I wrote a long rant, and erased it. The basic idea of it was that I love my camera, and don't really care what people think of me owning a D700. I mentioned being a good learner, good at teaching myself, a good student. I briefly mentioned the other slr's I've owned (Pentax mz-7 back in college, and a Nikon F100, which I still have but haven't used in a while...film is expensive).
Basically, I want photography to be something I can be serious about, but not in the ways others are serious. I think people can get nasty to others who aren't as smart as them in certain areas, or as knowledgeable of the technological side of things, etc. Others are great, and willing to teach and share their knowledge. What I do know, I am willing to teach. What I don't know, I'm willing to learn.
It's like anything a person gets into. Whether it's hobby-ism or enthusiasm or obsession, as one gets better at something, the temptation is to start scoffing or speaking in jargon when it's not necessary to make oneself feel smart or others feel dumb. I am very much into coffee, and I've had my moments of scoffing at others for drinking Starbucks and other coffees and espressos, but as I've thought about it, I started trying to educate others that there is better coffee, or better ways of making espresso (and what Starbucks does that I don't like), rather than making fun. Now my scoffing is more of a joke than serious, and people know it.
I guess I'm just trying to say, regardless of what I am into, I try not to make others feel stupid or unworthy if they aren't falling in line. What is the line, anyway? Should I have bought a cheaper camera? Well, I could have, but I wanted to learn to use the D700. End of story. I have it. I'm learning about it. Will I use it as well as a pro could use it? Probably not. Who cares? I don't. What I do care about is challenging and stretching myself. I care about learning how to take pictures that people will like a lot...pictures that people would put up on their walls....pictures that I can be proud of. Have all my pictures been good? Of course not. Have the majority of my pictures been good? No, they haven't. I'm not there yet. Hopefully I will be there eventually.
I'm not writing this in response to anything specific...I'm probably just being defensive about nothing. Maybe I'm writing a warning to myself for when I gain more knowledge about the art and skill of photography. "Self, don't be a jack-ass know-it-all. Teach others, and learn from others. Have fun."
4 comments:
Well said. Sometimes when I get around experienced 'togs, often female, I expect that if they've been at it this long they must know the technical side of it. I try to start talking shop, they look confused, I look over and see "green" settings on their dials. They may be twice the artist I am (I find that most serious female photogs are), but I find myself thinking that at least I know how I got the photo to look like that and the required settings, I didn't just fluke out like back in the point and shoot camera days.
That attitude, which I'm working on, doesn't help anyone. Sure, there is friendly competition, but inadequacies brought on by being in a wheelchair, and my perceived need to hold on to every advantage I can, is as bad as putting someone down instead of bettering myself.
We need to shoot some time soon.
I agree with you too Jason!! I think that a lot of the times people feel insecure about themselves and feel the need to put others down. I think that since Photography is something that a great deal of people are interested in (some only to make money and not to actually be good artists), many people feel like anyone with a camera is competition and not someone that can teach us or we can teach. I hope that I am never like this. If I had the money to start off with a more expensive camera, I totally would have as well. Why not learn on the best? Anyways, I just thought I'd let you know that I agree with you completely.
why is it even a big deal?
Why isn't what a big deal?
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