Ansel Adams on Camera Equipment

Gear cannot make a bad photographer good. Gear certainly can improve the work of a good photographer. Certain types of photography (particularly landscapes and still-life) do not require expensive gear to do well. Many other types (indoor sports or aviation) require expensive equipment to recreate the images we're familiar with seeing in connection with those events and expect to produce ourselves.

The new "Prove you're a great photographer" program I'm thinking of starting:
You send me your 1DS3, 1D4 or 1DX and all you L lenses. I'll send you a Rebel XT and 18-55 IS. You prove you're a great photographer by putting food on your family table using your new improved setup. Your reward will be a hearty "Well done" from me in email form.*


I fear we are in real danger of discouraging new photographers with our collective attitude expressed commonly here.

When someone comes here and says "I want to do this thing, but all I have is a 10 year old Rebel and kit lens," sometimes the first answer is "once you have X (some body/lens combo costing $5000 total) you can do that." The second answer is usually someone with a gear list taking up half the screen in their sig line saying "I started with a Rebel kit and did fine, just use what you've got for now."

The first person to answer is derided as "gearhead" and the second is "True Artist." But which answer actually helped the asker? The first gave them a goal, a sense that what they wanted to accomplish is realistic once their budget takes them there. The second simply said "come back when you're better."

* This should be read with sarcasm tags, unless you actually have a 1 series you want to trade for an XT...

-Just remember, TANSTAAFL and when SHTF, IANAL and all my posts are IMHO, IIRC, and AFAIK; YMMV.

FYI, get the equipment that is right for the job at hand, period. You don't grab a point and shoot and expecting to capture some 500L quality bird photography photos. If you don't know what is a 500L look, go to the bird photography section on the message board. Look around. There are shots you can't produce with any other lenses other than using those massively big supertelephoto lenses. Yes, I used to own a 500L.

Frankly, if you don't believe that having the right equipment matters, if you haven't pushed and used your equipment to its limit.

GoWolfpack wrote in post #14366904
Gear cannot make a bad photographer good. Gear certainly can improve the work of a good photographer. Certain types of photography (particularly landscapes and still-life) do not require expensive gear to do well. Many other types (indoor sports or aviation) require expensive equipment to recreate the images we're familiar with seeing in connection with those events and expect to produce ourselves.

The new "Prove you're a great photographer" program I'm thinking of starting:
You send me your 1DS3, 1D4 or 1DX and all you L lenses. I'll send you a Rebel XT and 18-55 IS. You prove you're a great photographer by putting food on your family table using your new improved setup. Your reward will be a hearty "Well done" from me in email form.*


I fear we are in real danger of discouraging new photographers with our collective attitude expressed commonly here.

When someone comes here and says "I want to do this thing, but all I have is a 10 year old Rebel and kit lens," sometimes the first answer is "once you have X (some body/lens combo costing $5000 total) you can do that." The second answer is usually someone with a gear list taking up half the screen in their sig line saying "I started with a Rebel kit and did fine, just use what you've got for now."

The first person to answer is derided as "gearhead" and the second is "True Artist." But which answer actually helped the asker? The first gave them a goal, a sense that what they wanted to accomplish is realistic once their budget takes them there. The second simply said "come back when you're better."

* This should be read with sarcasm tags, unless you actually have a 1 series you want to trade for an XT...

-Just remember, TANSTAAFL and when SHTF, IANAL and all my posts are IMHO, IIRC, and AFAIK; YMMV.

I don't know where you got any of this. You are really reading between the lines. I think a photographer needs to match the right gear with his/her vision and what they shoot. Adams even clearly states this in the quote I posted. I know a guy that works for the Chicago Trib and would see him often and for years he shot with two rebels and he was published everyday he worked. And he didn't shoot with that gear because of the price of the equipment. He shot with it because he could full use it to its full potential.

