Life is like a boxing match. It is always going to throw jabs and punches your way if you’re ready for them or not. You must learn how to constantly block, dodge, and wave your way through life. But the moment you let your guard down, life is going to continuous knock you around until you fight back. And when you get knocked down, (and we all do) it’s so important that you get up as quickly as possible and keep fighting. Because life has no problems with kicking you while you’re down. The key is to turn the match where you have the advantage with superior skills and techniques. Just don’t give up and throw in the towel.
Canon or Nikon? DSLR or mirrorless? Full frame or cropped sensor? Prime or Zoom? New or used? How about if you are trying to capture a full-frame, tack-sharp photo of the Moon with your cellphone camera? Or walking around a major city doing street photography with a 600mm prime! How much and when does “Gear” really matter? Along with are you using your gear within its limits? I know having the latest and greatest gear does very, very little when it comes to taking better photos. Then there’s the aspect of using one’s gear the wrong way. I can think of only two scenarios in which gear matters. The first is when one has substandard or inadequate gear that inhibits their ability to capture an image that they envision. And the other is there is something about your gear that you dislike so much, it discourages you from using it.
Gear doesn’t matter but the wrong gear does because it hampers your abilities. It would be like having Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton drive a Tesla Model S Plaid at the Grand Prix of Monaco. Yeah, it’s a fast car but it is not the proper car for a Formula One race. And the same goes for you and your photography. Having the wrong or inadequate equipment can be very detrimental to your growth as a photographer. If as a photographer who has an understanding of not only exposure and light but a working knowledge of the elements of the arts, and if you are using gear that is preventing you from reaching your creative potential then it is bad for you and your ability to create images. It could be gear that doesn’t allow you to change lenses, or manipulate various settings, or you do have enough focal length.
Back in 2004, I was shooting aviation events with my Digital Rebel. And was using a function that still is necessary for aviation photography today (if you’re a Canon shooter) is AI Servo. This auto-focus mode is for tracking fast-moving subjects. When you half depress the shutter button, with your AF point on a moving subject, the camera will continue to keep the subject in focus. The only downside is that on the Digital Rebel, you could only access AI Servos in Sport mode which prevents you from selecting your aperture and shutter speed as well as locking the ISO at 400. Back then 400 was super noisy due to the tiny 6.3-megapixel sensor. But it wasn’t an issue when I was shooting jets because the camera maintained a fast enough shutter speed to capture them. But my love was for WWII warbirds, which requires control of the shutter to prevent freezing the props and get what is known as prop blur. Because of this lack of control, which was hindering my ability to photograph what I love, I chose to upgrade to the Canon 20D which allowed me to select AI Servos in any mode without locking the ISO.
Gear that you’re so dissatisfied with it, that you no longer want to use it matters as well. It should be noted that a lack of understanding of how to use your gear properly and misusing it does not count here. It would be similar to a painter who dislikes a certain brand of paint or a sketch artist who doesn’t like a type of marker or pencil. When it comes to your gear, it could be a lens that just doesn’t perform well, a tripod that can’t support your setup or you just hate the way your camera body feels in your hands. As a photographer, your tools are your gear. And being hampered by one’s tools can destroy one’s confidence along with enthusiasm to continue to capture images. There has to be a good level of comfort along with enjoyment with your gear that keeps you excited about photography.
Years ago, I purchased both the Canon 100-400mm zoom (the push-pull mark 1) and the 400mm F/5.6 prime. Both were L series lenses that “promise of professional quality in image reproduction performance, operability and reliability.” I intended to use the prime as my main lens and the versatility of the zoom as my secondary. But the images from the 100-400 were constantly soft. And when the images were in focus, the clarity was nowhere near the 400mm prime which was always tack sharp. I used it at multiple airshows but was never able to get results that I was happy with. Because of its soft focusing and how inconsistent it was, I didn’t want to shoot with it. I was so disappointed with the fact that it was supposed to be of professional performance. In the end, I lost all enthusiasm for that lens, and I eventually sold it.
