are those who love gear, enjoy spending money to have the latest models, and stay up to date with new releases. These photographers are usually the ones who come from a background of photography education. The other kind are those who fell into it somewhat: they picked up a camera and learned everything they know by making mistakes and trying again and will happily use whatever camera is at hand to take their images. The latter tend to be the more experimental, creative folk.

There’s an undeniable degree of snobbery in the photo industry, as if those who can’t afford the latest gear (or simply don’t care for it) are somehow inferior. Instead, we get lumped into the category of “Instagram photographer,” our successes being written off as a fluke.

The fact remains, my efforts are instead focused on two things: creative photoshoot ideas and learning how to maximize the potential of my camera. It’s of little interest to me if the various models released since mine have revolutionized the camera world, for I’ve spent many hours getting acquainted with the one I actually own. I know how it works, I know how to utilize it, and I know how to fix it if something goes wrong on set.

The rebirth of film photography in recent years only further reinforces that super-high quality, latest spec gear isn’t always the right answer. It’s as if we’ve gone so digital, we’ve exhausted it, and analog photography of years past is suddenly desirable again.

To those who suffer imposter syndrome, stop discrediting yourself. Being self-taught, being creative, and having zero investment in the technological side of photography are not crimes. The gear you use is largely irrelevant; it’s the ideas you bring to fruition with it that count.

Lead image: "Rolling on 50's" by Andrei.P, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 .

All other images my own.

Jack Alexander's picture

A 28-year-old self-taught photographer, Jack Alexander specialises in intimate portraits with musicians, actors, and models.

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60 Comments

Gear is the least exciting part of photography for you because you shoot Nikon. 🤷‍♂️

He’s an editor, and commented when he proofed the article. And he thinks he’s funny too!

Alex, please don't tell this to Lee. He seems​ to like his d850.

@Alex...What does the brand of camera he shoots with matter to his article? It was a well-written article. But you had to come along and make an idiotic, ignorant comment. If you've nothing constructive to contribute in the comments section, then do us all a favor and refrain from making such immature comments by keeping your mouth COMPLETELY shut.

I think the humorous intention of my comment may have gone a bit over your head... Jack is one of my best friends and it was a bit of friendly banter.

I seriously doubt anything you say could or would ever be "...over my head," Dude.

Welp, I only know enough to know how much I don't know! Hope you wake up in a better mood tomorrow, dude. :)

I wasn't in a bad mood when I posted my comment.

Ok.

Just so you know...I own Nikon, Canon, Panasonic, and Sony cameras. And I like all of them equally well and use them for different scenarios and situations. I'm definitely not a "fan boy" of one brand over another. They all take great photos, too.

Ok.

Can confirm. Completely over your head. As a Nikon shooter even I got it. Perhaps because your head is so far up your.........

P.S. that was another joke, that you prolly didnt get. Dont worry man, they are jokes, not dicks. Dont take them so hard.

PPS thats another joke.

^^Tee-hee.... he said pee pee.

Yea, yea, yea! You guys are real comedians. Now, learn to spell and construct a grammatically correct sentence before you attempt to criticize another person. And the word is, "probably" not "prolly." If that's the way you speak, it's more than indicative of your level of intelligence.

Three things:

1. It is OK to break the rules when you intentionally break the rules. You PROLLY didnt know that.

2. Scientists have recently found that most grammar nazis are jerks and likely less intelligent than they think.

PS. It is incorrect to start a sentence with "But"

BUT you had to come along and make an idiotic, ignorant comment. You PROLLY knew that, but did it anyway. BUT then again, in all likelihood, you just care far more about what other people do than what you do, as the rules don't apply to you right?

Furthermore, look up prolly in the dictionary:

prol·ly
/ˈprälē/

adverb-INFORMAL

probably.

"you prolly know this already"

The only idiotic comments here are yours. Only children and people such as yourself that didn't pay attention in English class would use "prolly" instead of the proper word and pronunciation of the word "probably." No one I know speaks like you. And for your information genius, it's perfectly correct to begin a sentence with the word "but." Had you been paying attention instead of sleeping in English class, you would know that. But, of course, you knew that, didn't you? You must be one of those ignorant liberals with your attempt to shout another person down with your useless comments. Now, do me a favor and sit over there in the corner and be real still when intelligent people are posting comments.

Well are you a delicate little edge lord.

No, not at all. I just don't appreciate a "know-it-all" that thinks he knows more than everyone else. Especially, a person that attempts to correct a person's grammar when it was written correctly in the first place. Let's take your retort to my comment: "Well are you a delicate little edge lord." You neither used punctuation nor was it a properly constructed sentence. I think that proves my point.

I don't get excited by gear, but I certainly do by what gear can do. A drone can provide images (and video) once unattainable to many photographers without a helicopter. An action cam like a go pro also can capture so much more than what once was thought possible. Even high frame rates, color depth, low light abilities - are worth getting excited about. You can easily create home movies - of near broadcast quality with software and equipment that is out of this world considered what I grew up with as a kid and an 8mm film camera.

"There’s an undeniable degree of snobbery in the photo industry, as if those who can’t afford the latest gear (or simply don’t care for it) are somehow inferior. "

This sounds like a straw man argument.

