PLEASE READ There is some complete waste of a life pretending to be me and messaging everyone saying they have won a prize and they need to telegram. This person has managed to get the @snapsbyfox handle on telegram and is pretending to be me. It is obviously not me because the level of English is horrific and he refuses to prove it is me - just gets aggressive. Please use your common sense and report any comment here you see. I'm actively trying to get this piece of shit removed but the social platforms are not the easiest to deal with. Thank you.
I gave up photography a number of years ago. Mostly because my partner, with an iPhone, was taking brilliant shots vs what I could do. I continued to be inspired by what others could do though. I eventually came to realize that I was focused on a imagined result, and not the process. That established, I then had to evaluate what it was that was taking away the joy. Turns out my camera was too heavy. My lenses too big, only working with a zoom. I went back the basics. Nice light body (Fuji xe3) and decided to embrace the 35mm prime. And then just learn by watching, reading, replicating and practicing. I'm enjoying it far more now. I just get what I get. Review, learn and just keep practicing.
Similar experience here. Went even further and I'm now mostly shooting with a film point and shoot I found for 5€. Fell in love with the process of photography all over again.
Very inspiring. I believe a lot of us are inspired by the works of others until we realize one doesn't just go out and come back with an SD card full of brilliant shots (mostly). It's about putting in the work and realizing, that photography is just much mor of a learning experience and often a meditative creative process than it is about the "end product".
To piggyback on the uninspired point, I think the feeling of being uninspired is very much a mental thing. I currently feel that way right now with the city I live in, but recently, due to life circumstances, I may have to move to a different place soon and that made me somewhat change my mindset. It went from “This place is boring. I’ve seen everything.” to “I have to document these last moments before I leave.” It really showed me how strong our mentality can affect us!
100% agree with everything here, another one to think about is social media. I’ve stopped going on Instagram and really found my photography again. I’m not worried about what other people are doing just focussing on what I like and see. Totally agree with the process side, my photography fits into my life, not the other way round and it works so much better. Great video
I feel like this is what has discouraged me the most. It feels like all the pictures I see on Instagram form these subconscious expectations for my photography, and it feels like I have become more focused on getting to the end result, and having pictures that look like the ones I like on social media. I think it's good to get some inspiration sometimes, for example I sometimes see a really interesting photo and I try to see what it takes to replicate that photo, but it's only fun if I focus on the process instead of the result, like Roman mentioned.
Definitely agree here. Far too many 'perfect' photos on IG which just adds to the pressure and increases any anxiety you may have about creating your own images.
Some good points in this video. I have been feeling a bit like this in recent times … lack of time, and when I get the chance, I rush and don’t get great images. It feels like I’m just filling up my hard drive for the sake of it! Reflecting on the best times, I realise that when I have a purpose I’m more motivated, especially when I print my work, whether to hang on the wall or a book via Blurb or similar. I have really enjoyed shooting for a book and the photos don’t all have to be “portfolio” images, as long as they support the story. Having some tangible output is satisfying.
Great advice. Being retired and too old to care about other people's opinion about what I produce helps. For me being (or attempting to be ) a professional has always been (over the 60 years or so since I first picked up a camera ) about learning rather than earning from the experience. Every day I venture out is a new learning curve. Weather, light and situation are always different even if on the surface it appears similar. I know it can be expensive to start but honestly finding the money for film (and all the differing types that suited your needs) wasn't easy. Plus developing costs. It truly (for me anyway) is a wonder to be able to go out and experiment with black & white with it's incredible array of styles ( Bless you Nik) and then switch to colour - with the same camera rather than lumbering round with two or even three. 1. 100 asa Kodak. 2. 400 asa Fuji. 3. Tri-x 400. 75 years old, prostate cancer, spinal and neck problems but still here and still loving it. Admire the work you do Roman - worthwhile.
I got interested in photography over 20 years ago but things took different turns in my life due to finances first and then 12 of those years were taking care of both my parents on top of working. After my father passed a little over half a year ago, it finally dawned on me that I didn't have nearly enough nor was motivated to take pictures of him while he was still alive. I picked up an X-T1 not too long after my father's passing at a bargain to start learning the system and picked up some primes whenever I saw a great deal. I started out in the backyard since I still work from home to be able to take care of my mother. I do run into days when I don't want to do anything due to burning out from caretaking and working but still get motivation again from time to time watching videos like these or learning something new on the camera that I didn't know before to try out. I like how the X-T1 lets me slow down when I have so many fast paced things going on already.
"You'll always find time for something you really want." I've found this to be so true. If it's important, we will make/find time and create the space to make it happen. Thanks for these thoughts!
I picked up my first camera about 12 years ago and went on a bunch of courses simliar to the OP of the video Roman was talking about, but i found myself hating my photos. I was super over critical of myself and being a beginner I was expecting to get photos that Professionals used to get. I hated the results every time i went out even if i got a few good photos which i was happy with i would compare to all the failures and hate myself because of it. I put away my camera and never touched it for 10 years, even lost all the parts - charger, spare batteries, SD cards, etc. recently I have been craving to scratch that itch again, so I purchased myself a new Fuji XT-4 and being super exicted to get back into it but I am finding myself super anxious that i am going to feel like a failure again. watching this video has helped and i am trying to focus on the process and being out for walk even if i dont take any shots that i like, just enjoying the sun and using this awesome piece of kit. I have also realised i am not going to be perfect from the get go, i have a long road ahead of me to perfect the craft and cant expect to be perfect on every shot.
One thing that helped me get back into photography was taking the photos I wanted to. Not just the stuff Instagram and RUclips told me to. I found myself not developing my own style but just trying to copy other people's style because I like theirs. Now I just take the photos that I think are interesting or beautiful and don't care about too much headroom or rule of thirds or anything like that. I don't worry about if I edit colors the same way as some of my photographers that I admire. Or how close my black and white work looks too high fashion black and white photos. I make what makes me happy and that keeps me shooting.
Don't get rid of your camera. Don't throw the towel in. You can always come back to it! We all have moments where we're not feeling it but that's fine, just put it under the bed until you want to try again.
Oh yes! Ive definitely had this one more than a few times. I also think it boils down to mindsets, and im also a big fan of enjoying the process. Ok This happened; I spent 6 months by myself in the African bush in 2019 to photograph lions. Now theres no guarantee to get anything with wildlife despite having months to do it. Add multiple carbreakdowns to the mix, and the motivation wasnt easy to keep up. After a few months I eventually managed to reach the minimum goal of lion portraits, and reflected on the situation. How good it was to be able to be out there in lovely nature, having all these experiences (for better ot for worse). In retrospect, its the best thing I ever did! And I almost didnt do it because I thought I didnt have good enough gear. But adventure over gear. Always! We get so caught up in gear these days. After that trip, having a camera in hand always makes me feel like im on a mini adventure. From the streets in Oslo to the bush of africa. Photography is adventure. Cheers for another good video!
Thank you Roman for your videos, emails and time. I have not fallen victim to throwing in the towel. I believe these types of videos and reading comments from your followers helps. Following advice from people that have gone before me and applying it.
That last part turned out to be the best part for me. I used to put too much pressure on myself to get a good shot each and every time, and it always made me depressed when I came home with nothing to show for it. Now, I take a lot of random pics and just have fun - turns out that those snapshots end up making me pretty happy, which is the whole point for me!
I've been feeling a little down and out about my photography lately and feeling like "throwing in the towel." I think it's mainly from the lack of appreciation that I get and it makes me second guess myself and my abilities, like if there aren't people who like and appreciate my photos do they even matter. I know a lot of people say to do it for yourself but photography became a real thing to me when people were looking at the photos I took and they said "WOW you took that!? It's so good". Going from that to no recognition at all is what is really hurting.
Great video! I find that I have a lot more fun (and even get better shots) when I just go out with no expectations and focus on enjoying the process rather than stressing about the results. I try to remind myself that I’m doing this for myself (not for social media or others’ approval)
Thanks for useful advices, thanks for that specially from 3:20 there is pure gold. Keep less lenses, bodies, filters and keep camera with you whatever you goes
Phtography is about practice, practice, practice, there are times you have to find the simple things…. You have to push yourself… if I’m going out sometimes I just take out a couple prime lenses, these really help me understand focal lengths. The other thing is that I edit shots on the day then it’s easier… Photography is instinctive, an experience. I see so many guys carrying large lenses, the latest equipment. I’ve carried a tiny Leica camera and a 50 years old lens, and have had some incredible results…. In order to achieve progress you do have to take those bad photos make the mistakes and do it all again
Hi, I follow ALL your videos with pleasure and every time I find a motivation to continue shooting, the effort and work put into creating youtube content for us to watch with ease is definitely something hard to match but you do it for pleasure and naturally. I'm glad to see that you motivate people even from little to do a lot ! I respect you and I will keep following your Content and Photos !
