What do you do with this "compliment"?

Bethany wrote in post #5253499
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.

What would they have said if you had said, "Actually it's the computer that does it."?

If that's ever said to me, I think I'll respond with something along the lines of:

"Actually they suck. The images it produces are deader than a civil war soldier. I had to get all Doc Frankenstein up in diz biotch 'n' give 'em some life."

This happened to me THREE times yesterday at work. I was actually doing a shoot there and the person I was shooting wanted to see my camera. I gave it to him and showed him how to focus (CF4-1) and then hit the shutter... he said "that's it, and you get really pictures, seems pretty easy".... so I played along and said "yep, it's perfect everytime!"

I also have someone here who says "I want your camera, it takes great pictures" every time she comes to my desk and sees the pictures of my kids.

but I also have several people who seems to give me too much credit and tell me... "you're such a great photographer, you should get paid for that". I just tell them "sometimes I do, most of the time I don't".

This comes up a lot and I am sure just about everyone here will hear that at some point. As a musician I get the same exact thing. After sounding particularly good, I will get "wow, that's a real nice tuba - it really gives you a nice sound". Or something like that. And that's from other tuba players. Usually just hobbyists. Yeah - it's probably not the years of study and practice, is it?

Stefan

Bethany wrote in post #5253499
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!"

I never understand why folks take this statement as a put-down. Unless you know you have a crappy camera. "No, actually it is a crappy camera but by my massive talent and ability I am able to get a passable image when using it."

I've found that once you start talking about cameras that most people who make the "great camera" statement really in fact do have a crappy camera. Possible a cheap P&S that they got on sale or was given to them. They can't get a decent action shot because of the huge shutter lag or blurry shots because they can't get a high enough shutter speed. And don't even get them started talking about red-eye.

This statement is a put down because it's not the camera that took the great picture - it's you. It's the time you have spent honing the craft to the point where you understand what you need to do to get a great picture. A great photographer could take a "crappy" camera and get a great picture. That photographer would have to know the camera's limitations. But there are many situations where you could get a great picture out of a "crappy" camera.

Stefan

Why not just be thankful that the person took the time out of his/her life to even notice in the first place?

I have not heard this comment (yet) but I have mixed feelings about it. Yes, I have a very good camera, especially compared to a P&S so it helps me to take great pictures. But without my own skill it is not worth much. But as a tool it is worth a lot to me, like a chef needs very good knifes, a carpenter a really good hammer and so on. It would be possible for all these people to do a good job with crappy tools but sooo much harder!

All of you that are upset by this comment, ask yourself this: would YOU have been able to get your great pics with a crappy P&S? Have you tried and succeeded? If you answer yes to both questions then you are REALLY a good photographer!

All of this written with a lot of and a lot of !!

/Per

My 40D never gets any complements.
I was at a softball game and a parent said to me " You take beautiful photos" I thanked her and said "It helps to have the right equipment" I then told her the value of what was hanging on my neck. She was the president of the parents club for the school cheerleaders and asked me to photograph them starting in Sept.