Who actually does this aside from a few random idiots?

I've found that most photographers are actually very encouraging towards those that are starting with simple, inexpensive stuff.

Go take a stroll over at the dpreview gear forums for a large helping of that attitude on display.

So you go specifically to a GEAR REVIEW forum, and are shocked that people are mostly concerned with gear? For realz? Like, I mean, common sense ever occur to you?

It's not digital GEAR review Einstein. It's digital photography review. Try reading for comprehension. They host both gear and non-gear forums.

"Go take a stroll over at the dpreview GEAR forums for a large helping of that attitude on display."

Sorry, but put the attitude down for a second and try reading comprehension. He specifically states to go to the gear forums for a large helping of that on display.

Try to not be so agro, you are seriously just looking for reasons to be upset.

Oh wow, I didnt realize that you were the creator of the original comment. Try reading your own comment I guess, you specifically stated the "dpreview gear forums"

This kind of snobbery exits in MANY fields (especially those with a significant hobbyist component) and not just photography.

But I've found (speaking from personal experience, at 70 I've seen a lot) that a good number of the snobs are NOT the pros, but are the pretentious amateurs. The pros (and skilled amateurs) are out there doing stuff and to these people, equipment is simply a tool and not a status symbol. But the posers try to up their reputation by buying and displaying the 'right' equipment.

So you believe that people who use "modern" camera has less knowledge of how it works?

The snobbery by the artsy-fartsy crowd is also undeniable, the crowd that only see their genre and think photographers who work with a lot of gear and have the knowledge are gear heads and not "artists" like them self.

I’ve met just as many snobs in the artsy fartsy world at photo exhibits than I have on, or thru Instagram. It’s just those on social tend to think that broadcasting their love for spending money on the newest and greatest think that exposure is also a form of currency.

There’s people that like to talk equipment and theirs people that like to talk technique. Then there are people that could not care less about either and let their work speak on its own, and its those people I learn the most from.

Very true. Sean Tucker is one of them:
https://www.youtube.com/user/seantuckermerge/videos

Sean Tucker is probably my favorite Youtube channel. I had my wife (not an artist at all) watch this video and she loved it as it pushed her to drive her career more for herself and not for others: https://youtu.be/atU31fMjZgg

"The gear you use is largely irrelevant; it’s the ideas you bring to fruition with it that count."

https://youtu.be/PaJQpgWV9f0

Only true if you don't have clients with specific requirements.

A good photographer can leverage virtually any gear set up to make "a" good photo. But to consistently and reliably craft very specific photos based on clients needs require higher quality and often specialized gear.

For example, try shooting a sporting event with a cell phone. No matter how talented you are, good luck making images likely to be picked up by editors. There are examples like this for most genres of photography. Gear doesn't enable or block good photos but it is a critical factor in meeting requirements.

There are two different assertions which are being conflated.

No one denies that you require certain gear to produce certain images; however, no particular piece of gear will make anyone a better artist.

Of course, they do when they assume the gear does not matter, of course, they do when they assume everyone can get by with a D500 and a 50mm lens.

Artist... One would think an artist would perform better with the right tool, a flute is not really the best fit for a drummer, etc.

Sure, people think all you need is a D500 and a 50mm to produce highly specialised images. Bullet in flight/microscopy/astrophotography/utterly bland commercial work/etc, yep, you guessed it...

More like you simply don't understand what is being said.

Ugh.

Yeah that must be it Will, or it could simply be ugh... 🙄

The fact that you believe others are as stupid as you do says more about you than it does about them.

Yeah Will we know you can fight on the keyboard, you feel better now?

Don't sweat it Paul, I would have no problem telling you what I think to your face. We are not all cowards.

One cannot miss the irony of you deciding to pick a fight with me and then becoming petulant.

Yeah Will its a harsh world when everyone not agreeing with you are "picking a fight" Carry on KBW.

Incidentally, do you produce any work that is not utterly boring? Anything that makes you feel something? I would have thought that with all that gear it should be easy.

Credit where credit is due, your work is technically perfect; but it doesn't alter the fact that there is nothing I would remember 5 minutes after looking at it.

Oh Will you really do not disappoint do you? A true little keyboard warrior! How cute!😂

Which in no way alters the truth of my above post.

I assume from the lack of response that your utterly empty commercial work is all you have. I guess your gear really does make you superior.

The truth regarding your opinion... Yeah that's something I really loose sleep over. Your masculinity? LOL yeah keep dreaming. Take care now Will!

All that gear...

I think we all have right thinking, just not in agreement how we describe:

Gear and skill goes hand in hand. As your skill level goes up, necessity of better tools becomes important. For a newbie, he must be concerned about developing his/her skill rather than buying "pro" gear.

Why? My subject matter hasn't changed, and I have no need to upgrade my gear or buy different gear.

If I had the chance to buy a $13,000 worth of gear for $94, I would be very very (!!!!) excited.

Ugh i was so sad when i read that article

I’m over it. It’s work stuff.
I get excited about a new tool in my workshop instead now. A camera is a camera. They all do the same job.
A nice new 18v tracksaw though. Oooooh, fits nicely into my workflow alongside my recent cordless router/trimmer.
Mmmmmmm, woodworking tools.

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