How do you feel when people ask questions about wanting to know what camera to buy in order to take pro shots?

Question

...... or become a pro wedding or other type of photographer and then go on to say that they have little or no photography knowledge.

(Or worse, I am shooting my first wedding next week, what camera should I use / any tips ?)

Why do people seem to think good camera equals good photos.

It would be like saying good paint brushes equals automatically good paintings.

I have only recently graduated to an slr after exhausting the possibilities of my point and shoot, I have learnt much but am still very much on the steep side of the learning curve. and have much more knowledge and experience to gain.

Is it our "I want everthing know and perfect" society that leads people to believe they can become pros simply by having the right equipment.

Does this bother any of the pro photographers who post here ?

I ask this as I have noticed the amount of "I want to be a pro, what camera should I buy ?" questions I have seen here.

Answer 1

That's just people being ignorant and you'll get that for the rest of your life. I'm not a professional photographer, it's more of a hobby for me but I've done headshots for people and a wedding -- my mother is a very good [professional] photographer and has been doing it most of her adult life, I have learned through her that it's not the best camera on the market that makes a good photographer - it's many, many things wrapped up in one person that makes a good photographer.

Those people that were saying "I'm shooting my first wedding next week, what camera should I buy?" those people probably cried when they shot their first wedding because there's no way to prepare someone without throwing them into the bull pen. I've assisted my mother on several wedding shoots earlier in her career and when I shot my first wedding, still with experience and my mother's advice and tips I wasn't as prepared as she seemed to be.

They think photography is point and click and that there's nothing really to it -- they're wrong and eventually they'll learn they don't have the patience for it, the eye for it or the skills and they'll quit -- or they'll muster through and continue shooting because it's what they're passionate about and they'll become a "real" photographer.

:-)

xoxox

Answer 2

All of this shows me what todays society is becoming. One of instant gratification. No one wants to take ownership of their own work, unless it is "perfect" but in getting there all want to take as many short cuts as they can. No one wants to - walk the walk - any more and all want to go from a no-body to a some-body over night. The idea of hard work to get there is just un-appealing to most anymore.

There is also the copy cat syndrome. If I use (or ware, or color, or dance or buy, or eat, etc, etc..) what they are over there and they are successful, I will too, because I copy them... THAT hardly ever works...

Asking what is the best camera is asking like what is the best food or car or paint or.. or.., or.... It all depends on way to many factors and what you want to do. Same with lenses. There is NO one good or perfect - anything... ALL are good and excellent when applied to the best of YOUR knowledge and understanding of the equipment.

People think that so called PRO equipment is something magical and by buying "pro" anything, they become - pro... So far from the truth, but the manufactures sure have people biting this hook, with line and sinker.. Same with the mega-pixel race.. Bigger is better.. Hahaha...! But people believe this and the manufactures are more than willing to take your money...

So how do I feel when people constantly ask all these questions..? Sad..! Sad because it seems no one wants to study their own life anymore and try to understand where they want to go. They wont look under a rock, behind a mountain or past a sunset, let alone between the pages of a book in order to find out their question. They would rather suck off others knowledge and just set there and have it handed to them...

Being a - Pro - is nothing more than making $$$ with your equipment, and here were talking photographic..! It can be a Canon Digital Rebel or a Nikon D-40.. It don't matter, but what does is the persons understanding of photography, their equipment and... VISION..!

So, when I hear what is the "best" camera body or the "best" lens I know these people are dog lazy and want to be told everything and not do ANY research on THEIR subject. What kind of photography are you wanting to do for example..? If you want to do underwater photography, MY camera may not be a very good choice... No one ever says what they wanna do with them selves other than - "I'm thinking on going Pro.. What do I need"...?

Just like reading their owners manuals on their cameras... Many will NOT do this and would rather ask how - than learn them selves.

It's sad that many don't want to think any more these days..

Bob - Tucson

Answer 3

I laugh.  The only choices are top range Canons or Nikons.  Everyone knows that.  The top Nikon body alone is £3000, Canon £5000 (double those figures for US$).  "Wedding" lenses are up to £1000.  A decent flashgun is around £400.  And then you have to buy two sets of each just in case.  Good luck to them.

Answer 4

Seems some have answered your question, but are also part of it.

Meaning camera brand snobbery. They think that you have to spend over a £1000 on a body, and the same on a lens, to get good pictures.

A lot of people just say the same 2 makes because of the name. Some of the cameras that have been produced by the said company are not very good. Ask a D40 owner about auto bracketing ?? It cant do it. BUT, its a Nikon, so it HAS to be good, even though it cant do certain things that a, dare I say it, Pentax K100D or K110D can do, and they are cheaper.But its a Pentax, and cant be any good.

Also, a lot of people buy the main 2 makes, but never take it off auto. They havent got a clue about 'photography as an art', and belong to the  'I know nothing about photography, but ? and ? are great cameras because they are expensive' brigade.

The same sort of people that think that the more MP's a camera has, the better it is. More than 10 is not necessary. My 6mp has had a pic blown up to 50x70. No problem.

Hope this makes sense.  

Answer 5

The best analogy I have found is to like asking a cook if she has a good oven when she has made a good cake.

As to doing a wedding, shoot plenty of pictures to capture the facial expressions and leave a lot of room around the figures. I am editing wedding shots at the moment for a friend,the usual mistake is to put the heads in the centre and chop the feet off.Weddings are stressful for everyone and the backgrounds are often very busy. Look for the best spots to do the shots before the wedding and pick up the f*g ends and sweet wrappers before the event starts. A word with the vicar in advance will let you get the best shots, while a chat with the other staff will often save you picking up litter and doing the weeding in post processing.The Focal Encyclopedia has a good guide to the standard shots to take,while a word with the bride to be will le you know what sort of shots she likes. One asked me for B&W shots like the 1960s Vietnam War pics!!!! Shoot in RAW if you can,it's a bit more work after but the tone ranges and colour balances can vary enormously.Take a spare battery,or camera if you can.

Answer 6

It is not about the camera, it's about the skill of the photographer. Taking a class or two is the best way to go. Then knowing what camera is needed will be an easy answer. It does annoy when poeple think that the camera makes the photographer.

Answer 7

I think they better go take a class before they make any decisions... people seem to think that photography is all about pressing a button, but they're wrong!

And they wonder why their sky is blown out and mine is blue, Ha!

Yes, it definately does bother me.

I also wonder why people will go out and buy expensive SLR's and use it on auto all the time... might as well go get a point and shoot instead, what a waste!

Answer 8

If they have to ask, they're not ready to go pro.