Your camera is better than Ansel's

[@Joeayresphotography]

Ask not what your gear can do for you, ask what you can do with your gear.

[@jonmnelson]

This is so true, and important. As my golf-loving grandfather would say, “It’s not the tool, it’s the fool.”

[@zarate1om]

That’s one heck of a quote💀I love it

[@Lokk09]

sounds like an old man's quote 😂, love that!

[@steveglassvideo]

"The fact is the relatively few photographers ever master their medium. Instead they allow the medium to master them and go on and endless squirrel cage chase from new lens to paper to new developer to gadget, never staying with one piece of equipment long enough to learn its full capacities, becoming lost in a maze of technical information that is of little or no use since they don't know what to do with it." Edward Weston

[@realcanadian1]

For the past 6 years or so, photography for me has been an escape, to use as a form of expression. I am aware there are photographers who are far more advanced in photography than I and there is plenty for me to learn from. However, because of a limited budget and little equipment (just my camera and her two lens), I try to make do with what I have. The quote you shared is quite comforting. Thank you.

[@gavinjenkins899]

How would you possibly know what 3 films and which 2 or 3 lenses to focus on for years to master, if you didn't try 25 other ones earlier on to figure out which ones you liked the most to be worth mastering? You HAVE to start broad. Or I guess you don't "have" to, but it's dumb not to. Does that delay mastery? Yes, but so? Of course most people don't master anything, but if you spent 5 years mastering some random thing you first started with, your mastery would have been a waste of time when it turns out you actually much prefer this whole other setup that you don't discover at all until year 6. Now it took you 5 more years...

[@MangoStreet]

yes! we use the title of this video as an argument / response to so many people who feel inferior in photography because they don’t have the latest and greatest. love it.

[@jas_bataille]

Don't forget all the people who feel superior because they own the latest gear... I've been shamed on forums for using a Nikon D3300 and manual focus without anyone dare looking at my work hey

[@jas_bataille]

Mike, he never said you don't need to upgrade ever; he said to use what you have on hands and shoot! I'm a pro and just now I am finally gonna get a D610 and I've been shooting with, believe it or not... a D3300... on assignment. Oh yes. Never feel the need to upgrade until now.

[@jas_bataille]

Mostly photographers tend to look down on you when you *are* using basic gear, trust my experience! ;)

[@vcmauten]

Mango Stree

[@MrPhotographerDude]

So Cartier Bresson didn't have the latest and greatest camera of his time?

[@joshrock]

This is a great topic, for Christmas my father gave me a 1973 set of time life photography books that he got at a thrift store, and flipping through them I kept saying to myself that these great photos (many of which I find very inspiring and beautiful ) weren't always sharp, had a lot of grain, and poor IQ by today's standards. It really struck me that none of these would fly in a photo feedback group on Facebook where you get pixel peeped to death today, yet they were timeless and beautiful. Great video

[@normapadro420]

That sounds so nice. Some of my photography was rejected by a company's software, because the machine claimed that they were blurry. I just deleted all of my work from their site. Nothing should be perfect, because photography is like painting. There will be blurs, and imperfections. That's why I love photography. Nothing looks real. Most images look like paintings. I never see them as real life.😊

[@tonymperea]

I’ve been a painting contractor for over 24 years. Better equipment helps me reach my goal faster and easier. But I have seen my competition come and go over the years thinking all they need is the same airless paint sprayer I own and a license. In the end, hard work, attention to detail, and attention to my customers is what lasts.

[@ABugMansLife]

Someone once told me: "The best camera that exist is the one in your hand." This simple statement propelled me more than I could've ever imagined, because it let me take more photos and videos, which in turn gave me better photographic skills! Greetings from South Africa!

[@LudwigEksteen]

This is an EPIC quote! Thank you for sharing!

[@derPetunientopf]

Thats exactly why i decided to buy a small camera. Budget wise a cheap big one instead would have been possible too at that point but the chance that i would carry the small one around was just so much bigger.

[@giselesmith7795]

I took a college photography class back in the 70's (showing my age here) and the instructor told all the rich kids to put away their fancy gear; we were all going to use 2 disposable cameras for all assignments for the class. It leveled the playing field but more importantly, it made you think about how to work around your limitations. It was a good exercise in creativity and problem solving. I loved the class. Thanks for bringing up that the product is what matters most.

[@erichstocker4173]

I love camera equipment. I lust after new technology. I have a Hasselblad, a Leica, and now a Sony a7riii. However, I know many photographers who with a pinhole camera made from a shoebox can take better pictures than I can with all my equipment. I take average photos and sometimes good ones but I'm not Ansel Adams, Gordon Parks, Dorothea Lange, etc regardless of my equipment. They have artistic gifts. I'm a technical guy and I enjoy cameras much from that angle. I work at getting better artistically. I feel good about both aspects but I don't confuse one for the other. Cameras don't take pictures, people do.

[@JakeFosmire]

This is perhaps the most sensible comment I've ever read for someone on the gear side of the argument.

[@gavinjenkins899]

And that other guy could still take a 10x better picture with your gear than he did with his shoebox. So the final point doesn't really land.

[@corinnebrown8293]

I needed this! I started my photography journey about a year ago by purchasing my first DSLR. I did bit of research and ended up going with what I determined to be the best APSC I could afford. A year later, after many more hours of research, I'm feeling the pressure to drop thousands on a full frame. As a rememdy, I decided to picked up my dad's old 35mm and have begun experimenting with film just to practice the basics. It feels good to pare down. Thanks!

[@Archontasil]

In order of importance to make greate image 1.photographer 2. Light 3. Lens 4. Camera Just like 1. Painter 2. Paint 3. Brush 4. Canvas

[@francisco.hurtado]

1.- Photographer. 2.- Selection of a great image. 3.- Light. 4.- .Composition. 5.- Camera. 6.- Lens.

[@pixiedixie3682]

Archontasius Yes,Sir!

