Camera or photographer, what makes pictures awesome?


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happyfrog

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Just curious about opinions of CSers.

There are some people who's convinced good photograhers don't need high-end camera (and lense) to get good pictures. One such person is Ken Rockwell, who's convinced the D40 can take good pics if in good hands.

Some people on the other hands believes that you need good camera to take good pictures.

I think it's a bit a mix of both. At least, one needs an SLR (or dSLR or prosumer) with manual settings with a fairly good lens. That's the very least I think one should have.

What I thought is skillful photographers will always produce good pictures. Higher-end cameras and lens are there to make it easier (and faster) for them to make good pictures.

What about you guys? Skill or equipment?
 

It gets easier with a good camera and it can do alot more instead of putting down your creativity :D

One important aspect is color, and DSLRs reproduce it really well.
And you can never forget.... BOKEHHHHH

I still take pictures sometimes with my N82, but i set it on sports mode (very grainy), and set it on permanent black and white. It makes for a good "preview" when i want to shoot something with my rangefinder.
 

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It seems like people are quite obsessed with Bokeh haha! myself included, as it creates warmness and softness artistically in the photos - instantly focusing viewers' attention to subject. Was wondering if artistic values can be created with super high f-stops. Like say f/22? HAHa.

Grain on black and whites look good too. But, I prefer to post-process B&Ws. Was wondering if post-processing b&Ws is better or using colored filters is better? Are they similar? Haven't tried that, only tried some on colored filters many years ago on film.

Sorry, I deviated from the thread topic. :) Nonetheless, what you think makes good photos? Man or machine?
 

The viewer.

there will be viewer who find the photo awesome.

there will be viewer who find the photo average.

there will be viewer who find the photo tiresome.
 

Always PP B&W if you are serious on the images.
Although having colored filters help alot, but they seem to work on film only. My dslr placed with a red filter created hazy photos in B&W :(
I don't think they're similar, but you could recreate it with the proper photoshop skills.

F-stops around f18 or higher give you star shaped lights which are pronounced at night,
or you can shoot a sea under heavy midday reflection to get a whole wash of shimmer. ;p

Personally i think the starburst filters are overdone. I love the high f-stop stars.
 

Always PP B&W if you are serious on the images.
Although having colored filters help alot, but they seem to work on film only. My dslr placed with a red filter created hazy photos in B&W :(
I don't think they're similar, but you could recreate it with the proper photoshop skills.

F-stops around f18 or higher give you star shaped lights which are pronounced at night,
or you can shoot a sea under heavy midday reflection to get a whole wash of shimmer. ;p

Personally i think the starburst filters are overdone. I love the high f-stop stars.

This statement kinda funny.
 

it's ur imagination that makes the picture awesome. :lovegrin:
 

What i mean to say is that shoot color and then convert if you want better results :( I was replying the TS
Can always play with the contrast through the color channels
 

I believe its the subject that makes the photos awesome. Without a good subject, whatever camera or how good you are also no use.
 

Skill.
A high-end digital or film camera in the hands of someone who does not know how to work within the limitations of the camera or take advantage of its strengths is just a wannabe giving camera makers free advertising and a nice bonus at the end of the year.


Just curious about opinions of CSers.

There are some people who's convinced good photograhers don't need high-end camera (and lense) to get good pictures. One such person is Ken Rockwell, who's convinced the D40 can take good pics if in good hands.

Some people on the other hands believes that you need good camera to take good pictures.

I think it's a bit a mix of both. At least, one needs an SLR (or dSLR or prosumer) with manual settings with a fairly good lens. That's the very least I think one should have.

What I thought is skillful photographers will always produce good pictures. Higher-end cameras and lens are there to make it easier (and faster) for them to make good pictures.

What about you guys? Skill or equipment?
 

Reading all the comments, seems like the answer is quite varied...

1. Skill
2. Equipment
3. Subject

I would like to continue adding to the list

4. Luck - sometimes you will just encounter special moments. But that also requires you to have the eye for it to spot such moments : skill
5. Money to travel - money will bring ppl to exotic places and shoot things which are out of the ordinary : subject

It's easy to improve equipment (work the extra hours and pour in more money).

How about skill? How do we actually improve skill? I read that attending classes and reading up helps, but which class? Which books? Most photography workshops which I attended last time only talks about the technical stuff, and some art classes are irrelevant.
 

Reading all the comments, seems like the answer is quite varied...

1. Skill
2. Equipment
3. Subject

I would like to continue adding to the list

4. Luck - sometimes you will just encounter special moments. But that also requires you to have the eye for it to spot such moments : skill
5. Money to travel - money will bring ppl to exotic places and shoot things which are out of the ordinary : subject

It's easy to improve equipment (work the extra hours and pour in more money).

How about skill? How do we actually improve skill? I read that attending classes and reading up helps, but which class? Which books? Most photography workshops which I attended last time only talks about the technical stuff, and some art classes are irrelevant.

exposure to good photography and try to understand what the photographer is trying to potray and learn from it. and of coz putting it into practice is very important. :)
 

exposure to good photography and try to understand what the photographer is trying to potray and learn from it. and of coz putting it into practice is very important. :)

Looked through your pics
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=472392

The f1.2 has very nice bokeh. Your equipment is in good and skillful hands. :)

I just ordered the 50mm f/1.8. Hopefully will get good pics too. :) Guess the DOF won't be as shallow as the f/1.2. Will just have to live with the DOF and withinn my budget. :)
 

Looked through your pics
http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=472392

The f1.2 has very nice bokeh. Your equipment is in good and skillful hands. :)

I just ordered the 50mm f/1.8. Hopefully will get good pics too. :) Guess the DOF won't be as shallow as the f/1.2. Will just have to live with the DOF and withinn my budget. :)
thanks for viewing... 50mm f/1.8 will give you very nice shallow DOF effect already, won't be really that much of a difference la... most importantly is the subject, lighting, composition & creativity...:)
 

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, and also.... There's a lot of hoo-hahs when it comes to bokeh and shallow depth of fields, I was just wondering if there's any nice pics in high f-stops.
 

The f1.2 has very nice bokeh. Your equipment is in good and skillful hands. :)

You call those horrid ni-sen bokeh edges "nice"???
 

Was referring to this pic. :)

3253560250_2ced2eecc7_o.jpg


Seems pretty amazing to me. :)
 

Was referring to this pic. :)

3253560250_2ced2eecc7_o.jpg


Seems pretty amazing to me. :)

i think what he means is the quality of the bokeh, usually bokeh with clear outline is refered as bad bokeh whereas bokeh with soft blur outlines are good bokeh as they create a more creamy and smooth blur... maybe you can read here or here to understand more... :)
 

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