This camera doesn’t even matter. 

"If your work's good, that's going to be the very, very last thing they think about." Damn dude... Said it all right there in that one sentence. As a tech/gear guy, I often find myself getting caught up in gear (whether it be cameras, backpacks, car stuff, whatever). I love this gentle reminder to stick to making good things, regardless of what you're making them with.

Real stuff here Dee. All of my favorite photos I’ve made are because of the moment, narrative and aesthetic form. And yes, non-gear videos are almost guaranteed to come up short in views, a reality I’ve come to accept but I find this fulfilling regardless. Well said and strong points as always. Enjoying building camaraderie with you, Lee and others. Also, cameo 2:24 🤗

For me the camera matters a lot, up to the point that I have the image. I’m just a hobbyist, so I like to use cameras that are fun for me. A camera that may be a great tool is not necessarily a great toy

Excellent topic. I’ve been moved by photos I’ve taken with my iPhone just as much as my expensive camera gear. I believe that composition and light play more of a role than the gear how photography makes you feel. Thanks for the reminder.

BACK AGAIN WITH ANOTHER ...... BANGER🔥🔥🔥🔥

Gear these days are so close in specs. Choose what is comfortable to you so that you learn that particular gear. You’ll be able to capture your story. After initial gear and learning, save money to go on trips to continue whatever story you want to learn and share about. Also, don’t strive for likes. Do it for you. Only compare your photos today with photos you took yesterday. Nothing else matters.

I look at it as if it's general, everyday or strictly personal documentary photography, gear is not a real consideration. What ever camera I have that day is what I have, period. However if there is an image I have in mind and one I feel needs to be preserved in a certain style and/or quality, That is when I pull out the top tier gear or what ever will 100% get the image and IQ I want. I say that is only 10% of my total product. Lately I have been carrying a 5D II or my X-Pro 2 depending what is charged up with me to work and when I'm out and about, it really doesn't matter as long as I am ready to snap a shot hear and there when I see a photo op. Some of my all time favorite photos have been shot on old 10, 12 or 16 MP cameras that I still have and use today, why, because it is what I had in hand at the time and ANY camera would have worked.

Even though I own and mostly use a Canon EOS 5D Mark III, I really enjoy my Canon EOS D30 - because it is a fun camera. The small photography community in my hometown is really inclusive and fun. Old DSLRs, Leica, Hasselblad and other brands - gear is nice, but a great image is better.

“San Antonio fiesta it was fun, there were Edgar’s” lmao idk if anyone else caught that

Saw a comment of yours from 2 years ago on a random fujifilm video where you mentioned thinking about quitting RU-vid, it’s inspiring to see you still going to this day. Wanted to say from a random person I’m thankful you continued, wish you all the success in the world however you define it. Take care man enjoying the channel.

Really love your takes on photography and the community! Really refreshing! Being new to the photography community I've noticed there are two prominent disciplines/hobbies: photography (art mindset) and gear (numbers and specs). Some channels only focus on gear and cameras and thats fine for them; others only talk about the art of photography, printing, zines, etc. Where I feel people get it wrong is thinking "only gear matters," or "if you buy this camera, all your photos will be bangers." No! Same with those who think, "you can shoot a baseball game with an iPhone, gear doesn't matter at all." Maybe, but in some situations it does. I know this tug-o-war of photography content creators will be everlasting becuase it drives engagement. I'm just here to say I think it's okay to have a hobby in both photography (art) and gear as long as they complement each other and you don't develop the mindset that just because you have certain specs, you're better then everyone or on the other hand, if you can shoot a good photo with a potato, than you're better then anyone who buys a new camera. Have some empathy. Not everyone has the same photo/gear needs as you and that's okay.

I love love love my Coolpix A. At some point I was looking at my archive and realized how many of my favorite shots were actually taken with the Coolpix A. The fact that I can just toss it in my pocket is a game changes. I just wish it had a viewfinder.

Stay out of debt, trying to work out of that hole at the moment. Great video Dee, thanks for all the advice and pep talks when a brother was low.

I love this man. You have no idea how much you helped me and motivated me. You are like a damn cool down to earth photography Dad, just educating and educating!

