"only an amateur thinks equipment is important"

So I was part of this local photography group's Facebook page and these issues constantly kept being brought up: "only an amateur thinks equipment is important" referring to someone with a expensive camera who was doing it wrong. Then another chimed in complaining about a person with "expensive ($4-5k)" gear who apparently was doing it wrong. And it went on with snide remarks toward these people they don't even know. Only one of them was a 'professional'.

And I get it, a camera is just a tool and you don't need anything specific or expensive to take great photos.

But it still makes me angry.

Certainly there are people on Earth who can afford anything they want to buy. Why start with a Polaroid when you can easily afford a 5D3? And none of the people making those remarks know if the person is a beginner or not.

In terms of the WHOLE of photography, certainly equipment can make it easier. Sometimes specific equipment is necessary i.e. a 1DX for its rugged all weather capability. You wouldn't buy a Rebel if you wanted the robust AF system of a 7D mark 2. If you have the money it makes sense to buy the tool that works for your needs.

I feel that those in that group have older equipment and a bit too much envy of people who can afford current gear.

I didn't engage them in their degrading of fellow photographers - I mean discussion. I left the group.

What do you all think? When I see someone whether at a event, in the field or on TV, the last thing on my mind is what are they using, how much does it cost and are they doing it right.

Heya,

I think your last line sums it up. "Last thing on my mind..."

Who cares?

But, it's no different than anything else really...

Any old car takes you from A to B.
Any pair of ear buds or speakers playback audio.
Any paint brush can apply paint to a canvas.
Any internet browser can access this website.
Any painball gun can fire a paintball.

People have their preferences.

I've never understood the mentality of needing the "best" and so no matter what someone is after, they hit up google and type "best" of something to find out. It doesn't matter to me if they can afford it or not. I can afford any gear I want, I just choose to not spend more than I need from the gear just because the internet says I should. But if someone truly needs the best, or if they just want the best no matter what they do with it, that's fine, it's their money and I don't care, and I hope they're happy.

That said, one of my guilty pleasures is to look in the 1DX, 7d2, 5D3, etc, threads and see images that make me wonder why the heck it was posted... when I put it into perspective that it took a $6k set of machines to take that bad of an image. But I keep those comments to myself . I especially love seeing sink faucets with super thin depth of field and high ISO grain and brick walls... Truly, I'm just joking, not to offend a soul.

Gear certainly helps when it comes to getting an image. That's not to conclude that the image is automatically better. Super awesome expensive gear can take some woefully bad photos. Again, take a look in some of our sample threads, there's some truly exquisite stuff in there that someone who knows what they're doing created, and there's some... not so good, down right awful stuff in there. Take from that what you wish.

I think you did the right thing when you left the group. Gear envy and people who take a crap on anything "new" or "expensive" really are just being negative for whatever reason they have that isn't really worth your time.

Very best,

Gear envy and the flipside, gear snobbery are both corrosive attitudes. Great gear cant compensate for a lack of abilty nor can improper gear achieve certain types of imagery. Taking an absolute position on either side proves you probably dont know what you are talking about.

Photographers have egos with sized inversely proportional to the amount of expensive gear they have. I've never met a pro that scoffs cheap equptment but i've met plenty of amateurs that are highly critical about shooters with high end gear. I guess thats just the nature of things.

In various photo forums I have seen the "snobbery" and "envy". In all of the forums I read, I see the same thing in every hobby/craft. Model Building there are "rivet counters" and "out of box builders". In Gun forums, there are the "tier 1 vs ____" posts. In all forums, the debate can get wild and mean-spirited.

my gear is limited by my budget, I like what I have and enjoy it. I have no envy for those who have better gear, at my job, one of my co-worker's wife is a professional photographer. We talk cameras all the time. When he shares his wife's gear I applaud and we both understand that if she didn't get paid for her work, she would not have that gear.

I say, if you can afford it, I applaud you! Prost! just remember to share the pics so I can learn from it! LOL

I have said it before,
I have seen amazing talent from someone shooting with an XSi and nifty fifty. And my last gf has great talent with her D300 but also her iphone. If you are creative, you make your gear work.

