As a continuation of yesterday’s post, I want to explain one particular detail of why documentary photography does not require expensive equipment. I might help, but certainly is not needed.
To me, focusing on a Cartier-Bresson style basically frees the photographer from the need of much gear. You need a camera, and the smaller the better. Therefore, the supersized SLRs are really fighting against you on this point. Though point and shoot cameras are smaller, I think they can almost be totally disqualified for another reason: you need instant response. When you press the button, the camera fires. Period.
Even the most basic DSLRs will do that. I would suggest that frames per minute, or how fast you could take these shots, does not really matter much either. It may help at times, but more than likely, you will slowly get lazy, knowing you can fire off five or six shots, in hopes that the decisive moment was in there somewhere and that you might have hit it. You simply need to be able to release that shutter when your instincts say the moment is going to happen.
As for lenses, a variety of lenses in the bag can help, but speaking of Cartier-Bresson who basically only used a 50mm, you do not necessarily even need anything more than a 50mm f/1.8 or f/1.4. For years, I captured photos on an all-manual film camera with my one 50mm f/1.7 lens, and I still feel the photos I took then have something my newer photos do not…but that gets into another topic. Why use me as an example, though. You have Cartier-Bresson and a host of other greats.
It is more about the moment than the gear. I have looked at some incredible photos. They were overly contrasty, full of grain, and out of focus, but they caught that moment. You know the famous Normandy Beach photo, right? I cannot think of a better example. Vietnam has it’s share, too.
I will not get into the rangerfinder versus SLR debate, but from the criteria above, clearly, both have a place, both have inherent strengths and weaknesses. Use what you have. Focus on capturing that moment instead of what gear you need.
I’m very much agree with you here.
I used to shoot with an old old Olympus trip (until it got dropped) and then with a Nikon F301 with a 18-70 zoom.
I sometimes put my old Nikon manual 50mm on the D200 to remind myself of the joys of manual focus and general care free photography.
I love the new stuff, especially good AF, but changeable ISOs and white-balancing can really throw what is essentially a simple operation – exposing a light capturing surface to the outside world.
The ISO, white balance, different focusing modes, different metering modes, and all the rest definitely are creative tools at our disposal. I still feel we miss the forest for the trees. We are so focused on all the extras, that we forget the basics.
I like the way you put that, “remind myself of the joys of manual focus and general care free photography”. Care free photography. We might think all the gadgets help us, but now that you mention it, you are spot on, I have lost the care free aspect of it all.