Part of my posting workflow is to include what equipment I used to create the image or video. I will often include a hashtag on my IG post, or a memo in the video description, that contains, for example, what camera or film stock I used. Here are 3 reasons why I think you should do the same to help other Creatives.
1. They are interested in buying the piece of gear you are using and want to see examples of it being used.
In my opinion, this is the main reason why someone may want to know what gear you used in your photo or video. Most people do not have the ability to get their hands on and test new/used equipment. Sure, there are services like Borrow Lenses where you can pay to rent certain equipment. But that often comes with a hefty price tag. A Canon R5, for example, costs about $200 to rent for 7 days. Most prospective buyers instead turn to social media or the internet to check out gear they are interested in. By searching #canonr5 on Instagram or "Canon R5" on YouTube, they have the ability to see images and videos created by that particular camera. This will help aid them in deciding whether or not to purchase.
2. They have the same gear and want to confirm its limitations.
Let's say you now, after seeing some examples of photos and videos made using the the Nikon 14-30 F4, you decide to buy it. You use it for a few months and feel as though your images and video are not that great. You suddenly get Buyers Remorse and a feeling of dread that you are a lousy creator. What do you do? Turn back to the internet to confirm or deny your suspicions!
Sometimes a new bit of gear we bought just isn't performing the way we want it to. In some situations, we may put the blame on ourselves and not the equipment. While I do think it is important to examine how you are using the gear to rule out any user errors, it is also important to see if others are experiencing the same issues. By searching keywords that pertain to the equipment you use, you can determine if, for example, the lens in questions has focus breathing issues, vingetting or other performance issues.
3. They have the same gear and want to confirm how well it can perform.
Some creatives will want to find examples of gear that they already own to confirm its capabilities. I, for example, struggled shooting sports/action photography with my Nikon D750. I could never seem to get great, in-focused shots. At first, I thought the issue was the autofocus. It just wasn't designed for sport/action/wildlife! However, after searching around YouTube and Instagram, I quickly learned that it wasn't the camera, it was my inability to use the camera correctly. I was able to change some settings and BOOM, no more out of focus shots. I was able to correct myself by searching out other creatives who tagged their sports/action shots or videos with, for example, #D750 or "Gear used: Nikon D750". By seeing my camera model being used successfully, I knew that I could get the same quality of shots.
Always include what gear you used in your photos and videos!
You might be helping out other creatives in their pursuit to buy new equipment, see how well their current equipment can perform or want to see what limitations their gear has.
As a creative, how do you tag your gear in your photos and videos? Let me know below!
.jpg)
Comments