I'm a photographer, and I like cameras - why is that not ok?

Just a little rant on the most regular comment I receive on my social media...

[@GxAce]

Great video, Hamish! I echo this sentiment exactly and was actually working on a similar video about this very topic. Why can't people like cameras because of the interesting beautiful physical objects they are? People find cars beautiful but aren't they just tools to get us from one place to another? Isn't it just the result of getting from one place to another that you should admire? Subscribed! Keep up the good content!

[@HamishGill]

Cheers, I will try :)

[@AlexOnStreets]

Thanks for making this. You said everything I would have.

[@Peppermint1]

I like old cameras and respect the craftsmanship that went into making the lens and the delicate complex mechanical mechanisms in old cameras. Those who build the old mechanical cameras (and also some later electronic ones) had advanced skills at designing that they learned over many years of working in the industry. Same with the 120 or 35mm film, both in the making of the emulsions and in the developing techniques took a lot of skills. What bogs me with photography blogs is the heavy use of Adobe Lightroom. Unfortunately, photographers have to sell their product so they modify the film images to make them look better that what the camera does. Basically, it's impossible to judge a camera or lens quality when the pictures have been heavily modified in post processing.

[@CiderGuy]

It’s like someone who loves driving and some moron comes along and tells them they shouldn’t enjoy and love different classic cars because it’s only the driver that counts. It is totally nonsensical. Cameras are tools, of course they are. We all know that. But, every tool has its merits and why shouldn’t they be enjoyed and talked about? This is what you do Hamish and you do it in a very constructive and interesting way and it is of great value and provides immense enjoyment to myself and countless others. Keep on going and sneer at the clown naysayers! Haha

[@gearreallydoesntmatter]

The problem many will have is that they only have one camera that they spent hours researching and now must defend at all cost. Whenever you see a new camera released, no matter what camera that is, the comments are filled with people justifying not buying it. They aren't satisfied with just not buying it. They need to voice why and seek approval from others. And also ridicule those who might buy it. In your case its probably often the same case but slightly different. They need to comment in order to let you know that they aren't jealous, which they kinda are :)

[@dangerpowers123]

I'm the same. My passion for cameras if anything fuels my desire to go out and take photos and be a better photographer.

[@TD-is6ef]

I agree. I will actually spend time just looking at and tinkering with my camera and lenses. I appreciate them for what they are in and of themselves, not just what they can do. People can be so simple minded, it’s astonishing. If I was a gun collector, would people try to tell me that it’s who I shoot that’s most important? Same logic. 4:10

[@ARSAnalog]

Some ppl simply don’t get those interests are two separate things. Additionally they have a purist approach and don’t understand that they aren’t criticizing the collector/gear geek. In the end those ppl are dickheads for telling others how to enjoy their hobby.... damn I hate such bad behavior 😑

[@GrahamStokes]

what ever you do is your business, hope you carry on enjoying your camera gear. ATB.

[@MrTrainsaw]

The contradiction inherent in the statement is frustrating as well -if it's all about the photo's, the motivation to actually get out and shoot is key, and if that is sometimes fueled by a fascination with cameras and maybe only 20% "art" on a given day -who cares? the photos are being taken, and i thought that that's what mattered....now if those photos "matter" -that's a value judgement. Which I speculate that alot of this boils down to pushy people trying to force their values on others

[@BrunoChalifour]