I think what Adams was saying and this thread is really about is you will never master your equipment if you are stuck on the gadget go round because you never have equipment long enough to find its full potential. Find the equipment that works with your vision and learn to use that equipment to its fullest. I have good equipment that matches my vision and the way I work. As do most accomplished and successful photographers. I don't think its black and white as you've pointed out. Its gray but if you are constantly chasing the perfect camera you are in for a long chase and believe me the important part has to suffer.

frugivore wrote in post #14365428
Well, it's unfortunate that some photographer involve themselves almost entirely with equipment and lose sight of the final product - usually a large print that has emotional impact. The quote from Ansel seems to show how aware he was, even then, of the pitfalls we face in the world of gadgets and gizmos. I don't think it would be a bad idea to have a Holga and shoot with it from time to time just to release yourself from the gear craze. I think I'll buy one with my next B&H purchase.

Seriously? Come on man. It's 2012. "Final product" can be so many things these days.

If you can't get creative with the fine gear that is available to you, then perhaps you should be looking at doing something else. I don't need a Holga to get my creative juices flowing.

nicksan wrote in post #14367447
Seriously? Come on man. It's 2012. "Final product" can be so many things these days.

If you can't get creative with the fine gear that is available to you, then perhaps you should be looking at doing something else. I don't need a Holga to get my creative juices flowing.

Don't knock it. I have a good friend did an amazing body of work with a holga because it was the right tool for that particular body of work and she wouldn't have known that if she hadn't had experience with that camera.

nicksan wrote in post #14367447
If you can't get creative with the fine gear that is available to you, then perhaps you should be looking at doing something else. I don't need a Holga to get my creative juices flowing.

I completely agree with this. My gear is in my mind for a short while after I get it, and then it fades off and I don't think about it any more. I mean, you go out and buy a hammer. A year from now, do you still think about the hammer when you use it?


My creativity comes from within, and to some extent, my surrounding environment. There's maybe a small instance where something like a tilt-shift might inspire you in a different way, but ultimately, you are either inspired to shoot or you're not. If it takes equipment to give you inspiration, then I agree with Nick... you're doing it wrong.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #14367049
I think what Adams was saying and this thread is really about is you will never master your equipment if you are stuck on the gadget go round because you never have equipment long enough to find its full potential. Find the equipment that works with your vision and learn to use that equipment to its fullest. I have good equipment that matches my vision and the way I work. As do most accomplished and successful photographers. I don't think its black and white as you've pointed out. Its gray but if you are constantly chasing the perfect camera you are in for a long chase and believe me the important part has to suffer.

The thing is, strictly speaking the last few generations of Canon DSLRs, there's really not much of a learning curve even if you play the "gadget-go-round". Frankly I find that term insulting. Times have changed and there are lots of talented PHOTOGRAPHERS out there who are just as technically inclined.

It doesn't take a genius to look at my gear list and figure out I've played the "gadget-go-round". What is there to master on a 5D2 that's not on the latest Digital Rebel except FF vs. Crop and some other minor differences? None. I went from shooting Canon to Nikon then back to Canon and it didn't hinder me one bit. There really isn't a huge difference between cameras.

Now I certainly agree about the folks who LOVE to talk the gear talk but they either never post anything or you look at their work and they are sub-standard. Yeah, sure. Sometimes I'm like WTF? But still, that really doesn't bother me too much. Who really cares? If that's their thing, then, well, that's their thing. Has no effect on what I do.

I happen to love talking about gear, get excited about new gear announcements, but also go out there and shoot for fun and for pay.

Any insinuation that gear gets in the way of creativity, and I am not saying you are specifically insinuating that Allen, is ridiculous and it's just an excuse for the lack of creativity.

I am drowning in gear...and I remain creative.

Todd Lambert wrote in post #14367500
I completely agree with this. My gear is in my mind for a short while after I get it, and then it fades off and I don't think about it any more. I mean, you go out and buy a hammer. A year from now, do you still think about the hammer when you use it?


