Hard on our Gear

Posted by David on January 2nd, 2009

One of the tenants of being a professional photographer is that – as a whole – we’re harder on our equipment than most people.  That’s why things cost more for “professional” level gear; they’re built from better materials, using better (usually more complicated) techniques.

We don’t treat our gear with as much care as we should (I’ll leave my lenses uncapped on nearby tables so I can change them faster; Neil will frequently leave his camera on the ground by his feet) all in the name of being ready to get “the shot”.

We also subject them to the same bodily harm as ourselves – climbing trees, fences, inches from the ground in a moving vehicle.  Most people wouldn’t dream of doing these things to their cameras but I guess we’re just wired differently.

Also as a professional photographer, you come to rely on various tools to get things done – particular cameras, particular flashes, particular lenses.  Photographing weddings differs from regular studio photography both in that you have one chance to capture that defining moment; and, that you have to carry everything with you.  Even the back ups.

The cameras that we shoot with are getting harder to come by – it’s a niche market defined almost solely by wedding photographers so Fuji’s not exactly jumping at the chance to make a new one.

So, when we unwrapped one of our replacement cameras for the first time, we wanted to mark the occasion with a ceremonious photograph of the shutter count sitting quietly at zero.

Sorry, little guy, life’s going to be tough from here on out.

---