Switching from my phone to a mirrorless camera made me realize how much I was missing: the control over depth of field, the tactile feel of buttons, the discipline of composing before shooting. But now I wonder if smartphone photography has actually made most people better visual storytellers simply because they always have a camera ready. Is the gear really what matters, or is it the eye behind it? I've seen stunning shots taken on old iPhones and boring ones from expensive Leicas, so maybe the argument that you need a real camera to be a serious photographer is just gatekeeping.