[@SkaterBrx]

@@francisco.hurtado 2 and 4 are part of the photographer and his abilities I think

[@BrianAnderson-7]

It's videos like this one that make me proud to call myself your friend :) Really outstanding video. Time to go share this in all my social media circles.

[@HallsEmporium]

Brian you rock

[@robertlatta2019]

Do you use google+?

[@richard8342]

A. Adams spent hours and hours not only setting up, composing and shooting but just as much time if not more in the dark room. He was the master printer.

[@hocadidilyocuttCAP]

Richard Salamack and...

[@kieranl5249]

hocadidilyocutt and what time have you spent in a darkroom?

[@keithmagee4450]

@@kieranl5249 Richard is rightly pointing out that printing was as part of Adams as taking the photographs. I’m sure that Richard and yourself spend hours in front of Photoshop. Photoshop is the electronic darkroom.

[@-shakir5152]

@@keithmagee4450 you mean Lightroom?

[@mrsimpleesarcastik3494]

and he shot boring black and white shit

[@StephenCotterell]

The best gear decisions I have ever made are 1) Stop worrying about gear 2) Invest in good glass and 3) it's all about the light (and shadows)and how I see the world anyway. Ted, your reasoned voice of experience (backed up by practical hands-on experience of all sorts of cameras, exposure to the work of some of the greatest photographers (living or dead) plus you considerable knowledge of the emotional impact of art on the human spirit, makes this a must watch for any photographer. It comes with the added bonus of helping people to save money (before they get too deep into gear acquisition syndrome that is). Best wishes Stephen

[@paulinefollett3099]

As a bird photographer my equipment is very important to me. However, it is not everything. You don't need the latest and the greatest to get fantastic images. The most important thing is to know and understand your subject.

[@christianpetersen1782]

I think it partly depends on what you see as beautiful. There is much pleasure to be had from pin sharp birds’ feathers or other fine detail.

[@frozenbeauty5382]

I love your viewpoint. I HATE when people say "if you don't have the best gear you are not a professional." Photography is ALL about the art as you stated. I look at the end product of the image. Personally for me I don't care what gear someone shot with, I care about what the image is and what it speaks to me with. I loved that you talked about this. We all get too wrapped up into the latest and greatest and forget that true art comes from within the artist!

[@LarrivaArt]

Right! I wouldn't sign a painting with a fan brush, but I might flip the brush around and scratch my name in the wet paint with the pointy end. Like you could flip a lens around to shoot macro.

[@cindyrosen8170]

Your comments always invigorate and energize me to be better without regard for the tools available to me. As an amateur photographer, I can’t afford all of the wildly advertised equipment. You remind me that it’s about my ability to improve my skills and storytelling. Thank you sharing your passion!

[@colliderdc]

Great points. What specific guitar model did Jimi Hendrix use? Or for that matter what specific mixer or microphone was used for the recording for Purple Haze? Technology is important, but it is less important than what you play, or shoot, or draw, or paint.

[@theartofphotography]

Trust me - lots of guitar nerds know those answers. But you're right - there's lots of guitarists who played strats, but Hendrix was one of a kind. He had something to communicate.

[@shifteleven]

Music was going to be my other example of an art form where gear talk is a thing.

[@succulentstir9907]

Well... the Stratocaster was essential to his sound back then, but now there are a bunch of copy cat guitars, so it doesn't matter as much anymore :p (I get your point though; not arguing with you)

[@grandtrunkhotel]

All I can say is, You're kidding right? You just provided an excellent example of why quality of camera gear is important and if you've never dealt with sound I guess you just wouldn't understand. It's not your fault but pick another comparison. Let's say you wanted to make peanut butter, all you need to make a good peanut butter is peanuts (good peanuts grown in rich soil and picked at the optimum ripening time and gently roasted to perfection) and then take a hammer and smash them to a pulp or put them in your mouth and chew them until they are mushy....get my point.

[@0ooTheMAXXoo0]

People talk about brushes and paint as well...

[@markharris5771]

The more videos I see on KZbin and the churlish, often vitriolic, arguments you see about gear the more I realise too many people are missing the point. It’s not only for the art, it’s also about the enjoyment. Of course the image that matters when talking about the art, it’s all about that finished product that makes people stop and really look. Josef Koudelka must have one of the greatest returns in equipment to amazing image ratios. However, for many of us it’s also the joy of taking an image that makes us proud and we are happy to show others. Here equipment really doesn’t matter at all, despite what many commenters on gear videos say, it’s all about a light catching box you are happy to use and gets you taking photographs. Type, medium, size, age or colour don’t matter at all except to the person making the image, their comfort with their kit and the fact it gets them out shooting on a regular basis does. It’s about wanting to perfect your craft and not appeasing people who think they have a right to tell you what you should spend your own money on, and insult you if you make a different choice than theirs. Photography should be all about wanting to make images not bragging about having the latest, biggest or fastest camera.

[@godeepmudmedia]

From a gearhead, everything you said was spot on. I believe when people say things like you will get laughed out of a wedding for trying to shoot it with an iPhone (deeper pixels, or not) are missing the point. It may not look professional, but it can certainly get similar results in the hands or the right person. The secret is to get it right in camera.(my photography instructor would be proud) Whatever that camera may be.

[@matt818]

I needed this to quieten the noise of distraction coming from the advertisements and rhetoric that tempts the insecurity in us which thinks we and what we have is not enough. We are enough and what we have is enough, it was and always will be enough. Thank you for this video and I hope it helps quieten the noise for others :)

[@lukasracingteam]

You are my hero! It's all true. I started to take photos with an old Canon AE1 from my grandpa. For me it's not important what gear you own...the only fact that matters for me is "How much do you love this" You Sir, are a great inspiration for me and so many people! Let me say "THANK YOU!" Best regards from Germany

[@HistoryByGPS]

I agree. I started in the news photo business in 1975 and have never been an equipment guy. Give me something that works and let me do my job. In those days you learned to see the exposure, set your camera and preset the focus in case something happened. Today I've grown soft... I LOVE auto focus and use it most of the time. However, knowing how to do without the auto features makes life easier when they are fooled by events. Love your videos. Great job.

