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Comment by heikkilevanto | Hacker News Reader

In my young days, long before internet, I was given the advice that there are photo clubs where the people discuss photos, and camera clubs where the people discuss cameras. Both are worthy in their own right, but I should pay attention and choose the kind that works for me. I chose a photo club, and learned a bit about photography. Over the time I did buy fancier equipment, had my own darkroom, etc. But I was still more interested in good pictures than equipment. I have seen the same divide in many other fields too, from hiking equipment (vs hiking experiences) to cars (vs driving) to hifi (vs listening to good music). Not to mention computers, language wars, or editor preferences.

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There’s technique, equipment and essence. You seem to favor the essence, the process and final output in a practical or esthetic sense. I am like you as well. But even that last part can suffer the same divide where an interminable theoretical discussion can be had around it. I think in the end we gravitate towards what we’re good at and what ticks our minds. Luckily there is a variety of minds and modes of thinking

> There’s technique, equipment and essence.

A nice pyramid way to phrase it. As for any other thing, people may have an innate fit for a certain position within, but my belief if that people usually develop in all dimensions. Not everyone will need to develop their film or buy a medium format digital camera though.

There's a lot of triangular relationships in photography, and maybe I'm just trying to hard to see it.

There's the exposure triangle with aperture, shutter speed, ISO.

There's the triangular shapes in framing/composing the frame that makes the image "interesting" in how it draws the eye.

There's also the Rule of Thirds, but while not a triangle it is still "3" related

the "technique, equipment, essence" threesome got me on this tangent

I sense this kind of divide even within myself, and I think it's a little unfortunate.

Reveling in music you love is great! And enthusing over interesting hifi equipment is great!

Do what you love, if you have that luxury, but why be dismissive of related hobbies?

I agree with both, but I also think most people would benefit from refraining from going overboard (buying lightest most expensive bike components rather than losing a little weight) in any case, it's not like those grams are going to propel you to win whatever prize against professionals.

Yes, they are really two different hobbies, equally valid. On the equipment side, I think of it as being interested in the engineering of things. I guess you could say that the "using" side of the divide regards equipment merely as a means to an end.

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