"Your camera takes great photos" and other peeves

[Famateur]

I think the next step will be to respond to "your camera takes great photos" with "thank you! Tell me what you like about these images. I'm always trying to improve my craft."

Great idea! I'm going to try this myself next time...

 

[JPAZ]

My wife has a much better "eye" than I do. She has taken some fabulous photos with a P&S (albeit the IQ is not always up to par compared with DSLR). I have managed to take many a crummy shot with "better" gear. A perfectly exposed boring photo is still boring!

That being said, I was at a charity "walk" at the local zoo and someone handed me their Rebel with the kit lens to take a photo of their group. I switched it off the green box to Av, tweaked, and took a couple of shots. They told me I was doing it wrong because the flash did not pop up (it was a very bright and sunny morning but actually some "fill flash" would have been helpful.....but this was a group of 30 folks about 20 yards away from me). Knowing that their flash would probably not be that effective, I turned it on, took a couple of more shots, put the camera back on the green box, and gave it back with a smile.

We are all in this together. Everyone does the best they can. I don't find comments about why my RAW pics take days to process before I show them or comments about my equipment or any other comments bothersome.

The ONLY thing that bothers me is if someone is threatening, hostile or otherwise makes me feel physically insecure. Otherwise, I smile and thank them.

 

[Zlyden]

You quite clearly have been looking at some websites you shouldn't have. Nikon, indeed.

Hmmm...

I did click the link after I saw it (why not to let Nikon to pay for it after all?).

But... I haven't been to Nikon's site for a year or so (when I wanted to demonstrate to my wife the Ashton Kutcher slinging some Nikon gear). Normally, my regular photo-hobby-web-browsing-routine is limited only to the first page of DPReview and the first page CanonRumors.

PS: You are right: I did went to Ken Rockwell's site to check reviews of some fisheye (I'm thinking about getting-or-not for New Years trip to Iceland)

 

[Albi86]

My pet peeve at the moment is the use of the word 'photographer'. Last week a good friend updated her fb info to state that she was a 'photographer'. She likes taking a photo but more often models in them with a friend shooting for her. Some of the shots she actually takes are good but she has never taken the camera (a 60d) out of full auto. She only posts her shots on fb and has never sold one or been contracted for a shoot. A couple of months ago I even offered to show her the different functions of her camera but she never took me up on the offer and has never even taken a workshop or viewed youtube clips and yet she considers herself a photographer.

At the same time another person has posted on the work social media site 'I am a great photographer!' along with an iphone photo of computer monitors in a poorly lit room that had been used in a work web article.

Do you think either deserve to call themselves photographers??

There's no state exam to become a photographer, so the title is free for everyone.

In the end it depends on the context. In common situations many people mean professional photographers, but in other circumstances it merely identifies the subject holding a camera and most likely in the act of taking a picture.

 

[RGF]

Coming in late to this thread but yeah I don't particularly like when people compliment the camera - "your camera is awesome, I want one like that", "how much was you camera", "your pics are great what camera do you use?" Etc.

I think they're just trying to be nice and pay me a compliment in a round-about way. However to me It's kinda like they're saying - "hey, well done for being able to spend large amounts of cash on your equipment. You must be doing well to be able to waste your money on fancy gadgets! Of course your pictures are good, they ought to be for that price!"

That captures my sentiment precisely and probably reveals a lot about both of us. I'm not a pro, but I am a relatively passionate amateur. I have an above-average level of disposable income. I guess I am sensitive that people are mistaking me for a rich asshole who buys expensive toys to demonstrate status.

I think the next step will be to respond to "your camera takes great photos" with "thank you! Tell me what you like about these images. I'm always trying to improve my craft."

I respond to this either of two ways.

1. I sometimes say - you should see the pictures I get back when I send the camera on a trip by itself.

2. Or I will say, do you tell you favorite chef that he/she must have a great set of knives or a wonderful stove?

Always trying to be humorous and with a smile

 

[Bruce Photography]

The one that I get most often from people stopping by is "Are you getting any good pictures?" as I'm standing beside some beautiful landscape with my tripod, large camera lens, wired remote, GPS, and other stuff. Since I do quite a bit of lens testing sometimes I tell them that but I'm better off by shrugging as if I don't speak their language. What I want to say is that I come out here by dragging all this stuff out here, down the trail, and I really just want to take bad pictures - But I don't say that. I'm better off with a grin and a shrug....

Actually I kind of like when they say the expensive camera thing because I do sometimes remind them that pro cameras are expensive and that I make money with my photographs. I still cling on to the hope that they won't be so surprised at the price they see of my photographs in a gallery.