[@rejeannantel1185]

Hats off Ted, it’s always been my philosophy to. I think the problem with photographers and photography is more deeply rooted. What is photography (or what is it not)? The many who will try to make a statement that photography is an art will most possibly be the one who like to expose their gear - as if a greater gear makes a better artist. If you dare disagree with these people, they will let you know. Thus a great majority - who thinks like you and me - generally stay silent. (And what’s worst, the many I know who have very sophisticated gear, limit themselves to using very few options that their camera has to offer. There was a time when we had cheap camera but try to make the most out of it in any way we could think of). Others will just say that photography is by no means an art - mainly because they don’t know all the labor that’s generally needed to create expressive images: knowing your camera, knowing how to process (or not) your image, and knowing what you’re doing and what it is you’re trying to say when you trigger your camera. For few it’s easy, for many it takes years to achieve. I like to compare photography to another art form like writing. Everybody writes: Some just fill in the blanks in their Internal Revenue form, others like to comments on social media, others write newspaper articles and other write books and novels, etc. And yet not everybody is a WRITER. But such is not the case in photography: Everybody is a Photographer - mainly because many do not qualify photography as an Art. In fact, they are just saying I WRITE - I TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS. It’s when someone becomes conscious that this media can be as expressive as any other art forms that one will value it like so. And that’s what it’s all about. It’s not about the people who own the best gear and it’s not about the one who owns the worst gear either. It’s about the end product, the end results. Ask me what I would like for Christmas: A state of the art high-end camera or a greater ability to better express my art through this media? Guess what my answer is!

[@rexroseberry4765]

Well said sir!

[@mossrun]

My cousin is a photographer but my understanding of composition comes from playing guitar over the last 50 years. As I have gotten into photography this last year I recognize so many similarities between the two and am glad for my musical background with the voicing of varied instruments, compositional themes, spacial representation, chord harmony or even the use of dissonance for expression. Again the same thing you are expressing. The cheapest guitar can sound amazing in the hands of an accomplished musician. In fact I cherish some guitars not by cost but by the fact that they are so cheaply made you can easily bend the neck for wah wah sounds or get a more twangy sound which allows for some pretty good impressionistic results. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, which is true, but no less assuredly seen through the lens of the photographer.

[@AldermanFredCDavis]

Very thoughtful, as usual. Call me, "old-school" or whatever. I'm not into HDR photography, psychedelic, super saturated images that look more like graphic design than photography (to my eyes), or unrealistically 'clean' night images. I'm a HUGE fan of those old Nat Geo images from the 1970's, 80's, and 90's. I shoot digitally, but I LOVE that old, film look, imperfections, limitations, and all.

[@gyozakeynsianism]

I also love the style that comes with the emphasis on getting the shot rather than all the technical nonsense. Great photojournalism and wildlife photography is often the stuff you remember the longest and the most fondly. If the photogs has obsessed with the things people on Instagram obsess over, they'd never have gotten the shot!

[@gavinjenkins899]

HDR has nothing to do with modern gear, there's not any HDR-only camera I've ever heard of, unless you count an iphone as a camera. It's just a style some people use. A modern mirrorless camera can take a better black and white classic zone photo than the Nat Geo guys could, as well. It can take a better anything in any style. It will also get the shot more often, because the controls are all better thought out and faster and more customizable etc. than old cameras from the 70s too. And the specs are broader (faster shutter speeds, faster sync speeds, image stabilization now you can take shots in low light that the 70s guys would have had to pack up and leave in, etc)

[@46ace]

Yes. Moment, storytelling, expression, lighting: Of all things that go into a "great" photograph; megapixels/sensor size /brand name are meaningless.. A BRIDE NEVER TEARED UP AT A SPEC SHEET!

[@theartofphotography]

Ha - good point

[@LieslHuddleston]

If Ansel Adams were alive and shooting in color with our camera's today, would his photographs mingle in with the same talent level of hundreds of photographers on Instagram? His skill level was top notch and incredible in his time, and would be with today's cameras as well, but he'd be in the company of many others. I'm just wondering if he would have stood out as much?

[@gregsilver]

I agree 100%. Looking back at his photos - they are ok (definitely great during his time). IMHO, the level of creative skill COMBINED with the latest technology has far surpassed what Ansel has done. I even look back at old National Geographic photos from 20+ years back and we're at a much higher level of quality than in the past - and I'll give much credit to the technology (not just the creative skill).

[@LieslHuddleston]

Agreed. His passion and his enthusiasm for the craft is still definitely inspiring and what is needed to be successful in photography today. I love so many of his quotes and things he had to say about photography, and his work and fame are for sure admirable.

[@mattwells9045]

Maybe Ansel's work wouldn't stand out so much on Instagram. But most of the photographers who get 1000's of likes and follows I'm sure won't be talked about 40 years after they die.

[@LieslHuddleston]

Yes! Good point. He was a pioneer of this medium we love and worked with so many challenges, today it is so much easier. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, that there are so many excellent artists today, so many, and they will never get the same recognition. But then, many famous artists did not do art to be famous, they just did it because they either loved it, or needed it to survive. We can take lessons from that, do what you love, don't settle for mediocrity, challenge yourself and grow your talent and most of all, share what you know with others.

[@lylestavast7652]

He'd be the biggest photoshop junkie on the planet and have myriad layers milking every bit of image quality out of those shots that he thought was possible. That's what he did in developing his zone system - push every level of it to boundaries, then marry it all together in a final print...

[@daletan9682]

Great way to get the conversation going about the issue! I once had an MFA photo instructor say “gear doesn’t matter, till it does matter”. Or, in other words, the toys don’t matter till they get in the way of the vision. Yes, content matters most. But photographers need tools that can deliver on their vision. And because the tools are better, we can now dream bigger. So, gear doesn’t matter. Till it does matter.

