camera or person behind camera?

[PaulRussell]

Why should this be an 'either/or' question? Every great picture is a combination of timing, occasion, composition, and emotion (some of which can be added in post). The person pressing the shutter key can either be a great decision maker or just lucky.

 

[scubagolfer]

It is a combination of both .... but skewed towards the photographer ....

 

[cabbySHE]

the food or the cook ?
not talking about by chance lucky,
one which strike a lottery once in a life time is not a professional gamer.

 

[ed9119]

Camera = tool
Person behind Cam creates the image

 

[sfoto100]

just try shooting more and try to emulate the works of great pgs, then the answer will come to you.

 

[brownie01]

.........??????????

 

[paesyl]

Mr A: Professional photographer for 20 years.

Mr B: Just started photography for 1 year.

Both Mr A and Mr B have exactly the same equipment.

Both Mr A and Mr B go for a shoot at the same time, same place, same subject.

Mr B probably will keep asking how come my picture "like that" compare to Mr A even they have the same equipment.

I think both photograper and equipments (the right equipment) is important.

 

[Limsgp]

Photo appreciation itself is very subjective. What is "Good"?

Some photographer likes artistic photos, some like non-artistic photos.

Some like picture straight from camera. Some like heavy processing.

For those who like photos with little artistic element, probably the camera matters more, in capturing the moment and reproducing faithful details.

For those who likes highly artistic pictures, probably the PG matters more, in creating that "look".

 

[ManWearPants]

the food or the cook ?

ingredients or cook? Without fresh ingredient, the cook may be restricted. Without a capable cook, any fresh ingredient will be wasted. So it is really a chicken and egg question. They are both complimentary to producing a good photo.

 

[jwanderer]

I would say both are important though i think the person behind the camera is slightly more important. No matter how good the tool is, you still need the skill to compose a nice shot. If not, anybody can just produce good pics with a good camera...

 

[sfoto100]

neither!

 

[ovaltinemilo]

Of course the person behind the camera...
Coz he needs to be damn loaded to buy the best appropriate lens, use those lens on the best appropriate camera and use his best skills and best creativity to create his best work..:bsmilie:

 

[Netbaby]

Sometime to me its the audience.
Not the person or the camera. ;p

 

[sfoto100]

Sometime to me its the audience.
Not the person or the camera. ;p

yeah... that's my answer too...

one's mother will always say his son's photo are nice!!

 

[Treetrunk]

Another chicken or egg thing?

 

[dannysantos]

 

[PowerShort]

I voted camera. But it only applies to people who are too good for the camera.
Whatever you can do with 9 AF points has a limit no matter how good you are, but with 45 AF points you would have done much better. No matter how good your photo is captured, with bigger sensor and better glass you would have produced even higher quality prints. Sometimes you need a better camera with weather sealing and rugged build or you risk having no camera to shoot and loosing that shot if anything happens.

 

[ohok1973]

was taking some night shots of at sands on saturday night. beside me was a lady with her C...n 50d and a very sturdy looking tripod. I am using an entry level pen...x

both of us were taking at the same building, Full.. hotel.

I took a sneak peek at her screen and I don mean to be bad or anything, the pictures were, well not up to par. I myself is a newbie. But i am sure that my takes turn out to be better than hers.

before i made the conclusion, i asked my wife to peek too after she took the shots, her comments were the same, her picture were mostly under exposed or one way or another it doesnt seems right. there and than i felt that its such a shame to have such a good camera and stuff but cannot produce. My wife told me ppl are learning too like me, which i cant disagreement more.

So i presume its the person behind the camera, i might be wrong. I must stress that i am not downplaying any brand or anyone, neither am i boosting of my skill, which i think i am quite amateur compared to many here, just my personal experience to share

 

[PowerShort]

This is why they say, for alot of people, its the photographer that matters. Well if they can't bring out the full potential of the camera, then they prolly don't need a batter camera.

was taking some night shots of at sands on saturday night. beside me was a lady with her C...n 50d and a very sturdy looking tripod. I am using an entry level pen...x

both of us were taking at the same building, Full.. hotel.

I took a sneak peek at her screen and I don mean to be bad or anything, the pictures were, well not up to par. I myself is a newbie. But i am sure that my takes turn out to be better than hers.

before i made the conclusion, i asked my wife to peek too after she took the shots, her comments were the same, her picture were mostly under exposed or one way or another it doesnt seems right. there and than i felt that its such a shame to have such a good camera and stuff but cannot produce. My wife told me ppl are learning too like me, which i cant disagreement more.

So i presume its the person behind the camera, i might be wrong. I must stress that i am not downplaying any brand or anyone, neither am i boosting of my skill, which i think i am quite amateur compared to many here, just my personal experience to share

 

[dawgbyte77]

I voted camera. But it only applies to people who are too good for the camera.
Whatever you can do with 9 AF points has a limit no matter how good you are, but with 45 AF points you would have done much better. No matter how good your photo is captured, with bigger sensor and better glass you would have produced even higher quality prints. Sometimes you need a better camera with weather sealing and rugged build or you risk having no camera to shoot and loosing that shot if anything happens.

I kind of agree with this but I feel its the complete setup. A person can become better in a shorter time if his equipment is not holding him back. So sometimes a really intelligent camera can create a better photo even with the "photographer" just setting the timer and everything else is auto as compared to a really professional photographer with a disposable never-heard-of-the-name cheap camera. Also same reason why experienced photographer is willing to spend more on better cameras and gears, because they outlived the capability of the current one (or technology rendered the current camera obsolete, as compared to their industry market and competitors). One good example is the lomo. That phenomenon is more camera than photographer. But bottomline, this question is moot or perhaps the answer depends on what kind of photographer you want to become.