 

[serendipidy]

A most amusing and entertaining thread to read. ;D

A thread kevetching about people complementing equipment, that is posted in a forum on a website almost entirely dedicated to discussions about camera gear.

I especially like reading the comments about how the equipment is not the important thing from posters who list all their equipment in their signature.

You guys are a hoot! LoL

Whhooooo....me? ;D

 

[takesome1]

I want to hear from everyone on the most annoying things people commonly say to them about their cameras, lenses, other gear, images and photography in general. My personal favorite is "wow, your camera takes great pictures," or, while looking at my images, "you have a great camera."

I used to launch into an explanation of how much time and energy I have invested in improving my technique and artistic vision, but found the results dissatisfying (common response: "well sure you have to know how to use it"). So I just accede, "yes, it's easier to get good pictures with a good camera."

Many people to be sociable will give you the "your camera takes great pictures". It is not meant to be negative.

However, when you receive this response IMO you have failed as a photographer. I have gotten this response many times, failure isn't fun.

But, there is a response better than this one. If you get to the response beyond this you have achieved what you set out to do. If someone looking at your picture is so overwhelmed that the first response is "beautiful" or something along the line "that looks like it should be in a gallery..." then you have succeeded. If the first comment is about the beauty of your work, you have won. The comments after these can be about your equipment or anything else, you have already succeeded.

Your camera takes great photo's is a polite response that tells you that your pictures are nice. You probably have a fair skill set, but they are not overwhelmed.

People overwhelmed by a photograph do not think about your equipment first.

 

[Policar]

A good camera is harder to use well, but more powerful when used properly, so of course you will get both the best and the worst from it.
But let's be honest for a second... taking a good (as in substantially better than most snapshooters) photograph is REALLY easy.

I disagree on both counts i'm afraid.

You can use a 1d series and change virtually every essential setting with the camera at your eye. On the lower canons theres much more up and down up and down and mussed shots.

Things like focus limiters and ai servo tracking behaviours make life massively easier,

In ghe video realm my ENG cameras look very complex to novices, but I know where every switch and setting is. I barely have to go into the menus. Lots of external controls, in a consistent place, be it dony, panasonic, jvc, grass valley, ikegami make ENG cameras far easier to use than say an XHA1, which I'd need half an hour with before being confident its set up properly, or an EX3, which is totally different again, both much more menu driven.

The difference is experience. A novice would find a 1dx as frustrating as I find my sx230.

It might be easy to take an in focus image, correctly exposed, and with an accurate colour temperature, but thats only 'good' technically.

As I said, harder to use well because it requires more experience, but more powerful (and to that extent easier to use well) with experience.

And yes, taking a technically good photo is very, very easy, whereas producing a good composition is harder. But measured against the average composition you see here, for instance, getting an above-average composition is also pretty darned easy.

 

[paul13walnut5]

A thought crossed my mind. Maybe these folk asking about your camera aren't really all that interested, a bit like the weather, they are making small talk because its a polite thing to do. A few responses on the autistic spectrum here.

 

[takesome1]

A thought crossed my mind. Maybe these folk asking about your camera aren't really all that interested, a bit like the weather, they are making small talk because its a polite thing to do. A few responses on the autistic spectrum here.

WHAT?
Are you saying that I am not the center of these peoples universe?

 

[Rienzphotoz]

A most amusing and entertaining thread to read. ;D

A thread kevetching about people complementing equipment, that is posted in a forum on a website almost entirely dedicated to discussions about camera gear.

I especially like reading the comments about how the equipment is not the important thing from posters who list all their equipment in their signature.

You guys are a hoot! LoL

So claims the person who reads the equipment lists posted in signatures

 

[Rienzphotoz]

Whhooooo....me? ;D

that Owl seems to be a professional ... how much does he charge for bird photography and wedding photography ;D

 

[Joe M]

The one that I get most often from people stopping by is "Are you getting any good pictures?"

This just reminded me of something that didn't initially come to mind as it's my mother that says this to me all the time and it drives me nuts (bless her). "Are you busy playing with your pictures on the computer", as I'm processing a day's wedding shoot.

 

[Joe M]

Seriously though, I have had brides that have regretted the tattoos they have, and asked me to get rid of them from every shot.

Complete tangent, but that's hilarious.

I never got a tattoo (yet) because I didn't want it to be something I regretted.

I scoff heartily at all these fannies who got 'tramp stamps' based on what Pink or whoever else on MTV had, and then three years down the line when they want to kid on they are virigins, and never went to nightclubs and never smoked etc when they decide they want lecrueset cookware and an actuary husband they try and get them removed etc.