[@NicoleJacksonnoj100]

Agreed. You really didn't needed to clarify that. They were just being facetious and arrogant. The camera is the tool. I laughed when you spoke about the seeing a photo in a gallery and questioning what camera it could be. So true. That's serious a photographer thing. Getting caught up in gear can be an issue and takes away from what's important. The vision. Great video. Got my mind thinking.

[@davidjensen41]

In over forty years of photography, I have used everything from cheapo P&S film and digital cameras, a Nikon FM, various iPhones, a Sony RX100M5 and two versions of Canon 5D's. I've produced wonderful art with each of them and each taught me something that moved my work forward. But, it's been the 5D's that carry the heavy load of professional work and my best art photography. Like you said, you use the tool to achieve the desired outcome. My cheapo P&S images have sold for as much as my Canon 5DS images, but I would never show up at a sports event with just an iPhone. P.S. so glad I discovered "The Art of Photography". When I'm not shooting, I'm studying to advance my skills and your channel is a treasure trove of information, thanks.

[@maxmayer6009]

Dude, it’s so necessary to say those things from time to time as a lot of folks get all lost camera reviews and pixel peeping, which is an IT dark art in itself and as you say more or less unrelated to the art of photography.. Hope a comment and a like is sufficient currency. I think you spend a great effort here and deserve recognition. At least I pay for KZbin and appreciate that you keep the ads at bay. Thanks for the show. It’s really educational for the enthusiast. Cheers from submerged continent! Max

[@nuayoung25]

the point is, make use of what you currently have. Anyone can buy expensive gears and tools, but only those who know how to use it will benefit from the advanced features. great video mate , cheers!

[@christiantheroux6385]

What I love about photography is the fact that I can show people what I saw & felt in a given moment or scene. The gear is only there to help capture said moment or scene, it will never convey the emotions. The image does the talking!! Thanks again for this, I was struggling with gear addiction a bit these couple of weeks, now all I want is grab my camera and shoot!!! Thanks!!!

[@LusciousNotes]

Episodes like this are your bread and butter and why I hold this channel in high regard. I was just having a conversation about working with limitations and how they tend to bring more creativity and energy to a project. They also help you to understand the equipment in an intimate way so when you do invest in something new you know what features you're looking for and why they're important to you as an artist. Many amazing artists pushed hard against the limitations of the medium and we're kind of spoiled beneficiaries of their dedication. We have no excuses.

[@BorutPeterlinPhotography]

Good point Ted! Let me add to what you've said, it is not so important what gear do you use as long as you know what gear are you using! If you have an iPhone, you can do good wedding photography, if you have a bellow view camera, you can do a good wedding photography, but if you are hired to do a certain kind of photography that is mainstream today, then you need mainstream photography equipment. All of the cameras are using lens (or more precisely the way electromagnetic waves are refracting - camera obscura) and understanding the way lens draws an image and the way the image is recorded, only this understanding allows a photographer to work within the realm of physical laws of photography. The understanding is the key! The conscious decisions of a photographer are transcending the equipment he/she is using! To prove my point, let me mention the exact first shoot of Terry Richardson, the notoriously deviant fashion photographer. All the models, the stylists and the army of people were waiting for him and when he showed up, he came without assistants, without carrying any equipment. They asked him where is his gear? He reached in his shirt's pocket and brought out a compact camera! Yes, everybody started to laugh, but he wasn't joking! He made a career out of snapshot fashion photography.

[@LLFA]

"Use what you've got, do something with it, and develop that voice." My sentiments exactly. I have seen people with thousands of dollars of photography equipment consistently make boring images they could have made with a point-and-shoot. I have also seen people with a point-and-shoot make engaging images that made me want to see more of their work. Know the limitations of whatever gear you are using and learn to use that gear to express your artistic vision.

[@KennyChas47]

Man, did you hit the nail on the head. Amen to everything you said. I have tried many cameras, lenses and tricks but I found out that, although I can take some fair shots, I will never be a great photographer. A good, great, photographer can tell a story and get a shot using whatever is at his disposal. He can capture the "IMAGE". Great discussion as always, hats off to you.

[@-l485]

i can't even imagine why there are people giving this a thumbs down... though, its not to say the gear doesn't matter, it affects to a certain degree but its not the be all. great video and great message

[@digwillhachi]

Ansel Adams shot on a 10x8 I think. I am not sure digital cameras are 10x8 quality. Could be wrong tho. I used to have 5x4 and a 10x8 back in the day and the images were insane. a 10x8 contact print was just mind blowing.

[@DysnomiaFilms]

Also unless you're shooting film most consumer digital cameras lack for dynamic range and colour science isnt always up there with film. I'm more of a video guy but to compete with film in those aspects you basically have to get a cinema camera costing upwards of $7000 minimum. Which I now have so I'm happy. I was shooting with a gh4 using the same techniques before. It looked alright, but it wouldn't be acceptable in a cinema. Film is always better than any consumer camera. But of course film is expensive.

[@0ooTheMAXXoo0]

Dynamic range is far better in my $350 A5100 than what I would get shooting on film in the 1990s. 7 stops would be a quick guideline for film. My cheap, 5 year old camera does 12+ stops of dynamic range. I can get brightest details in sky all the way down to details and colours in the shadow areas in one capture. I shot a lot of film and I have been shooting a lot of digital in the last 3 years, the difference is night and day. The digital sensors captures so much information that it feels like a whole new way of doing photography. Example: Take a picture of a fish in water with a bright sky reflecting on the surface. The fish is barely visible because of the bright reflection. Basically the different shades of color and light of the fish and the sky are so similar that the fish is hard to make out. I apply lots of negative gamma, up the exposure, increase amount of shades dedicated to the highlights and pretty quickly I can emphasize the minor differences between the fish and the sky to such a degree that I get a good image. There is so much information in that raw file that even after taking a 1% difference and amplifying it to 30% difference, everything still looks smooth, lots of detail, no posterization. Basically the raw file has 256 levels of shading for each one step of shading in an normal 24bit image.

