A little while ago, I was reading a very informative article about wildlife photography when I came across a throw-away comment about not expecting a particular lens to be used by "serious" photographers. Yes, you've guessed it, it was my telephoto that was mentioned; the Nikon 55-300mm DX lens.
My immediate indignation gave way to a little thought. I may not be a professional photographer, but I certainly approach the subject seriously, and definitely do all I can to perfect my results insofar as my real-world constraints allow. Did that mean I'm somehow being kidding myself by not significantly upgrading my kit? Am I risking the condescension of other more capable photographers by having the temerity to venture away from holiday snaps with just my trusty Nikon D5100?
Whilst mulling this over, I had another look through my photos, taking yet another critical look at them to see if I could spot something that gave them away and screamed "amateur" to the world at large. And I couldn't.
OK, perhaps I'm pushing the tongue in cheek naivety just a tad too far, but the point is made nonetheless. All the photos I have chosen to show on this site have gone through the perilous Quality Assurance journey past my family's eyes, and I can be comfortable that they are good enough for viewers to concentrate on the stories the pictures are telling, not on the technical failings of the pictures themselves. In short, despite being on a budget, I can still think of myself as a "serious" photographer even though I don't have kit worth more than my car. A new lens would be lovely, but I'll get it because of the extra photo opportunities it gives me, not just to follow the crowd.
My immediate indignation gave way to a little thought. I may not be a professional photographer, but I certainly approach the subject seriously, and definitely do all I can to perfect my results insofar as my real-world constraints allow. Did that mean I'm somehow being kidding myself by not significantly upgrading my kit? Am I risking the condescension of other more capable photographers by having the temerity to venture away from holiday snaps with just my trusty Nikon D5100?
Whilst mulling this over, I had another look through my photos, taking yet another critical look at them to see if I could spot something that gave them away and screamed "amateur" to the world at large. And I couldn't.
OK, perhaps I'm pushing the tongue in cheek naivety just a tad too far, but the point is made nonetheless. All the photos I have chosen to show on this site have gone through the perilous Quality Assurance journey past my family's eyes, and I can be comfortable that they are good enough for viewers to concentrate on the stories the pictures are telling, not on the technical failings of the pictures themselves. In short, despite being on a budget, I can still think of myself as a "serious" photographer even though I don't have kit worth more than my car. A new lens would be lovely, but I'll get it because of the extra photo opportunities it gives me, not just to follow the crowd.
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