Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

Readers of photography magazines want to know about equipment and method. That is why they read.
All equipment and method.

CPR Loc: Nature Coast of Florida

Come on guys, and gals, do you really think the photo magazines are published to show us photos??? It's all about selling gear and services. Period - no other reason........

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

It sort of goes to that old question, "How'd he do that?" By listing the equipment and camera settings, the reader can get an idea of how to take similar photos. Yes, there's likely a bit of bragging, and there's also some paid advertising that goes on. "Look, "so and so" photographer uses X-brand tripods, etc., etc., and you can take photos like that, too, with that equipment." That bit. Personally, I don't care so much about what brand/type of camera or tripod was used, but I do like to see what the settings were. To me, that's useful.

JPL

This is marketing, sponsoring etc. People write articles and get some small payment for mentioning the gear.

Joe Blow

Joe Blow

It's a question of information. If you don't know what the information means then of course it is meaningless. Most pros won't publish the EXIF as it contains confidential information so they will give the relevant technical stuff.

Is the type of lens and camera important? To some, it is. They want to see what that lens and camera is capable of. If the guy (or gal) is good, ya, their choices, including tripod heads may be convincing. Or, why would he lug that expensive and heavy tripod up that mountain side if it didn't have some appealing characteristic.

If this info doesn't matter to you, ignore it. If it might matter then great.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Or perhaps the listing of brand and model is to please the sponsor/advertiser who (so generously!) supplied the equipment for the article. Do you not find it suspicious that the equipment mentioned nearly always consists of the most recent models - be it camera, lens or tripod? What ever happened to the amazing equipment mentioned in last year's article? I think it has less to do with pretentious bragging and more to do with an arrangement with the advertisers.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

Part of the reason they list the equipment is its advertising for their paying sponsors. Additionally, mentioned previously, some people want to know...for reasons I can't fathom since every situation is different. You won't take great pictures by copying others.

OTOH they need to fill the pages with something otherwise...

Selene03

I really don't care about what, if any, tripod or head was used or what bag the equipment was carried in, but I do find the camera, lens, and settings info useful. Unfortunately, there are so few photo magazines left that it probably doesn't matter whether or not they print that information.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

Mentioning hardware in a magazine is a way to sell advertising, which provides the revenue needed to keep the publication going. If you leave out ISO, aperture, shutter speed then readers/viewers complain and may not buy your magazine and see the expensive advertisements which is why the magazine exists in the first place.

I don't know what brushes Picasso used, but some of his works were done in regular house paint.

Properframe Loc: US Virginia

"So it's not like the photographer knew what the camera was shooting at when taking a picture."
Well he does not know if he is using "P" for Professional mode eh?
I, being stupid, use "M" mode for Moron and have to set the shutter speed, aperture, ISO max.

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

I consider magazines, just "commercials" that we pay to read.

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

So you know what someone shot an image at.........chances are you will never be in the same situation ever.....and few publish how much PP they used to make up for the settings they used. Learning by rote only works when information is universally constant. In photography, nothing ever is.

That's my view

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

When I see a great photo I want to know what camera and lens were being used, whether it was on a tripod (I don't care which one), and the aperture, the shutter speed, the ISO and the focal length. I find this information not only interesting but useful in understanding how the final images was created. Additionally, you strangely stated, "So it's not like the photographer knew what the camera was shooting at when taking a picture.". That very odd statement alone makes me question your knowledge and experience as a photographer, regardless of how good your claimed skills might be. I'm surprised no one else picked up on it. I, and most other advanced shooters here, know exactly what our settings are at all times when we capture an image. What's the point of understanding how to get the best from your camera on every shot, if you don't know how your camera is set? Why would you think otherwise? Do you mostly shoot in full auto? Otherwise your statement doesn't make sense. Perhaps you can show us some of these outstanding photos for which you had no idea of the settings when you captured them.

I am also a musician, a drummer to be exact. When I listen to a recording or see a live show where a drummer is performing I am very interested in the drum manufacturer and the models and sizes of the drums, the cymbal brands and sizes, the heads being used on the drums and the sticks being used. All this information, along with technique, is of interest to other drummers. It is similar to the interest photographers here have regarding detailed info on photographs and the equipment used to make them. If that weren't true, this forum would be a couple of orders of magnitude smaller.