Social media is partly to blame . Often it will make you forget why you started in the first place. It will make you forget it's a process and a journey. I took a break from social media and I came bk refreshed. You just need to cleanse yourself of the clutter.
Amazing 11 minutes. A while ago I had a block and couldn't even look at my camera, but I watched this fellow photographer from Norway who is based in Mexico, and he said something that stuck with me, he said take out your camera without any pressure and just shoot and try to make that a habit and the next day I went to this beautiful market 30 minutes away and had a buzz, and now take my camera and keep snapping and even if I don't get good photos i feel relieved and happy at the end of the day. So my advice is take your camera without expecting any results, Just Do It,lol.
I had this feeling for most of the reasons stated in this video. I bought a Fujifilm X100f and everything changed I then sold 90% of my old gear. Then I started using manual mode and started taking snapshots and it all came back. I had no pressure to take great photos for social media and took pictures for me again. I got caught up taking pictures for likes and not for me!
Brilliant! Catches the essence of what it’s all about really well. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t, but if you don’t try then you can’t do either.
Thank you so much for the suggestions. Some are also very applicable to other hobbies! Especially keeping it simple should help, I tend to make stuff way too complicated, sometimes simpler is much better.
As someone who is just getting into photography as a hobby, I found this video really interesting. Pretty much everything you described is what I'm doing, and after reading forums and advice online I was starting to think I was taking the totally wrong approach. Shooting just fuji jpgs or super light editing, aspc not full frame, just going on walks and taking pictures of what I see. Obviously I have a lot to learn about photography itself. But this is a reminder to not let things get overwhelming, and make sure I keep the process light and enjoyable. Cool video.
I am certainly starting to enjoy the process and the time taking the photos, very relaxing. However, I still struggle in my mind with what to do with my final images. It would be good to know what everyone does with them, leave them on a hard drive somewhere. Thanks Roman for the great video!
Yes agree. If you are not doing it for money. You can make a good image share it onceor twice and then what.? It can seem so superficial and transient.
@@fraserb609 I agree! I also agree with Roman about enjoying the journey but it is always nice to end the journey well. My company develops software and I been thinking what we could do for photographers that would help with this very question!
For anyone feeling like this, I think the first thing you need to ask yourself is, what made you pick up a camera in the first place and why do you do photography? What motivates you in photography? If you don't know, then don't worry - here's why: I started photography in lockdown as a hobby doing landscape and street (mostly landscape) and I loved it but would often ask myself, why am I doing this and what is the purpose of it? Yes, I'd come away with nice pictures but I would think, whats the point of this and what am I achieving for all the hours and effort im putting in? I enjoyed the process and I enjoyed the days out, I had nice pictures but there was something missing for me. As a big football fan, I one day got the idea to try and have a go at football (sports) photography. I got in contact with a few local non league clubs and one of them invited me along and I let them have the photos for free in return. I LOVED IT! I enjoyed the event, I learnt a lot of new skills in photography and I came away with a buzz. The Club said i could come along whenever I want and so I did. What I soon discovered was that as much as I enjoyed capturing the action, the biggest thing I loved was telling a story with my pictures and capturing the emotions of the players and fans. Finding that human connection in a picture where you capture moments of pure joy to pure dissappointment and devastation. The emotions were intimate, powerful and real and in those split second moments you see the true, genuine, uncensored person. Capturing that for me was special. Capturing fans enjoying the day and finding that human connection through pictures to me was amazing. I suddenly noticed what other people got from my pictures too. It amazed me how the players and fans valued these pictures, whether it be as memories that they could keep forever or just enjoyed seeing themselves or even the game. I discovered the emotional value of a picture for people and it made me realise that Im doing something that means something to people. It's so exciting to see how people can enjoy pictures. It changed my whole outlook on photography, I suddenly understood why I do photography - to tell stories and show that true human connection of emotion in pictures. It dawned on me that when we see peoples stories and emotions in pictures that we often relate and its powerful in so many ways. Now im the Clubs photographer (on a voluntary basis,) but Im actually persuing a career in photography and looking to do sports, photojournalism, portraits and weddings. It's introduced me to so many new people and got me involved in this wonderful community of the football club I shoot for which has been a real joy. Ive come across people who do other things like radio commentary, sports reports and various other jobs (all voluntary) and we chat about our different skills and contributions and learn about what we all do over a pint in the Club bar....it's great. This little lockdown hobby of taking pictures on my phone when out on my walks suddenly exploded in to life for me and is changing my life over the last year...but it took time and I had to make the effort, experiement and put myself out there even when I felt unsure of myself. I understand Romans idea about simplifying the photography process and I get that (although do not sell equipment I would say because equipment you may find is going to be very important later, so if you have it, then keep it until you're certain about what you want to do). Most importantly ask yourself, what motivates you? Why did you pick up a camera in the first place? If (like me) you don't know, then experiment with different genres like I did and see what clicks with you. It might be that you're doing a genre of photography that doesn't excite or motivate you in the way that another might. I still do landscape and street, I enjoy them but I now have a better idea about what excites me with photography and its people and telling peoples stories and emotions. Who knows, in a year I might go in another direction as I discover something else, but just keep getting out there and experimenting and discovering. There is always a reason why someone picks up a camera to start with, so get out there and discover what your reason is. It takes time, but keep going and when you find it, its so exciting. If you feel passionate about what you do you will get better at it too and you'll enjoy learning as you go. I think im a decent landscape and street photographer now, but my football pictures are much better than my other stuff and thats because Im so passionate about it that Ive been more motivated to learn and practice it more. Find your reason is my message and believe me when you discover it your photography is going to explode into life and you're going to improve in ways you won't believe because you're passion will take over and drive you to keep improving. Find your reason!
I wanted to do something with my art, and photography work, because I didn't want to waste my efforts. Now I'm using my photography in what I want to do. I'm happy, and didn't want to give up.
The thing I like most about using a camera instead of the smartphone -no matter how easy and impressive they are- is that I tend to take only the pictures that I really want. Last weekend I was in France with a friend. He shot a gazillion snaps that will never be looked at again, while I cherish the shots that I took.
I find the process and journey are more important to my enjoyment of photography than any specific images I take. I like to take my camera with me when I go out with the idea if I see something interesting I will take a photo but I don't I still was doing something like taking a hike that was enjoyable in its own right. Also, I find the photography channels that interest me the most focus less on gear and more on photography as process/journey and as an art form with its own modes of expression.
Sound advice. I’ve found that as my lens and body collection has grown, my creativity and desire to shoot have become somewhat overwhelmed. Partly to do with a lack of inspiration from travel over the last couple of years, for sure, but even now when packing for travel, I can now spend hours worrying about lens selection rather than researching creative ideas or thinking about a theme or story for the trip. Daughter, on the other hand, just grabs my XT4 with the 16-55 f/2.8 or our old Canon A1 with a prime and heads out with intent, creative vision firmly in mind. “KISS: Keep it simple, stupid”.
One of the reasons my photography is on a very low level at the moment is that I do not enjoy posting images on social media anymore. Looking at images on for example Instagram, most of the times I have the feeling that they are staged because there too good to be true. And that is not how I want my photos to look like. Also the pressure to make a photo that ‘everyone’ has to like, makes photography not fun anymore. That also gave me the same question, what is it all good for? And I’m thinking a lot about it. Walking around taking photos only for myself does not seem worth while anymore. Like someone already said in the comments, it’s a state of mind. All good but how do I change my state of mind? I honestly do hope to get my love for photography back, because I do miss it.
For me the process is to try to find something I want to tell using photography as a medium, then from there I plan my sessions and also try to let myself driven by the emotions I get through what I see if that makes sense. To me it's all about having that sharp and spontaneous eye. The other trick I found is to use my smartphone as a lightweight and always available view finder, it helps me to bypass the technical and get to framing and composition quickly and see what it tells me before I pull out my gears. Really it's a mix of emotions and technicality, because the technicality gets between you and the picture as you said
I got back into photography and bought a new camera for an extended trip a few years ago. After the trip, I went through the photos and I was very disappointed. I figured I would sell the camera and give it up. Then a few months later I went back through the photos, and I found a few keepers. Then later I found a few more. Then I realized that most are actually pretty good - not necessarily wall-hangers but certainly good enough for social media. And I even found one I had passed over several times thinking it was trash, but then I processed it and it came out great - I submitted to an international photo competition and got an Honorable Mention. I think my problem was that during post processing, I wasn't seeing on the screen what I had seen through the lens when I had taken the photos. Or maybe what I had imagined through the lens as the final image. In any case, I kind of figured out that the image was still there, I just had to learn how to process it so I could find it again.
