Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

Great photo James. I have followed your photography here on UHH for quite some time. I find that you do an excellent job and your subjects are interesting and fun to look at. I especially like your tone-mapped images. I have also enjoyed your images from The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and those from the Tennessee State Parks. Keep on sharing your adventures. It does not matter which camera you used. It does not matter if it was shot in RAW. As a matter of fact I doubt that are any UHHers who can tell if an image was shot in RAW and then processed or if shot in jpeg. What does matter is your eye for good photography and you have that. One of my cameras is a Canon PowerShot SD1000 Elph that I have had for several years. Many of the images that I have posted were taken with that camera. I have a Canon SX50 that I find myself using more than my Canon EOS 50D. Of course the 50D is obsolete in the eyes of many but I can't find any rational reason why I should spend unnecessary thousands to replace it. I still use Photoshop CS6 which was an upgrade form CS5 a few years ago. As a matter of fact my first Photoshop was Photoshop 4 which was given to me by a friend. I then upgraded every 2 releases. I don't use Lightroom because I don't need it for my photography for any reason.

I tell you all of this because your equipment does not matter. What matters is your eye for the subject and your photographic skill. You have both.

Keep your great images coming.

Have Merry Tennessee Christmas,

Jim

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I've had expensive cameras and I've had cheap cameras. The camera doesn't give you the "eye" to see nor the sense of balance in a composition. It doesn't give you patience to wait for the light. If you learn to use whatever camera you have to its fullest capabilities and do things right in camera, PP isn't as necessary to get a nice image. I have a friend who is quite successful in photography and she uses a small bridge camera and doesn't even own a computer! I think I'd shoot if I only had a pinhole camera!

Nice image, by the way.

Madman Loc: Gulf Coast, Florida USA

First off, let me say that I like your photo very much - and I don't give a hoot about what camera you used to get it.

A camera is a tool - just like a saw or a hedge trimmer. The skill of the user is what determines the quality of the job done. I couldn't play any better on the best Steinway concert grand piano than on a children's toy.

Those folks that delight in telling us over and over again about their expensive state -of-the-art equipment and the newest software don't impress me either. Ever notice that they are the ones that never post their work? Must be a reason!

Just be content with what you have and what you can achieve with it until such time that you are ready to upgrade.

GeneB Loc: Chattanooga Tennessee

James, don't worry so much about these things. I have yet to see anything that you have posted that is not a quality photo. Well composed and edited and presented. I enjoy what you do so keep it up and Merry Christmas.

Retired fat guy with a camera Loc: Colorado

It is not the gear, but the eye behind the camera that counts. And you Sir, have a very fine eye.

Harry_in_England

About two and a half years ago, for my 58th birthday, my son bought me a used Canon EOS 1100D (I believe in the USA it's called Rebel T3) and I thought 'Well this is the best camera by far that I've ever had. Now I'll get some brilliant shots'.

Yeah right! Did I 'eck as like!

Apart from the higher number of pixels, my photos were no better or worse than any I've taken in all the years since childhood.

Then earlier this year I 'did' a photography course of eleven two-hour lessons and several field trips for putting the lessons into practice. And suddenly my photography has improved immensely. I'm still using the same camera and the same 'kit' lenses so the only difference is that my skill level has increased. So taking better pictures clearly has little to do with having more expensive equipment. It has to do with learning how to compose the picture and (probably equally importantly) what to leave out of the picture.

I think I've been lucky with the photography club I've joined too. There are lots of people there with some fantastic gear but I have not even once heard any disparaging remarks about 'low quality' gear or 'Oh, well, if you had this camera or that lens . . .' Everyone is very encouraging to new members and no-one seems to care whether I am using a mobile phone (cell phone) or a Hasselblad. I gather not all clubs are the same but mine is a good one - The Bristol Photographic Society.
My suggestion, therefore, is to ignore the snobs who brag about their latest acquisitions and how much they spent. They are the sort of people who own Ferraris but don't really know how to drive them safely. Instead, associate with people who look at your images instead of your camera. I ride a bicycle to club meetings because I can't afford a car but nobody laughs when I turn up in my hi-viz coat and my elastic ankle straps (to keep my trouser (pants) legs out of the chain).
Of course I'd be nice to have a Canon 5D mk IV with all the best lenses Canon can provide (I've learned my way around the Canon menus and I have no desire to switch to Nikon) but I can't afford them and I probably never will be able to so I am learning how to get the best from my 1100D and I'm actually content with it.

sakitson Loc: Goleta, CA

Right on!
I have learned things from all sorts of folk on this site no matter their camera gear. I'm usually more interested in how they came by the shot than what they used - stalking the critter, waiting on the light, being at a site at a certain time of year, etc. There are opportunities all around us every day if we keep our cameras handy, but usually we have favorite subjects we are drawn to that keep us trying to capture ever better/different versions. That may be the impetus for thinking a "newer, better" piece of equipment will help. I'm waiting for the eyeball implant that prints out exactly what MY brain sees! But until then I'm having fun learning as I go, seeing what other's brains see and letting my own camera occasionally surprise me.

davids999 Loc: Edinburgh, UK

Speaking as a fellow pauper James I think that is a great image James! Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!!!

