Putting my money where my mouth is.


Lately in my Facebook beginners group I've really been pushing my viewpoint that photography is about light and not about cameras.

Anyone that has been around me long or read my posts quickly learn that I am not all about shiny new gear. Granted, I own plenty of it, but frankly I get more enjoyment out of creating images with my old broken down "junk." 

So recently I responded to someone asking about what lights to invest in. Now, without a doubt, like anything else, if you invest in heavy duty, solid equipment it will treat you well for decades. This is a fact. 

But my response to the post was in another direction entirely because, well, I'm me.

I told the author to invest in knowledge, to learn light, to study art, etc. Because with the right skill, a great photograph could be created with a flashlight. 

Well, wouldn't ya know it, someone challenged me to prove it? So, I did. I put my money where my mouth is. I needed to update the blog anyway right?


There is absolutely nothing fancy or high tech used to create this photograph. In fact, most everything I've used is broken. Its shot with my broken 7D camera. If you want to know more about my 7D there its addressed plenty in this blog but here's a start. The Broken 7D

Attached to the 7D is an old Meyer Optik lens. Don't be alarmed if that means nothing to you. Just understand that its a lens likely made in the 1960s in East Germany that was in non-working order when I rescued it from the trash. I played with it enough to get it semi functional and that's all I need.  Needless to say, it has been adapted to mount to my Canon digital camera.

Only the little Olight flashlight (shown in the front of the image below) that I used to paint on light where I wanted it is new and fully functional. Painting with light can be a lot of fun as you direct the light specifically where you want it to go. By moving the light around and concentrating in certain areas you can highlight areas you want to draw attention to while limiting the light in other areas. 

Shot with normal light to show the flashlight used - bottom center

So I stand my ground. With the right skill, you can create a photograph with a flashlight. A little tiny one at that! 

Have I mentioned photography is about light and not equipment lately?

If you invest in your knowledge and skill rather than equipment it will pay dividends every time.








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