I enjoy nature photography - particularly landscape. I think the biggest help for me for the past 3 years has been the joy of exploration and discovery. And the crazy thing that nearly blows my mind is that using all the tools of the internet to prepare for an outing usually enhances the experience. It's also important to keep our expectations in check when comes to improving in this particular craft. For adults, learning to see, visualize and compose well is an iterative process that only improves through practice.
Yes, after 47 years (on and off) of photographing for a hobby, I've decided to persevere because...........I really enjoy the whole process. I actually get a few decent pics too. Having an X-T3 and X-pro 1 and various lenses help, but then again I still have fun with my 40 something Y.O. Nikon F2. Great video Roman....always on the money.
Changing times in technology. Point and shoot cameras are done but I still use mine . I use a a olympus tg5 and a digital pentax k70 with pancake lenses. The k70 I don't use much .
This video reminds me of my struggles. In my early 20s I realized I am not creative enough and I am just an opportunistic or situational photographer. I didn't accomplish anything from what I wanted to achieve and comparing with my friends with better gear didn't help. I had some great shots but I felt like a one hit wonder. Most people didn't resonate with my style and I was disappointed or alienated. So I decided to quit. Sold my camera, announced the few followers and that was it. Few years later, life got me through some challenges and I got a bit wiser (I think). I realized that I miss "the journey" to a great shot. I was the happiest with a camera in my hand, enjoying a good walk and observing the surroundings... looking for a composition. Missed the sorting... the editing... The funny things I did to put into practice some of my ideas... I missed all that. So I decided to give it another shot (ha, get it? another shot), but this time with a new mentality behind. A more therapeutic one. I put aside my ambitions and started seeing it as a hobby. And this really worked. Thing is when you are enjoying what you do... sooner or later unexpected good things will follow... But all that was just a bonus for me and another story to tell. All I know is that I am happy to walk around with my camera in my hand, exploring.
As a long time drummer, i must say that I've been going through this kind of situations a lot of times... I define myself as a really passionate guy, in the majority of the things I do. And photography recently became one of those, for sure. To me it's all about enjoying the process. From going to the location, to the moment of the shot, till the final editing process (that I do with my tablet, using Lightroom). I love all of these steps. Everything is fascinating at the moment (i bought my X-T4 16 months ago). And, you know what: i like my photos! Also if I have less than 600 followers on IG!! There's nothing wrong in telling this, i hope! 😂 Thanks for your videos mate, always inspiring!
Great all round advice. I’ve already simplified my set up by migrating to a Ricoh GR3. It’s a liberating experience. It’s a take anywhere camera that doesn’t intrude on my day to day activities but is always available and quick to respond when the moments arrive. And the advice to take snapshots to take the pressure off is a great idea. Self care is important too. Nice one mate. 👍🏻
Thank you for this one 🙏 Really made me think about why I do this and what I like about it. I did have a break or downperiod with my photography much becuse of pressure from expectations i made for myself and focusing on producing rather than enjoying. I didn't like to watch my early photos because they were not up to the standards of what I wanted to be doing at the moment, Instead of watching them as glimpses of the past as I do now. What got me back was actually an online ad that gave me a coupon to make a photo book. Since my photo harddrive folders are such a mess and I had to make the book before the coupon ran out I decided to just take the old photos and design the book by feeling. My parents were so happy, they got me a new lens for birthday present and my flame was sparked again. What keeps my passion going is the magic of being able to capture what I see and also inspiration from channels like yours where you talk about stuff around the hobby and letting us in on your adventures in a very sincere way.
I've felt all the things you talk about in this video, Roman. With a full time job, and family, making time to go out and shoot is my biggest challenge. When I do go out, sometimes it's only for a couple of hours and apart from the guilt, I'm rushing to get shots which results in images that I don't like and then I feel dejected and want to packing it in. My solution to this is spending the day with my son, walking around with my camera, just enjoying the day and taking snapshots rather than then trying to get those "bangers" Thanks for making this video, Roman.
@@georgealexb3940 Hi Alex, I use a Canon 70D, my son uses his IPhone 12, but he also loves using my Canon especially when the IPhone doesn't allow him to get the shot he wants.👍🏽
This video is so timely. As a beginner, I was getting nowhere in photography. Yes I did feel like giving up but like you said 'enjoy the process' which I do every time. So thanks for your inspiration!! I will keep going n enjoy myself 🥰
Definitely had all of those feelings one time or another. For me just taking a break tends to work, having a second different hobby can help too. I just don't think I can force it, if I'm not feeling inspired then I just have to wait until I am.
For myself I've never really had the idea of quitting, but sometimes it's very easy to feel like you aren't doing enough to become better. I hardly post my photos online or anything like that, but I really do want to become good enough that anyone could look at my work and enjoy it - but being in school just doesn't allow for this kind of progress at all. As soon as I saw the bigger picture of 'I can plan where I want to go in the city in the future, or after my exams' it really helped me cope with not making much progress. This video was amazing and it really helped me understand, more than I could before, that photography isn't (necessarily) about the quality of the photo, but rather the behind the scenes, or how you got to that point.
I tried to make it a business and forgot to enjoy it. I started taking photos of family members and when I started getting better, after trial and error people started asking for free shoots. I started feeling like people were taking me for granted, so I started charging a sitting fee. I mostly do HS senors and family photography. I don’t do it for money anymore, except for occasional photo shoots. I do it if I feel like, and people come to me when they want photos. I enjoy it more now.
Great video Roman! I do take either my Sony A7C or my Sony RX with me to work to see if I get inspired. I also take the rx whenever I go out with friends for dinner or drinks. Again, I want to be prepared for something inspiring and in the least I can get some memories with my friends.
One of the best switches I did was move a lot of my editing through to my iPad it means I can edit anywhere coffee shops in the garden in the house led in bed at night simply anywhere it has really made my photography a constant thing that I enjoy no longer am I tied to a bulky desktop at certain times of day instead I can go for a coffee in the morning before work and edit a photo I can have my dinner break and edit a photo I can sit in the garden whilst the wife is sunbathing and edit a photo photography should be and is fun
That is a good solution. I edit a PC tower and a lightweight laptop.i have even taken the laptop to work to use in lunch hour , and even use Team Viewer to edit on my PC Tower at home while at work in tea room via laptop !
I'm currently in the rut right now. My friend gave me his Holga and stash of film & hoping the simplicity of going out and shooting without all the menus, and dials and, and, and...... Anyhoo, fingers crossed that going back to film, for a bit, will shake off the bad mojo. And, thank you for this vid! Just what I needed to hear. Best of luck to you and safe travels!
2 years of Covid and surgery kept me indoors. Photography is what gets me out the door. It makes you look closer at things. Expands the mind and breathes air into the body.
I'm 86 yrs old and sometimes wonder why I'm still hooked on photography after 70 yrs of taking photo's, the answer I enjoy it, the art of capturing the moment. By the way I like the look of your side opening backpack, would you kindly tell the make and model, thank.
I do take less photos than before but it's only because I shoot so much video instead. I have a Panasonic S5 I use mostly for video and a Panasonic GX80 I use mostly for photos. I have tons of lenses for the S5 including a lot of vintage ones, however for the GX80 I have only three lenses and mostly just use one of them. The Panasonic 20mm f1.7 II. I love that lens for run and gun photography. The camera with that lens on fits snugly into a big jacket pocket or in a cargo shorts side pocket etc.
Hi Roman. Perfectly relate to these points and pretty much did/do all the things you suggest. However, at times I still ask that one question…”what’s the point?” You see, the thing is for me photography is about creative art, expressing something I saw through print…something to hang on the wall for other people to look at in whatever sense they receive it, be that positively or negatively. And there’s the crux of the issue, an issue that I don’t think you touched on. Everything you say about process is true but also I feel it’s important to understand and recognise what ultimately that process needs to lead to that actually gives the satisfaction one want from taking photos. I take random photos and snaps as well as more serious photos but what I realised is, I collected loads of data…but I never created an artwork! So, what I suggesting is, think about what your goals are and make sure your process achieves that, whether it only be social media, digital images on the pc or tactile prints on the wall. Thanks again for a great video 😎🤣
Never really gave up photography but I had times where I was "less productive", sometimes it seems hard to find time to do things so I had this bad habit to put my passion away as soon as I see that I can't be as constant as I want to be, the worse thing is that when I take up the camera again the results are so bad for the lacking of practice that I feel really demotivated, recently I started to manage time better and always have a camera with me so I take chances to shoot in the free time, with this video I have more tips to follow and I see lots of improvement in my workflow
Another thing that I find important is to stop expecting a certain picture and focussing more on the experience: choosing settings and workflow based more on the way I shoot than the results I expect
Nail on the head Roman, i take 1, either my rx100 or a body & lens, and just enjoy the journey. For me the camera seems to be a method of drawing my attention towards a view, and then trying to catch it.
