What do you do with this "compliment"?

I am at work right now and I have one of my photos as my desktop on my computer. A coworker stopped over, saw the photo and said "Wow! Your camera takes great photos!"

Uh thanks. . . I will be sure to pass along that compliment to my Rebel XT. This camera just surprises me every day - it takes itself out of the bag, removes the lens cap, changes the ISO, shutter speed and aperature, focus on the subject and takes a picture all by itself.

In reality, I just smiled and said thanks.

DAMN, YOUR CAMERA DOES THAT?!? my 5D cant even do that!

you did the right thing ... you know he/she meant well.

Probably the only appropriate response, as anything beyond that is just an exercise in futility.

Ultimately you know what they meant which is all that really matters.

yep, it's annoying. It gets old. I love it when my kit gets all the credit... the worst part is that it's not even that great.. every great once in awhile I'll go into a bit of a rant but, for the most part let it go..

Sari

...and my kitchen makes great food!

Bethany wrote in post #5253499
...it takes itself out of the bag, removes the lens cap, changes the ISO, shutter speed and aperature, focus on the subject and takes a picture all by itself.

I heard the 5D II will do these things...

.

"Thank you, the photographer's mother would like to think he had as much or more to do with that, than the equipment did. My mother had to pay a lot more to create the photographer, than I spent on the camera!"

Put them in their place. "Thank you! I appreciate it, but it's not the camera, I can do it on a regular camera too "

Depending on who it is I might say something along the lines of "Yeah, it's totally just the camera" with a bit of a smirk.

Jim G wrote in post #5253964
Depending on who it is I might say something along the lines of "Yeah, it's totally just the camera" with a bit of a smirk.

That is usually my response.

I always liked the story of the concert admirer going up to the violinist after being moved by a piece and gushing that his violin makes the most wonderful music.

Holding the violin up to his ear the violinist replied "funny...I don't hear a thing..."

Anyway...it's still a nice compliment. Better than them saying "hey nice camera"...then silently looking at your images and walking away....

Take it for the compliment it was intended to be.

My favorite is the soccer moms that want to know how to take pictures "just like yours" with their p&s.

I heard that just once too often, hence my not too original sig.

But seriously as we all know great kit helps to, all being well, bring out the best in the photographer but the same kit does not of itself help those whose skill level has yet to 'get the same'. Like many artistic ventures the "eyes" have it, or should that be the "ayes" The camera is but a tool to get the wow comments but sadly as you/we have experienced its often not 'you' who gets the accolade.

There was a thread on this a few months ago actually, but I can't find it. I've only had one person say this to me, and it is a bit annoying but there's some truth to it. Getting a 300mm focal length and nice bokeh with a P&S would be pretty difficult, so for some shots you need decent gear. But of course as we all know that's just part of what's required for a good photo.

Oddly enough I don't recall anyone ever saying that to me. People have looked at it in awe and said something about how they wish they had one, but they don't attribute it directly to the photos...just the fact that it's big and obviously rather expensive. They haven't ever said "if I had one I could take those great images too."