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What makes a photographer when everyone is taking photos?


This video is about the essence of photography.
Much love to Squarespace for the continuous support of the channel! Head to https://www.squarespace.com/teocrawford to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain by using the code “TEOCRAWFORD” (also supports the channel).

If you’re interested in Lightroom Presets, colour grading tutorials (Premiere Pro) and similar extra content you can check out my Patreon. This is also a great way to support me and my work.
You can have a look at the options here: https://www.patreon.com/teocrawford

Btw. if you like my work and would like to purchase a print, you can check out my shop here: https://teocrawford.darkroom.com/

All the music in this video is from Epidemic Sound – if you want to try out their music and support me you can use my referral link to sign up for a free trial: https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/ep0tgd

My Colour Grading has been in part been made possible thanks to the Plugin Dehancer. I’ve partnered with them so that you can get 10% off of your purchase, if you decide to buy the plugin and use the code “TEODEHANCER”.
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Links to the rest of my Gear (USA)

My main video camera:
– Sony A7IV: https://amzn.to/41yulur
My previous camera (now B-cam):
– Sony A7iii – https://amzn.to/3hsc7T2
The two lenses for the cameras:
– Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 – https://amzn.to/2FPHMjs
– Sony 14mm f/1.8 – https://amzn.to/4hzGAwz

My favourite digital camera for photography:
– Lumix GX80 – https://amzn.to/2FTwZF3
The two lenses I use with it:
– Panasonic 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 – https://amzn.to/2EmtQwK
– Panasonic 20mm f/1.7 – https://amzn.to/2CS6EWF

Other gear I use to make my videos:
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– Moment iPhone case: partner.shopmoment.com/WydkyP
– iPhone Filter Adapter: partner.shopmoment.com/jey7NZ
– Variable ND Filter (Moment): partner.shopmoment.com/nXEQX6
– CineBloom Diffusion Filter (10%): partner.shopmoment.com/N90q97
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– GoPro Hero 8 (still really good) – https://amzn.to/31mZPWl
– GoPro Hero 12 Black (I upgraded): https://amzn.to/3XxmADi
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– Softbox Lights – https://amzn.to/3l9JSL6
– Big camera bag: https://amzn.to/2QhjFw7
– Smaller camera bag: https://amzn.to/3Q1qS34
– Small Camera Pouch: partner.shopmoment.com/aOAXNW
– Camera Strap (the short, black one): https://amzn.to/3FyywyW
– Camera Strap (the long, silver one, but not available in silver now?): https://amzn.to/3K6CyRN
– SD-Cards – https://amzn.to/2Yuam02
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36 comments

Hello there! Bit of a philosophical video today I guess 😀
Much love to Squarespace for the continuous support of the channel! Head to https://www.squarespace.com/teocrawford to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain by using the code "TEOCRAWFORD" (also supports the channel).

I hope you enjoyed this one and can appreciate photographs a little more. I suppose this could be quite a fitting topic to talk about now just before Christmas, when some old photos might be looked at and cherished. 🙂

Wishing you a lovely week! <3
Teo

0:52 dude, I have an exact same lamp as yours, which turns on and off with a touch, that’s crazy 😝

Thank you for this piece Teo! I felt like youe thoughts were perfectly expressed. When I first got my camera, I knew we can at least time travel to the past. A moment captured and a memory made. If you have suggestions about your favorite philosophy/photo books or authors, I'd love to know. The mountain shots are so serene 🥹

Loved some of the lens compression in your video . good stuff and great points .

hi, this is the first video I saw from your channel and I really enjoyed it! just wanted to ask if anyone has any fujifilm camera reccomendations, i'm thinking of buying the x-m5 mostly to start on travel photography once I finish film school (thats this year lol). I currently have a Nikon d5600 that has been with me for about 5 years, but I just need an upgrade. also if anyone has any tips for starting my photography/film journey it'll be greatly appreciated!

@teocrawford Thank you for the Video, it is the first one i have seen from your Channel and i realy like it. Besides of the realy fascinating philosophical part i pretty like your style of videography it remainds me a bit of Wes Anderson‘s Movie: Grand Budapest Hotel. And to the philosophical part of the viedeo i like to say, that i always wish me more from my new hobby. But i doun‘t know what exactly. So thank you for your video again, i think, now i have a better sence for what i realy want my pictures to be.

Im commenting this before watching but i think what it means to be a photographer is the time old statement "I was here". The essence being capturing the beauty that exists in our own tiny lives.

Out of topic, but God, you have such a beautiful voice.

Hi, you forgot about photography as an art, or as a creative tool to transmit feelings. I'm thinking about blurry photography, abstract photography, staged photography, fine art BW photography, portrait photography etc… In those processes, you Use photography as a tool to give birth to a creative vision you had from the start, and it's much more than simply freeze time in frames

i had this same exact question a while ago, most likely because i have imposter syndrome. this might have been one of your best videos — and possibly my favorite — yet! i appreciate how your perspective is welcoming to those new to photography.

most so called photographers are better editors than photographers imo. if you ask them to show you the raws, they will decline. that's a tell tale sign tbh

The question is: Are you actually a photographer if you spend more time on video production for youtube?

Thanks, Teo, I'm really enjoying your videos- the visuals, the deep thinking, and honestly- your voice, it's really calming and pleasant to listen to 🙂

I worked as a photographer for 7 years, and my work was mostly B2B, very aesthetic but commercial stuff, and my niche guided my thinking when I was photographing in a very different direction than what you're speaking about in this video. Now, after 9 years away, I'm coming back to photography, with a new gear and newly-found curiosity about what I can do with my skills, gear, and a different approach. I'm so enjoying it as a hobby and passion, and now I'm much more interested in capturing moments, emotions, and finding meaning in photography as an artistic skill.

And videos from you and some other Youtubers are such high-quality inspiration in this path for me now.

Are you not a human when so many people are human? Are you not a father when there are so many fathers? Are you not an engineer when there are many engineers?

I loove this idea of photography and how you expressed it. I'll definitely think of this video and these concepts next time I take a photo! Also, the images you created are a dream! Thank you for sharing.

I'm still new to photography. I just started sharing my photos and behind the scenes of my shoots on YouTube. I hope my work can be considered as photographer's work.

I loved this video. I recently found myself thinking about my hometown when I was growing up and how after going back there 8 years after, everything has changed. I was trying to piece the memories of places together to have a sense of belonging to that place and I couldnt help but to be nostalgic of how the place used to be but I dont have anything to remember it by other than my memories which I know will be lost one day. Thank you for making this video and making me realize that I can capture these moments that are now with my camera.

I love this channel so much. I love his Pentax k1000, I don't have the k1000, I have the Pentax sp from 1973 with a 1973 auto SMC Takumar 35mm f2.

Capturing a moment of time is what fascinates me about photography since I first noticed photography as a thing that exists. A camera that can document a moment of everything (my life, your life, intimacy, sadness, important events, places etc.) is what I love about photography. The progress of time is fast and wild. A lot can happen in someone's life, either big and important events and changes or small and seemingly trivial moments, and that can happen in rapid succession so it is bound to happen that we forget those moments in our life, regardless how big or small they are. A camera is able to hold this moment for you, with all the memories and emotions it carries, to come back and look at it once again and get transported back to this moment and sort of relive it again.
This is what photography is all about. You can practice the art and skill of photography but documenting a moment of time is the most important thing. Every photo I take is with the intention to capture something I find important. Keeping every memory and emotion in tact, frozen in time, to not let it be forgotten in a river of life's moments.

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