You got that right Roman, and I think too many people worry about their gear way too much as if the next new camera will make them a great photographer, that's sad but it happens.
If you get tired doing one kind of photography switch to another. For example if you always do portraits and landscapes, switch to architecture or abstract photography.
Hahah I know I was deffo pushing the boundary there a little. But such is RUclips…. I can have the best video with the best advice but the title and thumbnail can kill it..
Great video, Roman! I try to shoot everyday as well as post. I shoot what catches my eye. I have jotted down a variety of compositional aspects. And try to delve into them for one week using one lens. Aspects include: fill the frame, macro, minimalism/negative space, framing, symmetry and b&w. This way I don't get stale...
I’ve gone through that once and even sold my gear then. I bought a new camera, took it for vacations with friends and I felt I’m there to photograph not to enjoy the trip. So it became rather a burden than pleasure. I had better time when I left the large camera in hotel and took just an old analogue Yashica with fixed 35 mm focal. I came back, sold the X-T4, bought X100V and everything became simpler. Later I had to buy X-T4 again for portrait and fashion work but now I split my gear to “professional” and “recreational”. I also used to spend too much time thinking of composing a perfect gear setup instead of just taking pictures;) So my advice would be similar. You probably don’t need the best camera and lenses to take nice pictures on your trips. In fact it might ruin the travel for you because you will think too much of photos and have a lot of unnecessary luggage:). If you’re into Fuji, buy some X100 with the converters if you need gear for travel or recreational street photography. For more professional work get an X-T#, a standard zoom and one or two primes suitable for the discipline (e.g. wide for interiors and arch, short tele for portraits and fashion and so on). That’s it and STOP thinking of buying new things:)
Whenever I've felt like "throwing in the towel" I revisit the works of the icons who breathed their genius into my consciousness. Other than my dad and batty Aunt Ñico who never left the house without their Brownie Hawkeye cameras, the very first book of photography that I pinched while working at a publishing company was HARLEM ON MY MIND. I was in awe of the artistry of James Vanderzee, Gordon Parks, and Roy deCarava. I have since then stacked up a pile of anthologies that resemble the Leaning Tower of Pisa representing the keen eyes of individuals such as Norman Seefe, Diane Arbus, Mary Ellen Mark, Jane Bown (#1 in my life), Sammy Davis Jr (yes, THE Sammy Davis Jr), and Vivian Dorothy Maier. They, and others, rekindle the spark for me as well as watching the videos that you, Alex on the Street, Kai W, Faizal Westcott, and Sean Tucker post on You Tube. Your passion and willingness to share are inspirational and motivating.
For a long time I was feeling like giving up, it became a hassle carrying around my Camera and lenses with me in the hope I would see something I found interesting to shoot, Eventually I traded in my Nikon for a Olympus M43 camera and a 12-40mm F2.8 pro lens, which I can carry around in a sling bag or when working will fit in my laptop bag. I hardly ever edit any of my photos and mostly display as shoot, for me the joy now is just getting out and capturing memories as I go. Thanks for these videos, I am finding new ways to enhance my enjoyment of photography, and am loving trying out some of your suggestions / advice. Cheers
Great video buddy. I quit music production as I didn’t like how music was going, I wasn’t interested in what was around anymore, and I wanted to get into new things. So I’m starting new things but simple, I’m stopping getting too much stuff that I don’t need so I can enjoy it more. Also doing snapshots is entirely how I’m getting into photography.
I've felt like giving it all up, although, it was in the early days of my photography journey. I'd been teaching myself and I'd only been taking pictures for a few years. Like many others, I posted on Facebook and Instagram and I was chasing the likes and the followers. However, between the chasing and some negative comments, I was feeling quite down about my photography. I then realised that I was getting more likes for images that I wasn't necessarily enjoying taking, the ones I did enjoy didn't get the likes. After about a year of solely taking images for other people and likes, I decided to come off social media and focus solely on ME and MY photography. From that day on, I only photographed what I wanted. The stress went away, I had fun and enjoyed going out a walk with my camera. I now take thousands of images each year, all of things I like and although I'm back on social, I've no interest in growing followers or getting hundreds of likes.
I started watching your videos from previous weak and i fell llove with your woark , its gives me so much knowledge and motivation thanks for making great content ❤️ love from 🇮🇳
Roman, I see you've been to Lisbon, great city; do you have Amsterdam on your 'to do' list? Mind-blowing city to visit and take photos. Another fine vid, thanks.
I find that ,when i take photos i might have not liked that picture for that particular day/week/month But i always go back months later And find i like it later on, i get creative with my photos like make them into panoramas or crop them and try to make it a different photo. As of recent i’ve been walking more and I usually have my camera on me just in case i do like something.
I gave up photography after I bought Sony a7III with 50mm and every single day I felt bad because my photos are not good enough as they supposed to be with such a great gear (they were just “fine” lol). Also it was so difficult to learn with this camera, I felt dumb compared with this machine) After a year of blaming myself for not taking pictures or taking them and they suck, I took a hard decision to sell it. In some months, one day out of a sudden I just went to the shop, bought Fuji XE4 and 16mm, easy, tiny and very handy. Now I go for a walk with my dog and take this camera, I take it everywhere with me, without all this pressure of fancy gear (btw Fuji isn’t cheap but compared to Sony…). Good to know that I am not alone with this feeling, good luck to everyone and many thanks for this video!
On your last point, I appreciate keeping photography as a hobby for me. I wouldn't want to ruin it with stress. While it would be great to be paid for it, I don't think I could do that and not add stress over the results. Instead it's very casual for me and I take photos because I enjoy taking photos and that's it.
Since there aren't that many people who are enthusiastic about photography, I tend to be the only one with a camera. Just last Sunday a friend invited me to take photos of his sons christening. He paid my expenses and I was having a good time with people I know, so it isn't a chore. What I mean is, basically offer your services to your friends. You get to hang out, photograph people you like and who aren't weirded out by you taking their photos, you can try some directions with more staged photos, you can try out your gear with all the time in the world (because they don't expect anything magical when you do it for free), usually there is a cool activity or nice food or something else that is enjoyable outside of the stuff I mentioned... I actually haven't taken a lot of pictures for a while (often did not feel like it) and this was a great opportunity to try some stuff. And now I am reviewing everything and I start to reflect on what I liked and what I think I could have done better.
I shoot mostly wildlife. For me it is about being out in nature and enjoying the wildlife. I see a lot more wildlife than I take pictures of. The animals might be too far away, too deep in the shadows, or just have an awful background. The photos I do take are to share with others my experience of being outside. Some are very good, some are snapshots. I am sharing my experience through pictures. Since I adopted this mindset I have not regretted a single outing. They are all good.
No, I'm still passionate about photography, but I often leave unedited and unshared photos in LR... A lot of them. Trying to minimalize process as much as I can but still... I'm doing my first "session" for my personal trainer this week! For free ofc, I'll learn something new, he will potentially get at least one or two good photos for social media. Sicked!
I'm in SA and take photographs in the Jhb CBD from about 10pm until 2 am, whenever I make time. My experience with people has been harrowing sometimes, and please know I'm not taking photos of people, more the buildings, streetlights, trying to capture the atmosphere, and how I'm feeling. It can get dangerous, and being sworn at by people living on the streets is par for the course. It can totally bring you down when it happens.
@@sexysilversurfer I'm trying to get back into it after lockdown, but I'm even very careful of not running into the police in the CBD as it can also go very pear-shaped with them if they want a bribe, or are just pissed off. I totally gave up shooting in the day as people are too aggressive. Pretty sad overall but a lot has changed here.
I've never felt like giving photography up completely, but I've definitely had times when I've felt totally uninspired. My solution: I joined new groups and tried something new like light painting, fire spinning. In the last 9ish months I've been running a photography club at the school I work at, with children between 7 and 11 years old. We use the ipads. I cannot tell you how enjoyable it is teaching the kids how to frame the shot well, how to use the light, how to vary their viewpoint ... and to see the excitement and enjoyment they get. I bring my camera along, and join in. I reckon it's the best antidote to photography fatigue. Maybe that should be my tip? ... if you're feeling like giving up, teach someone how to do shoot a better image, and chances are it'll reignite the spark.
