This is an oblique way of making a good point: with (some) bad gear, in order to get an acceptable photo you have to learn the essentials (light, shade, and con

This is an oblique way of making a good point: with (some) bad gear, in order to get an acceptable photo you have to learn the essentials (light, shade, and contrast, composition, focus): whether you learn them formally, or by lots of trial and error. It makes the learning curve steep, which can be offputting for a lot of people. A polaroid is not a bad choice because the compose-shoot-view_results loop is about the right length of time, and the limited number of shots in a pack makes the "compose" step important straight away. Having a knowledgeable but not dominating friend helps. "Try kneeling. What do you see?" "What about waiting for that cloud?" That kind of help.