I'm just here to read the comments

i avoided FB photo groups until about 6 months ago and joined "the law tog" group, which isn't too bad. Then about a month ago i joined a post processing group. It's filled with a bunch of morons. I've only stayed on as a member because it can be pretty darn funny watching them stumble over themselves.

many people have a tendency to stick with others who possess the same mentality, it is a comfort zone that enables little thought. Similarly, the post processing group I get to witness is hosted by a guy who offers tutorials. Some of his work is really good, some not so much, but he presents it all as the only way. His little group of minions are like a cult and delete any post that doesn't conform to "the one true way." I suspect folks like it for the same reason they stick together with like minded folks … they love being told exactly how to do something so they never have to think about it again, avoiding critical thought at every turn.

same deal with gear envy people or gear snobs, birds of a feather.

edit: oh yeah, the photoshop guru isn't even a photographer. LOL

Left Handed Brisket wrote in post #17862582
many people have a tendency to stick with others who possess the same mentality, it is a comfort zone that enables little thought. Similarly, the post processing group I get to witness is hosted by a guy who offers tutorials. Some of his work is really good, some not so much, but he presents it all as the only way. His little group of minions are like a cult and delete any post that doesn't conform to "the one true way." I suspect folks like it for the same reason they stick together with like minded folks … they love being told exactly how to do something so they never have to think about it again, avoiding critical thought at every turn.

same deal with gear envy people or gear snobs, birds of a feather.

So true and exactly how that group is like. I was in there for 6 months. I always had something nice to say, meaningful comments and being helpful sharing what I had learned. At the time I was shooting Ospreys in flight. It took a while for me to get to the point where I posted & shared my photos with the group. When I would want to share a nice shot of a Osprey with a fish that I took, someone would post a very mediocre photo of some bird in flight. And I would hold off posting, I didn't feel it was right to steal someone's thunder or upstage them with my photo. And ya, my photos looked that mediocre in the beginning too, I just continued to work on it and read the entire summer to get where I was at. So finally I had a window of opportunity and posted the photo ... crickets. Ok. Later I did a project I for myself that was on my to do list - macro oil & water. I thought it was pretty cool, turned out good and even took some behind the scenes photos to show how I did it. I had some pvc flash stands that might help others since we had some macro shooters in the group. Posted ... crickets. Last thing I shared was a panorama shot I did, well you know the outcome.

I'm kinda sick of being hated because I happen do some things better than some people.
These toxic people take over the activity of the group, setting the pace, the mood and people follow. Original thought goes out the window. I'm glad to be out of there, the only thing that sucks is it is a local group where I had the chance to meet people face to face. I'm going to take my chances of just doing what I do and going where I go with hope to meet others.

gonzogolf wrote in post #17862242
Gear envy and the flipside, gear snobbery are both corrosive attitudes. Great gear cant compensate for a lack of abilty nor can improper gear achieve certain types of imagery. Taking an absolute position on either side proves you probably dont know what you are talking about.

This sums up exactly how I feel, thanks for putting it into words

This reminds me of when I was shooting competitively. I was always having a better trigger, hammer, barrel or sight installed. Finally one day my gunsmith told me he enjoyed working on my stuff, but I needed to learn to shoot what I have. You can't buy your way to first place.

iroctd wrote in post #17862210
"only an amateur thinks equipment is important"

I'm a big believer in using the correct tool for any job I'm doing. This philosophy extends to every aspect of my life. Sometimes, I'll have a manufactured, commercial, tool for the purpose I intend. Sometimes I have to get creative and MacGyver something together.

I'm not into martyrdom. Self-imposed suffering with substandard tools, or tools in disrepair, doesn't make me a better photographer, cartographer, cyclist, or mechanic. It makes me a fool.

Equipment is absolutely important. But, what truly makes a piece of equipment important varies by user and application: it isn't driven by ego, and it isn't the same for each of us.

Quality gear isn't going to make anyone a great photographer, but it can enhance a photographer's ability to produce his best work, at any level of photography.

I'm just a hobbyist. I haven't sold a picture in my life, nor do I intend to. But my happy snaps come out better with decent glass and a body with good AF and a nice sensor.

Looking down on folks with cheap gear, or scoffing at people with expensive gear, is just moronic and boorish. They need to get a life.

You find these people everywhere. I used to belong to a couple motorcycle forums, and I've owned bikes made by the major Japanese brands, as well as Harleys. If you own one, you'll get owners of the other bad-mouthing you. You're either "not worthy" or you're a stuck-up elitist. I say "shut up and ride." In this case, "shut up and shoot."

This must be the place where I can complain about people who post as if using a point-and-shoot were a cultural marker for being a yokel from the wrong side of the tracks who never finished eighth grade. Size and weight are important to me. I'll get a DSLR when they're easier to carry around and to conceal from predators who might wish to grab them.

OhLook wrote in post #17862808
This must be the place where I can complain...

Nope. This is a place for serious photographers. Take your Kodak Instamatic back to Hooterville.