I am very grateful for the compliments I receive about my photography. It always makes me feel great when people "ooh" and "ahh" over pictures I've taken. There is one aspect of these compliments that is quite ubiquitous, and, in this, I find some thought-provoking humor. Let me tell you a story that might clear things up a bit.


A famous photographer was once invited to dinner by a famous chef. The photographer brought along his portfolio so that he and the chef might have something to converse about before the meal was served. The chef was enthralled by the beautifal photos and complimented them profusly, finally adding, "...and you must have a very nice camera." Later that evening, the two dined. The photographer had never tasted food quite so exquisite. He complimented the chef, saying, "This pasta is spectacular; you must have very nice pots."


And it's true (and funny). You'd never hear someone say, "What a great painting, that guy must have nice brushes." Or, "Did you see that sculpture? The clay must be fantastic." While it is quite true that a nice camera will often lead to great shots, the two aren't mutually exclusive. A great camera can take terrible photos, and a one-time-use, throw-away can take a masterpiece (or so the advertisements would suggest). In my opinion, photography has three important aspects: 1) A technical understanding of both the equipment and its relation to the process of exposure (i.e., the relation of light to the lens), 2) An understanding of composition (i.e., what makes a scene appealing to the eye, and 3) Timing/dumb luck (i.e., being in the right place at the right time).


That said, it's quite true that you can do more with an expensive camera than you can with a cheapo model (that's why I use one that's worth more than everything else I own, combined--but this is true mostly because the rest of my stuff is not worth much...), but there's truly nothing that can beat proper exposure and an interesting composition, no matter the vehicle. Still, photography is a differnent animal because literally anyone can take a great shot by accident, all you have to do is push the button. Great paintings do not result by accident. "Oops, I just painted a Monet." is not the type of phrase you often hear.


For the record, all of the pictures in today's post were taken with a Canon Powershot A60, a discontinued camera that once retailed for as low as $100. Oh, and the purpose of this jeremiad was NOT to discourage the continued, free-flowing compliments; the purpose was to discuss photography and why it is different from other arts (such as cooking, painting, sculpture, etc.). In other words, please continue to tell me how special I am.