If you are into photography, you have probably heard the questions before. “What is more important, the camera or the knowledge?” So what do you think?
There is no doubt that technology has advanced light years from the time I picked up my first camera. Just the ability to see the image in mear seconds after pushing the button has got to be one of the biggest advancements in photography. It doesn’t seem like that long ago when we had to get the film to a dark room, run it through several solutions in horrible red light, just to see a negative image. But now, you can know in an instant if you captured what you saw in your mind, and if not, have time to recompose, adjust and try again.
Another big jump in the right direction has been the detail that today’s sensors can capture. Dynamic range is the difference between highlights and shadows and can dramatically change your images. If you have ever shot with the Canon 5D Mark IV or one of the other top-end brands that offer incredible quality, you know the incredible detail you can pull out of seemingly black shadows or almost pure white highlights. This is one of the things that allows me to shoot into a cloud covered sun and still have a clear and evenly exposed subject. That along with filters, bracketing, and a lot of luck at times.
Something that has improved over the years, but not as dramatically as the camera itself is also one of the most important parts of capturing a great image, the lens. Sure there have bee huge improvements like image stabilization and lens coatings that have really made a big difference in color and sharpness of an image. But you can have all that and if the glass isn’t clear, well it just doesn’t matter. Glass quality and clarity is what makes a lens great. This is why I have always suggested investing in quality lenses rather than a camera body. Companies like Zeiss, Canon, and Nikon have been putting out wonderful glass for decades. And I think we can all agree that image sharpness is pretty important when making an image worthy of hanging on the wall.
So it’s starting to sound like the answer to the question at hand is leaning toward the camera rather than the person behind it, right? Well here is the kicker and where my argument begins. You can go out and buy a Canon 5D Mark IV, Benro Mach 3 Carbon Fiber tripod, 16-35 Canon L Series Lens, and still take crap pictures. I personally know people that have spent thousands on camera equipment and are constantly disappointed because their images are no better than some point and shoot images they took years ago.
And why is that? You know the answer, its the knowledge and skill level of the photographer. Now, this is just my opinion, but I believe that the most important ingredient in making an amazing image is composition. You have to know how the position the camera so the foreground interest leads the eye throughout the image and to your subject so it is “pleasing” to the eye. If you aren’t able to balance the composition, you will be hard-pressed to find a camera that will do it for you..
And the argument doesn’t stop there. If you cant flip through the knowledge in your head like a checklist, you wouldn’t know the effect the direction of the sun has on the lens and filters, how when shooting on the beach, your tripod will sink into the sand causing the slightest amount of motion blur, or just how important a tripod is to capture a sharply focused image.
So, if you couldn’t already guess what my answer to the questions would be… I would have to say that it is more the person behind the camera than the camera. Now don’t get me wrong, I am completely aware of the advantage my gear has provided me, and there is definitely a plateau where the scale starts to tip a little more toward the equipment. So where I do think knowledge and experience give a photographer the advantage, its a balance of the two that can allow the experience and knowledge to be elivated.
It has been my opinion for many years that if you are interested in capturing better images, before you run out and spend a lot of money on the new shiny thing that just came out… Pick up a book, browse YouTube for tutorials, check out some photography workshops, or just ask someone whos portfolio you admire. Most photographers I have reached out to have been more than happy to offer advice or pass on knowledge. Some of my best lessons have come from doing just that.
Red 5 Photography 
I’m a firm believer in it’s the photographer. I’ve known a few photographers who have had some of the best gear in the industry, but their photos were incredibly flat and just plain out bland.
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