5 Tips for BETTER PHOTOS! Cheap Cameras can help!

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Want your own website? Go to squarespace.com/Chelsea & save 10% off your first website or domain with code “Chelsea"

[@naturalrestingface1884]

The best pics are memories of the way we were, the people who are no longer with us. Personal memories will always outweigh the art.

[@rianapienaar2090]

True

[@richardwhitehand5414]

This is one of the best videos you guys have ever done, and I have watched goodness knows how many. Just spot on.

[@AprilClayton]

Photo books are truly something that has changed my photography as well. I actually made one of squirrels throughout the different seasons. I started to recognize certain squirrels and their unique mannerisms. Your show has substance for the mind

[@michaelwebb4500]

what photo book do you use? this sounds like a fun way to remember trips.

[@AprilClayton]

@ Snapfish. I started using them years ago when scanning family photos.

[@michaelwebb4500]

@ thank you so much.

[@WilliamJohnston]

When my daughter was born, I knew I wanted photos of her with my good camera (over my phone), but I knew I’d take thousands of images, and keeping up with the full editing workflow would become unsustainable… I decided to still use my full frame camera, star my faves in camera and download those as small jpegs straight to my phone, that way I get the look I like from my camera in a quick and manageable file and I’m really glad I did it this way!

[@hfvhf987]

Photography is about the subject, the story, the moment. Megapixels don't matter. Sharpness doesn't matter, ISO noise doesn't matter. The subject matters and your skills and artistic impression matter.

[@SurfSnowMusicLife]

Yes, well said!

[@rubenanacleto24]

The most important thing for me, it's if a pictures makes you feel. If the click and the result carries emotion

[@sevdarasdaras]

I recently tried an old Kodak Camera with 4MP. The pictures are awesome and on the iPhone screen they look absolutely stunning. The camera is from 2005.

[@mattbrown8139]

I like this. Getting back to how we took pictures when there was no social media. I think the answer is simple, really. If you’re taking pictures for money, gear matters. Mostly. If you’re taking pictures to memorialize your life and to have to look back on with nostalgia later, just have fun for crying out loud. Just play. Enjoy the moment, snap it, and keep enjoying it. 🤷‍♂️

[@MisterTwister55]

I’m sorry did you say Grandson?

[@FGGiskard]

Yup 50 and they already have a grandson? that’s insane these days

[@watkinsphoto]

The old adage about the best camera being the one you have with you is so true. For me, that's my iPhone for both photo and video. But my Sony RX 100vii and DJI Osmo Pocket 3 are also easy to bring along. I need to remember to take more photos of people and gatherings. I have a bit of a landscape bent that I need to break, at least somewhat.

[@asref-o4y]

Thank you for sharing these authentic thoughts about photography! That was very interesting.

[@kzbay1685]

I take pictures because it makes me explore new places.

[@michaelwebb4500]

with the coming tariffs, learning how to capture desirable photos with existing or lower cost equipment is something we might have to get used to.

[@RipeOldBanana]

This is definitely a video worth watching. As said, it's about the people and the moment.

[@cmflyer]

Slowing down always helps. Vacations and trips tend to be run, run, run! Being able to explore a site slowly for a longer time reveals better compositions.

[@picsaregreat]

Thanks, you hit the nail on the head. Loved your perspective. You guys have traveled through the foto world, and shared to my delight many experiences that I never could have had. Thanks again

[@br42]

I just got a "real" camera a few months ago, and the freedom it gives me over my camera phone is great. I love my iphone camera, but I can't change lenses on it to go wider, or zoom in if I want.

