Accent on quality in PHOTOS instead of quality of EQUIPMENT?

[Firestarter]

[Y]That's the spirit I was expecting to meet with, dragonmojo! [Y]

[Firestarter]

Clemmb, no offense taken. Don't worry about it, really. If you want to offend me, you have to try harder.[]

[HDNitehawk]

I am not saying that we should stop talking about the equipment. All I am saying is that as great as Canon equipment is, it is meaningless if we don't use it to create interesting photographs with it. Therefore, I think it is logical to acquire some skills besides acquiring all possible new models of cameras and lenses. (Shoot! Another mistake on my part - now I will hear protests from all those who have more than one lens!)

I think something to keep in mind is, that many of us found this site not in our quest to improve technique. We came to compare equipment. Brian has some awesome comparisons, reviews and tools on the site. So it should be no mystery that the tools are one of the main topics.


Second, as far as Skill vs Equipment. It is true that Skill is the most important thing. When I was young I strived to be a craftsman at my trade (not photography). What I have learned from my trade is that craftsman want the best tools they can get, not the flashiest, not the most expensive, they want the tool that will perform the best. Why is this, because your skill can be limited by your tools. Sure a good craftsman will learn work arounds to do what they want, but they still want the best because it makes the job that much easier. That said, it is why I want the best equipment I can get. Not because it will take great pictures, thats a given in the right hands. I want it because I want to be skill limited not equipment limited. Then...when the picture is bad, it is my fault.


Do notice what part of the forum someone posts in. Show and Tell, if someone floods show and tell with pictures, is that bad? I don't think so. If it is Show and Tell they didn't ask for a Critique.


If it is in the C&C someone should expect opinions, good or bad.

[bob williams]

Anybody has the right to their opinions, and - what's more - not everybody needs to agree with my opinions or anybody else's. I, for one, have no problems with people like Bob, who can't find any sense at all in what I posted originally

Firestarter, Actually your suggestions make perfect sense to me, just not on this forum (IMHO)--which was the point I was trying to make. Sites like FM and Photosigmake good use of the rules you described in your original post and those sites have some very talented photographers that will gladly provide a critique of your work.


Sorry if I was a little "direct" in my initial response-No offense was intended, its just that i would hate to see TDP turn into one of the aforementioned sites.


Welcome to the Forum.


Bob

[Firestarter]

HD, agreed on all counts. One more time: I am not arguing against the machine. I am as much into best photo equipment as the next guy. And I do notice the difference between 'Show And Tell' and 'Image Critique'.


Maybe it's only me, but when I do look in the 'Show And Tell' section and see something that could have been as well shot with a cardboard pinhole camera, I wonder: "What's the point?". Wouldn't you rather learn how to properly use any camera than spend all your hard-earned money on all those "L" lenses and then waste them producing garbage, and after that, waste our time on going through it? Wouldn't it be logical and smart to use the existing forum and the resources it offers not only to read specs and reviews of Canon gear (BTW, I came to this site exactly for this purpose), but also to learn photography? And what better and cheaper way to do it than perusing critique from other users?


Again - this is not meant to be taken personally by anybody. Just a bunch of thoughts and suggestions...

[clemmb]

and there's a term for those who are so affected: we're gearheads.
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Here we are not affected but infected. We refer to it here as the 'L' disease.[:P]


Mark

[Firestarter]

Thanks, Bob. I appreciate that a lot.


And to everybody: I really do not get offended by your posts, unless I am personally attacked, especially for no good reason and unprovoked. So go ahead, criticize my approach to forum membership as much as you like. I can take a lot...[U]

[ddt0725]

No offense taken here &amp; I hope you feel the same. After only 4 hrs. of sleep last night my previous post was the best joke I could muster up as bad as it was and I apologize for that.


IMO (for what it

[Firestarter]

OK, enough apologies already, or I will get offended...[6]

IMO (for what it's worth) ...sometimes a person's "garbage" photos are due to limitations unknown to us. For me, when I was in my early 30's, I went in for my annual eye exam and was told I was in the very advanced stages of glaucoma and needed emergency surgery on both eyes or I'd be blind very soon. My eyesight today is not the greatest and that experience makes me grateful for every photo I take, good or bad.

Denise, I feel bad because I haven't even thought of such possibility. Now I can see how you might have felt reading something that might have sounded insensitive on my part. Anyway, thanks for pointing that out for me.

I've only been at this as a hobby for a year now and although I will never be a pro at it, I love it just as much as the pros do and if a $1,000 lens helps me get a better photo and I can afford it, I will definitely buy it.

I assure you, photo-enthusiasts love their photography even more than pros do. I have been both. As a pro, I was just trying to make money. As an enthusiast, I strive to become an artist. I am a pro no more. I make my money in another way. But photography will stay with me until I drop dead.

[GarzaCapitalist]

I can or should contribute to this post, because I truly have spent a bunch of that green stuff we American