Recently, a group of photographers I follow began sharing some photography preferences through a quick writing challenge. With a few simple this-or-that style questions, I learned a lot about them. And myself. Here are my thoughts…
1. Prime or Zoom Lens?
It depends.
This might be my generic response.
When a person starts with their first ‘nice camera’, it typically comes with a zoom lens. For the first decade or so of my photography experience, all I used were zooms. These worked well, as my primary paying gigs were weddings and a lot can happen quickly. Two bodies, one wide zoom and one tele-zoom can make short work of most situations. Or at least save you from running all day.
Zooms can be a crutch. You rely on them to compose multiple looks from a single location. For me, this makes sense when you are photographing ‘reactive’ instead of ‘proactive’. Once you begin to develop a look, or a set way of working, the benefits of prime lenses (larger apertures, sharper optics, image character) begin to shine. I will say, however, as a Nikon Z shooter, review upon review from some newer zooms suggest that at least image quality is now on par with the primes.
Yet…
For show photography, I used the Nikon 50mm f/1.2. This lens is way overkill for almost every use, but it shines in a dimly lit venue. Being a prime, and a helluva nice one at that, even wide open at f/1.2 the images are sharp. And I was able to keep the ISO under control because of that extra light. It’s night and day compared to my college attempts. Though I do realize possible lighting differences and a hugely improved camera body help as well, I’m happy to relinquish my ability to zoom to use this prime at concerts.
2. Free-Hand or Tripod?
You know what I’m going to say don’t you?
What I’m learning about myself here is that I don’t have a niche. I think that might make this line of questioning more streamlined.
Most of the time I do not have the tripod with me. For weddings, seniors, street, event, wildlife, hiking, etc. and what have you, there is little use for it. They’re big, they get in the way, I imagine people on airplanes don’t like them, I just don’t use them that much.
Sometimes I absolutely need it.
On any long road trip, the tripod comes along. Use cases include night skies, timelapse, video, and most important…my self-portrait attempts. There is often not a great spot to set a camera down, and without a friend along how else can you get that shot? And remember when I said weddings before? I never have a tripod unless it is for family formals. Being able to have the camera in a consistent spot throughout that portion of the day is so, so nice.
3. Pixels or Prints?
As a wedding photographer, I made my living selling the pixels. To this day that’s really what people want. That quick fix, that hot flash in the pan of what-happened-last-night for social media. Something to consume quickly, before the next pixel high.
What I WANT to do, is sell art prints. Huge, giant prints! My walls are decorated with the canvases I’ve printed, and my bank account is decorated with the charges of sample prints from various metal printers. I was getting ready to try the art show circuit in 2021 but instead took a job on a cruise ship. 2023 looks to be the year I commit to print.
That all being said, I have successfully sold photography calendars for the last three years. Printed, on paper, real-deal photography calendars. They feel so good in the hand and I think people appreciate the chance to have a taste of nice photos, without spending too much cash. There is truly a difference between opening this product in real life, vs checking it out on your phone.
4. Portraits or Landscapes?
I was going to try and ride the line again on this one.
Portraits are such wonderful storytelling tools. Often I am in awe when looking at the portraits of those who have mastered this craft. Which surprises me, how can I look at the face of a stranger and be so deeply engaged? I truly believe the art of storytelling is one of humanity’s greatest traits, with skillful portraiture being one of the best ways to do so.
Praise aside, I choose landscapes. I pretended that if I had to choose one or the other, I would choose to wander the countryside. The freedom and romance of climbing a remote mountain trail or camping in the woods is a magnetic draw. Catching the perfect landscape also has an element of serendipity. Planning, tenacity, and skill can all be heightened or even completely forgotten when you happen upon the right place at the right time.
And I just love that.
5. Black and White or Color?
Ah, finally one that is clear-cut. Don’t get me wrong, I still love color images and if you look at my work most of what you see will indeed be in color.
But the absence of it is where my heart lies. Many times (and I see this in my own photography) the only reason a color image ‘works’ is because it has color in it. These chroma-laden hues do all the heavy lifting, and once removed the image falls flat.
Even in these modern times, a monochrome image exudes a sense of timelessness. Somewhere between a pure black and a pure white, I can get lost in the emotion of the moment, noticing details that were hidden to the human eye but oh-so-clear when the distraction of color is eschewed.
Final Thoughts
In this little experiment, I learned about myself. I hadn’t realized some of these were choices people made or that I had made them. Picking between shooting on a tripod or handheld? In photography, I have often understood it to be that most things are situational. Or perhaps, there is a correct way to achieve a goal…and then there is getting it done. Both can work if you know what you are going for.
On the other hand, the heart clearly knows what the heart wants. I love and use the word sincerely, the smooth gradations of a black and white print that melts from light to dark. Or the story of a dramatic picture, printed larger than a person hanging on a wall. Yes, yes truly I would choose prints over their pixel counterparts as this is the ultimate way to view them.
I am curious about your thoughts. Do you agree or disagree? Whether you are a photographer or not, we all engage with photo imagery daily. Take a moment, ask yourself at least a couple of these questions and share your answers with me.