[@ruialex314]

Growing up I was always surrounded by big cameras, I hated carrying them and lenses, I always loved photography but hated that aspect of it…not only till phones started taking pics that I really realized how much I loved photography. I didn’t get my first professional camera till I was 32…became a pixel peeper and focused too much on the technical aspect of it, now I go back to all those years and see all those nice photos that were taken lack that detail that recent cameras have but are still great photos and started focusing more on capturing the moments like you guys said and enjoying everything much more. Got myself an original Leica Q used and I take that one everywhere, even stopped upgrading my phone every year. Have to say one thing though nowadays I wish I could back in time and play with all those cameras my father had that looked too cumbersome back then

[@mikkosuhonenphotography]

I was happy to get more comments on my printed photos than what people liked and commented on social media. Also the social situation made me feel better than just seeing notifications on my mobile device. Giving someone a finished print as a gift 👌

[@Peterogen]

Thank you ❤❤ making pictures with LOVE for what see and feel.

[@MontrencoPerez]

I just came from a 7 days cruise vacation and what I took with me was only my old Nikon D80 with the 35mm f/1.8 (plus my Pixel 8 Pro). The pictures with that old camera came awesome (no editing required), I like them better than the pictures taken with the phone.

[@smaakjeks]

Going on a trip in May with a whole bunch of guys, and I was looking to get a "communal" camera the group could use without feeling intimidated. Chelsea's camera is what I'm getting. Fuji x100s Thanks, Chels'

[@chelseanorthrup8787]

Have fun!

[@vvillberry]

I've had that same feeling using that Ilford Sprite 35 ii, forcing myself to work within constraints to focus on technique and the editing

[@dansaghin1]

You are so right... I am a people photographer, I only shoot portraits and events... it`s always about people and their stories. I never could understand the other types of photography...

[@thomasherbst6773]

I have such a back log of photos on my sd cards but I know I'll enjoy seeing them again some day

[@michaelwebb4500]

Sorry for posting two comments but at the end you asked me to provide for you my experiences. I have an SLR with wide angle lens, telephoto lenses, filters the works. and I have a smaller Fuji all in one camara with a smaller sensor, only one built in zoom lens. Its old. but its small easy to use lets me control depth of field, shutter speed. If I want a flash I can have a small one in my pocket. I took it to Disney World because it was small, light and so old if someone stole I I would only be out the pictures on the flash card. But I got great shots, was effortless to use, have pictures of my grandson as an infant that I can use to embarrass him as he is graduating from high school. You are so right about having a camera without all the gear. And Tony, I like the interna Fuji processing making JPGs so there is really not a driving reason to put them into Lightroom to get an acceptable picture. Super great you tube, you guys really made my day.

[@afuel4sport]

I use both my Samsung Note camera and my Sony a99ii, the thing is when your asked to take pictures for an event they expect the big camera not a phone shot. But I find as well that sometimes the relaxed phone shot is better so I use both at events.

[@jansefran1752]

There are NO bad cameras. But - pictures are " made " in brains. // Creativity is priceless.

[@MWB_FoolsParadisePictures]

Having gear that felt professional *enough* helped a lot, because a good camera and good lens really do improve image quality, and more importantly they made me feel like the effort I was putting into my photos was being complimented by my tools rather than fought by them (versus how a smartphone fights it, for example). Also, having the proper tools for exposure and etc. and their control over my process of getting the look/feel I wanted really made a huge difference in making me want to strive for better pictures. More to that point, increased knowledge of the tools and techniques was way, way more impactful than an upgrade to a camera or lens that cost 3x as much. And lastly, having lenses, color/light profiles, and a sensor that gave me the artistic character I wanted was huge. I'd rather have a dope lens than a perfect one.

[@Ahamilton1804]

Biggest thing I have changed is editing with the intent to print. Digital storage is fine, but when you hold it in your hand and see it just feels different. I also do yearly photo books which has the most memorable shots from the year. with everything being digital and online, its feels different to be more analog.

[@JamesBurton-l3o]

What I’ve figured out which has been helpful for my family and I . Unless I’m going out for a solo trip I have a custom setup in my Sony that’s auto iso and 1/500 in jpeg and that’s the family’s camera. I can use it , the boys and my wife and it’s been great so far . Just feels like an early 2000s family beach day and I love it

[@Stop-All-War]

Auto wb too?.. Which lens you favour "mm"?