[@Smaug1]

Hmm, a bit of a click-baity title, (it worked on me!) but not necessarily true. Ansel's cameras, for the most part, were large format. They were the equivalent of a Phase 1 camera today. He had the best he could get, with the idea that he might be making murals from the images later, so he needed the best resolution. Your basic point is very sound. I have about 15 cameras (only a couple are digital) and I think the reason is that I like cameras as WELL as photography. I don't have any delusions that better gear would get me better photos. It's just a question of which one is the right tool for the job. Right now, my favorites are: - Nikon D610 w/ mostly 3 lenses: 24-120G VR, Tamron 70-300 VR and NIKKOR 35 f/2D. I can do almost anything, if I'm willing to carry it. - Olympus E-M10.3 and a fleet of lenses. When I'm not willing to hump the Nikon rig around, but still want lens options, I carry this. - Nikon 35 mm bodies: Same as D610, but for when I want to shoot film - Prime fixed lens rangefinder or point & shoot: For when I want to keep it simple, but still have a great lens

[@vernonbudinger9852]

I agree in principle - but to say the equipment does not matter is too extreme. For a skilled photographer, gear can make big difference. Just like carpentry, there is big difference between "make do" and using the exact precise tool for the job.

[@TheChameleon2008]

A skilled photographer can make great shots on low end camera.... i think its the "i need a good camera so that i can get good shots" is a myth.

[@griffd.481]

This is a much more realistic view, but medium to high quality photography equipment is definitely more accessible for the average individual now than it ever has been before.

[@rejeannantel1185]

Yes, agree - it maybe extreme. But I wonder out of a hundred images that I would choose, how many you would detect that were made before the 1960’s and I would even venture beyond to the late 19th century. I owned a large collection of images from all centuries and you might be surprise. But again, you might get loss - because you might (but maybe not) just stop to look at image quality. Which shouldn’t be the case… Nobody has yet shown me that expression is better today than yesterday. What’s been done and was great is still as precious as what is now done.

[@hocadidilyocuttCAP]

He’s saying that your photos will be boring and characterless if you focus on the gear, it’s not that complicated a message...

[@TheDouglasTrevino]

Funny you should speak about carpentry: cabinetry and furniture making are my hobbies. Here's my take away about this video: you can't BUY talent. Buying a new $700 plane vs a $7 garage sale plane won't make you a better woodworker, although it might make your life easier. Shooting with a $7000 lens won't make you a more talented photographer vs a $700 lens. Don't confuse needing a specific tool for a job with trying to buy talent. Implicit in all the camera company marketing is: you can upgrade your talent if you buy the new...

[@nicmert]

Bravo. Very well said! You could not have named your channel any better because you truly are about the ART of photography. I bought a DSLR camera a little over a year ago. I probably don't shoot as much as a ought to, but you do inspire me to do more. My first camera was a K1000 that I got in 1981. I am so thankful that was the camera I cut my teeth on. I've been struggling with the ability to shoot hundreds of shots over a period of time. I think the digital element is just too fast for me at this point. I'm going to slow down and go back to more of a manual mode and see how that works out. Focusing on the basics and composition. Keep up the great work!

[@jeffharris3865]

Not to be subject, people evolved in this community give me faith in humanity. So good to hear about things that matter.

[@crankstermedia]

It far easier to talk about the tools than to teach someone how to "see" and use whatever tool they have to communicate what they want to about what they see. How to communicate what I see is my biggest challenge. Thanks for talking about this topic. Hugely valuable.

[@robertjureit2574]

I will take it one step further. My photo professor back in the 1970s. Had the class buy a cheap plastic, preset camera. Set shutter,aperture,ect. We had to go out and find the right conditions,on the right day. To match the camera settings. To get a very good exposure. So,off we go with light meter in hand. It was one of the best lesions i learned about LIGHT. Thanks for your videos. I watch them all the time.

[@thejoyofeditingwithdavekelly]

Thanks Ted. I totally agree 100%. The equipment is only a means to an end. That end is our expression through the gift of photography. Sometimes an expensive camera and equipment is involved but at other times it is an inexpensive camera, like a Holga or Camera phone. The main ingredient should be the image maker. It starts out with the Artist, their gear and then it goes to post processing, be it Photoshop, Lightroom, software of choice or the dark room. Great video.

[@philiphoutekier6280]

Absolutely correct! It's not the gear, but the translation of the vision of the photographer that matters. That does require the photographer to have a vision, for starters.

[@TracySmith48]

The things you say in this video are spot on. We all love to get nerdy over the tech. But, bottom line-we need to create the material. When the material is viewed, hopefully it tells it's story the way we want. It is understood. Communicates in some way! I've used media created on different devices including cell phones. I prefer the material being a nicer quality...but..no one noticed..except us..those involved in the craft. Get the shot, roll the video, don't let the moment go. We can be our nerd selves and enjoy our tech talk..but we can NEVER forget..the light is never the same twice! Get the shot! Thanks for this video and what you said! It was great!

[@Mcguppy]

Great video. To me the most Important thing is that the camera, the tool, doesn’t get in the way of creativity, the screwdriver doesn’t need to be the newest one around, it needs to fit in your hand.

[@shurikenstars]

Spot on! Couldn’t agree more. Older cameras require more thought and process to use. Mamiya 67, Hasselblad or a 5x4. My first camera a Pentax ME super. Manual tactile cameras to use. The only thing modern cameras have over old is speed. Speed to ‘wind to next frame’ speed to focus, speed to work out exposure etc. What makes the image is the photographer vision. We get lost in tech way to easily. My folks are artists. Some brushes cost them over £100 but it’s for the quality of the brush not because it paints a better painting. They do that with their skill. For me it’s more important that I have a camera I find friendly to hold and is a bond. To that I’ve not long bought a FujibX-Pro1. 6 yrs old and it’s clunky compared to my Nikon but I love it. It’s bought back the joy of taking a picture. In a similar way that my old Mamyia 67 or 330f did. It’s a friend, a pet in s way.