My creativity comes from within, and to some extent, my surrounding environment. There's maybe a small instance where something like a tilt-shift might inspire you in a different way, but ultimately, you are either inspired to shoot or you're not. If it takes equipment to give you inspiration, then I agree with Nick... you're doing it wrong.

Absolutely. In the recent months I bought 2 x 5D3, sold my 24-70L and 35L and replaced them with the 8-15L and 45 TS-E. Swapped out a 580EX2 with a 600EX-RT. They just blended into my lineup. Well, sure the 45 TS-E took some getting used to but I like the lens and it'll be an important part of my lineup for select shots.

Zero issues. None. Learning curve. Small. I've shot 3 weddings with it and in all of them I never had any "learning curve" issues with it.

Geared up and creative.

Stop making excuses!

airfrogusmc wrote in post #14367464
Don't knock it. I have a good friend did an amazing body of work with a holga because it was the right tool for that particular body of work and she wouldn't have known that if she hadn't had experience with that camera.

I'm not knocking it. If you need a Holga to get your creative juices flowing, then hey, do what you have to do. Or if you just like it b/c you do, then more power to you. What I was attempting to convey was the notion that you need to control your gear lineup to not lose track of what is truly important is non-sense. If you become overwhelmed with gear so much that you lose track of what's important, that's on you. Again, not you specifically Allen, just in general.

nicksan wrote in post #14367517
The thing is, strictly speaking the last few generations of Canon DSLRs, there's really not much of a learning curve even if you play the "gadget-go-round". Frankly I find that term insulting. Times have changed and there are lots of talented PHOTOGRAPHERS out there who are just as technically inclined.

It doesn't take a genius to look at my gear list and figure out I've played the "gadget-go-round". What is there to master on a 5D2 that's not on the latest Digital Rebel except FF vs. Crop and some other minor differences? None. I went from shooting Canon to Nikon then back to Canon and it didn't hinder me one bit. There really isn't a huge difference between cameras.

Now I certainly agree about the folks who LOVE to talk the gear talk but they either never post anything or you look at their work and they are sub-standard. Yeah, sure. Sometimes I'm like WTF? But still, that really doesn't bother me too much. Who really cares? If that's their thing, then, well, that's their thing. Has no effect on what I do.

I happen to love talking about gear, get excited about new gear announcements, but also go out there and shoot for fun and for pay.

Any insinuation that gear gets in the way of creativity, and I am not saying you are specifically insinuating that Allen, is ridiculous and it's just an excuse for the lack of creativity.

I am drowning in gear...and I remain creative.

Why would you take any of this personal? Its only gear. Now if I attacked your work in an unprofessional manner then I could see getting upset. Its your money do what ya like with it but learning to get the most out of your gear and not chasing the latest greatest is not bad advice period. I do know the wrong gear in the wrong hands for the wrong project can get in the way of creativity and not mastering the equipment as Weston pointed out can clearly get in the way.

Theres a good deal to master so you don't have to stop and think about which button to get you to the right application. I don't know about you but I don't even have to look to change things most of the time but that took some time to get to that point and because I don't have to think my creative process is broken.

nicksan wrote in post #14367550
I'm not knocking it. If you need a Holga to get your creative juices flowing, then hey, do what you have to do. Or if you just like it b/c you do, then more power to you. What I was attempting to convey was the notion that you need to control your gear lineup to not lose track of what is truly important is non-sense. If you become overwhelmed with gear so much that you lose track of what's important, that's on you. Again, not you specifically Allen, just in general.

I don't have a lot gear Only the stuff I need to get my vision captured and to do my job. In my friends case it was the right tool for that particular project.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #14367562
Why would you take any of this personal? Its only gear. Now if I attacked your work in an unprofessional manner then I could see getting upset. Its your money do what ya like with it but learning to get the most out of your gear and not chasing the latest greatest is not bad advice period. I do know the wrong gear in the wrong hands for the wrong project can get in the way of creativity and not mastering the equipment as Weston pointed out can clearly get in the way.

