This tip is going to be a very valuable one! I get asked constantly “what camera do you use? It takes really nice pictures.”  I just smile, but I always want to come back with a snarky remark. The whole truth is you can buy a $50 guitar and a $1,000 guitar. Unless you know how to play it, the $1,000 guitar is not going to sound any better than the $50 one. Same goes with cameras, it kills me to see people by expensive DSLR cameras and shoot in auto mode. Save your money, and get a nice point and shoot for about $150. Below are two cameras I own a professional D750 that before buying lenses cost over $2,000 and a point and shoot Nikon coolpix that is about 7 years old that cost around $100. Notice I said the D750 was over 2k without a lens. Good professional camera lenses will cost anywhere from half of what the camera body cost to double what the camera body cost. You see those people on the sidelines taking football pictures during NFL season, that lens they have on their camera costs over 5k. The cost of equipment alone should deter most hobbyist. However, people not understanding and believing its the camera that is responsible for taking amazing pictures still fall into the trap of buying expensive DSLR’s. Here is why you should not. 

Today I took pictures with my pro camera on auto, and my point and shoot using the macro mode. These are the results side by side. Can you guess which camera took which picture?

Now here is an image using the D750 in manual mode using the years of training, and experience I have. In the two pictures above, the first one I believe is the better picture. It is also the picture that was taken with the point and shoot coolpix. The second picture was taken with the D750. Now look at the second picture and the one below. It is a huge difference, even though both images were taken with the D750 using an 85mm lens. To sum it up, if I didn’t have the photography background I do, and was going to shoot in auto mode, no way in heck would I buy an expensive DSLR. Remember that $1,000 guitar doesn’t sound any better than the $50 dollar one, unless you know how to play it.

You don’t need an expensive camera to take good photos, you just need to know how to use your camera. To be honest, I don’t want to lug my equipment around with me when I am not getting paid to shoot. My little nikon coolpix is exactly what I need for family shots, vacation, and everyday use. It is the size and thinness of a flip phone, and fits perfect in your shirt pocket or purse, has all the features and modes including a zoom that I need to take great every day pictures. Hope y’all have a nice weekend and are inspired to get out and take some pictures!