Nostalgia & Encouragement for those with only "cheap" cameras.

My first camera was a gift from my Uncle James. I was about 5 or 6 at the time. It was an old German 35mm, silver camera. Unfortunately I don't remember what that old camera was, but it lasted 15 years before seizing up. The cost estimates to fix it were more than buying some of the newer cameras and it was an old fixed lens camera with limited shutter speeds and f stops. When I bought a replacement camera, I took this old one apart to see what made it tick. I tried to put it back together again - but there was no hope. Fortunately I had assumed before I took it apart that I wouldn't get it back together again. It eventually went into the garbage except for a few screws and springs that "I might be able to use these some day..."

I do remember the first camera equipment I purchased with "my own money" many years ago. It was Chinon CE4 35mm. Several years back, I gave it away, with all it's lenses, extension tubes, flash, filters to a couple that had no equipment and was trying to figure out how they could afford a small setup. I even gave them the 2x teleconverter telling them "I never used it because, by the time I put it on my big zoom, there was never enough light around to work with the resultant f stops." I had bought all new Nikon equipment. At the time I figured that "1 camera is all I'll ever need"<g> I have 6 that I currently use.  Obviously I'm a more serious amateur/professional now! From 1998-2002 I had an even older Chinon 35mm system I bought cheap. It took much better photos than my old CE4 equipment did (I had more experience) although, compared to my Nikon camera system (the lenses actually) it had a "softer" focus. This means it was just a tad blurry. Great for taking portraiture of women where you want the "soft focus", but I have a filter that does the same thing for my Nikon. So ... after playing with it for a while, I sold it (through ebay).

 I was in Europe for a very short trip (I was flown in to give a lecture) I had a client ask me to do a photo shoot for him. My camera equipment was in a different city, all he had was a point & shoot camera and an 18" strip of wall that we could use as background!  We moved furnature out of the way of the 18" strip, and did the photo shoot. He uses one of the photos in his business promotional material - and the photo is on my web site - guess which one! I also use from time to time, the $10 one time use cameras. Not very often, but there are times when they are convenient. There is an old story about a photographer who was invited to dinner. Before dinner the hostess said "Those are wonderful pictures, you must have have great camera equipment". After dinner, the photographer complemented the hostess saying "That was a wonderful meal, you must have great knives and pots." The point is, whatever equipment you have - use it and learn.

You don't need "better" equipment to be a better photographer. While it is true that "better" equipment gives you a wider range of possibilities, some pictures admittedly are impossible without the correct equipment, and while it is true that good equipment can make many things easier for you, it is also true that once you become a good photographer, you will be able to take excellent photos with a $10 disposable camera. And for what it's worth, many people have expensive equipment and still don't take good great pictures.

The point is ... If you are a budding photographer and your equipment is low end - don't let that slow you down. Whether you are shooting with low end digital or low end film, your experience can be used to take you to the next level. Many photographers feel if they just get that one additional gadget, or if they had that one level better camera that they would suddenly become a great photographer. But most of the time, once you get that one extra gadget, you'll just need one more and one more. Building up your skill will do far more than buying that one extra gadget.

If you have progressed past the "Point & Shoot" and don't have a zoom lens that is something like 28-200, then that is the one "gadget" that I consider a very worth while gadget.

One other thought while I'm on this topic. It is in someways unfortnate that we use the phrase "take a photo". By directing or moving the subject, changing your angle, waiting for the right light or creating the right light with reflectors, flash or other methods, waiting for the correct expression on the person or animal, changing how far or close you are to the picture, adjusting the focus position and distance, waiting for the subject to be ready (ie flower to open, person to be happy or serious) adjusting the perspective or focal planes, having the subject change clothing, changing the correct lens & filters, picking the background, choosing slow or fast shutters and deciding whether the camera should be rock solid or moved while the picture is taken and so on and so on - you make the photograph, you don't take it! Obviously some things are not in your control (what the sunset will look like tonight) but most are in your control (how many nights you will wait for the sunset you want) so go and make some great photographs.