The cheer about photography gear and why you shouldn't care

I captured this long exposure on my iPhone and created the ghost effect by having my partner move about the scene during exposure. This was also edited on a mobile app.

If you are into photography and spend the least bit of time online, you've probably noticed a growing trend: it's all about the gear. Although cameras and lenses are incredible tools, that's just what they are: tools.

Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Sony. Who's got what and why and who's an industry leader. Photographers generally love their toys though!

I know I'm certainly not immune to that appeal.

These images were captured with a Canon Rebel SL-1 which was released in 2013.

The thing is, all this performance tech talk has taken us away from the heart of what Photography is really about: art, vision, creativity. If you asked a gifted painter to produce a painting with paint brushes from the dollar store, what do you think would happen? A work of art, that's what. To the expert eye, there would likely be noticeable differences in the brush strokes, or the fine details. But to everyone else? Probably not.

A Baja seascape taken with the Nikon D60 released in 2008.

There are three major components to Photography:

The mechanics: how things actually operate in a camera, what does what and why.

The techniques: how to control those mechanics to produce specific results.

The artistry: the creative skill that is inherently unique to the process.

Having great gear is awesome, but knowing how to make the best of what you're working with is far more important. If you've got the latest Sony camera but you only shoot in manual mode with limited creative skills, it's like only ever using the pedals on an electric bike and never veering off well defined bike paths. Cameras these days are feats of engineering so go ahead and test out all of those settings and functions to truly make the best of your gear.

I'm not saying there aren't any differences between a Nikon Z9 and an iPhone, because there is! My point is that with the right knowledge you can produce compelling imagery with any tool so long as you've understood and explored all of the options this tool can offer you, including it's limits.

Your creative mind remains your best asset because there literally isn't another model like it out there.

I captured this compelling scene on my iPhone using a third party app which allows me more creative/technical control.

To conclude, avoid getting caught up in today's trend that suggests that performance gear is more important than artistry in photography. Focus on what you have to offer as an individual and start by making the best of what you have, even if it's "just" a phone.

See the competitive arena that photography has become online for what it is, and don't let it define your practice or force feelings of inadequacy on you.

Instead, celebrate your uniqueness and individuality.

You're an artist and you aren't meant to fit in the box!

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