I think cameras and photography are kinda two interests (that often overlap). Personally I am a bit gear focused online, I'm quite private with 99% of my photography out of respect of the family and friends I photography. However, like you, when I'm showing photos to people I rarely talk too much about gear, it's more amount the moment… and sometimes not even the photo itself but about the cherished memory it depicts. But yeah, I also do get really excited about gear sometimes. I think it's possible to do that without deluding yourself into ”gud camera me great photo make!”. For instance, I'm loving the manual focus lens lately (first time I'm using one digitally), but so many of my shots are out of focus now, but it's so much fun (and I think I'm improving?). Also: pretty sure I got into your channel want to watch a video about specific gear, and even when you *do* talk about gear I think you do a great job about weaving photography in general into. So thanks!

Great video. I 100% agree with the message. But also, the video itself is so good-I love the pacing, the images and clips you include, everything about it. This was really enjoyable. There's so much negativity in the photography discourse online. Everyone is always complaining about GAS, critiquing new releases, griping about brands, comparing cameras to figure out what's "best".... When what really matters, like you say, is the richness of the images we produce and our enjoyment of the process.

Due to finances,price point is king. High end, products, Are there just to look at, for me anyway. discontinued camera models are just fine😊

This video really spoke to me. I'm peraonally at a point where my cameras are more a tool to create something in my head rather than a "cool piece of gear". At the moment I'm selling off a few cameras that were more flashy for ones more capable of the type of work I want to make and offer to clients. I use to shoot a lot of street photography but my work has leaned away from that as I pursue a career in photography and directing. I decided that my Fujifilm Xpro3 was just not useful in my client or creative work anymore, so I'm selling that to get the XH2s to do more video work. As a result of getting rid of the Xpro3 I still want a capable everyday carry that I'll do street with occasionally so I'm picking up the Lumix ZS-50 tomorrow for just that reason (and because its cheap). My street work is just for the enjoyment of photography at this point which I realized is something I need to protect for myself so I don't burn out and see photography as just a job and lose that enjoyment that I found in it originally.

Well-presented. Sensible advice. Not that gear matters, but I could not help but notice the ultra-cool Coolpix A. I do not use my A often, but, I am glad to have it. Its permanently-fixed lens is amazingly good, it has a serious APS-C sensor, its “pro-like” metal body simply feels wonderful in the hand, and the A plays well with our top-tier Nikon Speedlights. The A can be a nice wide-angle companion camera when my other camera is a DSLR with a 70-200mm or other telephoto lens, or, it can be a stand-alone walking-about camera. When my first Nikon A drowned in storm water, I replaced it with TWO pre-owned A’s.

Love the look without the hat, bro. Another great video.

11:08 THAT PART

Ive been off facebook and IG for over a month now, bought a printer and photography just got even more fun. Are you using a dual camera harness? If so, which one? Also, are you still making a trip to Clevo this year?

I actually shot solely on a papershoot camera. Literally no viewfinder, no screen. Just a lens with a slider that has 4 filters. The only way to know what photos you got is to pulls out the card and review them on your phone. Shooting that way for nearly a year taught me alot of how to take better photos and to better compose photos in my head. It literally happened to me at California disney m, where it's this unique angle of the avengers campus and the guardians of the galaxy ride in the back. I had no idea how it looked till I got home. Just take photos, screw the gear, but buy the gear that caters to your style of shooting

Class video 👌 we all need this reminder at times!

Another great video, Dee!

Always enjoy your videos and this is spot on…as always.

Damn dude. Nailed it. Appreciate you!!!

Loved the editing with still shots coupled with environmental sounds. If I ever want to show my pictures in a video or slideshow format, I’ll steal this idea! When it comes to people ranting about GAS and gear review videos, I’m always puzzled. Gear reviews existing and doing well is not a portent of the end of civilization or anything that deep. Some people watch them to research what they want to buy. Some people watch them just for fun because they can be entertaining and don’t require deep focus. It adds up to a bunch of views, so RU-vid ends up recommending them. If people don’t like those videos they can always… watch different videos and channels? (And they’ll even get fewer recommendations for gear review videos after a while.) Or go to photo exhibits, or get a few photo books from their local public libraries. Or go out and take pictures. The possibilities are endless.

The only reason your gear would matter is if it allows you to express your photo the way you envision it.

Best regards to SA from SMTX 👊

This is your best video

Can you make a video on how to actually get work?

🙏🏻❤

It's the lens, not the camera

Lmao on the gear video rant.

Omg I’m gonna be famous! I was in one of Dee’s videos 🤩🤩🤩

Hair lookin juicy, my guy. 🧃🔥

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