It just makes you another iPhone owner.
This might sound blunt, but it’s the truth. Too often, people believe that simply having access to the best tools instantly grants them mastery. But photography—like any craft—is not about the tool itself. It’s about the skill, vision, patience, and dedication that go into using it well.
Don’t mistake ownership for expertise. They are not the same thing.
You wouldn’t assume that buying a high-end Le Creuset cookware set makes you a master chef. Owning Snap-on tools doesn’t turn you into a skilled mechanic. If you had a rare Stradivarius violin, would you suddenly be a virtuoso musician? Would a Steinway grand piano make you a world-class pianist? Of course not. In the same way, buying a $5,000 set of Callaway golf clubs doesn’t make you the next Tiger Woods. And no one believes that owning a Peloton bike makes you a professional athlete.
Yet, when it comes to photography, many people fall into this trap. They assume that because they bought the latest iPhone with all its cutting-edge camera technology, they’ve automatically become a great photographer. But photography has never been about the camera—it has always been about the photographer.
Yes, the iPhone is an incredible tool. The advances in mobile photography are stunning, and I genuinely believe the iPhone camera is the best phone camera on the market. But it’s still just that—a tool. It won’t compose an image for you. It won’t find the best light. It won’t teach you patience, timing, or the subtle nuances of storytelling through imagery.
A great photograph isn’t created by technology alone. It’s created by seeing. It’s about recognizing a fleeting moment, understanding how light plays across a subject, and having the intuition to press the shutter at the exact right time. Those are skills honed over years of practice, trial and error, and an insatiable hunger to get better.
If you’re serious about photography, don’t just focus on the gear. Focus on your eye. Train yourself to see light, shape, form, and emotion. Learn composition. Study the work of great photographers. Take photos every day, not just when the conditions are perfect.
The best camera in the world means nothing if you don’t know how to use it. And the truth is, an average camera in the hands of a great photographer will always produce better images than a cutting-edge camera in the hands of someone who just presses the shutter and hopes for the best.
So, if you want to be a photographer, don’t just collect gear—commit to the craft.
Because at the end of the day, it’s never about the camera. It’s about you.
Click.
Jack.
