It? Who- or what- is this “It” anyway?

How many times have you said this: :”Yeah, It takes great photos“? But what does this really say about our relationship to our technology?

You are the photographer- right?…the camera is just a tool. Some of the best works ever made were made with not-so-great cameras, and, as we all know, give a camera to a good photographer, ANY camera and they can produce good work. Give a camera to an inept photographer- even the BEST-MOST-AMAZING camera- and can you reliably expect phenomenal results? Not so much.

The upshot? It ain’t the camera stupid.

Sure, the Photo Industrial Complex loves it when photographers pile on all praise and gratitude to them, ie: their products. And YES, there are some really good lenses and camera systems made that can enable you to get a shot or explore possibilities not possible with other equipment, but it is worth remembering that these tools are useless in the hands of an idiot… and yet marvelous in hands of a talented artists. The gear- or IT- is just a tool.

So the next time you are about to give credit for your vision, talent and hard work to the Photo Industrial Complex/your camera manufacturer- remember that, actually, you deserve the credit… after all, they already got their reward when they swiped your credit card.