Hi Roman - I own a big dslr and a Fuji X-T20 with a 27mm lens. That’s the only lens I have for it at this time. In your opinion, is the Fuji with my 27mm a good camera for street photography? My other camera is a 5D Mark ii and I have plenty of lenses for it, but have always been hassled every time I have used it for street photography. I would appreciate it if you could let me know your thoughts on using the xt20. Love your channel! Thanks!
At least twice in my life, I felt strongly about just giving it up. First time I worked around it by jumping head-first into analogue. Back then, second-hand analogue cameras were *really* cheap, so it was an easy way for me to try new things without feeling guilty for spending too much. Some things, like shooting with a rangefinder, are almost impossible in a digital world, but analogue rangefinders can be had for a price of a larger meal. It also really adds to the process side of things because the shooting itself is pretty specific in some extra limits (constant ISO, speed of shooting etc.) and of course, you can also develop your film, which is, at least for me, almost meditative. And I was also almost shocked when I realised that shooting analogue also made me enjoy digital more, as well as improved my digital results. The second time I had to realise that it's OK to just blatantly copy others when learning. It's, of course, bad to copy others' to display it publicly, but it is excellent for learning and just having fun. And it's a great relief when you can stop worrying about reinventing the wheel and can just have fun shooting pictures.
I guess in those times when i feel down and uninspired, i take a break and leave the camera for a little while. This leaves room for the craving to actually make some art, and even if with only a phone, there is some excitement of getting back into it.
Photography is , among other things, an "Art" . On 1 perspective, your EYES - like a sculptor already sees the final product - will be your guiding light thru the darkness of confusion.
I have a nice Canon R6 kit that I really enjoy for portraits and my professional work. However, I was getting less excited about photography as a whole. I got me a smaller kit with a Fuji X-T20 and it's really done wonders. I enjoy taking that out and shooting downtown, in the evenings, for family stuff, on trips, etc. It just got to where I didn't want to take my big, expensive camera/lenses out at all these kinds of places. I have a smaller sling bag and take my X-T20 and a few lenses and I'm all set. Right now I use a combination of the 50mm F2, 35mm F2, 27mm 2.8 II and the XC 15-60mm zoom. I bought an M1 really cheap and am considering just keeping my 27mm 2.8 II on that camera as a daily one camera/one lens setup. I haven't decided between the 16mm 2.8 or the 23mm F2, but after I get that I'm probably done getting lenses. I really like the 50mm F2. It's a wonderful lens and takes beautiful photos. Downtown Houston is large, more spread out, and not crowded so having a 50mm F2 is more useful for street photography here.
PLEASE READ
There is some complete waste of a life pretending to
be me and messaging everyone saying they have won
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managed to get the @snapsbyfox handle on telegram
and is pretending to be me.
It is obviously not me because the level of English is
horrific and he refuses to prove it is me - just gets
aggressive.
Please use your common sense and report any
comment here you see. I'm actively trying to get this
piece of shit removed but the social platforms are not
the easiest to deal with. Thank you.
We are with you brother. Don't worry 🤗
Reported and blocked!
I wasn't fooled. Sad that people are so dishonest.
I gave up photography a number of years ago. Mostly because my partner, with an iPhone, was taking brilliant shots vs what I could do. I continued to be inspired by what others could do though. I eventually came to realize that I was focused on a imagined result, and not the process. That established, I then had to evaluate what it was that was taking away the joy. Turns out my camera was too heavy. My lenses too big, only working with a zoom. I went back the basics. Nice light body (Fuji xe3) and decided to embrace the 35mm prime. And then just learn by watching, reading, replicating and practicing. I'm enjoying it far more now. I just get what I get. Review, learn and just keep practicing.
Thank you for sharing!
Similar experience here. Went even further and I'm now mostly shooting with a film point and shoot I found for 5€. Fell in love with the process of photography all over again.
Nice little combo. Feels good (especially with a decent handgrip added), and makes a satisfying shutter sound. Phones can't do that.
@@johnvienna3422 and phones are slow. sure you can adjust the shutter speed but phone sensors aren't the best and they get to noisy on pro settings.
Very inspiring. I believe a lot of us are inspired by the works of others until we realize one doesn't just go out and come back with an SD card full of brilliant shots (mostly). It's about putting in the work and realizing, that photography is just much mor of a learning experience and often a meditative creative process than it is about the "end product".
From the early days of your channel, amongst several qualities, you’ve always just been a good and helpful man. Thank you.
Cheers!
To piggyback on the uninspired point, I think the feeling of being uninspired is very much a mental thing. I currently feel that way right now with the city I live in, but recently, due to life circumstances, I may have to move to a different place soon and that made me somewhat change my mindset. It went from “This place is boring. I’ve seen everything.” to “I have to document these last moments before I leave.” It really showed me how strong our mentality can affect us!
Great point!
100% agree with everything here, another one to think about is social media. I’ve stopped going on Instagram and really found my photography again. I’m not worried about what other people are doing just focussing on what I like and see. Totally agree with the process side, my photography fits into my life, not the other way round and it works so much better. Great video
I feel like this is what has discouraged me the most. It feels like all the pictures I see on Instagram form these subconscious expectations for my photography, and it feels like I have become more focused on getting to the end result, and having pictures that look like the ones I like on social media.
I think it's good to get some inspiration sometimes, for example I sometimes see a really interesting photo and I try to see what it takes to replicate that photo, but it's only fun if I focus on the process instead of the result, like Roman mentioned.
Definitely agree here. Far too many 'perfect' photos on IG which just adds to the pressure and increases any anxiety you may have about creating your own images.
Some good points in this video. I have been feeling a bit like this in recent times … lack of time, and when I get the chance, I rush and don’t get great images. It feels like I’m just filling up my hard drive for the sake of it! Reflecting on the best times, I realise that when I have a purpose I’m more motivated, especially when I print my work, whether to hang on the wall or a book via Blurb or similar. I have really enjoyed shooting for a book and the photos don’t all have to be “portfolio” images, as long as they support the story. Having some tangible output is satisfying.
Great advice. Being retired and too old to care about other people's opinion about what I produce helps. For me being (or attempting to be ) a professional has always been (over the 60 years or so since I first picked up a camera ) about learning rather than earning from the experience. Every day I venture out is a new learning curve. Weather, light and situation are always different even if on the surface it appears similar. I know it can be expensive to start but honestly finding the money for film (and all the differing types that suited your needs) wasn't easy. Plus developing costs. It truly (for me anyway) is a wonder to be able to go out and experiment with black & white with it's incredible array of styles ( Bless you Nik) and then switch to colour - with the same camera rather than lumbering round with two or even three. 1. 100 asa Kodak. 2. 400 asa Fuji. 3. Tri-x 400. 75 years old, prostate cancer, spinal and neck problems but still here and still loving it. Admire the work you do Roman - worthwhile.
I got interested in photography over 20 years ago but things took different turns in my life due to finances first and then 12 of those years were taking care of both my parents on top of working. After my father passed a little over half a year ago, it finally dawned on me that I didn't have nearly enough nor was motivated to take pictures of him while he was still alive. I picked up an X-T1 not too long after my father's passing at a bargain to start learning the system and picked up some primes whenever I saw a great deal. I started out in the backyard since I still work from home to be able to take care of my mother. I do run into days when I don't want to do anything due to burning out from caretaking and working but still get motivation again from time to time watching videos like these or learning something new on the camera that I didn't know before to try out. I like how the X-T1 lets me slow down when I have so many fast paced things going on already.
"You'll always find time for something you really want." I've found this to be so true. If it's important, we will make/find time and create the space to make it happen. Thanks for these thoughts!
Cheers!
I picked up my first camera about 12 years ago and went on a bunch of courses simliar to the OP of the video Roman was talking about, but i found myself hating my photos. I was super over critical of myself and being a beginner I was expecting to get photos that Professionals used to get. I hated the results every time i went out even if i got a few good photos which i was happy with i would compare to all the failures and hate myself because of it. I put away my camera and never touched it for 10 years, even lost all the parts - charger, spare batteries, SD cards, etc.
recently I have been craving to scratch that itch again, so I purchased myself a new Fuji XT-4 and being super exicted to get back into it but I am finding myself super anxious that i am going to feel like a failure again. watching this video has helped and i am trying to focus on the process and being out for walk even if i dont take any shots that i like, just enjoying the sun and using this awesome piece of kit. I have also realised i am not going to be perfect from the get go, i have a long road ahead of me to perfect the craft and cant expect to be perfect on every shot.
