The bigger the camera the worse the photographer?

[pontipinemum]

Really didn't know how to title this! And please don't take it too seriously it is not meant to cause offence just an observation.

I have 2 people in my family who are the 'photo' person. One has a big camera and likes to walk around 'getting natural photo's' the other is always front and centre to take group shots. E.g. at my recent event I wanted a pic of me, DH and DC. These people took the 'prime' positions to take the photos.

But here's the thing, both of them are pretty bad at it!! Big camera person zooms in on most shots way too much. It doesn't matter if you are up the Eiffel tower or having a cuppa tea in the local Tesco cafe, it'll still just be that persons face and most of the background cropped.

The pusher to the front to take the best pictures takes them at very unflattering angles - might be me.

I wouldn't say anything because they both mean well and I do ask someone else to make sure they get one good pic of me/ DH/ DC

Is it just my family? It is one person on my side, one on DH's. People get excited when they see big camera person as they think the photos are going to be amazing.

I think a lot of photographers are like Hifi enthusiasts. They just like buying technology! It’s an easy thing to pretend to be good at too. Just take arty shots of doorknobs and things with hazy backgrounds.

See Brooklyn Beckam. All that kit and photos are shit.

Person No1 learned about negative space and took it to heart 😄

YOU👏🏻DONT👏🏻HAVE👏🏻TO👏🏻BE👏🏻GOOD👏🏻AT👏🏻YOUR👏🏻HOBBIES

Photos are better taken on decent cameras than phones.

I am the one with the camera, but it's not "big" it's decent and I am great at taking photos, but I don't carry it around to tesco cafe unless we have been somewhere else. But I can use it, I learnt with old fashioned 35mm film SLR cameras and usually use manual settings because I know what I am doing.

Give honest feedback, suggest big camera person tries different angles, shutter speeds, turns off filters and autofocus. It's a shame if you have an amazing piece of equipment and use 10% of it's function. Train them up, so you have a big camera that isn't your responsibility with photographer and eventually will get some decent images out of it. The more someone improves the more they tend to want to.

I can't use a camera phone for toffee I get my 14 year old to help out with that!
But a DSLR I can use, and teach the teen that, give and take :-)

Back in the camcorder days, BIL spent the night of my 30th filming my entire birthday party. I’ve never once watched it…

You should watch it back some time
I'd say it'd be a good laugh!

Well it depends doesn’t it; I’m a photographer and use different lenses for different things 🤷‍♀️

But if they’re hobby photographers who gives a shit? Why be snarky at someone who just gets joy from something??

You judge a photographer by the photographs they take, not the kit they use.

Mario testino said something along the lines of everyone can take photos but it takes skill and talent to be a photographer, just as everyone can dance but not everyone is a dancer

True, and I have never said anything to them. It's not so much the actual size of the photographer. It's the assumption that a big camera = good photographer. The other one just makes sure to be at the front of the 'pack' and calls the loudest for attention. If I want a photo (including me) I ask someone to take it with my phone.

I think I can take a decent photo - two friends have use a photo I took at their weddings at their 'favourite'. It is displayed in their homes and it is the one that gets pulled out on SM for anniversaries etc. I often get told I take really good shots. I am not artistic but it is like I can look at something and think - ok this way will make it a good photo. I've had friends/ family say they are jealous of the way I get amazing shots of my DC. So I also enjoy it as a hobby and maybe ppl think I am crap and lie to me!

At the start of the summer I really wanted to get some really good photo's of me breastfeeding what will be my last baby, then ILs, my mum while they are for once in good health at the same time. And a nice one of my little family.

So I hired a photographer. What she produced was amazing