The way I see it, if your gormless husband to be liked you when you first met and you had your tatts and peircings then surely, he's only worth marrying (I mean worth in the moral, not financial sense) if he accepts them now?

That said. Getting a tatto of a dolphin across your breasts probably wasn't the best idea you ever had.

There's nothing quite like a beautiful bride who has more makeup across her cleavage than on her face trying to hide the regret. Anyway, I just threw this in this mix because it does come up a lot (though it's not really a peeve or has anything to do with the camera).

 

[Jack Douglas]

This thread is full of fun.

However, more seriously, it makes me feel uneasy now that I have the 300 2.8 and can't avoid being seen on occassion in spite of doing my best to hide in the bushes. I'm no pro and don't want to be mistaken for one!

Jack

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

I want to hear from everyone on the most annoying things people commonly say to them about their cameras, lenses, other gear, images and photography in general. My personal favorite is "wow, your camera takes great pictures," or, while looking at my images, "you have a great camera."

I used to launch into an explanation of how much time and energy I have invested in improving my technique and artistic vision, but found the results dissatisfying (common response: "well sure you have to know how to use it"). So I just accede, "yes, it's easier to get good pictures with a good camera."

IMO, who cares, nobody saying that is meaning any sort of insult. And it's not like it might not somewhat true anyway, many they are not used to simply seeing so little noise for such a dark scene or so much crisp resolution and such tricky action captured in a way that would be VERY tough to pull off with a P&S.

Just take it as someone being excited over your equipment and as a general compliment to your skills as well. They are probably just excited to hear about your photography and equipment. Maybe even, heaven forbid, just trying to be friendly in general. Maybe a few don't realize things take as much skill as they do, but whatever, they just don't realize something and aren't trying to be #?##s or anything.

 

[serendipidy]

Whhooooo....me? ;D

that Owl seems to be a professional ... how much does he charge for bird photography and wedding photography ;D

Bird photography is his specialty and he charges 3 mice an hour 8)

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

If you could take equally as good pictures with a cheaper camera, why wouldn't you use it?

Doesn't the "it's the photographer" argument discredit the talented engineers who made the camera? It's certainly easier to use than it was to engineer. I certainly can't take the some photos with my iPhone I can with my 5D and 70-200; if you can, why don't you?

You certainly have a point - it's amusing to read such complaints in a forum where most posts are about recommending expensive equipment in order to achieve what's often a marginal difference. We all know perfectly well that the equipment matters; and I suspect that many "great camera" comments are made by people who know perfectly well that the user matters more.

I may be lucky, but I seldom get reactions that I find annoying. I've had people smile and point at my 70-300L and say "great lens" (which it is); point at my Olympus OMD EM5 and either say "beautiful camera" or "is that a film camera?"; point at my 70-200 2.8 and say (my favorite ) "that's cheating!" or, on a different occasion, ask a question that led to a rather lengthy and interesting conversation with an unlikely-looking complete stranger.

The only comment I really dislike is actually meant as a compliment - someone or some group will see me wandering through a park etc. with a FF Canon and biggish lens of some sort, say something like "you must be a good photographer; could you take my/our photo?" and hand me a smartphone or point-and-shoot which I haven't a clue how to use, which makes me feel like an idiot; the resulting photo is probably dreadful, but luckily I don't get to see it....

+1

(although in the last instance, sometimes it turns into a good laugh as I struggle figuring out how to take a pic with the P&S hah, although a few times it did feel a trace embarrassing, but whatever, all in good fun)

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Actually, we might take this as an opportunity to start weeding out some of the fauxtographers that are flooding the streets. How about a reply along the lines of, "Yes I do. I have $XXXXXXXX invested in my gear and anyone else wanting to take comparable photos to mine will need to spend as much."

This is a double edge sword to the uninitiated photographer-want-to-be. On the one hand, the price tag might discourage him enough to give up and go away. On the other hand, he might be just stupid enough to sell his Rebel and go out and drop $10,000 on a 1DX and a couple of L lenses. At which point the joke is on him because he'll be completely befuddled as to why he's still not taking great pictures.

Or maybe he turns out to have not been a sucky as you think just because he was shooting with a Rebel and seemed to be relatively new and maybe in a few months he is handily out shooting you? And maybe he is loving his new camera because he loves sports photography and he ends up glad that he went from his Rebel + 18-135 to a 7D/5D3/1D4/1DX + 70-200 2.8 or 300 f4 or whatnot? Who knows.

And you sound awfully paranoid about competition.

I think attitudes like above are what somewhat give photographers a bad name (unfriendly, stand offish, cutthroat).