First Hamish, do not be frustrated by those comments, you also know that by exposing yourself on social media, you are exposing yourself to such comments. Take them with a grain of salt, as different perspectives, the expression of tastes and activities different from yours, which they are. Now I totally understand your point of view and would even reinforce it. I am also fascinated by the design of cameras and its evolution, although my first interest has always been (probably like yours) to photograph. But as age, experience, opportunities and better financial resources (better than being a student and spending part of my summer picking raspberries in order to buy my first SLR lens) have accumulated I have found that there were cameras I liked to use versus other that were just tools, sometimes frustrating ones. It takes practice and time and testings to figure out what works best for one. It just does add a dimension of enjoyment, pleasure, harmony (whichever one wants to call it) to one's life and practice (of photography in this case). It does not do anyone any harm and gradually grows you into a reasonably knowledgeable person in the field... which allows you to share and help others. Definitely nothing wrong with that; the rest is just different perspectives, which have got their values too, and sometimes just using the long-view... the wrong way, resulting in a smaller world. ;o) ... can be frustrating sometimes but not worth more than a quick thought. The meeting of one photographer's needs, practice, and pleasure with the right tool results in his/her more frequent use of the tools, increased practice, more photographs... so in the end an interest in photographic equipment (for one who also photographs, not one who just focuses on equipment-nothing wrong with that either except that it may deprives one of some of the pleasures people who use their equipment also experience-) may result in more and better photographs. Definitely nothing wrong with that. Now a few things I have noticed as a practitioner, educator, editor, curator and portfolio reviewer are that if one cares for their practices one should also care for one's tools. Ignoring them may result in poor quality in the outcome. Having good ideas is nice but if you are a composer, chef, or brain surgeon and do not know or even better master your tools, I will not listen to you, sit at your table or let you operate on my brain. I think it makes sense... so why should not this apply to photography (unless some just do not what to invest the necessary time to master their tools and to improve their practices).

[@HamishGill]

Thanks, Bruno, well said! Thanks for your thoughts I really do have the thick enough skin to deal with the comments - I mostly just wanted to get my opinion on the subject out there in the wild...

[@BrunoChalifour]

Well you did it @@HamishGill and it generated tons of interest, proof that it was needed.

[@Tezrema]

No problem.

[@lancmac]

You are completely OK with both as hobbies.... Most folks nowadays have no dang idea how a film camera works or can appreciate all the fine mechanical details of the camera.... Digital people all talk about all the features that will do a better picture. Yet none of them can appreciate or understand the coding that processes the data input of the photosensitive lens

[@garykuhlmann8149]

Yes, it is the photographer and not the camera. However--and this is a big however--I would also say that the camera is a big part of what makes the photograph. Different cameras will give you different results. This is obvious. So it is only natural for a photographer to be keenly interested in different cameras.

[@nihalhakim5148]

In my view the only people who say that "(in all situations) its not the camera its the photographer!!!" are people that (a) have never challenged themselves photographically (the gentleman with a nikon d90 and an 18-55 will not be doing much wildlife or weddings. I'd like to see him try) or (b) are insecure themselves that they have become too attached to cameras -- or more saliently that their skill is tied to the ability of their camera.

[@BrunoChalifour]

Hi Nihal, do not be as reductive as the ones that have frustrated Hamish. In the end it is really not the camera that matters but (IT'S) the photographer, meaning that someone who has mastered his/her tools is perfectly right in saying such a thing. A camera without a photographer is just a piece of metal or plastic and glass. The human element is important in photography and should remain the most important ingredient. I know many an owner of high quality (and expensive) photo equipment who produce poor photographs. Also, not everybody needs to photograph weddings or widelife, in fact most of Magnum photographers have not practiced either... and their photographs do matter. As for insecurity, we should all be a little insecure, it is a good motivation toward improvement.

[@yarkozelen]

It is all about the camera and the story behind it. I've dreamed about Leica III since I was a child. Got my IIIF from beautiful people in Tokyo(which was another child dream). Do I love it more than my grandfather's Fed 2B - no, I love them both because of everything about them. The same goes about just any camera that was in my hands. Because photography is magic, and I like it that way. If you do not believe it - try taking photos without a camera. Than you will learn what exactly your camera is teaching you to see...

[@ricdonato4328]

Hi Hamish. Yes, I am completely in your camp. My love of photography also transcends to owning and using many film cameras. My shooting is 99% film thus my cameras range from a Leica IIIf and other Rangefinders, through numerous SLRs, 4x5 Graph Graphic, and older Polaroids as well. Folks think me strange having so many cameras, and do not understand the enjoyment using these old cameras afford me. Though it is true a camera is a just a tool, so are screwdrivers, hammers, drills, cars, trucks, the list goes on. Of course there are many variants of each serving specific needs, same with cameras. Specific style cameras are better suited for certain types of capture. Of course one can capture with other types of cameras, just like one can drive a screw with a hammer. When folks tell me “why so many cameras just use one it is only a tool if you are good you do not need all those”, I think they are envious of what I have at my disposal, and possibly do not understand why a specific style camera is better suited for a project. It is a tool that helps me do a better job than someone that does not have access to those cameras. Example, a friend had to turn down a job all because he did not have the requisite tools; he had held off building up his tool supply. He then realized that holding off purchasing tools for his profession cost him considerably more than the cost of the tools; it was an expensive lesson for him. Now he purchases tools in advance of unknown opportunities. Same with me purchasing cameras thinking that when the time comes that piece of kit will be what I may need for a yet to materialize project. Keep up the good work. Very much enjoy the information you provide, thank you for producing them.

