Cameras Don't Shoot People, People Shoot People
Friday, January 16, 2009 at 1:58PM OK, this is a bit nit-picky and silly, but anything other than more Spirit articles, right?
Almost all the photography blogs I read have taken note that the official Obama presidential portrait was created using a Canon 5D Mark II. That's certainly of some interest, but what bugs me is how many of the blogs used wording that seemed to ascribe to the camera the actual authorship of the photo:
photographyblog.com: Canon 5D Mk II Shoots Obama Portrait
canonrumors.com: Barack Obama Official Portrait by Canon
digitalcamerainfo.com: Canon 5D Mark II Snaps First Digital Presidential Portrait
Call me pedantic, but the 5D did not shoot the portrait, and it is not a portrait "by Canon." White House photographer Peter Souza made the portrait, using a Canon 5D Mark II.
Hardly the most important thing to harp on today, but language that assigns creative authorship to technology rather than people is a personal pet peeve. After having never missed an issue, I unsubscribed from Wired magazine the day I read an article about visual effects that stated "the computer removes the blue."
Reader Comments (14)
Yep, I always take a deep breath when someone asks what software I used on a certain shot.
Someone had to say it! Thanks :)
This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: "Buying a Nikon doesn't make you a photographer. It makes you a Nikon owner."
As a 10 yr fulltime professional photographer, I can say that stuff is infuriating.
And to tyler... "buying a CAMERA doesn't make you photographer..."
Buying a NIKON makes you the owner of inferior camera gear.
(what's the internet without a little mac/pc, chevy/ford, nikon/canon?)
Faldor... "Yep, I always take a deep breath when someone asks what software I used on a certain shot."
Same here! There have even been a few people who were so "patriotic" about their equipment/software that I refuse to tell them anything about what I use.
I am a firm believer that the magic is in the person, not the tools.
I was a retail photoshop artist in the 90's and it bugged the HELL out of me when customers would exclaim "How does the computer know how to remove my ex-husband!?" and her companion no doubt would look right through me and say "oh, it cause it's a Mac. They're great for graphics."
Yeah, this focus on gear drives me nuts. I have literally dozens of conversations every year with people. Oh, that film you are doing is really cool, you are using Macs, right? I have to shake my head no and explain I have mostly Windows machines cause I got a free copy of After Effects from Adobe years back blah blah.
And then - well, I like your photography, do you use Nikon or Canon? Again, shake the head. No, it's a Pentax. And people will actually express confusion if not horror. Pentax? I explain I needed steady 3fps shooting to fill up the card, only had $600, needed a special cable release.
But I feel stupid for even explaining this stuff.
It's one thing to be interested in what camera was used for a shot or for a movie. When I bought my XL2 I didn't know much about filmmaking and I'll admit that the fact that 28 Days Later was shot on one was influential - but only insomuch as I had a ready example of its potential. I look at a lot of XL2 footage - because I shoot a decent amount of XL2 footage. And I know it's shot by me. Because when I go back and watch 28 Days later, I know Dod Mantle shot that footage, not my camera.
Everything old is new again.
I remember reading, long ago, of some photog who was working at a newspaper. His favorite gripe (we all have them!) was when some assignment guy would say "Send out a camera!"
Never a mention of a person to point it at something...
I'm pretty sure Canon's marketing department had something to do with getting this story out into the media.
Yeeeaaaahhhh...but....your comments are from the enviable position of skilled operators. Give a spoon and some clay to a master sculptor and he will produce a masterpiece....give that same spoon and clay to a student and they will produce and uglier piece of clay and probably steal your spoon.
It isnt helpful to imply that it doesnt matter what tools you use, because it does. Different tools produce differnt results and as such you have all equipped your untility belts with the ones which you feel work the best for the results you want.
I always take a deep breath when entering a public toilet.
To Solent animation ..."I always take a deep breath when entering a public toilet."
Is that because you "Love the Smell of Napalm in the Morning" aka Shyte?
Or did you really mean "You take a deep breadth BEFORE you enter a public toilet? ;-)
And I agree with you that the tools allow the artist to employ their craft and produce their work in a way that would differ from another tool.
As to giving clay and a spoon to students I would be mindful as many will simply try and eat it! ^^
And this was my talk last week to FCPUG. I think it's because it's really hard to "do stuff", and then really, really challenging "to do stuff great".
How can a shiny new piece of gear not be appealing to so many people who struggle with telling stories and making pictures?
The hardware and software marketing people depend on this despair to sell us stuff we already have or probably don't really need. Meaning, I'm not really holding my breath for the Canon 5D firmware update to tackle my next project. And at the same time, gosh it'd be perfect if it shot 24P.
I couldn't agree with you more. People think that anyone can take amazing photos if they just have the right camera.
yep, had this guy come up to me start of a sports game, wants to know how many megapixels its got, all this stuff, then before I even get a chance to tear him a new one, ( I kid you not ) he whips out this,, haha! little 2x3 inch rectangle of a gadget, and proceeds to go into the "Specs" of his newest toy,,
I took one glance at the thing in his hand........
He brought a credit card/phone cam to a football game, and thought he was going to get spectacular shots !?!?!
Guess he thought it was the newest thing on the market, it would create his award winning sports shots for him ?
wonder how that ol "consumer shutter lag" is working out for him ?