[@SuperSilentworld]

It's highly useful observation that despite the modern-day photographers having all the technology at their disposal, they are yet to come up with 'remarkable' work like the Masters' Photography. It offers a lot optimism to us to make best of what we have than just regretting not having enough. : Sandeep Datta, India

[@tombuck]

It’s the same this with musical instruments. People chase the gear used by their idols, but it doesn’t improve their abilities. Very cool perspective on the history of photography vs. modern tools!

[@raybohn7]

Yep- If you have ever read the details on his technique you will find that his equipment created so much flare that he had to modify his exposures to compensate for it. I am very grateful to have studied his techniques, taught his methods and meet him in person. Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge.

[@tayywongg]

Some people just have too much money to spend and put efforts on photo gears and entirely neglect the art side of photography. Discussions always surround with the center sharpness, corner sharpness, contrast of lens, the color rendering of the sensor. Found those really boring and I really agree with what you said, people don't care what you shoot the images on, but what you try to convey. I hope more people in Asia would understand this, getting so tired of all the gear discussions.

[@ETMaligalig]

This is so true. I know a lot of people wishing that they had the latest and greatest camera to take a great photo. I always show them old black and white photos of Ansel and ask "Is this a good image?". After they say yes I tell them that it was shot in film, almost a hundred years ago. Cameras are tools that we use to tell stories. Capturing that story or moment takes more importance than having 5 more megapixels or having the latest AF system.

[@fangzhenyuinca]

Pretty much everything comes down to one: education! When I was in university I was all about gears, but I took a course in art history about photography. Man oh man how much it had changed me. It literally turned me from a camera consumer to at least think like a print making artist. I see a scene, I know what I want as a print, then it’s the matter of how to fill the steps in between.

[@alvintoro]

Welcome back! As much as the channel has grown and you keep raising the bar with the quality of or your content. It’s this type of insightful monologues that I always add to my favorites to for inspiration.

[@melissataylor6833]

Love this discussion about why, in general, equipment doesn’t matter. When I was asked to shoot a friend’s wedding, I peppered a local pro photographer with questions about shots and equipment until he finally said, “just take the pictures.” In other words, don’t get so caught up in the other stuff that you miss the moment.

[@damasovi_travels1244]

Whenever I hear some people, vlogger specially, about eye this, eye that, I go back to my Nikon FM-10 or Canon AL-1 and just remember how to turn the dial, select focus and press the bottom. Maybe is because we do not take the time to frame and compose like before?? I took an 8 days vacation and brough home over 1500 images, I remember in summer of 2000 I did my 2nd Euro trip and came back with 20 - 25 rolls of film and I was in several countries so.... back them they were many many pictures!! PS whenever I see one of your videos, I must stop doing everything since I need to focus on all the words and images you put together in your message, a LOT of STUFF to think, analyze!! THANK YOU!!! You beyond the “5 star ratings” for the “new camera” videos, and that is why I like this channel so much! Sincerely, from Mexico, Dámaso!

[@bananabear009]

Thank you for your efforts in talking about photography, but not equipment only. I know it's not easy these days. People only care about the 2 year upgrade cycles instead of taking photos.

[@quintonmarchand5456]

I agree with everything you've said. I started photography 2 years ago on a humble Canon T5i and pushed it past what "pro photographers" told me would be possible. I did portraits, astro, real estate, and even weddings with it. I was happy with the work I produced on that camera and my clients were too. I upgraded to an A7III a couple of weeks ago and there is really no huge improvement in my photography. The only difference its actually made is allowing me shoot more easily in more situations. When I do real estate, I no longer need to set up a tripod for every shot, sometimes I can push the ISO a little higher and get the job done. On weddings I don't need to be as mindful of timing a candid shot, I can hold the button and I'm not limited by the burst. I can shoot wider for portraits and crop in to get the composition the way I visioned without losing too much image quality Expensive gear makes a difference in terms of quality of life, not necessarily quality of the photography.

[@danfrezza]

Well said Ted! Currently, the past few years I've been drawn back to analogue photography with my 4x5 camera and enjoy creating my own images from film to print. In doing so, I've noticed now, more than ever, I spend more of my time planning how to create my image and learn from my mistakes. It is quite time-consuming but I have come to fully appreciate the extraordinary artistic vision of Ansel Adams as well as many others in this field in the perfection of images as art.

[@HillwoodLam]

Thank you Ted for this video. I was getting concerned how much of your recent work has become much like other channels (focusing on gear). Not that there's anything wrong with that, but a good balance between gear and photographer analysis is what makes your channel different from others. Thank you again for reminding me what drew me to your channel in the first place. Side point: I learned THE MOST from you and your channel (your composition playlist for example is my gold standard for beginner photography basics)

[@AbrahamGeorge213]

WOWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Now that's what I call an Inspiration!!!!. I just stumbled upon the Title of the Video and I'm glad I watched. Huge respect for you sir. It doesn't matter what Camera you use, It your skill that changes a bad photo to an awesome one..... THANK YOU

[@timwatley4793]

Pretty hard to match a 8x10 b&w contact print even with the latest gear. Same can be said about a dye transfer print from a large negative. There is some great tech out atm but it doesn't quite match the old ways yet imo.

[@edma22]

I wholeheartedly agree that the gear doesn't really matter. Having said that, I have spent some time in my journey towards learning how to take better pictures where I focused on the gear. I genuinely believed that a better camera could help me take a better picture. As I progressed I realised that I was taking plenty of terrible images along with a few good ones, no matter what camera I had in my hands. I've taken shots I'm proud of with a €30 Zorki (including a cheap Jupiter lens) and I've taken others with a Leica that costs more by several orders of magnitude. Realising that the gear doesn't matter actually helped me focus about having something to say rather than trying to achieve image quality and this has helped my journey tremendously. I encourage those battling with gear to leave all of it at home and go out with one camera and one lens and focus on the image. The rest will fall into place.

