Do I Need a Fancy Camera?

Hello Everyone,

Let’s be honest. There are hundreds if not thousands of articles telling you why you don’t need a great camera to take great pictures. Here is my answer to the question. 

-Miles

A Thought

The answer to this lies within you. You need to ask yourself one question when you get started: “What do I have?” The only correct answer is, “More than I realize.” Nearly everyone has access to a smartphone, and a friend or family member with an even nicer one. If you are in school, you may have a photography club with cameras that you can borrow. If you really have nothing, and you want to get into photography, remember where the idea started: drawing. Start with paper and a pencil, and sketch a scene that you find interesting. Learn the basics of composition, texture, and colors. You don’t even have to be a decent artist. Just capture a moment in time. READ!!! You don’t have to reinvent the wheel (though you might make a unique and interesting wheel if you tried). Learn about the rule of thirds, leading lines, and the color wheel. If you are reading this, you have internet access, and you definitely have access to a library. Now, say things are really bad; if you don’t have paper, pencils, or any help, here’s what you can do. Take your hands, make a little window with your fingers, and frame a scene. You should be exploring the world around you and thinking, “This is something that should be remembered.” “This should be shared.” “I wish (insert significant person in your life here) could be here to see this with me.” Study what makes these scenes important to you. A sense of awe and an appreciation for life is more important than any technology. Best of all, this technique works in the rain, unlike most cameras. With hard work, time, and a little luck, you will be able to afford something better one day, and by then, you’ll be a master. Things will get better my friend. You got this!

My Setup

My camera is a Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ300. Although it sounds like the newest supercar, the FZ-300 is actually close to being a budget camera. When I purchased it, I didn’t even consider using it for stills; the original plan was to make YouTube videos. However, one thing led to another, and I fell in love with photography. The FZ-300 is weatherproof, has 24x zoom, and a variety of settings. However, it has many shortcomings. First of all, the sensor (the part that actually collects the light for a photo) is very small and is only slightly better than that of a phone camera. As a result, it cannot take quality pictures in low light. Also, it has a non-removable lens, which means I can’t switch to a higher zoom or fisheye lens. In order to overcome this, I try to take photos when the sun is out. Indoor shots aren’t a possibility for me, but I like street photography, so it doesn’t really matter. When it’s dark outside, I have to cheat a little. I switch to black and white and use my flash. It may still produce grainy photos, but black and white graininess is better than random splotches and hues in color photos. Here’s are a few examples. 

Bhudpaul Dharamraj (Top Right, Lower Left), Hector Naranjo (Lower Left)

When I Forgot My Camera

It shouldn’t have happened, but it did. During my last trip to Florida, I was in a rush and I left my camera home. I kept beating myself up about it, but then I realized I still had my phone. My phone sucks. It’s a 1st generation Motorola Moto G (a clue to how bad it is: they are currently in their 4th generation). It has horrendous low light capabilities, and the picture quality is nothing to write home about. However, it was all I had, and I decided to use it. I tried to capture moments in perfect sunlight, where the picture quality would be the best. I also decided not to use digital zoom, as it heavily degrades picture quality. I used my feet instead.  Unfortunately, this made it difficult to frame wildlife shots, since I had to get very close. Here are the best shots that I took. (The first one is cropped)

Final Words

Now, these shots are far from perfect, and the quality isn’t great, but there was a great sense of accomplishment for me. The odds were against me, but I still came out swinging. If you let what you don’t have get in the way of what you do, you’ll never get anything done. I have been guilty of falling into that pattern in the past, and I want you to do better. In my experience, the most fulfilled people are those who appreciate what they already have, and what possibilities await them in the future. That’s all folks, I hope that helped some of you with your first shots. If you have any advice for shooting with a phone or a cheap camera, please share it with us. Have fun!