[@JamieMPhoto]

I wonder how many painters are lectured about their preferences for using more than 2 brushes. Or why they need those silly brushes when they can use their fingers. "It's not the brush, it's the painter!" Same goes for paint type. "But if you really cared, you could do that with acrylic instead of oil, and it would dry a lot faster. You're just obsessed with technique."

[@BrunoChalifour]

Simply what one can do with different tools can result in very different productions. Oil, acrylic and watercolor do not offer the same experiences and results.

[@Michael-jl8ev]

Hey Hamish, It's quite obvious that this has really eaten away at you, and I that sucks; though I do think it comes with the territory. I don't think "being on the internet" means you should have critics, but that is the sad reality of it. As for this whole "The camera is the paintbrush, it's the artist that makes the masterpiece" comment, I genuinely believe that this comment is made by the inexperienced photographer that wishes to sound more intellectual. When they make such a statement, are they not trying to prove themselves? Why else would someone waste their time trying to bring down another man and his passion other than for something as selfish as self gratification? I think what I'm trying to say is, unfortunately, hater are going to hate. That shouldn't, however, tarnish your passion. If every analogue shooter listened to every "Why do you still shoot film, you dinosaur?" comment, then this art form would have suffered long ago. Keep making great content.

[@HamishGill]

"Eaten away at me" is a strong way to put it. I think my skin has grown quite think putting myself out there in the way I have over the last few years. I do find it as amusing as I do frustrating. You're right though - having thick skin, or indeed growing it, shouldn't be a prerequisite for sharing an opinion online... Inexperienced, yes, elitists too. I suppose the irony here is that I'm having a go at people who have an opinion.....

[@ShawneeUnion]

I think they lump you in with the forum guy who has shot with every great lens but shoots little and has strong opinions. His/her hobby is collecting and owning gear. You obliviously shoot a lot and test gear as well so I wouldn’t put you into that camp. But I’m not sure what the barrier or level of shooting needs to be done to be more of a photographer than camera enthusiast.

[@derpnessify]

I'll help you out here, in case you actually are sincere in your wanting to know why you run into this problem so often. I want to preface this with the note that it IS absolutely possible to have two separate hobbies of interest in both photography and cameras. And that liking both photography and cameras is totally fine. But the reason is very simple. As you advance in your career as a professional photographer, your gear becomes less and less important. It is a transformative perspective shift that occurs as your photography gets better and you rely less on your camera to get good results. Because the overwhelming, almost ubiquitous sentiment of professional photographers, is that the "techy" gear-worshipping (or vintage, film-worshipping) aspect of amateur photography is something that you eventually transcend, and it becomes about the art. The camera becomes almost irrelevant, and this isn't a philosophical point, but it shows up in the results. A pro can blow away the output of an amateur using really any modern (D)SLR. Sometimes, it's difficult to see the trees apart from the forest. Perhaps you are a pro with a high level of skill that just happens to like cameras and the technology behind them. But from far away and at a glance, to most you probably look like the amateurs you're surrounded by and standing amongst. Unfair? Yes, probably. But it is what it is. I looked you up on Google and found that you primarily shoot film. If this is the only thing or even just the main thing that sets you apart from other photographers, maybe it is time to take your work to the next level. Maybe your reliance on your gear to make your art special or different is part of what's holding you back. Or maybe not. What do I know? In any case, best of luck. Don't sweat what others think of you, your journey is yours.