What a matured outlook for someone so young...wonderful again, Roman..
One thing that helped me get back into photography was taking the photos I wanted to. Not just the stuff Instagram and RUclips told me to. I found myself not developing my own style but just trying to copy other people's style because I like theirs.
Now I just take the photos that I think are interesting or beautiful and don't care about too much headroom or rule of thirds or anything like that. I don't worry about if I edit colors the same way as some of my photographers that I admire. Or how close my black and white work looks too high fashion black and white photos. I make what makes me happy and that keeps me shooting.
Don't get rid of your camera. Don't throw the towel in. You can always come back to it! We all have moments where we're not feeling it but that's fine, just put it under the bed until you want to try again.
Oh yes! Ive definitely had this one more than a few times. I also think it boils down to mindsets, and im also a big fan of enjoying the process. Ok This happened; I spent 6 months by myself in the African bush in 2019 to photograph lions. Now theres no guarantee to get anything with wildlife despite having months to do it. Add multiple carbreakdowns to the mix, and the motivation wasnt easy to keep up. After a few months I eventually managed to reach the minimum goal of lion portraits, and reflected on the situation. How good it was to be able to be out there in lovely nature, having all these experiences (for better ot for worse). In retrospect, its the best thing I ever did! And I almost didnt do it because I thought I didnt have good enough gear. But adventure over gear. Always! We get so caught up in gear these days. After that trip, having a camera in hand always makes me feel like im on a mini adventure. From the streets in Oslo to the bush of africa. Photography is adventure. Cheers for another good video!
Wow thanks for sharing!
Thank you Roman for your videos, emails and time. I have not fallen victim to throwing in the towel. I believe these types of videos and reading comments from your followers helps. Following advice from people that have gone before me and applying it.
That last part turned out to be the best part for me. I used to put too much pressure on myself to get a good shot each and every time, and it always made me depressed when I came home with nothing to show for it. Now, I take a lot of random pics and just have fun - turns out that those snapshots end up making me pretty happy, which is the whole point for me!
Awesome Roman - a great reminder of the basics. I was getting a bit worried that you were quitting - I'm v. glad not!
I've been feeling a little down and out about my photography lately and feeling like "throwing in the towel." I think it's mainly from the lack of appreciation that I get and it makes me second guess myself and my abilities, like if there aren't people who like and appreciate my photos do they even matter. I know a lot of people say to do it for yourself but photography became a real thing to me when people were looking at the photos I took and they said "WOW you took that!? It's so good". Going from that to no recognition at all is what is really hurting.
Great video! I find that I have a lot more fun (and even get better shots) when I just go out with no expectations and focus on enjoying the process rather than stressing about the results. I try to remind myself that I’m doing this for myself (not for social media or others’ approval)
Thanks for useful advices, thanks for that specially from 3:20 there is pure gold. Keep less lenses, bodies, filters and keep camera with you whatever you goes
Timely inspiration. I feel like I'm giving up before even I actually started...Now, I am going to have a re-think....Thanks for the advice!
Phtography is about practice, practice, practice, there are times you have to find the simple things…. You have to push yourself… if I’m going out sometimes I just take out a couple prime lenses, these really help me understand focal lengths. The other thing is that I edit shots on the day then it’s easier… Photography is instinctive, an experience. I see so many guys carrying large lenses, the latest equipment. I’ve carried a tiny Leica camera and a 50 years old lens, and have had some incredible results…. In order to achieve progress you do have to take those bad photos make the mistakes and do it all again
Hi, I follow ALL your videos with pleasure and every time I find a motivation to continue shooting, the effort and work put into creating youtube content for us to watch with ease is definitely something hard to match but you do it for pleasure and naturally. I'm glad to see that you motivate people even from little to do a lot ! I respect you and I will keep following your Content and Photos !
Social media is partly to blame . Often it will make you forget why you started in the first place. It will make you forget it's a process and a journey. I took a break from social media and I came bk refreshed. You just need to cleanse yourself of the clutter.
Amazing 11 minutes.
A while ago I had a block and couldn't even look at my camera, but I watched this fellow photographer from Norway who is based in Mexico, and he said something that stuck with me, he said take out your camera without any pressure and just shoot and try to make that a habit and the next day I went to this beautiful market 30 minutes away and had a buzz, and now take my camera and keep snapping and even if I don't get good photos i feel relieved and happy at the end of the day.
So my advice is take your camera without expecting any results, Just Do It,lol.
I had this feeling for most of the reasons stated in this video. I bought a Fujifilm X100f and everything changed I then sold 90% of my old gear. Then I started using manual mode and started taking snapshots and it all came back. I had no pressure to take great photos for social media and took pictures for me again. I got caught up taking pictures for likes and not for me!
Brilliant! Catches the essence of what it’s all about really well. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t, but if you don’t try then you can’t do either.
Thank you so much for the suggestions.
Some are also very applicable to other hobbies! Especially keeping it simple should help, I tend to make stuff way too complicated, sometimes simpler is much better.
As someone who is just getting into photography as a hobby, I found this video really interesting.
Pretty much everything you described is what I'm doing, and after reading forums and advice online I was starting to think I was taking the totally wrong approach. Shooting just fuji jpgs or super light editing, aspc not full frame, just going on walks and taking pictures of what I see.
Obviously I have a lot to learn about photography itself. But this is a reminder to not let things get overwhelming, and make sure I keep the process light and enjoyable. Cool video.
I am certainly starting to enjoy the process and the time taking the photos, very relaxing. However, I still struggle in my mind with what to do with my final images. It would be good to know what everyone does with them, leave them on a hard drive somewhere. Thanks Roman for the great video!
Thanks Ian!
Yes agree. If you are not doing it for money. You can make a good image share it onceor twice and then what.? It can seem so superficial and transient.
@@fraserb609 I agree! I also agree with Roman about enjoying the journey but it is always nice to end the journey well. My company develops software and I been thinking what we could do for photographers that would help with this very question!
I once got a lot of motivation from looking at my early photos. Even if you dont think so - you have learned a lot since then.
For anyone feeling like this, I think the first thing you need to ask yourself is, what made you pick up a camera in the first place and why do you do photography?
What motivates you in photography?
If you don't know, then don't worry - here's why:
I started photography in lockdown as a hobby doing landscape and street (mostly landscape) and I loved it but would often ask myself, why am I doing this and what is the purpose of it?
Yes, I'd come away with nice pictures but I would think, whats the point of this and what am I achieving for all the hours and effort im putting in?
I enjoyed the process and I enjoyed the days out, I had nice pictures but there was something missing for me.
As a big football fan, I one day got the idea to try and have a go at football (sports) photography.
I got in contact with a few local non league clubs and one of them invited me along and I let them have the photos for free in return.
I LOVED IT!
I enjoyed the event, I learnt a lot of new skills in photography and I came away with a buzz.
The Club said i could come along whenever I want and so I did.
What I soon discovered was that as much as I enjoyed capturing the action, the biggest thing I loved was telling a story with my pictures and capturing the emotions of the players and fans.
Finding that human connection in a picture where you capture moments of pure joy to pure dissappointment and devastation. The emotions were intimate, powerful and real and in those split second moments you see the true, genuine, uncensored person.
Capturing that for me was special.
Capturing fans enjoying the day and finding that human connection through pictures to me was amazing.
I suddenly noticed what other people got from my pictures too.
It amazed me how the players and fans valued these pictures, whether it be as memories that they could keep forever or just enjoyed seeing themselves or even the game.
I discovered the emotional value of a picture for people and it made me realise that Im doing something that means something to people.
It's so exciting to see how people can enjoy pictures.
It changed my whole outlook on photography, I suddenly understood why I do photography - to tell stories and show that true human connection of emotion in pictures.
It dawned on me that when we see peoples stories and emotions in pictures that we often relate and its powerful in so many ways.
Now im the Clubs photographer (on a voluntary basis,) but Im actually persuing a career in photography and looking to do sports, photojournalism, portraits and weddings.
It's introduced me to so many new people and got me involved in this wonderful community of the football club I shoot for which has been a real joy.
Ive come across people who do other things like radio commentary, sports reports and various other jobs (all voluntary) and we chat about our different skills and contributions and learn about what we all do over a pint in the Club bar....it's great.
This little lockdown hobby of taking pictures on my phone when out on my walks suddenly exploded in to life for me and is changing my life over the last year...but it took time and I had to make the effort, experiement and put myself out there even when I felt unsure of myself.
