The £50 Photography Challenge
Proving that a Good Photographer Can Take Good Photos with Any Camera
Introduction
A while ago, a friend of mine made a statement that sparked a lively debate: "Anyone can take a good image with a good camera." This assertion clashed with my long-held belief that a skilled photographer can capture a compelling photo regardless of the equipment. Thus, a challenge was born: with a modest budget of £50, I had to procure a camera and produce noteworthy images. Simple enough!
The Camera
With £50 not being a substantial amount to spend on a camera, I embarked on a quest to find one that fit within this limited budget. I ultimately settled on the Samsung ES75, choosing it mainly for its appealing colour, as for the purpose of this challenge, I didn't think the camera itself was of paramount importance. My next move was to head to Tavistock, a quaint market town on Dartmoor, for a session of street photography where I thought the strength of the camera would be brought out.
Shooting with the Camera
Though I don't frequently engage in street photography, I found it easier to do so with a compact camera instead of my usual DSLR. People seemed less wary, and as a result, I wasn't approached or questioned at all. This allowed me to wander through Tavistock freely, capturing the images that caught my eye.
Locations & Images
I used three locations in Tavistock for my photos: The Meadows, Tavistock Town Hall and The High Street. In the Meadows, I focused on macro photography, capturing detailed images of some leaves and fungi. The camera impressed me with the fine details it was able to capture. Moving on to the Town Hall, I concentrated on interesting subjects like a bench leading to the old Police Station and a classic red phone booth. The final few images where taken on the High Street, including one using some yellow lines on the road leading to the Tavistock Inn and another on a bench with two lads walking towards me.
Conclusion
While my photos from this challenge may not be award-winning, I am quite pleased with them. I focused on highlighting what the camera could do well and played to its strengths. The essence of this experiment was to demonstrate that good images can indeed be taken regardless of the camera used, and I hope you will agree.
Below is a gallery of the images I took—take a look and enjoy! ☺️
