._. photography is 80% skill and 20% gear and yet, i never get asked “what technique did you use?”
How do you even answer that question? “Rule of thirds :)”? It’s not like you’re using a technique, it’s a mixture of many techniques. Do you just go into a Photography 101 lesson?
“What equipment do you use?” Has a simple, exact answer, which can open the door to more in depth conversation.
there’s always a leading style, technique, or idea behind the process that happens before you take the photo. and that process can be explained, to a degree
Yes, I know, that’s why I used it as an overly-reductive example. I’m saying you can’t just easily explain your technique. Even if you identify the leading style, a good photo is going to incorporate a number of principles and techniques. That’s why my alternative was launching into a Photography 101 lesson.
When someone asks you what equipment you use, they probably fall into one of two camps:
-They’re making smalltalk about your hobby, in which case again, that opens the door to a more in depth conversation if that’s the vibe. “I used X camera with Y lens, which works really well with this kind of framing at these settings.” You can even skip the equipment entirely and just focus on a particular effect and how you achieved it, explaining how it’s more to do with lens settings and composition than a specific camera.
-They’re interested in the hobby themselves, and looking for information that will inform what kind of equipment they will start using. A good photographer can make use of a disposable camera, but someone starting off needs a bit of guidance to find equipment that is good enough for serious work, but cheap enough for an entry level enthusiast.
How do you even answer that question? “Rule of thirds :)”? It’s not like you’re using a technique, it’s a mixture of many techniques. Do you just go into a Photography 101 lesson?
“What equipment do you use?” Has a simple, exact answer, which can open the door to more in depth conversation.
there’s a bit more to it than the rule of thirds
there’s always a leading style, technique, or idea behind the process that happens before you take the photo. and that process can be explained, to a degree
Yes, I know, that’s why I used it as an overly-reductive example. I’m saying you can’t just easily explain your technique. Even if you identify the leading style, a good photo is going to incorporate a number of principles and techniques. That’s why my alternative was launching into a Photography 101 lesson.
When someone asks you what equipment you use, they probably fall into one of two camps:
-They’re making smalltalk about your hobby, in which case again, that opens the door to a more in depth conversation if that’s the vibe. “I used X camera with Y lens, which works really well with this kind of framing at these settings.” You can even skip the equipment entirely and just focus on a particular effect and how you achieved it, explaining how it’s more to do with lens settings and composition than a specific camera.
-They’re interested in the hobby themselves, and looking for information that will inform what kind of equipment they will start using. A good photographer can make use of a disposable camera, but someone starting off needs a bit of guidance to find equipment that is good enough for serious work, but cheap enough for an entry level enthusiast.