Carl Feather wrote:
A lot of people don't know photography. They don't see the beauty of an image with little DOF and gorgeous bokeh. They are more interested in whether or not they have a great expression or their kick-ass buddy is in the shot doing something stupid. Their reference point is a cell phone camera. Does an entry level DSLR and kit lens wedding look great to them? Sure, especially if the price is $250 and includes all day coverage and 400 4X6 prints from Walmart.
It's all a matter of their level of experience. They don't understand photography as art. Pro gear to them is a Nikon D3100 and big kit lens. And flash is never off camera....Show more →
"Yet, in my going to events where photographers have been hired to take photographs, I’ve observed most use low end gear and lighting setups. Naively, I’d expected working photographers to use better gear, that‘s all. "
In the digital age it is not uncommon for people to think that anyone can photograph a wedding and all it takes is a DSLR and a kit lens and a flash. People will take a few shots at an event and they come out properly exposed thanks to the camera and others viewing the pictures will think that this is all that is required.
It is after the wedding when people see the albums and prints of a pro photographer that they see the difference that the right equipment and a skilled photographer can make. What is annoying for me is when I am photographing a wedding and a guest starts to ask me for advice on how to setup their camera or wants me to step aside so they can play with their gear. It is something that is peculiar to wedding photography. No one steps in to do their own thing in the kitchen and interfering with the caterer or decides to bake their own wedding cake and bring it along or sets up a boom box to play their own music selections, or comes with a bunch of flowers and starts putting together arrangements, but many people get a $1000 DSLR with its kit lens and want to jump right in and practice at their friends weddings.
elkhornsun wrote:
It is after the wedding when people see the albums and prints of a pro photographer that they see the difference that the right equipment and a skilled photographer can make. What is annoying for me is when I am photographing a wedding and a guest starts to ask me for advice on how to setup their camera or wants me to step aside so they can play with their gear. It is something that is peculiar to wedding photography. No one steps in to do their own thing in the kitchen and interfering with the caterer or decides to bake their own wedding cake and bring it along or sets up a boom box to play their own music selections, or comes with a bunch of flowers and starts putting together arrangements, but many people get a $1000 DSLR with its kit lens and want to jump right in and practice at their friends weddings. ...Show more →
well said, too funny. last weekend at the wedding i was shooting a lady grabbed my arm IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CEREMONY asking me if I had an extra "thingy" for her camera. She had left her memory card at home (Canon rebel of course) and wanted me to stop shooting and run to my bag and lend her one of my $300 extreme pro cards. Too funny
She had left her memory card at home (Canon rebel of course) and wanted me to stop shooting and run to my bag and lend her one of my $300 extreme pro cards. Too funny
I actually keep an older 4GB CF card and a 4GB SD card in my bag for such circumstances, particularly when the father of the bride comes to me with a worried look and says he needs another card for his camera. You bet I have something to help him out.
(I realize that's a tangent from your main point, and I wouldn't stop shooting at a critical time to fetch it, but the first time this happened, I knew it would be important to be able to take care of the same problem in the future.)
anotherview wrote:
Ziffl3: Yes, at some of the events I attend the photographers bring pro gear: televised boxing, air shows, and public hearings covered by news reporters.
But birthday parties, weddings, meet-and-greets, celebrations, etc., attract hired photographers with low end gear.
To each his own.
The events i am talking about are weddings over the last 2 years.
lets see ... L glass, Leica M9 (2x) w/ 50mm f.95, nikon D3s, Nikon D700, 5Dmkii, 1DsII-III
paparazzinick wrote:
I shoot weddings with a Nikon D7000 now (used to be 3 d700's) and use a Tokina 11-16 f2.8, Nikon 35 1.8, 50 1.4, 85 1.8, 180 2.8 and sigma 50 2.8 macro. Most of those lenses are not the top of the line pro lens, the camera is not a pro body either.
I also have 8 years shooting weddings and provide a nice product to my clients as well as they provide me with a nice check.
So is top pro gear needed? NOPE!
Would I like to use top pro gear? Nope! Dont need it so why waste the money. Plus I am the type that needs to have the newest stuff all the time. SO if a newer camera comes out later this year, I am sure I will sell my d7000's and get it. If a newer lens comes out that I think I would need in my work, then I will sell something and get it or just get it... It isnt always the best tools, it is how you se those tools.
Like many have said here before. They know people who shot with a Canon 1dsmkIII and they had crappy pictures. Someone else shot with a 20d and had far better pictures. It is all how you use your tools. ...Show more →
I'm curious! What motivated the switch from the 3 D700s to the D7000?
TTLKurtis wrote:
There are many ways to skin a cat, not all of them require the most expensive gear.
As many here know, I prefer skinning my cats with only the finest, but it's not a requirement.
So now 5Dm3 is out you are stating that all pictures you took so far with your 5Dm2 are subpar just because they were taken using "with not so finest" ? Without seeing end product it is hard to judge anything, afterall what you use is just a tool and many times Tool in hand of "tool" can be as unproductive as having entry level equipment.
mjoshi wrote:
So now 5Dm3 is out you are stating that all pictures you took so far with your 5Dm2 are subpar just because they were taken using "with not so finest" ? Without seeing end product it is hard to judge anything, afterall what you use is just a tool and many times Tool in hand of "tool" can be as unproductive as having entry level equipment.
For what it's worth, I've borrowed gear from my uncle that was much higher end than what I have now (1Dmk4, 24, 50, 135 L glass, etc), and my pictures then were mediocre at best (this was when I was fairly new though). Some of the best shots I've ever made were with a Canon XT and a 28-135. Now I have some L glass myself, and I'm still having a hard time trying to replicate some of the shots I made back when I was more dialed in with composition/basics.
I have to agree with your overall assessment though, I work in a building that is frequently used as a wedding venue, I've been quite surprised myself to see some of the wedding photographers come through here with gear that I think we would pretty much all consider inadequate. But, I've never seen any of the finished products, so maybe they are more squared away than we think.
I’ve learned not to judge people based on their gear anymore, I judge them on how they take shots and whether or not they are using one of those ridiculous lens cap bungee keepers
PS: I don't feel like my skill level is high enough to shoot weddings, I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it. So I have a lot of respect for those of you that do.
TTLKurtis wrote:
Finest does not mean absolute latest. And I'm shooting Nikon so I have zero interst in the mark III. Nikon D3/D3S are fantastic.
And there will be photographer who will be able to get far better results than you can get with your finest Nikon D3/D3s even with mid-range Nikon bodies, without seeing end result one should not put down people just because they are not using something that you consider as finest. Dont forget not in too distant past lot of professional work used to be done with same gear that are now out dated.
Also dont forget more important part in morden day photography i.e. post processing. No one that posts here all those awesome pictures get is straight out of camera - all those pictures do go thru some degree of post processing before being presented to client. So having pro-gear is only one part of the equation, there is lot more than just pro-gear that makes end product.
mjoshi wrote:
And there will be photographer who will be able to get far better results than you can get with your finest Nikon D3/D3s even with mid-range Nikon bodies, without seeing end result one should not put down people just because they are not using something that you consider as finest. Dont forget not in too distant past lot of professional work used to be done with same gear that are now out dated.
