Alan Briot’s regular column talks about art and freedom, and tells us why the brain is the most important piece of gear you need when taking a successful photograph

ALAIN BRIOT

I was recently invited to be featured on a website whose purpose is to show the gear photographers use. The requirements were to provide a photo of my gear nicely laid out on the floor or a table, together with a short statement about why I use it all, being specific about the brands and models I use. I was also asked to provide a selection of photographs from my personal work.

I considered the invitation. However, after reflection I decided not to accept it. What bothered me was the focus on equipment. While the introduction to the site states that gear is not the only factor in creating successful photographs, the contents of the site demonstrate the opposite.

Personally I don’t have a problem with this. I am a professional and I know that my equipment, be it cameras, tripods, accessories, computers, software or anything else, is a set of tools. Just like any tools they do not create anything on their own. Tools don’t make the work. The artist creates the work by ...