I see too many photographers worry about their gear over capturing the image. As photographers we love gear, we love buying it, talking about it, reading about it and writing about it. Owning, researching and showcasing photography gear in itself is a hobby. I’ve met so many photographers with far better and newer gear than me. Amateurs normally have better gear than me. But I’ll tell you one thing, I’m not afraid to use it, and sacrifice my camera if I must for that perfect shot.
I’ve been around for a while; all 36 years, and during that time I’ve accumulated and used a number of point-and-shoot cameras, from the film days to the adoption of digital. And I can honestly say after using, Yashica, Ricoh, Leica, Fuji, Kodak, Olympic, Canon & Contex my favourite point-and-shoot camera can be summed up into these categories; ease of use, quality, features and size. It would have to be the…
Film vs Digital. Full frame vs Cropped sensor & fixed vs zoom lenses. Which is best and which one should you use or get? I’m going to put this debate to rest with real-world states and in-field options from professional uses.
As soon as you start talking about the technical side of photography you start turning away from the most important aspect of photos, telling stories. Technology is and isn’t important when it comes to photography. No one care what camera or lighting you used except other photographers. I’m a big believer in the older you get the wiser you get, the less insecure you get, and the less you care about gear. Technology has no soul and here is why.
What if you had the same camera, lighting and subject matter as everyone else. A groundhog day for a photographer so to speak. If we all have the same gear what would make you different? “Imagine you had no way of visually showing someone any of your work, and they ask you to describe what you’re about, not your genre, but what is the essence of what you’re trying to achieve?” This quote from Katy Niker is something we should all think about and consider when pressing the shutter button. What is it that you’re trying to achieve beyond visuals?
When I talk to people about gear, what they think they need, want or have, I find that it consistently changes from person to person. Most peoples dream camera changes from year to year. So how do you get over Gear Acquisition Syndrome (G.A.S) and find your Zen camera?
It’s a creative addiction. Yes, I’m addicted to my camera, so much so that my partner says it’s my better half instead of her. I take my camera with me…
It’s coming to the end of 2015, around this time theres a flurry of new cameras coming on the market that we all want to get our hands on. For…
