Photographer vs Picture-Taker

" There is nothing worse than a brilliant image of a fuzzy concept…”

(-Ansel Adams)

When I first got started really pushing my photography business, I got into a bit of a debate with a co-worker about the legitimacy of what I was charging people for. “Your business is obsolete,” he smugly informed me, “Anyone can spend a couple hundred bucks and get a top of the line camera and take just as good of a picture as you can.” This statement brought use of one of my favorite quotes into conversation…

“Buying a Nikon doesn’t make you a photographer. It makes you the owner of a Nikon, and nothing more.” (-Unknown)

He blew off that statement in a hurry and started with an “It’s only the megapixels that matter” rant that made my skin crawl. (Read about megapixels here) I have since come to find out that many people agree with my old co-worker, which prompted me to write this article.

So what really makes a photographer?

Yes, there is the ‘eye’ you always hear about, and a certain level of talent. I do, however, believe that all talent is about 30% natural and 70% learned. With whatever equipment is involved, a person must know how to use it to it’s full potential, no matter how naturally talented they are. (The average person only knows how to operate 10% of their digital camera’s functions.) Do research on settings & lighting. Try out different techniques and styles. The fact that you made it on this site to learn more is a very important step, so keep reading! This is what sets the photographer and the picture-taker apart.

If you take bad pictures with a $5 disposable camera, chances are you’ll take equally bad pictures with a $500 Nikon D40. The concept and composure of the photograph won’t change. I know of people who can tell you more about cameras than the workers at Canon’s help-desk, but they wouldn’t know a good concept if it smacked them on the lens. The more you learn, the better you’ll be, plain and simple. (For example, years ago when I first learned the “1/3 – 2/3 rule”, it changed the way I photographed forever.) I continue to this day to absorb every situation as a learning experience.

Things you should know before buying camera equipment

If the thirst for knowledge stays alive, one will soon start to get themselves out of the category of “Nikon owner” and the results will speak for themselves.