Every so often I get asked this question about what type of camera one should buy. My typical answer would be something along the lines of, “What are you planning on taking pictures of?” I would then go through a list of technicalities on types of camera and lenses and depending on the field of photography they are looking to get into is what determined the device needed. Nowadays people assume that if you have an expensive or name brand camera your pictures must come out great. And in all honesty when I first started out as a photographer I believed the same thing. Anytime I saw a photographer at an event of some sort I would always try and get a glimpse of their camera. If given the opportunity I would go up to them and ask. As I began thinking about what I wanted to write for this entry I started with a long dissertation about a story of a friend who asked me this question and I felt I was getting back to the technical side of photography. So I stepped back and considered the non-professional, the one who has little to no knowledge of photography, and thought what would be the best way to explain this to them? I decided to go through all my images that I’ve taken over the past years, Google and Facebook help out when they remind us with their “Memories” on our social media. I realized something as I scanned through each photo I took in the past years, about a decade of them. Most of them were taken with the one camera that everyone has in the back of their pocket. A phone. I’ve had different phones over the years and yes I’ve fallen for that new phone every year addiction phase because the camera was supposedly better than the last. But when I look at the photos taken I don’t think about the phone I had that year when I took it. I don’t wonder what the specs were and what type of lens I used when I took it. I start thinking of the memories of that day and how I was feeling when I was in the moment. I start to laugh at a funny photo and sometimes cry at the sad memories. I blush when I come to an embarrassing photo of me doing something foolish. It’s like I get taken in a time machine back to that very moment and all the memories come flooding in my mind. I realize the older I get the harder it is for me to remember details of my childhood. The memories of my daughters growing up seem to fade as the years go by. But when I look at a photo no matter how long ago it was taken every detail comes back and I smile. At times I try and hold back tears and act like something is in my eye, but of course to no avail.
So to answer the question here you go. There really isn’t a right answer to the question, only opinions based on experiences. My opinion, save your money. If you cannot shoot a good photo with what you have now then getting a new camera and spending an outrageous amount of money is not going to make your images any better. I believe memories are what are more important than the type of camera we use. Especially now when all is uncertain and most of us are stuck home during this Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic. Take the time and make memories with your loved ones and use your camera, even if it’s the one in your pocket, your phone.
Memories I will always cherish!