your photographs are wonderful – you must have a really nice camera
There is an amusing anecdote doing the rounds as a graphic on Facebook and elsewhere – it’s a quote ascribed to Sam Haskins. Now, if you consider the number of quotes that get propagated on Facebook that are ascribed to Morgan Freeman, I’m surprised Sam Haskins even got a mention. But I digress.
The quote relates a story where a photographer smacks down a socialite in New York for some comment about the photographer’s camera. Well, here it is, and it kinda rankles me …
Photographers on FB keep reposting versions of this idea, reveling in the put-down. People get all high and mighty about the perceived insult. No one should dare snub the sheer Artistry of their work! It all sounds a little defensive in the end.
My take on this is entirely different. What I get from that comment by people is that they are just trying to make conversation. Now, if someone tells me that my photographs are lovely and I must have a good camera, then my reply is usually, “hell yeah!”. Or if it is a client (or family of a client), then it’s a more polite, “yes it is!”. Then we chat about photography and stuff. We’re all cool.
Hence my version of how the anecdote would play out.
To be honest, this is how it would normally play out:
photography books by Neil vN
newsletter / forum / workshops & seminars
Stay informed of new articles via the monthly newsletter.
Also join us on the Tangents forum for further discussions.
If you need more direct help or instruction on flash photography,
I do present workshops & seminars and also offer individual tutoring sessions.
If you find these articles interesting and of value, then you can help by
using these affiliate links to order equipment & other goodies. Thank you!
Gotta love it!
Comment by Trev — March 16, 2013 @ 6:00 am
I agree…I always think they sound defensive! It was a little funny and then it got old. Fuck, yeah! Celebrate that expensive camera you are rocking!
Comment by Nancy Mcpeak — March 16, 2013 @ 8:25 am
I love that.
Two things come to mind:
One time on a photography forum, so people who should know more about photography than the average Joe on the street, somebody posted that if he had a pro-level camera he would be able to take the same pictures as the guy with the D3. I just replied that is the same as stating if you had the same golf clubs as Tiger Woods you would win championships. (This was at the time Tiger was winning almost every championship ;-) )
Second, whenever I walk around with my D300 and 70-200 I get reactions on the street like “That’s one heck of a camera”, when it’s the D300 and 17-55 nobody ever says anything. Either way I’m fine and when they do say something I just politely thank them and a conversation is started.
Comment by Peter van der Does — March 16, 2013 @ 8:30 am
Neil, I certainly agree it can be an entry point for a conversation and I don’t take it literally, or take offense. In turn I often respond provocatively with the comment “THIS IS MY SMALLEST CAMERA, YOU SHOLD SEE THE OTHERS”. best, Peter
Comment by Peter Geller — March 16, 2013 @ 9:36 am
I usually say, “Yes it is and all I have to do is push the button” :)
Comment by Bill — March 16, 2013 @ 10:51 am
I normally respond with “Yeah…and Michaelangelo had a great paint brush.
Comment by Alan Rossiter — March 16, 2013 @ 1:51 pm
Such a fantastic take on it all. I know it bothers photographers when they hear this, but at the end of the day, we want our photos and work to get noticed. If this is the lead people go with, so be it… its better than them saying nothing.
Comment by Trent Gillespie — March 16, 2013 @ 2:39 pm
When I use my 70-200, people sometimes say “Nice lens, what’s the zoom on that?”, and look a bit confused when I tell them it’s a bit below 3x :)
Comment by Maxam — March 16, 2013 @ 2:41 pm
Yeah, I’ve never understood why some people have felt this (usually innocent) remark gives them license to be an asshole.
Comment by Angela — March 16, 2013 @ 4:04 pm
What I really like about you, Neil, is that not only are you a great (photographic) shooter, you’re also a straight shooter! Great stuff!
Comment by Roy Barnes — March 16, 2013 @ 4:53 pm
Yep, I do it, every time! I used to get angry with this before, but then I realized that people are just trying to make a compliment, and to chat about it.
Now I just answer something like “oh yeah! But this lens is also awesome!”. And then something about the flash, or bounce flash, etc. It always a nice conversation! I love to talk about photography and about equipment, so why not? And then, at some point, they always say something like “but you do have to know HOW to use this camera, right?”. Yeah, right!