I understand Romans idea about simplifying the photography process and I get that (although do not sell equipment I would say because equipment you may find is going to be very important later, so if you have it, then keep it until you're certain about what you want to do).
Most importantly ask yourself, what motivates you?
Why did you pick up a camera in the first place?
If (like me) you don't know, then experiment with different genres like I did and see what clicks with you.
It might be that you're doing a genre of photography that doesn't excite or motivate you in the way that another might.
I still do landscape and street, I enjoy them but I now have a better idea about what excites me with photography and its people and telling peoples stories and emotions.
Who knows, in a year I might go in another direction as I discover something else, but just keep getting out there and experimenting and discovering.
There is always a reason why someone picks up a camera to start with, so get out there and discover what your reason is.
It takes time, but keep going and when you find it, its so exciting.
If you feel passionate about what you do you will get better at it too and you'll enjoy learning as you go.
I think im a decent landscape and street photographer now, but my football pictures are much better than my other stuff and thats because Im so passionate about it that Ive been more motivated to learn and practice it more.
Find your reason is my message and believe me when you discover it your photography is going to explode into life and you're going to improve in ways you won't believe because you're passion will take over and drive you to keep improving.
Find your reason!
I wanted to do something with my art, and photography work, because I didn't want to waste my efforts. Now I'm using my photography in what I want to do. I'm happy, and didn't want to give up.
The thing I like most about using a camera instead of the smartphone -no matter how easy and impressive they are- is that I tend to take only the pictures that I really want. Last weekend I was in France with a friend. He shot a gazillion snaps that will never be looked at again, while I cherish the shots that I took.
I find the process and journey are more important to my enjoyment of photography than any specific images I take. I like to take my camera with me when I go out with the idea if I see something interesting I will take a photo but I don't I still was doing something like taking a hike that was enjoyable in its own right.
Also, I find the photography channels that interest me the most focus less on gear and more on photography as process/journey and as an art form with its own modes of expression.
Sound advice. I’ve found that as my lens and body collection has grown, my creativity and desire to shoot have become somewhat overwhelmed. Partly to do with a lack of inspiration from travel over the last couple of years, for sure, but even now when packing for travel, I can now spend hours worrying about lens selection rather than researching creative ideas or thinking about a theme or story for the trip. Daughter, on the other hand, just grabs my XT4 with the 16-55 f/2.8 or our old Canon A1 with a prime and heads out with intent, creative vision firmly in mind. “KISS: Keep it simple, stupid”.
Great tips. Thanks.
Thanks Roman I needed this episode, it really hit home.
One of the reasons my photography is on a very low level at the moment is that I do not enjoy posting images on social media anymore. Looking at images on for example Instagram, most of the times I have the feeling that they are staged because there too good to be true. And that is not how I want my photos to look like. Also the pressure to make a photo that ‘everyone’ has to like, makes photography not fun anymore. That also gave me the same question, what is it all good for? And I’m thinking a lot about it. Walking around taking photos only for myself does not seem worth while anymore. Like someone already said in the comments, it’s a state of mind. All good but how do I change my state of mind? I honestly do hope to get my love for photography back, because I do miss it.
I’ve toyed with the idea of switching all the socials off haha. One day when my crypto investment blows up 😂😂😂
Thank you! I needed this
For me the process is to try to find something I want to tell using photography as a medium, then from there I plan my sessions and also try to let myself driven by the emotions I get through what I see if that makes sense. To me it's all about having that sharp and spontaneous eye.
The other trick I found is to use my smartphone as a lightweight and always available view finder, it helps me to bypass the technical and get to framing and composition quickly and see what it tells me before I pull out my gears.
Really it's a mix of emotions and technicality, because the technicality gets between you and the picture as you said
absolutely brilliant video Roman, just want to say a huge thankyou for this!
Cheers!
I got back into photography and bought a new camera for an extended trip a few years ago. After the trip, I went through the photos and I was very disappointed. I figured I would sell the camera and give it up. Then a few months later I went back through the photos, and I found a few keepers. Then later I found a few more. Then I realized that most are actually pretty good - not necessarily wall-hangers but certainly good enough for social media. And I even found one I had passed over several times thinking it was trash, but then I processed it and it came out great - I submitted to an international photo competition and got an Honorable Mention.
I think my problem was that during post processing, I wasn't seeing on the screen what I had seen through the lens when I had taken the photos. Or maybe what I had imagined through the lens as the final image. In any case, I kind of figured out that the image was still there, I just had to learn how to process it so I could find it again.
Thank you for sharing
I enjoy nature photography - particularly landscape. I think the biggest help for me for the past 3 years has been the joy of exploration and discovery. And the crazy thing that nearly blows my mind is that using all the tools of the internet to prepare for an outing usually enhances the experience. It's also important to keep our expectations in check when comes to improving in this particular craft. For adults, learning to see, visualize and compose well is an iterative process that only improves through practice.
Roman, I wish you were my son also! So matured for such a young man! I just love listening to you..same when I was young- so much enthusiasm
Yes, after 47 years (on and off) of photographing for a hobby, I've decided to persevere because...........I really enjoy the whole process. I actually get a few decent pics too. Having an X-T3 and X-pro 1 and various lenses help, but then again I still have fun with my 40 something Y.O. Nikon F2. Great video Roman....always on the money.
Great vlog as usual Roman. photography is truly insatiable.
Changing times in technology. Point and shoot cameras are done but I still use mine . I use a a olympus tg5 and a digital pentax k70 with pancake lenses. The k70 I don't use much .
This video reminds me of my struggles. In my early 20s I realized I am not creative enough and I am just an opportunistic or situational photographer. I didn't accomplish anything from what I wanted to achieve and comparing with my friends with better gear didn't help. I had some great shots but I felt like a one hit wonder. Most people didn't resonate with my style and I was disappointed or alienated. So I decided to quit. Sold my camera, announced the few followers and that was it.
Few years later, life got me through some challenges and I got a bit wiser (I think). I realized that I miss "the journey" to a great shot. I was the happiest with a camera in my hand, enjoying a good walk and observing the surroundings... looking for a composition. Missed the sorting... the editing... The funny things I did to put into practice some of my ideas... I missed all that.
So I decided to give it another shot (ha, get it? another shot), but this time with a new mentality behind. A more therapeutic one. I put aside my ambitions and started seeing it as a hobby. And this really worked.
Thing is when you are enjoying what you do... sooner or later unexpected good things will follow... But all that was just a bonus for me and another story to tell.
All I know is that I am happy to walk around with my camera in my hand, exploring.
Thanks Roman! Another great video!
As a long time drummer, i must say that I've been going through this kind of situations a lot of times...
I define myself as a really passionate guy, in the majority of the things I do. And photography recently became one of those, for sure.
To me it's all about enjoying the process. From going to the location, to the moment of the shot, till the final editing process (that I do with my tablet, using Lightroom). I love all of these steps. Everything is fascinating at the moment (i bought my X-T4 16 months ago).
And, you know what: i like my photos! Also if I have less than 600 followers on IG!!
There's nothing wrong in telling this, i hope! 😂
Thanks for your videos mate, always inspiring!
Great all round advice. I’ve already simplified my set up by migrating to a Ricoh GR3. It’s a liberating experience. It’s a take anywhere camera that doesn’t intrude on my day to day activities but is always available and quick to respond when the moments arrive. And the advice to take snapshots to take the pressure off is a great idea. Self care is important too. Nice one mate. 👍🏻
Thank you for this one 🙏
Really made me think about why I do this and what I like about it.
I did have a break or downperiod with my photography much becuse of pressure from expectations i made for myself and focusing on producing rather than enjoying.
I didn't like to watch my early photos because they were not up to the standards of what I wanted to be doing at the moment, Instead of watching them as glimpses of the past as I do now.
What got me back was actually an online ad that gave me a coupon to make a photo book.
Since my photo harddrive folders are such a mess and I had to make the book before the coupon ran out I decided to just take the old photos and design the book by feeling.
My parents were so happy, they got me a new lens for birthday present and my flame was sparked again.
What keeps my passion going is the magic of being able to capture what I see and also inspiration from channels like yours where you talk about stuff around the hobby and letting us in on your adventures in a very sincere way.
I've felt all the things you talk about in this video, Roman. With a full time job, and family, making time to go out and shoot is my biggest challenge. When I do go out, sometimes it's only for a couple of hours and apart from the guilt, I'm rushing to get shots which results in images that I don't like and then I feel dejected and want to packing it in.