[@JamesBurton-l3o]

@ I usually keep my 28-75 on there and oh yeah auto white balance the kids absolutely love it . Especially for the little family books we do And makes it easy for the family to enjoy it just as much as I do I collect their photos in a separate one for them later

[@estwern]

I was out on the second ad slot for sq space. Thank you!

[@PJ-om2wq]

A few months ago I imported a slightly battered Nikon Df from an eBay seller in Japan and I've been using it with old AF-D lenses and I'm absolutely loving it. I recently took one of my all time favourite shots with a dirt cheap 28-70 F/3.5-4.5 AF-D lens.

[@indie-travel-stories]

Really enjoyed you chatting about photography on this one. Lots of interesting ideas. For me, so there is no pressure, I created some insta accounts and websites to show photography that are anonymous. No judgement, can just post what I like.

[@gianlucamorelli4886]

Bellissimo video 👏👏👏

[@felixaltenbuchinger2607]

People and process/moment. I started using my mom's old film cameras, especially her old and most importantly super tiny Minox that doesn't even have any focus indicator. Me and my friends had sooo much fun capturing our special moments together throughout the summer. Now I just have to get the stack of film developed that is still patiently sitting in my drawer :)

[@mtmccornack]

Every once in a while I impose an artificial limitation in my photo abilities and shoot accordingly. Sometimes that's limiting me to one lens, sometimes it's a specific camera, and sometimes it's a technique (gimbals, or manual focus lenses, etc.) this helps me immensely in mastering all my gear, not just my favorite camera 📸

[@mtmccornack]

Also I own a DNP RX1 thermal sublimation printer from back in my photo booth days... Although it only prints 4x6 and 6x8s it fast A/F and means I print ALL my stuff and makes digital real.

[@bigjimny]

When you talk about "Picture books" are these curated/themed books or are they simply photo albums with a sequence of unrelated pictures usually sorted in date order?

[@1906aldo]

I took on photography initially as way to document my life. I develop an album every year, half of which I share with friends and family. Naturally I have a problem photographing anything other than people. I've finally started getting into landscape after I realised that competing with national geographic is not my intention. My favourite landscape photo is not one of those planned ones where I dragged my canon, tripod and a heavy is lens. It was actually taken spontaneously with an ancient sony a700 and m42 vintage lens. It's technically flawed but it has same mood as I did when I saw that scene.

[@dj_laundry_list]

Someone stole most of my camera gear on a flight 12 years ago, and after that, I just got a nifty fifty and the cheapest functional DSLR I could find, and became a much better photographer because of it

[@swistedfilms]

I'm sorry that happened to you. And stories like yours are why I did the exact same thing when I went to Vegas recently: a T7i and a nifty fifty and I was good to go! And it was light, not like the RF 50MM f/1.2 monster.

[@lamaludwig1470]

I need to get my Fujifilm X70 out again.. - I agree also 100% on the photo books. Do photo books!

[@edc5338]

I've been using my Fuji X-E3 more and more. It's unobtrusive, has interchangeable lenses and takes great pics. It has an auto lever that I use occasionally but the cxposure is right on. I don't need to fiddle with it and just capture the moment.

[@The_WarL0rd_Way]

Well let's see, I bought the R7 kit and was amazed at how well it did. I fell short of consistently getting focused shots. I switched to back button focusing and it was a little better, but not by much. I now have the R5 MK II with the RF 70 -200 lens and my shots are so crisp and clear. So in my case buying better gear helped! 😅😂

[@DifferentPerspectivePhoto]

I feel like I took better photos when I started using a Nikon d3400 than I do now using a Nikon Z6 with 8 years experience. I’ve felt a lot more burnt out lately and idk what’s holding me back except money for better lenses. When I started I felt like shooting everything but now I hardly ever know what to shoot anymore

[@brianmckeever5280]

Kool. I did enjoy your traveling series. Talk about old memories, have you thought about trying that again? I just take photos for me. If I share, I say "This might be everyone's taste but...".

