Great Photos Are Made By Photographers Not Cameras

[@aeromodeller1]

Engineers have a saying: "Good enough is best." Anything more is superfluous. The limitation in photography is the viewer. If they can't tell the difference on the final print, it doesn't matter.

[@majamogens]

The way I look at it, is that if someone 'praises' an image for its overall sharpness/technical quality, it's because they can't bring themselves to say, that the image doesn't give them anything.

[@dongummphotography]

Good point. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@gaoldias]

On the few occasions when someone has told me that I need more dynamic range or more resolution, I ask them what they do with their images. If you print wall mural sized prints, then yes, maybe you do need those things but the vast majority of photographers don't print that big and many don't print at all. Besides, there are ways to overcome dynamic range and/or resolution limitations if they arise. Exposure bracketing and high res modes come to mind.

[@photographyforenjoyment]

Skilled people can make average equipment 'sing' no matter what they do, so stop and think before you buy that super expensive lens/camera - will IT make me a better photographer? The answer is usually NO..! Good video Don.

[@mikek2218]

Amen! Some of my best photos are created with my plastic Holga. So often a camera's limitations will force the photographer to be creative in ways he didn't know he could be, and reveal a new depth to his art that he never even knew could possibly exist.

[@dongummphotography]

I agree! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@bernym4047]

I too took a break from photography and when I returned to it and bought a M43 body, I felt overwhelmed by the complexity and sophistication of it. I have gradually got used to it and better understand the many functions (e.g. post shoot focusing) but most of the time, I shoot in manual mode and although I use autofocus, my style has not changed much from my medium format film days. I have recently been studying Saul Leiter and have been amazed at his compositions. I like to shoot monochrome and find it more difficult but at the same time more satisfying to produce good compositions. I have stopped fretting about resolution, dynamic range etc and now concentrate of trying to better see photographs. Thanks for another great video.

[@dongummphotography]

It sounds like you are on a good path! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@petermcginty3636]

Thanks Don, sage advice. I have an OM-5 with many beautiful Zuiko lenses and I love that shooting experience. I recently bought some Olympus OM mount lenses and an E-M1 Mki to shoot in 100% manual mode. I bought the E-M1 Mki as (a) the menu system is similar to the OM-5 and (b) I wanted the smaller sensor, older sensor and older processor to give my images an older (digital) look. So far, I have learned that full manual photography really does slow me down and makes me think about the process more. 🎉🎉😢

[@dongummphotography]

It's definitely a good approach! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@alangamble3236]

I use my EM1 mki coupled with a Minolta 55mm 1.7f and as I pure hobbyist photographer I get some lovely images.

[@petermcginty3636]

@@alangamble3236 Awesome

[@davidhardy879]

Go get 'em , Don !

[@powerlink2000]

Great video Don! Well done on a very important concept.

[@dongummphotography]

Thank you!

[@fuelediowa]

Ya it is amazing how many people rely on equipment and software to try and create. Don't get me wrong I lean into the cool features and abilities of my gear and software but I can still just use a straight out of camera JPG 90% of the time if I want or need to.

[@steveworthington930]

Hi Don, Cartier Bresson would not let his images be cropped, altered in any way, he captured the "moment". My favorite artist, Ansel Adam,s, great images of the Rockies on a massive plate camera. We can,t match that, but it,s so true, compostion is the key.

[@dongummphotography]

I couldn't agree more!

[@tori8380]

“The enemy of art is the absence of limitations.” - Orson Welles?

[@alangamble3236]

I suggest taking some test shots with your phone to get composition right before committing to your Film shot. Hopefully you will not waste precious film .

[@dongummphotography]

Good idea!

[@berndbanken3256]

Hi Don - I agree, but only appr. 75% ;-). Long time ago my first „real“ camera was the NikonF which had been used by the most war photographers in Vietnam. This brand I thought I had to support. This professional tool stimulated me a lot and this mental interaction pushed me out of my comfort-zone when I did streetphotography which wad not ‚invented‘ at those times. Cartier-Bresson or Robert Capa and more important for me Robert Doisneau delivered the content which I tried to capture by myself. At the end a Minolta Srt or Asahi Pentax could have done the same but without this „burning for pics“ and the F as my third eye I would have lost these special moments. The bond to my OM1 is like zero and I think about the change back to Nikon - it‘s the brain…I guess

[@dongummphotography]

We all certainly approach things differently, and all find differing sources of inspiration. Maybe getting a good working Nikon F would be a good way to revisit those inspirations! Film is experiencing quite a resurgence. A Nikon F and a few rolls of TriX might be just the thing. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@ericlundquist3466]

Very true. I been waiting on using my dads old Pentax k1000. Passed along to me when he kicked the bucket. I've been debating on dedicating 2 months to nothing but film yet i know very little about it lol. In the 90s i worked at CVS photo department. That's about it for film lol.

[@dongummphotography]

A new adventure! Film photography is a great process to learn. It is the roots of photography!

[@tedphillips2951]

Great video & so true!

[@dongummphotography]

Thank you, and thanks for watching and commenting too!

[@1957PLATO]

Of course you are right. However Cartier Bresson shot Leica, Vivian Maier shot Rolleiflex and all the great masters shot top notch camera’s. They would have made great pics regardless the camera’s they used.

[@dongummphotography]

True, and that is why I highlighted the work of Tony Vacarro and his Argus C3. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@dizzybuizzy9347]

One doesn't really need a Camera to create a Nice Picture... If one is talented enough to Draw, one can create beautiful Pictures, it takes a little longer, but it can be done, the way it has been before the Film Era.... Cameras make it possible to be Creative for everyone (digital/film)... It comes down to how well one uses them!