[@dirty2643]

Great video and so true. I’m tired of seeing gear review videos. It takes away from the art and turns it into a sales pitch. What ever happened to good old photos and tips and tricks. It seems like a lot of people are doing gear review videos to make money or gain recognition and are forgetting why they got into photography in the first place. People ask why do I chose Sony and not canon or GoPro and not a yk, I simply reply because these are the tools that work for me.

[@ericholmquist8966]

Thank you. I've shot all my life, broke my back, literally, and had to lay off for a while. At 71 young I've given my digital stuff away and have gone back to using just my large format cameras. Even using my great uncle's 8x10 Rochester's. It's a challenge for me, but I'm selfish. I shoot for myself. Now when they make shooting a LF camera a Pra-Olympic event, we'll then......

[@1young-geezer]

Dammit - RIGHT ON. You speak your mind superbly. I am a carpenter - yeah. I take pictures. I use the tools that work and get the job done as you have so rightly stated. I consider the direction of my work as photo/art. I can distinctly remember, over the many years, those that criticized photography as not being art! So now we're back to tools and visual expression for whatever purpose and someone's determining that you can't make art w/ "that" (be it whatever medium, I mean WHATEVER medium). I think we've opened our minds big time since that criticism was laid, and thank god! Let's play, let's explore, let's be passionate........

[@ShadHall]

*Bravo! Well said, Ted!!* Art is "conversation", so regardless of medium, "art" is the conveyance of an idea/concept from one person to another (or a thought for oneself). Tools are important, but if nothing is conveyed, then the tools weren't as important as one might have initially thought. *Keep up the great work!*

[@rembeadgc]

Yes. This also applies in music. I've often noted how the latest equipment and instruments are marketed to musicians. There is an idea that better equipment will make one a better musician, photographer or whatever it is that a human being does. Like you said, the equipment is a tool to assist or enable the human being to realize their vision or express themselves. If the necessary elements don't exist or aren't nurtured in the person (desire, patience, imagination, creativity, persistence, etc.) better equipment won't put them there. Sometimes, the more challenging the properties of the equipment, the more enriching the experience of the artist, leading to a more satisfying and beneficial product. This is the paradox of human existence. We have the ability to choose, overcome and benefit from things that would logically serve to impede us. That being said, I just bought a Sony a7rIII and am not planning to buy a 4X5 view camera any time soon.

[@GlenDomulevicz]

This is what I like best about your channel. Well reasoned insight and expression about what photography is, how it evolves and yet stays the same. Photography is about feeling, not technology. Thank You.

[@renaudcouderc9813]

Hello Ted! I totally agree with you. A lot of people are definitely thinking that camera gear is the solution and the way to get great pictures. And this is were I try to explain to them that a camera is only a tool. Like a racket for Nadal or Federer, shoes for Usain Bolt or a car for Takuma Satō. If you get these tools, would you be able to perform like these champions? No and why? Because they trained! And would they become bad performer in a normal "car", normal "shoes" or "normal" racket? No, because their skill is great, because of their training. So stop complaining and go in the fields, take picture, take pleasure using your gear and if you really want to improve your skill, learn from the masters! So thanks for making the point! (by the way, I totally love to use a great gear!!)

[@Leondrian]

This kind of content is why I really love you channel Ted. It's really important to work with what you've instead tossing it away for something shiny. Thanks for sharing you thoughts and all you've done through this channel all these years.

[@nathanielcashjr.732]

I agree with you wholeheartedly. I shot for years starting with Fuji point and shoot cameras. Moving up to Nikon DSLR DX and finally to the D600 and D750. At this point, the D750 gives me my vision and I don't feel the need to move any further. I do event photography. I get the dynamic range that I want and the ISO performance that I need for night shooting at events. I could get a D850, but I don't feel the need for more at this time. I am focused on improving my composition and mood. I am known for my timing and anticipating what will happen a split second before it does and I have a substantial following in the motorcycle community. At this point, I just want to improve the 'art of photography' and I am having fun learning from people like you and other professionals that I know. I now shoot with mostly older vintage lens that are manual focus and it is really helping me to get better, to visualize better.

[@RayHoth]

I couldn't agree more! I am still working with a 10 year old Canon 40D and it does what I need it to do. I also only have one lens, 55-250mm that I bought from Amazon. I have sold prints and I and other people have enjoyed my work. Thank you for the video.

[@rubenespinoza7121]

I've missed this Ted.

[@oslal]

this

[@vs9400]

Same here!

[@TheCampbellseth]

@Alex Cole Count how many cameras are in the background while discussing how gear is irrelevant..

[@tonytfuntek3262]

Truer words have never been spoken !!! The biggest insult I ever received on one of my landscape photos was " I love this picture, you must have a nice camera"

[@franciscodania]

This is why I love this channel, it’s not equipment oriented but photography oriented

[@ScottPachecoPhoto]

Had this same thought myself, also being an illustrator, it's easy to get sucked into the world of iMac Pro's and Wacom Cintiqs, when the reality is, is that pretty much all of the known great art in the world was made with the simplest of materials, pigment, graphite/lead, clay, stone, etc. This video reminds me of the older one from you, would love to see more of this again vs equipment/software reviews, though I understand that type of content might be a necessity now that this show is your source of income.

[@andrelousada]

Wonderful!!!! And you are right! If you focus on your gear you wont focus on your skills!

[@johnhaynes9910]

Good piece and of course you are absolutely correct, incidentally this vlog was as good as your "nobody cares about your photography" one. You have made all the right nods to "tools for the job" but there will still be push back from hardware junkies I'm afraid. Some time ago I had one of those conversations with someone who was waffling on about kit, I tried to be kind but suspect that my "I am only interested in taking photographs not, in buying photography kit" went completely over his head. The truth though Ted is pretty simple, in any activity where people meet kit, fishing, cycling, golf and so on, you will only find two kinds of people, those who buy all the kit and mainly polish it and those who just get on with the activity ! Keep up the good work. Regards :)

[@anthonylopez327]

I catch myself gushing over the a7III as if some of my favorite shots I’ve taken couldn’t have come from a t5i, the first DSLR I ever owned. Fantastic video that constantly pulls us back to earth, and back to the art. Thanks, Ted!