[@swistedfilms]

I got a taste of what you were talking about. I went to Vegas and since I was flying I didn't want to bring my high end camera in case TSA decided to steal it. Instead I brought my T7i and nifty fifty and I wound up with good enough pictures, and not a whole lot of them either, and I never once felt anxiety about it being stolen. So yeah, not everything calls for the professional gear. In fact, I had fun with it since it's light and I could be nimble with it!

[@stevemockoviak8384]

Whenever I get in a rut I take out my ancient Nikon D100 6.3MP camera with a Tamron 18-270mm lens. There is almost nothing automatic with this camera. It just makes me slow down and think about what I'm going to shoot. Since I can only get about three photos before the buffer is full, I have to really think about when I'm going to press the shutter. I don't just spray and pray. I have to be intentional. I am almost never disappointed with the results, even though I take far fewer photos than with my more modern cameras. I get a much higher keeper rate since I get those "in the moment" images. Like you said, the actual image quality may be lacking, but I captured the moment I went there in the first place.

[@ENIGMAFV]

Wow amazing video! 📸🤩😍📷

[@pyronmasters]

Love my Nikon D3300, BUT!!! My old Sony Cybershot DSC-H55 has gotten more milage than any other camera I've had, for stationary objects I used the "Image averaging" thing that Tony used in the $100 Pentax video. Got better results than expected, and since its pocket friendly, nice zoom and at weddings, my best pics are the ones of everyone just having fun and not forcing smiles.

[@MoChuang343]

Cheap digicams with optical zoom. That's where I'm having fun right now. Anything under $100 with over 10x zoom. Like you said, cheap gear takes the pressure off. And IMO optical zoom makes cameras far more versatile than the smartphone in your pocket.

[@Olivyay]

11:30 my dad did that *all the time*, and now my mom died and we did not have any pictures from between ~1990 and when digital cameras became affordable.

[@jocelyncantin2493]

I always thought the most important in photo is subject, then composition.... technical quality is at the end! But I appreciate very much an interesting subject with good camera!

[@lyfandeth]

Contrast range. Zone System still can be great with digital imaging.

[@Rdavis6593]

This was a good conversation. One item of interest to me is photo books. I want to make at least one. What are some good companies for producing photo books?

[@vincentroy5093]

Grandson? What you guys are GRANDPARENTS? You guys are barely in your forties, how can this be?

[@vincentroy5093]

EDIT: Tony said he's 51. But Chelsea doesn't even have a gray hair!

[@MoChuang343]

I know right?!

[@jschuk865]

That surprised me too.

[@bretfurgason7615]

Just in the neighborhood where you live. I live in a historical neighborhood now. But I grew up in the best neighborhood of just kids, family, life. Some of my beloved photo's are from a milnota 110 underwater camera. Still get them out at 45 year old photo's. You are right internet loves freakishly perfect. Feeling is my milnota 110. I mostly am wildlife now. Still shooting a nikon 7500 and nikkor 200-500 (with fungus in it) but i am so intune with the birds and animals. My photo's are often Mink, Beaver, foxes here in Indianapolis. People never see. But they love my sharing that they are right here in the neighborhood

[@bretfurgason7615]

And shooting all in manual, that instinct muscle memory. Plus denoise is a gift

[@jv7070ful]

I own a Canon 1DX-MK 3 but also some older Canon camera's like de D20.D30.D40,DS 1MK 3 and with all of them you can make great pictures.

[@LadyTracyOfTheDisk]

I think it's hilarious that when I walk around with my Sony a6400 with a wide-angle lens on it, people aren't threatened because they think it's a point-and-shoot or some old camera, but if I put my 200-600 lens on it, then it gets respect. Same camera, different lens.

[@melodyphillips2388]

I always took my Canon G9XII to family events. Cute and little, but still takes great pics. Agree with not taking the big camera everywhere!

[@EricDankbaar]

That's what I do with my G5x since 2017. I also use that camera often for shooting photo's during my hikes that I show as slideshows on my KZbin channel.

[@debraiversen9214]

Thinking about what I have to do in Lightroom, i.e. processing, keywording, sorting, etc. stops me every time. Not to mention where it is going after all that.