Photo Girl Loc: SE Pasco County, FL

James, your photos are always superb, sharp, well composed, and have great color. It's because of your photos here on UHH, that I bought the HX 400. I have taken termite damage photos with both my nikon and the Hx400 and I think the HX 400 has the edge. So keep on posting because you have proven that one doesn't need high priced cameras to produce a great photo. It's your talent behind the camera that strokes the camera to produce a great shot! Keep posting, my friend!

Dan O Loc: Shrewsbury, Pa

James, I took look at flicker pics and you have nothing to be ashamed of.

James56 Loc: Nashville, Tennessee

Thank you so much for all the replies Folks. I appreciate the encouragement. There's a great group of people here. I'm glad to see many of you enjoy my images. I'm kind of stuck here in my cheap camera world for now...so I try to make the best of what I have till I win the Lottery. That's the message I've read from many of you, to be proud of what you have and to do the best with it. I Thank you all so much for enduring my moment of self doubt. God Bless you All...

James56 Loc: Nashville, Tennessee

Thank you Kindly Dan. I have some good and bad images both on Flickr. There's times when things go well for me photographically. And times when I can't shoot worth a darn. I post it all...it reflects life, there's good and bad and I share it all with the world, not just the good as many do.

Djedi

James, you just keep doing what you're doing. That emerald choppy sea has a beautiful, painterly (watercolor) quality that must be downloaded and seen at full size to appreciate.

You say you have learned to shoot "dark". I can understand that being the case if the camera (your Sony) does not handle overexposure well and bleaches out tones that are a tad too light.
Usually, on small sensor cameras, if a highlight is blown out, you will not be able to retrieve detail. But dark areas can often be "brought up" to bring out apparently lost detail.
The only problem with that, is you often gain some noise in those areas as a result. But if you can live with that and don't over-do it, you are doing just what you need to do.
It means you have learned certain idiosyncrasies about your camera and have found a way around them. Kudos to you!
Remember that the best camera in the world is the camera you have at hand when that magic "picture moment" happens. I have gotten fabulous images with my old Panasonic Fz series cameras because I have always carried them with me (big vulture in the road about to take off, fabulous sunrises/sets, etc).
This is why I get PO'd at people who look at a photo and the first question out of their mouths is - "What camera did you use?"
As if the camera grabbed me by the neck, shook me, said "C'mon you blind idiot, press my shutter button when I point myself in that direction!"
Merry Christmas! and enjoy your passion!
W

James56 Loc: Nashville, Tennessee

Thanks Margo, you've been a valued friend and supporter. I think I've pushed my Sony to the brink of its abilities so many times. I now know what I can do and can't do with it. Sadly, Sony is not going to update this line any time soon. They've given up on small sensored cameras for the time being. However, there is a beacon of hope. They have invested heavily into providing sensors for many of todays cell phones on the market. That means, they have to be on the cutting edge to provide the best and to out perform the competition. Their research and development of small sensors may rival the image quality of Full Framed cameras one of these days...so there could be amazing things coming from with Sony in the future. People may think that's a bold statement, but the camera industry has lost most its revenue to cell phones.

James56 Loc: Nashville, Tennessee

What a wonderful post and one which I so enjoyed. You understand my dilemma. I bought this camera because I was impressed with the quality of the Zeiss lens. I'm poor, I don't have a lot of money to spend, but I wanted a camera I thought could take me a long ways. Because it only records jpegs, I've had to be very inventive over the years to get the most out of it. Thank God for software which has been my saving grace. Yes, I shoot dark because I hate blowouts. I wish the camera had RAW, it's stupid is doesn't, but I still fell in love with the bang for the buck I got with it. I have spent a lot of time observing the quality of others with better gear and I've chased after them with my $300 Sony. I may never equal them, but the chase drives me to push myself and my little camera to our limits. I've done well and I've won a few ribbons with this camera. My most glowing recognition was winning my camera clubs "Photo of the Year". I won in a field dominated by Nikon and Canons, some FF, and now my image is proudly the displayed on their website. Check in out at
http://www.nashvillephotographyclub.com/ once the page loads, you will see my birdie shot that won over all others and that has been something I am so proud of. I want to help others who can't afford much as an encourager. I thank you so much Djedi...