Great post! You are such a nice person, Neil!
Comment by Humberto Yoji — March 16, 2013 @ 5:09 pm
I’m usually told that when carrying my d700 w/grip and 70-200 attached. My usual responce is “it’s ok, I have a small penis and I’m just trying to compensate”. Takes them completely off guard.
Comment by Ron S — March 16, 2013 @ 9:15 pm
A few weeks ago I was taking pictures at an Event. Some other photog (a former pupil in one of my workshops) asked me what settings I used since her pictures all came out black or blurry. I startet “well, it’s really dark so I’m using ISO 4000″. She: “Duh, my highest ISO is 1600″. Me: “Well, and my lens is set to f/1.6″. She: “uh oh, mine only can do f/3.5″. Me: “this way I can get a shutterspeed of 1/125s, which is not really good since the dancers are moving a lot, but I can work with it”. She: “I’ll need seconds of shutterspeed to compensate for lack of ISO and aperture, no surprise I can’t take no pictures here!”.
And I thought: “Damn, I really do own a very fine camera indeed!”
So I don’t blame anyone anymore for this line about my cam. I just agree.
Comment by Sam — March 17, 2013 @ 3:32 am
I always think it’s better to have someone say “I like your photographs, you must have an expensive camera” than “That looks like an expensive camera so why can’t you take better photographs?”
Comment by Roger Williams — March 17, 2013 @ 6:02 am
Roger (14) and Ron (12), you made me laugh this morning! Thanks again, Neil, for spot-on comments…
Comment by Mary-Claire — March 17, 2013 @ 7:52 am
I was not aware of this post making the rounds from Haskins. When I read it, I laughed, because I thought it was clever and funny. I take the approach of landing a client, not being defensive. I saw a much more pronounced rant on cheap photogs on another well-known site and I left feeling insulted, and I’m a photographer!
Comment by Matt — March 17, 2013 @ 2:08 pm
I totally agree with this. They’re just asking a perfectly innocent and polite question. After all, how much (or little) do we photographers know about their profession?
If you really must make your point, you can do it more subtly and without being rude by saying “well it’s a reasonably good one”.
Comment by John M — March 18, 2013 @ 8:22 am
Those kind of remarks are innocent. At the end of the day they like your photography.
Comment by Len — March 18, 2013 @ 11:05 am
I normally respond with “Oh I’m only using a beginner camera, Actually, your camera is much better than mine =)”
Then they would notice that they actually have a canon 60D and I’m only using 550D.
Comment by Jeff C — March 19, 2013 @ 12:09 pm
Will admit to smiling at the Sam Haskins story…
I always reply with a smile…. “yep it sure is….I have taught it everything it knows” I ALWAYS get a smile in return :-)
Comment by Leslie Hanthorne — March 19, 2013 @ 12:30 pm
well….if i were a blacksmith, this would be my hammer, and that one with a big white lens, that would be my sledgehammer.
they normally understand, we share a laugh and we walk separate ways.
Comment by Ujwal — March 19, 2013 @ 4:18 pm
Why would anyone get offended by that? I’m proud of my babies :)I love talking about my cameras to the guests at weddings :))) Oh I rub them & tell people how good they are & how much I love them :)
And yes, VERY EXPENSIVE!!! i usually say that my photography equipment that I just carry on me is 140% the price of my car… that I’m still paying for… which reminds me…
Comment by Victoria — March 28, 2013 @ 7:37 pm
Them: “I love your pictures. You must have a really great camera!”
Me: “Aw, just my iPhone.”
Comment by Dale Matthews — March 31, 2013 @ 2:48 pm
In the couple of photography groups I belong to we show our latest pictures for others to critique in order to advance our skills. Many times, when someone shows a particularly good image, someone will say, “you must have a really good camera” as a fun way of complementing the maker, sort of a left handed approval. Many people feel that the cost of the camera equals good pictures. I say, you buy a camera, you’re a photographer, you buy a piano, you own a piano.
Comment by Paul Moshay — April 7, 2013 @ 3:48 pm