[@duncanwallace7760]

I put the pictures I like into a folder and they become my screen-saver, so they don't need to be perfect or anything, just photos I like.

[@Hellseeker1]

Seeing other peoples pics makes me want to try harder. People say I take really good pictures. I got crippling imposter syndrome though. I have took some bangers, but I'm still too green at it.

[@probably-nobody]

Did she just say “grandson”!? 😳

[@martink8080]

"Better"pictures is a very subjective criteria. As long as I like my pictures, that's all that matters to me. If anyone else sees them, and those are very few, they either like them or not, doesn't matter to me. Recreating the old film vibe by not processing the digital images until a long time has passed since they were made might jog some pleasant memories when you finally see what the camera captured but it will also reveal what you missed. I grew up with a film rangefinder and was always annoyed at the fixed ISO of each roll, the limited number of images per roll and delayed feed-back of discovering whether I had any keepers or not among the lot. Since switching to digital, none of those constraints apply any more. I can use the best combination of speed, aperture and ISO. Whether there are one or dozens of potential images, no worries of running out of space and if I do miss a shot, I'm still there to take another one. Since my pictures are for my own enjoyment, there is no pressure from anyone else to hurry up and deliver. As for people in the image, I generally avoid having any unless they are essential to the image. My photo of a stone foot in Luxor looks ordinary until you see that the toe is waist high to a man standing next to it.

[@SV_SheDevil]

New video camera? Looks good!

[@fredintheshead]

If I'm shooting digital, it's just about getting out and enjoying taking pictures and making memories. Although I would use digital for any important event, I mostly love using film. I have a collection of film cameras from the 50's up untill the late 80's, all pretty cheap round about £30 or less and some not so cheap medium format (don't tell my wife how much they cost!) but with film it's about the experience of finding interesting old cameras, taking pictures I like and developing and printing them. I almost don't care about the results, more just the process.

[@ianbower6434]

why the downer om micro4/3rds?

[@chelseanorthrup8787]

Just teasing Tony because people think he hates m43

[@HectorHughMunro]

Megapixels do help. It means that you need fewer lenses, in my case just one.

[@callline7183]

My Grandpa always said, "Never take a photo without a person in it"!

[@Stop-All-War]

Luv it.

[@vaultdweller966]

Funny thing is you can also take pictures of the absence of people, and it's still about people.

[@swistedfilms]

If I'm doing landscapes then does Bigfoot count?

[@os4mike]

@@vaultdweller966it’s like taking a picture of a Coffee cup and saying, “well yeah, there used to be coffee in it”, art on steroids

[@vaultdweller966]

@@os4mike I was thinking about something like taking a picture of an empty street during the covid lockdown which is usually full of people. To me, the main subject is the people being absent, not the street nor anything in the actual picture.

[@davidmyles1138]

I used to take pictures of things, then I changed my mindset to taking 'pictures to show things'

[@rogernuffer]

I go out with my children (10 & 20+ age) and we do a photo challenge, for instance, converging lines or a five minute photo challenge. Then we compare images.

[@lyfandeth]

How to go backpacking when your primary camera bag weighs 26 lbs. And that's ignoring the camera on your neck. Ohhh.

[@Teslien]

You guys do the best 144p. I see the effort

[@johnalexander2349]

I'd love a smaller camera, but Sony refuses to make the RX1R III.

[@lionheart4424]

3:01 I'm sorry Tony but that is not your best take. I can agree the X100 cameras, as any other Fuji camera, has mediocre AF so that can totally hinder the experience. But the image quality produced by a camera sensor will always be better than that of a picture produced by a smartphone sensor (due to its size). If you pixel peep that much you guys should know at this point that no matter how much "computing" it's been done, once you start zooming/cropping a phone picture this starts to get worse and worse. I will always prefer a picture taken with my X100S (older model than the V) over one taken with my phone if I can achieve the same framing on both. Edit: that being said, I agree with most of your points like sharing less pics, and realizing that some of your best pictures are the "least perfect" ones.

