When people like your shots, and assume it's your gear

KillRamsey

Hall of Famer
Location
Hood River, OR
Name
Kyle
I have a friend, a fellow dad at my girl's school. He's a great guy, and both families hang out a lot. He's shot film, but isn't too serious a hobbyist at all. He asked folks to take pictures at the holiday party they threw at their house friday night, and I did of course. Everyone later uploaded pictures to a sharing site. It was a bunch of grainy cellphone pics of people looking very drunk, and then my XT files that were (ahem) taken with some care. He wrote to ask about my camera, with an eye on getting one for christmas. And it got me thinking...

I think this might be a common thing. People see good pictures, and attribute a lot of it (if not all of it) to the gear. I believe that he's thinking that with a Fuji XT1 in his hands, he could replicate those pictures, and my concern is not for my delicate feelings (HOW DARE HE ASSUME I'M NOT A GENIUS WHO COULD DO JUST AS WELL WITH A DISPOSABLE DRUGSTORE CAMERA GALLDERNIT), my concern is that someone might blow a grand and a half, spend two months trying to figure it out, and let it gather dust / feel cheated.

I told him if he did indeed feel like wading in, I'd be glad to help him with whatever he went for. Should I have disuaded him? Or just handed him the XT and said "here, go nuts"...?
 
As so many discussions on photo sites are predicated on this very issue, I wouldn't worry, he'll just be joining a mass delusion shared by so many.

as for
my concern is that someone might blow a grand and a half, spend two months trying to figure it out, and let it gather dust / feel cheated.
, I suppose if he has a 1½K to buy toys, any disappointment is his to worry about, not you.
 
There is an old tale of a photographer who was complemented on his work by a lady. "Great photo, " she said "you must have a great camera." The photographer said nothing.

The next month the photographer was invited to the lady's house for dinner. He cleared his plate with great satisfaction, pushed back from the table and said "Great meal - you must have great pots and pans."

It's the archer not the arrow...
 
I have a friend, a fellow dad at my girl's school. He's a great guy, and both families hang out a lot. He's shot film, but isn't too serious a hobbyist at all. He asked folks to take pictures at the holiday party they threw at their house friday night, and I did of course. Everyone later uploaded pictures to a sharing site. It was a bunch of grainy cellphone pics of people looking very drunk, and then my XT files that were (ahem) taken with some care. He wrote to ask about my camera, with an eye on getting one for christmas. And it got me thinking...

I think this might be a common thing. People see good pictures, and attribute a lot of it (if not all of it) to the gear. I believe that he's thinking that with a Fuji XT1 in his hands, he could replicate those pictures, and my concern is not for my delicate feelings (HOW DARE HE ASSUME I'M NOT A GENIUS WHO COULD DO JUST AS WELL WITH A DISPOSABLE DRUGSTORE CAMERA GALLDERNIT), my concern is that someone might blow a grand and a half, spend two months trying to figure it out, and let it gather dust / feel cheated.

I told him if he did indeed feel like wading in, I'd be glad to help him with whatever he went for. Should I have disuaded him? Or just handed him the XT and said "here, go nuts"...?

point him to really good images on the web taken with a cheap compact or even camera phone

OR persuade him he needs a camera that you want so that you can buy it off him cheap when he realises that it takes skill

OR sell him your Fuji XT1 at a good price and upgrade
 
point him to really good images on the web taken with a cheap compact or even camera phone

OR persuade him he needs a camera that you want so that you can buy it off him cheap when he realises that it takes skill

OR sell him your Fuji XT1 at a good price and upgrade

I won't lie... Option B had occurred to me. Especially since he's eyeing the kit zoom along with it. I wants that kit zoom. And I would happily take a second body. (tents fingers)
 
Perhaps suggest buying a good used camera? one where they do not have to spend a fortune such as the Nex 3 and 5's or a Panasonic G3 not sure of Fuji equivalents. That way they don't lay down fortune so will hopefully be less frustrated when learning how to take decent photographs. I come out with great profanities to people who make the nice photo you must have a great camera slur. Ill use any piece of junk depending on how I feel that day.
 
Kyle, your photos would have been better than everyone else's even if you were using a cel phone, but the difference wouldn't have been so shockingly clear. If he's genuinely interested, and you like him enough to spend a few hours with him go out shooting with him. Set up the XT1 (even in auto mode, but if he knows enough about aperture and shutter speed. just set up the auto ISO for him) You can go out and shoot with your trusty X100. Then after the shooting is over, he can take you out for a couple cold beers and you can review the shots you guys took and discuss which he likes (and why) and maybe he'll realize that having a nice camera can help make a photo easier to create or can give a good photo certain aesthetic qualities one can't get out of a cel phone, but that it DOESN"T automagically make beautiful photos.

And maybe he'll even realize that the photos you got out of your 3 year old X100 are even better than the ones he got with your shiny newer XT1 and he'll "get" that he doesn't need the latest and greatest (though if he can afford it, who are we to stop him.....we're all ready for some more "like new" cameras in the classifieds :D)
 
I won't lie... Option B had occurred to me. Especially since he's eyeing the kit zoom along with it. I wants that kit zoom. And I would happily take a second body. (tents fingers)

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Luke that is a brilliant idea.
Kyle you mentioned he has shot film, hopefully it was on an SLR and then the idea of aperture iso and shutter speed won't be entirely unknown to him . You can also of course set the vf with a rule of thirds grid which you can point out the functionality of and he may walk out of the day energized to buy your XT1 after seeing his results
I think at some point or another we all ahve heard the you must have a good camera type thing (I heard it on a shot i was selling at a show I had. I took the shot with a $20 Holga 120 lol
 
I'd probably ask the only guy in the room about his camera too if I had yet to get one-- and that wouldn't be assuming it was all the camera's doing though a better camera can take better photos in the hands of a knowledgeable user. I mean, really, if you ask a friend you are trusting in them that they will tell you what you might need to get started. It's true that many people attribute good photo taking to the gear, but sometimes they just want to learn too. I hope your friend gets the camera and falls in love with it. Good for him for wanting to create better photos.
 
I'd probably ask the only guy in the room about his camera too if I had yet to get one-- and that wouldn't be assuming it was all the camera's doing though a better camera can take better photos in the hands of a knowledgeable user. I mean, really, if you ask a friend you are trusting in them that they will tell you what you might need to get started. It's true that many people attribute good photo taking to the gear, but sometimes they just want to learn too. I hope your friend gets the camera and falls in love with it. Good for him for wanting to create better photos.

This is where I'm at, with a tiny bit of "Man I hope he doesn't later regret the purchase" sprinkled on top.

He reports that he'd LOVE to get beers and take photos, if we can figure out when. Busy time of year. So there's hope.
 
Let him try your camera while you are out. Discuss gear if he asks questions, make suggestions. You might be grooming a photo buddy which would be most excellent!
 
Photo buddies are good to have. I'm in the process of grooming one, myself. She started with a Canon DSLR and didn't really enjoy using it. she now has a Nikon P600 and is as happy as a pig in poo. She's making some really decent shots with it as well. We are planning a zoo visit in the new year :)

I think Luke's suggestions are right on the money, and hopefully your friend will love photography as much as you do, once he has his XT :)
 
or you could do what the Jamaican DJs and sound system operators would do when they discovered a great new tune. Scratch the name off of the record label (or the camera in your case) and keep him in the dark so only you (and no one else) can play that tune that fills the dancefloor (or take those amazing photos).
 
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