Does camera brand really matter?

One of the biggest differences between professional photographers and amautures sometimes comes down to the equipment we use to photograph our clients.

There has been a long standing belief that if you don’t use brand XYZ or ZYX, you cannot be considered a professional photographer or if you don’t have all the fastest glass available, you couldn’t possibly be a professional photographer. I whole heartily believe that what makes a great photographer is what they can do with an inexpensive lens and some at home rigging to create an image that is mind blowing.  

I have been fortunate throughout my photography life to been able to afford newer, faster, better pieces of equipment as I’ve grown, but it wasn’t always that way. Years ago, when I first started in photography, I was given my first camera, a Pentax ME Super. This camera was a hand me down from my uncle. I was blessed that the camera still worked properly and I could make images with it. But after all these years, I realize that camera wasn’t perfect. The lens had some haze and the camera had light leaks, but I didn’t care, I continued to use what I had to make images. That is what we as photographers do, we create visual stories.

Another point of contention I sometimes run into is my camera brand of choice. I made the choice years ago to continue to use Pentax cameras when making my transition from film to digital. For me, it was a no brainer. I loved using my Pentax film camera, I would love using their digital cameras. But to much surprise, other so called photographers began to judge me for using Pentax cameras. Those so called photographer’s long stories of my camera has 700 focus points and can shoot 9 frames per second and on and on about specifications began to bore me. None of this really bothered be because the equipment I chose to use met my needs as a photographer and the type of photography I was doing. And to be quite honest, when a client gets their images, do you really think they’re going to say “I wonder what kind of camera they used” Simply put - no. 

I urge everyone that needs a photographer to judge them based on their completed works, not the equipment they use. 

Hello World.

My name is Corey Boyette. I am a Phoenix Based photographer. Although there is a lot more to me than that.

A little bit about me. I’m originally from Atlanta, Georgia. Many people don’t know this, but I first started experimenting with photography at the age of 12 with my trusty Pentax ME Super.  Then, obviously, I was using film and paying to develop and print my work. I mostly loved to shoot flowers and nature at that time, but I had been bit by the photography bug. 

Fast forward a few years, me an my family move to Phoenix, Arizona. There, while in high school, I learned to develop and print my own work using darkroom tools and all those wonderful chemicals. Needless to say, I could say I was dedicated to photography. 

In 2005-ish I made the transition from film to digital, again, sticking with a Pentax K100D. At that point in time, I really started to experiment with different subject matters and I was also on a self discovery path for myself. I fell in love with shooting live events, and in particular, drag performances.

About 2008, I departed Phoenix to return to Atlanta. Shortly after moving back, I met my husband, Joe. We adopted a dog, got married and bought a house. But I was still lacking creativity in my life, so I decided to return to college in 2016. 

Fast forward to 2018, I’m graduating with an Associates Degree in photography and I won (tied) best portfolio in my graduating class. I was ecstatic for the recognition and pumped to get started with my professional career in photography.

I relocated to Phoenix, Arizona in September of 2018 to pursue my goal of being a world class photographer.