[@NetvoTV]

Can you guys push Nikon to release new colors for Nikon Zf? I want it in yellow because it's my favourite color and Nikon is Yellow themed too hence they should have one already! 💛

[@thomassantomartino7337]

I just take most of my pictures for myself and if I get some nice shots I might post them online. No pressure here, why does everyone think they need to share everything? The 2nd generation Camp Snap camera takes much better pictures than the first generation. I’m going to make the original one a black and white camera.

[@Battlem0nk]

The best pictures out birding are pictures my spouse takes of me trying to chase after a bird. Often I only share the crappiest photos on social media for friends to see. They are often puzzled when they see my printed photos on the wall are so different. Go out. Enjoy the process. Do it for yourself not anyone else. In the future even the crappy photo you take are cherished in a world full of AI generated content.

[@48jerrybiker]

The best camera in the world is the one you have with you at the time.

[@franciscojrgo3061]

After premium camera brands snubbed them, they’re getting even by highlighting cheap cameras they used to ignore before.

[@jjfranco0426]

Grandson!!!! You're not that old:-))))

[@80-80.]

Just get a full-frame camera and a lens with 3D pop, and you're almost there.

[@nedbeg667]

I've had many cameras in my life, but never one like this, (camp snap)the battery installed here doesn't last 2 hours. Even when fully charged, the camera is empty after 24 hours without taking a photo. This camera is a scam. It's a disgrace to resources. With kind regards

[@Agbazu]

Experience shooters makes better photos not cameras

[@smaakjeks]

My other comment keeps getting deleted

[@cameraprepper7938]

No ! It is the thoughtful photographer that makes better pictures, not the camera !

[@jeki6035]

Let's be honest.....gear is what most people are interested in. Apart from personal family photos.....no one cares about other peoples photos.

[@alirecant3955]

I hope tony is doing ok. He looks a little off edge like a bad boy. Hey tony 😏. Ps. Obviously im a guy.

[@slowerdrift]

Chelsea is a grandma?!?

[@SneakyCaleb]

Campsnap cameras are ass for kids as advertised. Your phone with a film preset takes a 10000000x better aesthetically pleasing photo.

[@evenhandedcommentor6102]

No. Cheap cameras don't make better pictures. The most expensive cameras make better pictures. That's why they are more expensive...the makers justify the cost by pointing to the extra capabilities. That said, of course you have to match the camera to the environment. You're not gonna do street photography with a long telephoto. If your subjects will be intimidated by your gear, then obviously you need to either distract them, or camouflage your gear, or use gear that doesn't grab their attention. That's why cellphones would be perfect for much street photography. you could simply pretend to be looking at your phone while you are snapping pictures or taking video. But in every case, you use the gear necessary for taking the image. Sometimes that gear is small and unobtrusive. As for what's most important...when taking snapshots, the subject is most important. The fact that it's a snapshot means you didn't give the subject much thought before something interesting to you showed up. And you might very well like your snapshots more than other pictures you have taken because they bring back YOUR memories. However, for anyone else who wasn't there and who doesn't care about the subject, a more carefully considered image is more likely to have an impact. The kind of image where you did think about it and prepare for it before you went to take it. And you also put some effort into post processing. In that case, the image presents your vision...and it's really that vision that is most important.

[@TroupeGoal]

You’re grandparents!?

[@nicksavage4763]

SONY RX100 However not inexpensive 🥴 DJI POCKET 2-3

[@bngr_bngr]

Tony thinks too much about what other people think. But I only take pictures for assignments. I’m not interested in talking personal pictures.

[@DrZeeple]

A Fuji X100 is not cheap ---- No Fuji's are cheap ---- they literally turned their brand expensive somehow; even a used X-Pro1 costs a mint here now --- a cheap throw-away camera to go out with would be like a 10 yr old Canon/Nikon dSLR --- most point'n'shoots have a delay on their lens coming in and out = pointless.

[@kevinbatts2804]

I have an old Fuji Xpro2 from a million years ago. Good enough and I don’t mind taking it absolutely everywhere with me.