{"id":75,"date":"2007-09-07T08:28:12","date_gmt":"2007-09-07T08:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/planetneil.com\/tangents\/2007\/09\/07\/equipment-as-inspiration\/"},"modified":"2017-11-08T08:16:00","modified_gmt":"2017-11-08T12:16:00","slug":"developing-your-photographic-style","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/developing-your-photographic-style\/","title":{"rendered":"Developing your photographic style – the necessary photo gear"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Developing your photographic style – the necessary photo gear<\/h1>\n

A constant debate that I see online is whether a specific piece of equipment is justifiable.\u00a0 And whether it is justifiable\u00a0in terms of a business decision.\u00a0 The\u00a0discussion typically\u00a0centers around something like the eternal, “What will the 85mm f1.2 give me that the 85mm f1.8 won’t? And is it worth $1000 more?”<\/p>\n

But I feel that in phrasing the question like that, the\u00a0real effects that equipment choice have on our style\u00a0are disregarded. I firmly believe that:<\/p>\n

Style should always be evolving, borne from our choices and not from our limitations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

And those limitations are quite often our equipment choice. \u00a0Cameras with higher ISO capability. Faster AF. Faster lenses. More sophisticated lighting.<\/p>\n

So does it bring more business?\u00a0 That I can’t say\u00a0– but I do know that using the very very best equipment does affect how<\/strong> I shoot, and does affect my results.\u00a0 It also directly affects my confidence during a shoot\u00a0– and therefore during client meetings. I know<\/strong> I can pull it off, \u00a0no matter what is thrown at me during a shoot. I have the skills and the equipment.<\/p>\n

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These two images from\u00a0a wedding in Melbourne, Australia<\/a>, I was working in the 2500 – 3200 ISO range on my Nikon D4 bodies. Pretty much clean high-ISO images – which is necessary when shooting the romantic portraits.<\/p>\n

I could’ve used fast primes instead of going higher on the ISO … but still emphasizes my point that you need proper photo gear when shooting in challenging situations. The lighting here was with a handheld\u00a0video light<\/a>\u00a0that one of the groomsmen held for me, just outside the frame.<\/p>\n

Using fast optics and responsive\u00a0cameras that have a very usable high iso, I’ve able to change the way I use light, compared to earlier years. And in these choices, I’ve been able to bring out images that looks different than it would’ve with other equipment. I like these results much more than what I would’ve been able to get with\u00a0equipment of lesser spec.<\/p>\n

Sometimes the change in specifications and abilities of new photo gear appear incremental, but\u00a0add all those small increments up … and you will find that current\u00a0photo gear now\u00a0allow you to achieve results you weren’t able to before.<\/p>\n

The question remains however – does it bring more business? I don’t know if there is a direct correlation. In a sense the question becomes a trivial one for me … because right now, I am doing work I absolutely love, at a level I would never have dreamed of years ago when I started with a Nikon D100. And if using the very best equipment adds to that enjoyment – well, I only have this one life to live.<\/p>\n

This leads me to another point.\u00a0 Right now, with an arsenal of\u00a0fast prime lenses and workhorse\u00a0f\/2.8 zooms, the\u00a0only<\/strong> limitations in my photography are my own.\u00a0 I certainly can not blame my equipment and say that, “If only I had *that* lens, I could’ve pulled the shots out of the hat.”<\/p>\n

Right now, my limitations are my own. And that is a challenging boundary to be at.<\/p>\n

How is\u00a0that<\/strong> for a business decision?<\/p>\n

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