The art form of photography is not about the gear but rather the images that we create and share. The camera, lenses, light meters, and tripods… are all just tools that allow you to capture photos. And about 98% of the time, it doesn’t matter. I’m willing to bet that a large portion of your audience doesn’t care about what gear you use. But if your gear is harming your growth, by either obstructing your development and abilities or is causing you to lose enthusiasm and confidence in your ability to create images, that’s when gear matters.
How do you feel about gear? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
As a consequence of my continuing spiritual journey, I feel compelled to question the things I love. Hopefully, this series will unearth some of the mysteries of my love affairs with a few simple questions.
Part One: Aviation
Why Do You Love Aviation?
The saying “You can’t explain what’ love is. But you feel it clearly, completely and deeply when you are”, best describes my feelings for aviation. I maintain a child-like enthusiasm and passionate desire for all things aviation-related. It is one of a few things that fulfill me intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and lovingly. Asking me to give up Aviation would be no different than asking me to cut off an appendage. Aviation is a part of who I am and my love for it has never wavered. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love it. And am always delighted by new aspects of aviation that I have never experienced. Such as my current infatuation with seaplanes and helicopters.
When and why did it start?
My first memory of my love for aviation started when I was very young, I was maybe 6 or 7. My dad was in the Navy, and we were stationed at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station in Puerto Rico. One day, my dad took me to an area where he works and there was a room that the ceiling was covered with model airplanes. Which was something I’d never seen before, but I remember being absolutely fascinated by all the different types and wanted to know each of their names. It was about that time I also noticed that our house was parallel to the flight path to the air base. There were no ships based in Roosevelt Roads but when a aircraft carrier was in the area, its air wing would visit the base. It was the coolest place to grow up, seeing Tomcats, Intruders, A-7s, and S-3s enter the pattern, break information, and then drop gear on the downwind leg. It is the cause of me being easily distracted by flying airplanes. I remember it came to a point where could tell what type of plane it was just by its sound. After 3 or 4 years, we moved to the Tidewater area of Virginia. And being in the vicinity of numerous airbases, there was no shortage of military aircraft flying overhead for me to identify.
How does aviation make you feel?
Aviation has always been a constant source of wonder and thrill in my life, and it has never once let me down. The passion I felt when I first fell in love with aviation is still just as vigorous today, filling me with the same level of uninhibited joy and excitement. Over the years, my connection to various aspects of aviation has deepened, evoking a variety of emotions depending on the context. For instance, vintage warbirds often stir up a sense of nostalgia, of a time when these iconic aircraft were built and flown by hand and not by a computer. Helicopters, on the other hand, ignite my adventurous spirit, with their unique ability to hover and access remote locations. Meanwhile, a window seat of an airliner brings me an unequal sense of peace and calm, as I gaze out over the endless expanse of sky and watch the world pass below.
What do you do to maintain and nurture your Love for Aviation?
Like with anything I love, the maintenance and nurturing are done effortlessly and enthusiastically. From attending aviation events, visiting museums, plane spotting, and watching spotting channels on YouTube (yes, it’s a thing) to planning trips to explore and experience various new aviation events. (Cough) My trip to England 🙂 Yeah, my aviation checklist from that trip. Got to fly on an Airbus A330-200, did my first air-to-air photoshoot with WWII Warbirds over the English countryside, countless spotting trips to London-Heathrow drove 2 and a half hours to see TSR.2, did a helicopter flight over London, then spent 5 days at the world’s largest military airshow. I will shoehorn aviation into any conversation whenever possible along with spending countless hours on Flightradar 24. Driving around any airport with airplanes taking off or landing in view is troublesome for me. The need to see and identify what’s taxing to the runway, taking off, or landing is way too distracting.
What do you love about it most? And why
Whether it is in an airliner, helicopter, or hanging out the back of a Skyvan, for me going flying is by far the most enjoyable way to experience aviation. The thrill and power of takeoff always gives me chill bumps. There is something not only liberating and peaceful about glaring out the window, watching the world and clouds pass by.
Photographers young and old now is a great opportunity to backup your 2024 photos. Each year during the holiday season, I backup my all my photos from the past year. Saving them on three separate hard drives, ensuring my archive will remain safe and protected.
Hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday season!
