Thank You Vern

Not all readers of this blog may be aware that I also write for a camera gear review website. Camerology's niche is reviewing gear that is usually ignored by the more common review sites. On a recent Friday I took a ride to purchase a couple reviewable items from a local photographer.

While the Konica Hexar AF and Nikkormat FT turned out to be good gear for my purposes, the real gem of the trip was chatting with the seller. We discussed the contact prints hanging proudly in his living room. He recalled the allure of creating prints and the hours spent in the dark room. And we shared our general fondness for working with film.


This photo is eye candy only. It does not relate to this post. Shot with an EF 28-80mm USM kit lens.

But the most interesting part of the discussion was about how camera gear can affect a photographer's photography. But not necessarily the way we might expect. We both related situations where the gear we chose influenced the photos we created. Not the sharpness of the image. Not how much detail was present. But the style or mood of the photographs.

It was on the way home that I started to realize the impact of the day's conversation.

As a student of photography I often look for ways to improve my work. Sometimes I ask a respected photographer for a critique. Other times I study a collection and attempt to understand what makes it work. But this day just chatting with a photog with more experience helped me realize one aspect of photography that I had already observed. The topic we related on may have been a small thing, but I felt validated, more confident, and inspired to continue pushing forward to improve my work.

Thank you Vern.