"It's not about the camera." Strangers often try to compliment me by saying, "What a nice camera -- you must take great pictures," mistakenly assuming camera gear is the primary reason for a photographer's success. Indeed, photographers typically invest in learning how their cameras work, but believe repeated trial and error is all that's needed to take great photos. This seldom works. A photographer's skilled eye is the most important factor in capturing superior photos, not the camera equipment. Knowledgeable photographers can shoot far better pictures with mediocre gear than an uninformed...