Oh, the age old question. What camera do you shoot?  When the question about camera equipment is the first one out of somebody’s mouth, I already know it’s going to be a boring discussion. Who cares, really? Ohhhh-kaay. Go ahead, tell me about which expensive tool you strap to your belt, I know you’re dying to. I’m just going to smile and silently remind myself that we just met & I still need to be polite.

Wait. You know what…scratch that. I have a better idea. Let’s talk about what drives you, what inspires you, what you hope to achieve when you tell a story with your images. That’s much more interesting. Then, after a thoughtful conversation about ideas, the question of camera equipment might become relevant.

In all actuality tools do speak a lot about how a photographer approaches his/her work, what they hope to achieve, what type of thinker they are. I have one photographer friend who uses an 8×10 camera and stands in front of one shot for hours, methodically adjusting every possible control and waiting for the right moment of light to get exactly what she wants; it fits her personality and her work perfectly. I have another friend who uses an old 35mm film camera with a prime 50mm lens to capture her subjects. She later spends hours in a traditional darkroom, not photoshop, working on her prints. Both people end up with art I am proud to hang on my wall. Knowing what camera people use is not devoid of merit but it shouldn’t be the conversation starter. At the end of the day – the tool is just part of the equation.

But anyway, in case you’re curious, here’s my lineup & why I like shooting with these different tools. And (shameless plug here) if you DO need one of the pieces of camera equipment that I shoot with, then by all means, click on the link and add it to your cart! I get a little kickback if you purchase it & that definitely helps me fund the gigantic project that is photographing all of these sites (believe me, it ain’t cheap).

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