“Real Photographers Use Manual Focus…”
Photo by Nguyen Huy
I recently attended a photography event and I heard the statement "Real photographers use manual focus”. It’s not the first time I’ve heard this comment during my 10-plus years in the industry. It was said with an ego-driven sense of superiority that is synonymous with certain gatekeepers. The reality is they’re wrong, and I’ll explain why real photographers use autofocus.
On Photographic Purity
There's an odd mindset in photography circles that equates difficulty with legitimacy. As if the value of an image somehow correlates with how challenging it was to create. As if suffering for your art is more important than the art itself.
Of course, there are exceptions. Stephen Wilkes' images can take over 24 straight hours to create and months to stitch together perfectly. There’s an equal wow factor in both the method and the end result.
But, the truth is leading photographers understand, for the most part, the process you have isn’t as important as the images you make.
Autofocus isn't a failure in skillset. It's understanding that modern technology helps us do what we need to do - make good pictures. It's recognizing that your camera is an instrument, not a test of your character.
Photo by Nguyen Huy
The Image Is What Matters
What most people want to consume is quality photography. Few have time for the route to the destination, and using manual focus is no more impressive than saying you turned on your camera.
When was the last time you looked at a powerful photograph and thought, "But I wonder if they used autofocus"? When was the last time a museum placard specified focus mode under the artist's name?
The photographs that move us, that tell stories, they stand on their own merit. Henri Cartier-Bresson’s street photography wasn't celebrated because of his focus technique but because of his decisive moment. Cindy Sherman's self-portraits aren't powerful because of her technical choices but because of their cultural commentary and her ability to push creative boundaries.
That's not to say manual focus is wrong. Sometimes it's exactly the right tool for specific creative visions or challenging situations. And I respect those who prefer a slower, more methodical approach.
The point is that real photographers use manual focus as well as autofocus, because real photographers are focused on the image they create, not overly obsessed with bragging rights about how it was made.
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Signing Off
Remember this: You are a real photographer if you make photographs.
Whether you shoot with a smartphone or medium format cameras, or you prefer auto mode over manual mode, your creative eye and end result are what define you.
The photographers I respect most aren't those with the most technical knowledge or the most expensive gear or even the most rigid adherence to tradition. They're the ones who consistently create images that make me feel something.
So the next time someone tries to establish their photographic superiority with some arbitrary technical standard, remember: The greatest photographers throughout history weren't defined by their settings but by their vision and body of work.
Pick up your camera, use it however works best for your creative intentions and make images that matter to you.
Because that's what real photographers do.
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