Why do people list all their gear in their signatures?

E3_Photo_Studio wrote:
I agree to a point with you and Sindri. Skill is what makes the photographer...not the equipment. However, that's NOT why most of us list our gear, as I'm sure you've read in all these posts. Most of us just don't like repeating ourselves over and over and over again if someone asks "what'd you use for that shot?" So, if it's all listed in the siggy...then you already know.

As far as it showing our "income level"....Oh please! My current equip was all bought and paid for by selling stuff on ebay to get money to buy it, or it was given as a gift to me from my grandparents. Now we're selling all the current equip just to get SOME money to pay for the new upgrade stuff so that we don't have to put 5K on our credit cards. By the end, we'll have nice equip that we won't have to upgrade for a long while, but......we'll be in debt up to our eye-balls. it's really not an income thing, just upgrading to descent digital equip is all. I'm sure I'm not the only one out there that is in debt b/c of their equip either.

Hi Erika

I do agree with you as you can see if you read my post here below. I do list my gear since I think it provides useful information.

Sindri Skulason wrote:
I think this information can be very useful. I'm always curious about the gear others are using (the tools of the trade). I may be thinking about getting the same lens or the same camera so I find it useful in the decision making to look at the shots these individuals took with this specific gear. To list the gear you are using saves a lot of questions. At the same time I think it's important to remember that the gear tells you nothing about a person’s ability to take great shots or for that matter where they stand in photography. Believe it or not...there are professional photographers out there that use mostly P&S and they are winning awards with these shots. Photography is not about the gear. It's about the pictures you take with the gear. I have seen masterpieces taken with point and shoot cameras and I have seen total rubbish taken with the most expensive cameras on the market. You choose the tools to get the job done. How it turns out depends on the person behind the camera. Just my two cents.

If you're going to post a question you'd better tell us specifically what equipment you have/used. If you're posting a photo with an interesting effect, ditto. I also mod. at a computer help forum where we expect you to include your system specs in your sig. Even so, we still spend 3-4 posts each way trying to find out exactly what OP is using when problem X occurs (and still get the odd case where they find a resolution somewhere else, from which we learn that they failed to mention some minor point like they're using Win98 on a '486 not Mac OS 10.4.7 on a MacBook, or vice versa). Most folks won't be persistent enough to keep asking - they'll just move on, and OP won't get answered. So it's really in your interests to make sure we have the info we need to help you.

I dunno. I just don't get it. Maybe when I've been here for 7,000 posts rather than 70 then I'll understand.

I appreciate that people may be interested in how a particular photo was taken. I appreciate that listing your gear in your signature might be a way of avoiding the "how did you take that photo?" questions. But when your signature includes something like the following list (which I culled from one of the earlier posts in the thread, no offence intended):

then you have to wonder how the potential question-asker is going to guess which camera and lens were used...

There may be many different reasons for this behaviour...some better then others... but...
Why does it bother you so much?
What is your point?
You don't agree? fine... don't list your stuff!

You know there is a very simple solution to Your problem.

Goto usercp. Click on Edit options, scroll down to Thread Display Options then deselect Show Signatures, sroll down and save changes.


Then You won't be bothered with gear in signatures.

I like to see gear list in sigs, for the reason everyone has said. I can see someone subject matter vs thier sig vs my subject matter; it allows me to choose my gear accordingly {i.e. bird people - what are they shooting with?} That would give me a starting point - if I were to suddenly become interested in shooting birds (besides the kind with my fingers).

Many a times, if you actually take photos(which is the most important part-way more than the forum, although i do love it), you can get an idea for which lens was being used. I'm not saying, put photo A against photo B and identify, but usually after seeing their equipment list and the type of photo I can put two and two together.

And if I really want to verify afterwards, I ask or say, you used xxx camera or you used xxx lens.

So now to have some fun.

My prediction for the 5D usage. Some wide angle shots. 17-40 likely used. Landscape photos will likely be using that lens. With the 5D, you can't use the 18-55 and even though the user has a 30D, they are not likely to use that lens over other ones.

Sigma 24-70. For a general, light walk around lens(that a lot of people like). So if the photos don't appear to have been from a distance or aren't super wide, they are on a 30D with this. The 50 fits in the range. But the 50 will likely be used at big apertures(nice bokeh) and in low light situations, which are some hints. Sigma 70-300. Light lens and usually a starter lens for people or a lens for people who aren't looking to spend much. It needs to be in good light though. The 120-300 you'd see with sports/action/wildlife photos. Whether it be the 5D or 30D, it'll likely show up there. It's not the lightest lens, so generally it won't be used for walking around, so its going to have more of a setup feel, compared to a random feel. The 100-400. Well, it has IS and is fairly light. If i saw the EXIF i'd know for sure especially with handholding and slow shutter speeds. Would probably be taken more often than not over the 70-300. Like the 18-55, its probably on the low end of the list for usage with the 120-300 and 100-400 in the kit.

And there you go, from my experience and knowledge without seeing who the particular poster is, I already have an idea. If I know who the poster is, then I have an even better idea.

I'm a college student. I wouldn't say my income is up there. But you can enjoy my list if you want. I worked my butt off, but what is there to show off? People are more proud to have it then show off. Regardless, I know I can take better photos than a decent amount of people with more and better gear(better body or particular lens).

But its always nice to be able to know what someone shoots with. Doesn' tmake them better or worse.

And if it really bothers you, use the suggestion Tommy gave.

I post my entire gear list to make people feel sorry for me.
That way, they are usually kinder when critiquing my shots.

I was thinking of changing my age in my profile to 16 for the same reason.

You're on the money there.

A lot of questions arising from a pic could be answered if the exif of the pic was auto played beside every pic posted...but even then there would still be a need to reference your gear in a gear list. Most people ask about the gear used and as far as I know the latest EXIF protocol does'nt record whether and which tripod/head/remote etc was used for a photo.

theflyingkiwi wrote in post #1742177
I'm not really a fan of listing gear, however I do see why it can be useful.. that's why my sig has a link to my gear. then I don't feel like I am throwing in someones face.

if you wish to do your own, go here
https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=138747

Thanks! I was looking for that link.

I posted my gear as I thought it was common sense to, Saves being asked what I use.

Plus, I find it interesting also! Apart from being jealous from some of them as I haven't got as much as I'd love, But what I do have, I enjoy

Thread from the dead...

because its funnay and everyone does it.