Reply To: Constructive Criticism Welcome

[stef]

I’m teasing about the KR link. I like the guy, and have read most of his site. He’s pretty goofy, though. He’s like a magic 8 ball … sometimes he’s spot on, but sometimes, you need to “ask again tomorrow”.

 

And stop lamenting your equipment. I have some top of the line cameras, but I’ve been spending my off-time buying old equipment and using it. If you’re serious about photography instead of just wanting new gadgets, you can get some amazing deals on great glass and cameras if you are willing to shoot film. You can use your cellphone as a spot meter for a cheap medium format package, and still have money to buy a cup of coffee. So really, I have no sympathy for those who complain about their equipment when all they want is equipment, instead of the ability to make great photos. And you’ll take a lot more time composing your image when you only have 12 or 18 shots per roll, and requiring that kind of patience is exactly what you personally need.

Hit the yard and estate sales, and find yourself a mamiya 645 or RZ67 with a lens, or even an old pentax 67. Some of the old russian cameras are cool, too, but read up on them before buying (so that you can test the mechanism… some are very sensitive and possibly already broken). You’ll be able to sell it for what you bought it for if you don’t like it. You can probably get a good kit with 1 or 2 lenses for under $300, and it’ll take much better pictures than any digital camera at 10 times the cost. I’m not exaggerating, either. Borrow a friend’s scanner now and then and scan all your negatives.

You also get the bonus that negatives generally last a very long time. Far longer than any digital medium short of cuneiform. (Okay, there is one CD that’ll last hundreds of years, but in 100 years, nobody will know wtf a CD is or have a computer that can read it).

If you truly want to learn photography, you will at least consider starting down the path of film, price it out, and learn about it. It requires less commitment, but more patience. You can shoot a roll a day for a year and still pay less than a digital camera, and in the end you will have a much better understanding and appreciation of what makes a good photograph.