In this case I take photograph as anything, from a landscape, to a macro of a bug, going through street photography, architecture and wild life or studio photography. I agree with matthew when he saids "But the tools can't be separated from the process at the time the images are created, and different tools create different types of images."
I tend to desagree with people that say that is the eye and not the camera that makes the picture. Yes, in some point it is the eye that creates the artistic vision of the situation, but it is the camera and the propper camera that makes it possible. And referring to Keith comment with the correct use of it too. My experience about *this idea probably comes from reading comments of people that say this and they have themselves pro gear... Why do they say this? Why they bought all this pro gear in the first place if they think this way?...
About post processing... there are some many arguments. Some say there are not bad pictures but bad post processing, and others say a good post processing starts with a good picture. Somehow I have been in both situation where I have rescued disastrous pictures and make them shine and I have also make good post processing from good pictures. Have to say that the first ones give me more satisfaction.
Make your picture look as you imagined has been also difficult to me, because it has nothing to do with the photograph itself but your skills with an editing program. And I belive here as well, that too much depends on your editing program to get just right what you want. Let's say I took a picture of a house, well exposed and all, and I want to make it look like a vampire's castle... well, If I succeed, the picture I took has not much to do with the success of my image, but my post processing skills and the program(s) I have/use to do this job.
Here at home we have a situation, and it has been more dramatic (to me) now that G has a p&s camera. We go to a location, and while G goes around freely with his camera (pocket size) taking a landscape and then a macro and then the portrait of a child, I am carring a heavy bag with a tripod and stuck with one lens and limiting my photography to landscapes for example. When he has taken already lots of pictures, I just found my possition to set my tripod and I am still digging in my back for the right filter and fiddling with the holders to get my landscape right. When we come back, of course he will have much more interesting photographs. And here you can't say to yourself "don't worry, it was not a good location", because you see the your mate got great pictures in the same location you also were.
So why am I still stuck with my camera? Because there is no p&s able to give me the image quality my camera gives ..... yet....
Thanks Jules for the topic, it has been very interesting to read all comments posted so far...
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Editted for tipping error
It was...
My experience about his idea probably
It should be
My experience about
this idea probably