I find almost every aspect of photography enjoyable. Going out into the world and meeting different types of people in their own environment, constantly pushing myself to see things in a different or unique way, and continually striving to tell people’s stories through my art are all things that keep me going on a daily basis. However, one thing that really gets me going when I’m out shooting is when someone comes up to me and says, “Wow! Look at that big camera. It must take great pictures!”
Cameras don’t take pictures. Photographers make images. The truth of the matter is that if someone can’t make a good image with their own camera & equipment, then they probably wouldn’t be able to do it with my camera & equipment. I can honestly say that I’ve never seen anyone become a better photographer by getting new gear. In fact, most people I know who own expensive or professional camera gear are more burdened by the complexity of it than they are enabled by the features it offers.
That having been said, for better or worse, an abundance of gear is inevitably part of almost any photographer’s life. Although gear can never make one into a photographer, it can expand one’s capabilities and enable one to capture moments in the way their mind envisions.
My new portrait lens is a great example of that happening. Coming from a photojournalism background where I have had little control over what’s going on around me, I have traditionally relied heavily upon my zoom lenses. This isn’t due to the fact that they’re the best lenses out there, but rather that they have allowed me to be flexible and spontaneous. As great as they are, I’ve always wanted a dedicated portrait lens that did one thing and did it better than anything else. My wish recently came true with the acquisition of a Canon 135mm f/2.0L.
I won’t bore everyone with the technical aspects of the lens, because quite honestly I see gear as more of a necessary evil than anything else, but I will say that so far the tests I’ve done with it have yielded absolutely incredible results. It produces great background blur, it’s sharper than any other lens I’ve used, and it gives the images that are made with it an extremely unique look.
My younger sister Beth decided to humor me the day it arrived and we went down to the local ice skating rink together for a quick portrait session. It was 15° or so outside, but with the windchill it felt like -5°, so she was ready to get inside and warm up after a quick 6 or 7 minutes!