[@HamishGill]

I am sincere, I'm always interested in the opinions people post in response to things I put on the internet... god only knows, I wouldn't put my head above the parapet if I wasn't... Just a couple of points to start with. I shoot a mix of film and digital. I do work as a photographer, as well as play. I don't have a desire to set my work apart from others - even as a "professional" - I'm good enough at what I do to get the work I need and complete it to a competent enough standard to get paid. I continue to get better and pick up more, and better clients. As a professional, that's enough for me. As an amateur, or hobbyist, outside of my career I only have a desire to produce work for my own enjoyment. I'm not sure of the direct relevance of all of this other than to point out that I agree with your point that the journey is mine. And by that nature, I disagree with the rest of your point that as photographers advance thier careers, they all forget about the gear. I know this to be true, as when I shoot - when I am happy - with a particular camera and lens - I do forget about the gear. But when I'm not shooting, I find my interest in other gear is always there again. It's not becuase I think this-or-that camera will help me advance or do better, I just like playing with cameras and learning about them. Are you suggesting that my personality will homogenise and I will become like all other photographers who are better than me in due course...?

[@derpnessify]

Not at all. You should do you, never at any point did I mean to imply that you should change your hobbies to homogenize yourself. Just that this is a natural progression that most professionals go through. Just like when we see people go through the "HDR" phase of their development, and we all understand how and why most amateurs fall into the "clown vomit" look of HDR because it looks visually impactful to the unrefined palate. Because most of us have been there, and then grown out of it. Gear-focused photographers are almost always in that stage of their development; there is an inextricable correlation between gear-acquisition syndrome and the amateur world of photography. But it doesn't *have* to be this way. As I mentioned at the very onset of my original comment, it is absolutely possible to be a competent professional that just happens to find enjoyment in the gear that they use for their job. While it's possible, its improbability is what leads to the stereotype that you're suffering from at the moment. Hopefully that makes sense and clarifies my point, if you read it as it is rather than what you presuppose I meant, you might find that I tend to be more in your camp rather than justifying other people harassing you over this. It is merely an explanation, not a justification.

[@HamishGill]

This would certainly be easier outside of the realms of text, I am sure... gotta love the internet! I see what you're saying, thanks for the clarification. Hmm... it doesn't seem a fair stereotype... I also feel there is an element of elitism in these comments. You have to wonder just how many of the people saying it are saying it because it's what they think, or because it sounds like the right thing to say. Just how many people who don't care about gear would be browsing my gear focused instagram? (@35mmcblog - for context) Of those people who don't care about gear, but who have still somehow stumbled on my instagram, how many would then go on to click on an image, would read what I had to say, and then comment that "gear doesn't matter"... honestly, the amount people say it to me is amazing, I can't fathom how that string of events would happen so frequently if it was only a perspective being perpetuated by people who genuinly don't care about gear...

[@derpnessify]

Oh there totally is an element of elitism. Why else would someone bring up such a thing other than to exert their own level of development and/or success over someone else? It comes from a place of insecurity, and that's why this whole thing is just silly. Now, when people ask me about gear, or advice on gear, I would first ask what they like to shoot and what's important to them, and then note that the gear isn't too important. To just buy something within their budget and to focus on technique over gear. That's about as far as that whole discussion goes with me. But to jump onto someone's page to tell them how amateurish they are (when you're clearly not) is a pretty glaring sign of insecurity. Unfortuntaely, as you stated, gotta love the internet. Anonymity really adds to the problem.

[@HamishGill]

Completely agree! It's actually one of the ironies of my website - I don't like telling people what to do or what to think. I hate recommending gear! I had a mate of mine ask me my favourite question the other day: "what camera should I buy?" I told her to go and ask in the local camera shop, and to look at used cameras that are a few years old. You might like 35mmc, you know, have a read of the about page - ironically, it contains a link to a post called "it's not the camera" - www.35mmc.com/about-35mmc/

[@MrPhotographerDude]

A chef only have one knife

[@HamishGill]

haha, really... are you sure about that?

[@CiderGuy]

Pencil Jockey - What is the rest of their knife roll filled with then? Chopsticks? 🤣🙈

[@fabriziogiorgi8405]

No man , the camera is just a tool . Is WHAT you do with it that matters . Is all about the photographer !! A great artist can take a beautiful picture just with bare hands and nothing else

[@BrunoChalifour]

Take a photograph with bare hands and nothing else... I'd like to see that and be initiated, it would spare me a great deal of time and money! ;o) ....might be limited in its production though (and so far I do not know of anyone doing that).