06 Oct 2006 08:27 AM

The Camera or the Eye?

The bottom line in all the discussions about cameras and photographers, is that the truth is that the photographer makes the picture; the camera is just an extra piece of equipment.

World famous pictures have been taken with cheap cameras.  Getting a good picture depends on being in the right place at the right time AND having your camera available.

This "copy photo" of a small watercolor painting was taken by a regular inexpensive point-and-shoot camera, no extra equipment, no zoom lens, just a simple camera ------>

You can have expensive cameras and miss "THE" picture.  It's happened before.

And you yourself probably have experienced that lost opportunity because you didn't have your camera with you.

I took this copy photograph with an inexpensive point-and-shoot camera
I'll give just one example of not being quick enough with the camera, no zoom lens, no special equipment-->> Yet, the quality of this photograph is acceptable for my purposes.

Years ago, I carried my camera on my shoulder , even while I was riding the bike.

THen people would say to me that I needed to 'protect' my camera , protect it from being dropped or damaged.

Well, I did listen and from then on , I carried my camera inside my backpack when I was going to lunch.

Well, walking home from school one day, I happened to look up at the sky, just because I love looking at the sky, and WOW, I was amazed.  I saw these two planes flying up there

SO CLOSE..that I thought they were going to crash any minute now.

I was torn between looking for shelter and finding my camera -which was safely protected inside my backpack.

One second later..the planes few on  ; they did not crash and I lost that picture because my 'expensive ' camera was hidden inside of my bag.

A small point and shoot would have gotten that picture since the planes were flying low.

Turns out that this even was on the news that night and they said that they got THOUSANDS of calls about those two planes that looked like they were going to crash .

That picture could have been sold, to any newspaper, had I just had my camera out and ready .

  There was another time, when I had my camera ready, an inexpensive camera, a mere point-and-shoot camera.  Well, I passed something that was 'newsworthy" and no one else did get that picture.

So, the cost of the camera doesn't matter when you are taking pictures.

What matters is that your camera is on you and handy,quickly handy.

And, that you take the picture.

   Anyone can take an expensive camera, read the manual and get a good picture. 

But it takes an artist , a photographing artist, to make a superb picture with any camera at all.

If you know what to look for, you can take an awesome photo with your child's toy camera.

That's all that's important. You know what kind of picture that you want, you are there and prepared, and then you've got the picture.

    So, focus now on your "EYE" ,rather than on your equipment.

Gordon Parks, Ansel Adams, I'm sure , could have taken their pictures with any kind of camera and got wonderful shots. 

It's inside of you; it's inside the spirit of your mind and your eye.

So, go for it.  Go out and get that picture

AND bring that disposable camera too.

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