Taking a Great Photo: Camera or Photographer?

[sabahan]

Of coz is photographer,camera manufacture make CAMERA for the photographer not making photograph for them

[lordbane]

I consider myself to be a mediocre photgrapher at best, and the Olympus E20N really makes the best of my skills. None of my shots have been particularly noteworthy, but they have mostly met whatever requirements I had at the time.

Look at this picture. I know next to nothing about action phtography, yet the camera allowed me to capture this Jeep being shoved back onto its feet. I would never be able to achieve that manually.

[jim_c]

My 2 cents as well. For me it's the photographer. I think that Henri Cartier-Bresson gave a good summary of what Photography is all about :
"To take a photograph is to hold one’s breath when all faculties converge in a face of fleeing reality. It is at that moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy."

Jim C
http://www.pbase.com/jim_c

[gillettecraig]

There is no way to pretend that it's either the camera or the photographer (or neither the camera nor the photographer).

The camera is a tool and the photographer operates it. But depending on the job, you have to have the right tool, and with the right tool, there is little need for a skilled operator. You can't hammer nails with a screwdriver. On the other extreme, given even close to the right tools, the artisan or craftsman can do wonderful work. Given the wrong tools, they still can't get that particular job done.

[realkuhl]

I have worked very hard to improve my skills. I used to have a Nikon CoolPix and it was truly limiting me. It was also taking photos WAY too saturated and colors were far from realistic. My Daughter's eyes looks unrealistic in almost every shot. I now have a Canon 10D with fast prime lenses that allow my to capture truly the essence of my daughter:



and a "third eye" has opened and I'm for the first time in my life into landscape, Nighttime and macro photography.

This digital SLR has "taught" me very quickly what different aperatures, shutter speeds, iso settings and even focus modes are there for. In the past with my film based SLR, it would be a while till the film was developed that showed my my flaws, now they appear for me to correct 2 seconds after taking the shot.

So in my opinion, you need both. You have to have an artistic side that understands how VITAL timing is to capturing the moment AND the mood and you need the right gear to be able to make that "vision" in your mind become a reality with your camera.

-John Lehmkuhl

[gaocus]

Photographer. Good equipment is an enabler. I have seen plenty of cr*p come from good equipment used by poor or mediocre photographers.
Gene

[bobtrips]

"I have worked very hard to improve my skills. I used to have a Nikon CoolPix and it was truly limiting me. It was also taking photos WAY too saturated and colors were far from realistic."

Additional skills would have allowed you to get the colors and saturation levels that you wanted from the CoolPix. A few seconds per shot in an editing program would have made the difference.

Another camera that gives you the results that you want without the necessity to tweak makes the job easier. But it wasn't necessary.

Obviously some cameras are limiting. Some of us started with a Kodak Brownie/Hawkeye/whatever that had a fixed focus lens, a single shutter speed, and very limited film selection. A skilled photographer would know how to maximize the ability of this type of camera and could produce excellent photographs in the proper conditions. But they would certainly prefer a more versatile tool. ;o)

[neda_atash]

the photographer and a box with great glass...

[dovey]

I consider myself to be a mediocre photgrapher at best, and the Olympus E20N really makes the best of my skills. None of my shots have been particularly noteworthy, but they have mostly met whatever requirements I had at the time.

Look at this picture. I know next to nothing about action phtography, yet the camera allowed me to capture this Jeep being shoved back onto its feet. I would never be able to achieve that manually.

Great shot.. I'm a jeep nut tho so my opinion is slightly biased.

[atindra]

Apart from photographer and camera, I was thinking dont we need an admirer for a great shot?

[stanmore]

Good photographers gravitate to 'good' cameras. Those submitting to online forums such as PBase gravitate to digital cameras.
Take a look at my 'Framed' gallery - Until the shot of the little purple flowers with the very shallow DOF everything was taken with a film SLR. Most of those with a SH Nikon FM - about as basic as a camera can get. Lenses were often old MF Nikkor AI's & AIS's too. Is my photography any better for a Canon 10D & IS lenses? Personally I don't think so. It's no worse either.
People place far far to much emphasis on gear: A 20D if not going to let anybody take better pic's yet 1000's will spend $1500 to use one!