dan_woodlief

That's what I get for not checking into the Europe section lately. I almost missed a great discussion with lots of great food for thought. Personally, I think equipment does matter, but then again not everyone needs the same equipment. For some, a disposable camera is perfectly fine. For others, a super sturdy high end model with 600 mm lens is absolutely necessary. I just bought my first Canon L lens recently (the Canon pro series). I always wondered just how much it would matter, and I wasn't really unhappy with what I got from my older, good but not pro, 70-200 range zoom. Now I am thrilled with the results. The lens doesn't compose for me, and it doesn't kick me out of bed early for good lighting, but is sharper and has seems to give me more vibrant photos. Still, I made a choice that I didn't really need to spend twice as much to get the f/2.8 version instead of the f/4 version (the lens speed everyone talks about); I get the same quality photo for less. I have also benefitted enormously in my family photos indoors from having a flash that swivels so I can bounce it off the ceiling for more flattering lighting.

Being good at photography is helped by having sharp lenses and the capability to make whatever camera adjustments are necessary. Some photographers get into gadgets and technology for reasons beyond the means they achieve. I am not one of them, but I follow a few simple rules (most of the time) that do wonders to help me get the most out of whatever equipment I am using, being it my old point and shoot, my daughter's focus-free camera, or my L-lensed semi-pro SLRs. I look for the right lighting (not always easy to do when traveling), cut out the clutter, use my flash outside a lot with people shots, usually don't center my subject, use a tripod or other support when I can, use a good lab I can trust, pick the right film for the subject, look at how others have photographed the same subject, and shoot lots of film (including vertical, horizontal, and close-up shots of important subjects). I think shooting often is the most important of all, and classes help too. Recently, I hadn't been getting out as much, and I definitely noticed a decline in the quality of my photos when I did shoot. So, add have a passion for your subjects as another great thing to have.

dan_woodlief

I should have also said that I occasionally correspond with Howard, Jim, and a few other Fodors photo enthusiasts, and they all take great shots with varying equipment. I think the photographer is more important than the equipment by a long shot, but equipment can make a huge difference, especially under difficult conditions. Then again, I think the digital age is changing the game a bit. We can often remove clutter, darken skies, and create more flattering lighting after the fact. I find it easier and more rewarding though to do as much of that as possible when I click the shutter (for example, using a polarizing filter for bluer skies).