[@JimVR]

Thanks Ted, it's like you say, a camera is a tool to get a job done. At its most basic level its a machine that will describe the environment in front of it, the photograph is made by the person operating the machine, and their desire to communicate what they're seeing, which will be informed by their collective experiences and knowledge. I know when I studied the work of other photographers, it changed how I think about it myself, for example I love the work of Joel Meyerowitz, I'm not a street photographer myself but studying him and the way he builds narrative into his shots changes the way I think when I compose my own work, and its at this point the camera is just a tool, its features are irrelevant beyond that of being able to focus and expose light onto some kind of media. There is nothing wrong with having a camera with all the bells and whistles, but it won't improve the photographers ability to chose a subject, frame it and build a narrative into the image that will communicate with an audience. It might help you expose and focus quicker, but those are technical functions of photography which you'd expect to be in the realm of the machine, the ability to connect with a viewer and communicate a message or evoke an emotion, that's in the realm of the squidgy fleshy thing operating the machine. So I agree with you in the point that you were trying to make, which is that it's the knowledge that should be transferable to any camera that makes a good photographer, not the camera itself.

[@TheRbStore]

Nice Video Ted . I Always feel that people think that when they use a better camera they will automatically take better pictures.

[@steveevans8506]

Absolutely correct I remember when I started in photography I was told you can tell an amateur photographer from a professional, as the amateur will show you his gear while a professional will show you his portfolio.

[@HallsEmporium]

Great video Ted. An important conversation for sure. I recently needed to sell my professional camera and lights, and since have been taking my photographs with my iPhone and some film camera’s. It’s been a few months now and feel getting the same fulfillment shooting as I was with my DSLR. I’m also shooting differently as 100% manual film cameras force me to to slow down. I appreciate that. I tell my students all the time, the camera isn’t really what makes a great photograph - it’s the light, composition, and most importantly what you’re communicating. Thanks for another thought provoking video Ted!

[@ErrickJackson]

On one hand, I agree with everything you've said. On the other, and maybe it's because I constantly browse photography forums and comment sections, I feel like this horse has been beaten already. For the whole 5 years I've been shooting, I've watched a video or article like this come out Everytime a new camera or piece of equipment gets released. I get that it needs to be said, but idk it feels obvious. I obsess over gear but obviously it's not going to change my eye for composition, save trying new lenses. Everytime I've gotten new equipment, my photography improves. Why? Because it allows me to do things I couldn't before and leaves my creativity unhindered. When I have reliable autofocus, great lowlight performance, solid resolution, fast shooting rates, etc., it means I have a tool that I don't have to stress about and can simply worry about capturing the perfect moment. I don't think technological advancements inhibit creativity, I think it helps it flow unfiltered. The less I have to cater to a camera's deficiencies, the more I can just be creative.

[@christopherwelch5568]

I am in a MA program and took a special topics class on photography. We were assigned a photo project and I came up with photographing trees that had grown to maturity with a fence right in the middle of them. I photographed them close up in high contrast black and white with the camera tool in Lightroom on an iPhone 6. I don't own a digital camera... I have an iPhone. I've shown this series to other classmates since then and several thought I shot the pictures in film. They marvel at the quality of them from an older iPhone. I tell that story to make this point- It really doesn't matter what camera you have in your hand. You can spend as much money as you want but it won't make you a better photographer.

[@BillFerris]

The core message in this and many of Ted's videos is that we need to take ownership of the images we want to make. When picking up a camera, have an image in mind that you want to make. Yes, be open to the unexpected and take advantage of opportunity. But begin the day with a clear goal of the image you want to make. By adopting this approach, the camera, lens, light and even the paper on which the finished image is printed all contribute as tools and resources facilitating the evolution of a concept into a finished image. But it's you, the photographer, who drives the bus. Your creative vision guides the final outcome.

[@christoombes7875]

Great video. I have to say that since I stopped worrying about the gear I use and more about the final image my photography has improved greatly. Looking back over my images shot during the last 12 months I see a huge difference , is it a coincidence that I haven’t purchased any new gear in that time? Personally I think it’s because I haven’t and your video really hits a home run for me on this point. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@theartofphotography]

Well said…

[@tedbahas]

I really like the points you make here. I watch you videos because you focus on the craft. That is what is missed by so many. although we all love to talk about the gear, it’s your voice as an artist that really counts. Keep up content that focuses on the art!

[@LP_789]

This kind of videos are one of the reaseons of why your channel it's amazing, you try to keep the real essence of photography, and the importance of working with your brain better than your gear.

[@georgeyang3783]

This is one of the best KZbin channels. Learned a lot from you. You have lifted my vision about photography to the next level. Thanks

[@sanbanrjee]

Great words of motivation, Sir! I often find watching your videos for just once is not enough to completely understand your views and teachings. It needs repeated views in order to perfectly internalise them.

[@jeroexx]

what I think is mostly forgotten is that new gear or even just different gear gets you more motivated to go out and shoot stuff. I lost all my motivation shooting with my nikon d3100 because it wasn't fun to shoot with anymore after 3 years, I bought a Sony a 7 mark iii and my motivation just sky rocketed. It's sometimes not that important what those cameras can do, it's more important to have a camera that suits you and with which you have fun shooting with it being maybe even just a analog camera.

[@GuerreroUrbano100]

oh wow! I'm so happy to see you are still doing these videos! I started watching your show waaaaaaay back when you first started. I used to download your episodes on iTunes. So much has happened since then and now I see you're still at it! So happy for you my dude!

[@crordonezphoto]

I totally agree. And the remark of people 40 50 years ago making more work than us today is completely true!!!