Not really taking it that personally Allen. There's definitely a balance. I'm not saying that the right approach for someone who wants to pickup a DSLR for the first time is going out there, buying the 1DX, L lenses, flashes, strobes, radio trigger, light modifiers and all that. Yeah...overkill...defi​nitely, although if they can afford to do that and want to do that, then hey, more power to them.

I certainly didn't take that approach. I remember using the 300D and 50 1.8 and just studying the DOF difference at different apertures and distances, etc, etc. My progression happen to be pretty fast and I happen to be able to afford the better gear. I agree that you have to stop and take the time to learn. Definitely. But there's no reason to berate someone for wanting a 5D3 and L lenses as their first acquisition. Some people like the finer things in life and there's nothing wrong with that.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #14367562
There a good deal to master so you don;'t have to stop and think about which button to to get you to the right application. I don't know about you but I don't even have to look to change things most of the time but that took some time to get to that point and because I don't have to think my creative process is broken.

I've owned so many cameras, I can't even remember which ones. Never had a huge problem with button location. The move to Nikon took a few weeks to get used to, which is why I did it a month before my shooting season started. But otherwise, with Canon cameras, absolutely no issues. But yes, changing settings should be second nature. Then you can concentrate on the creative aspects of it 100%.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #14367572
I don't have a lot gear Only the stuff I need to get my vision captured and to do my job. In my friends case it was the right tool for that particular project.

Well...you have the 200L f2 IS. I used to have that lens. Believe me, I miss it. I just don't need it, so there you go.

nicksan wrote in post #14367653
But there's no reason to berate someone for wanting a 5D3 and L lenses as their first acquisition.

I musta missed the part where anyone was being berated.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #14367691
I musta missed the part where anyone was being berated.

You must have not spent enough time reading web forums. Happens a lot. I've been told that I need to "Earn" my gear, and that I should have studied more and done more work before I bought even my lowly little Rebel.

You know what? I did do all the work needed to earn my gear. I showed up at my job, did my work, and clocked out at the end of the day, week after week, until I had the cash I needed saved. I then went to a store, exchanged said cash for gear, and walked out with new tools to experiment and play with.


But honestly, photo gear is nothing more than tools to create digital images with. Use it, explore what is out there, and keep your eyes open for stuff you haven't tried before. As long as you are actually making use of gear then there should be no shame in having lots of it. (Even if you don't use it often.)

I come from a software development background, and I constantly spend time looking at new tools and languages. One of the companies I worked at rotated people in and out of an "Explorer" position, and for a month at a time their only job was to surf the web and look for new libraries, learn new languages, and study new approaches to different problems. At the end of the month they had to present a little report for the rest of the company on what they had found. (They also had people spend at least one day a week on hobby projects or a list of approved recreational activities. Was a highly productive workplace.)

I think that anyone who wishes to be serious about photography really should embrace exploration of tools and the things that can be done with them. Otherwise, where is the growth and expansion?


And really if your hobby is just collecting the photography gear, then no harm in that either.

frugivore wrote in post #14361436
I found this section in the beginning of Ansel's The Camera discussing equipment to be very interesting:

"I urge, again, avoiding the common illusion that creative work depends on equipment alone, it easy to confuse the hope for accomplishment with the desire to posses superior instruments. It is nonetheless true that quality is an important criterion in evaluating camera equipement, as are durability and function. Inferior equipment will prove to be a false economy in the long run. As his work evolves, the photographer should plan to alter and refine his equipement to meet changing requirements." - Ansel Adams, The Camera

I agree with his ideas on this topic. First, don't buy equipment far beyond your level. And second, whatever you do buy, make sure it is good quality (i.e. the 'buy once' philosophy). What do you think?

I agree on the buy once. I wish I would have started out with full frame when I started out in 2009. But I went the cheap route and bought a crop sensor XSi, then a 50D, then a Nikon D7000, and now a Nikon D700. I could have just cut all that pondering and agonizing if I just started out with a full frame. Now that I have the D700, I find I don't wonder and worry about gear anymore.