You’ve heard the old “Your oven makes great cakes” thing before, right? 

In a recent article a comment someone posted prompted this whole thought process in my head. I feel it is a topic worth discussing … again.

The gear comment

Here is the comment and my reply:

“So, in short, a 100mm Canon macro lens on a Canon DSLR is pretty impossible to handhold. Right?”

Me: “No, it’s not the lens it’s the photographer. I am not patient, I don’t stand or sit still well. I move and sway enough even when I’m trying to brace my arms and camera against my body or other things. Mostly it’s because I’m not patient.”

rain Canon 6D not the gear

“The lens is great. I know so many other macro photographers who can handhold macro shots with this lens and other macro lenses. I just can’t do it myself. But I continue to try knowing that I’ll be dumping the majority of my images.”

It’s always the creator

Writer, painter, potter, jeweler and any other artist you can think of, are the ones behind the work. They are the creators, not their tools. 

The tools help them bring their artistic vision to life. Why in the world of photography is it always about the gear? 

not the gear lily pond

Yes, gear helps us do what we do but only if we learn how to use it. So when I end up deleting more than half my images from a morning out with my Canon 100mm macro lens? That’s on me and I know it. I know the reason why the images are not sharp. It’s because I tried to do something I know I can’t do.

Just because other photographers can handhold their macros doesn’t mean we all can. Yet, I do it anyway and I keep trying. (I know, I know, that’s the definition of insanity.) 

What do other artists talk about?

Do painters sit around and discuss canvas types and brushes? Does a sculptor talk about how great their chisels are? Honestly, I don’t think so. OK, so yes, maybe they do discuss these things a bit. We all like to know what works best for doing certain things. But, those tools that work best for one artist, don’t always feel right or work well for others.

not the gear

I can’t imagine that artists like Rembrandt, Gaugin and Degas or the original Group f64 photographers sat around and talked about the tools they were using. They seemed much more philosophical about what they did. I feel like they discussed and shared ideas about what they were working on and creating. Obviously, I can’t know this but after reading and learning about art history I just never remember hearing about the gear they used.

But get together a bunch of photographers these days and what’s the main topic of discussion? Yep, gear. UGH! I just don’t get it. 

Quit asking the gear questions

Do me a favor. Next time you come across an incredible photograph, stop. Spend some time thinking about what it is that made you want to linger on it. Try to describe what it is about the image that drew you in, and how it made you feel. Then, comment or ask a question. But do not ask what camera or lens they used to create the image.

The camera or lens did not see the location, it did not see the composition they created. The photographer did.

not the gear

Do writers get asked what typewriter, computer or pens they used to write their novel? Does a ceramics artist field questions about which pottery wheel they use? Not unless a fellow potter was looking to buy a new one and needed a recommendation. 

Learning is different

We are all constantly learning, I get that. If knowing what kind of camera or lens someone used to create an image helps you learn why that image is so great, then go ahead and ask. Be sure to also learn how they created the image though, why they composed it how the way they did, what their thought process was and how many times they researched and visited a certain location to make sure they got the shot they wanted. You will likely learn more from the answers to those questions than you do from knowing what gear they used.

These tools help us as artists. We, the artists create. Not the gear.