My solution to this is spending the day with my son, walking around with my camera, just enjoying the day and taking snapshots rather than then trying to get those "bangers" Thanks for making this video, Roman.
What camera do you use when going out with your son?
@@georgealexb3940 Hi Alex, I use a Canon 70D, my son uses his IPhone 12, but he also loves using my Canon especially when the IPhone doesn't allow him to get the shot he wants.👍🏽
This video is so timely. As a beginner, I was getting nowhere in photography. Yes I did feel like giving up but like you said 'enjoy the process' which I do every time. So thanks for your inspiration!! I will keep going n enjoy myself 🥰
Definitely had all of those feelings one time or another. For me just taking a break tends to work, having a second different hobby can help too. I just don't think I can force it, if I'm not feeling inspired then I just have to wait until I am.
Despite or title this video is definitely a brilliant motivational one. Thanks again Roman!
For myself I've never really had the idea of quitting, but sometimes it's very easy to feel like you aren't doing enough to become better. I hardly post my photos online or anything like that, but I really do want to become good enough that anyone could look at my work and enjoy it - but being in school just doesn't allow for this kind of progress at all. As soon as I saw the bigger picture of 'I can plan where I want to go in the city in the future, or after my exams' it really helped me cope with not making much progress. This video was amazing and it really helped me understand, more than I could before, that photography isn't (necessarily) about the quality of the photo, but rather the behind the scenes, or how you got to that point.
I tried to make it a business and forgot to enjoy it. I started taking photos of family members and when I started getting better, after trial and error people started asking for free shoots. I started feeling like people were taking me for granted, so I started charging a sitting fee. I mostly do HS senors and family photography. I don’t do it for money anymore, except for occasional photo shoots. I do it if I feel like, and people come to me when they want photos. I enjoy it more now.
Great video Roman! I do take either my Sony A7C or my Sony RX with me to work to see if I get inspired. I also take the rx whenever I go out with friends for dinner or drinks. Again, I want to be prepared for something inspiring and in the least I can get some memories with my friends.
One of the best switches I did was move a lot of my editing through to my iPad it means I can edit anywhere coffee shops in the garden in the house led in bed at night simply anywhere it has really made my photography a constant thing that I enjoy no longer am I tied to a bulky desktop at certain times of day instead I can go for a coffee in the morning before work and edit a photo I can have my dinner break and edit a photo I can sit in the garden whilst the wife is sunbathing and edit a photo photography should be and is fun
Same!
That is a good solution.
I edit a PC tower and a lightweight laptop.i have even taken the laptop to work to use in lunch hour , and even use Team Viewer to edit on my PC Tower at home while at work in tea room via laptop !
I have taken to bringing my camera with me to work every day…am loving it 😊
I'm currently in the rut right now. My friend gave me his Holga and stash of film & hoping the simplicity of going out and shooting without all the menus, and dials and, and, and...... Anyhoo, fingers crossed that going back to film, for a bit, will shake off the bad mojo. And, thank you for this vid! Just what I needed to hear. Best of luck to you and safe travels!
Shake it off in no time! Cheers
2 years of Covid and surgery kept me indoors. Photography is what gets me out the door. It makes you look closer at things. Expands the mind and breathes air into the body.
I'm 86 yrs old and sometimes wonder why I'm still hooked on photography after 70 yrs of taking photo's, the answer I enjoy it, the art of capturing the moment. By the way I like the look of your side opening backpack, would you kindly tell the make and model, thank.
Cheers! Yeah it is the Peak Design Zip - 15L which is plenty big enough without being too bulky
I do take less photos than before but it's only because I shoot so much video instead. I have a Panasonic S5 I use mostly for video and a Panasonic GX80 I use mostly for photos. I have tons of lenses for the S5 including a lot of vintage ones, however for the GX80 I have only three lenses and mostly just use one of them. The Panasonic 20mm f1.7 II. I love that lens for run and gun photography. The camera with that lens on fits snugly into a big jacket pocket or in a cargo shorts side pocket etc.
I did exactly what you advised. Sold my kit to get a Sony RX and use it far more now it’s simple and compact and less conspicuous.
They are meant to be good!
@@snapsbyfox thanks for the reply. Yes I enjoy it, I’m even used to the silly menus now
Hi Roman. Perfectly relate to these points and pretty much did/do all the things you suggest. However, at times I still ask that one question…”what’s the point?” You see, the thing is for me photography is about creative art, expressing something I saw through print…something to hang on the wall for other people to look at in whatever sense they receive it, be that positively or negatively. And there’s the crux of the issue, an issue that I don’t think you touched on. Everything you say about process is true but also I feel it’s important to understand and recognise what ultimately that process needs to lead to that actually gives the satisfaction one want from taking photos. I take random photos and snaps as well as more serious photos but what I realised is, I collected loads of data…but I never created an artwork! So, what I suggesting is, think about what your goals are and make sure your process achieves that, whether it only be social media, digital images on the pc or tactile prints on the wall. Thanks again for a great video 😎🤣
Thanks for sharing Paul!
Never really gave up photography but I had times where I was "less productive", sometimes it seems hard to find time to do things so I had this bad habit to put my passion away as soon as I see that I can't be as constant as I want to be, the worse thing is that when I take up the camera again the results are so bad for the lacking of practice that I feel really demotivated, recently I started to manage time better and always have a camera with me so I take chances to shoot in the free time, with this video I have more tips to follow and I see lots of improvement in my workflow
Another thing that I find important is to stop expecting a certain picture and focussing more on the experience: choosing settings and workflow based more on the way I shoot than the results I expect
Nail on the head Roman, i take 1, either my rx100 or a body & lens, and just enjoy the journey. For me the camera seems to be a method of drawing my attention towards a view, and then trying to catch it.
You got that right Roman, and I think too many people worry about their gear way too much as if the next new camera will make them a great photographer, that's sad but it happens.
For my experience - going out to shoot with a purpose/goal is what makes me enjoying the process of photography.
If you get tired doing one kind of photography switch to another. For example if you always do portraits and landscapes, switch to architecture or abstract photography.
Click bait 😂. Nearly had a heart attack thinking you were packing it in.
So did I. He's too good to stop and it would be upsetting for me.
Hahah I know I was deffo pushing the boundary there a little. But such is RUclips…. I can have the best video with the best advice but the title and thumbnail can kill it..
Great video, Roman! I try to shoot everyday as well as post. I shoot what catches my eye. I have jotted down a variety of compositional aspects. And try to delve into them for one week using one lens. Aspects include: fill the frame, macro, minimalism/negative space, framing, symmetry and b&w. This way I don't get stale...
I’ve gone through that once and even sold my gear then. I bought a new camera, took it for vacations with friends and I felt I’m there to photograph not to enjoy the trip. So it became rather a burden than pleasure. I had better time when I left the large camera in hotel and took just an old analogue Yashica with fixed 35 mm focal. I came back, sold the X-T4, bought X100V and everything became simpler. Later I had to buy X-T4 again for portrait and fashion work but now I split my gear to “professional” and “recreational”. I also used to spend too much time thinking of composing a perfect gear setup instead of just taking pictures;) So my advice would be similar. You probably don’t need the best camera and lenses to take nice pictures on your trips. In fact it might ruin the travel for you because you will think too much of photos and have a lot of unnecessary luggage:). If you’re into Fuji, buy some X100 with the converters if you need gear for travel or recreational street photography. For more professional work get an X-T#, a standard zoom and one or two primes suitable for the discipline (e.g. wide for interiors and arch, short tele for portraits and fashion and so on). That’s it and STOP thinking of buying new things:)
Your LR catalog looks so clean and organized 😮 would you do a dedicated video about it?
I have done before but it's very simple.... just one library in the Adobe Cloud > Country > City / main event. Then add keywords to help search
Whenever I've felt like "throwing in the towel" I revisit the works of the icons who breathed their genius into my consciousness. Other than my dad and batty Aunt Ñico who never left the house without their Brownie Hawkeye cameras, the very first book of photography that I pinched while working at a publishing company was HARLEM ON MY MIND. I was in awe of the artistry of James Vanderzee, Gordon Parks, and Roy deCarava. I have since then stacked up a pile of anthologies that resemble the Leaning Tower of Pisa representing the keen eyes of individuals such as Norman Seefe, Diane Arbus, Mary Ellen Mark, Jane Bown (#1 in my life), Sammy Davis Jr (yes, THE Sammy Davis Jr), and Vivian Dorothy Maier. They, and others, rekindle the spark for me as well as watching the videos that you, Alex on the Street, Kai W, Faizal Westcott, and Sean Tucker post on You Tube. Your passion and willingness to share are inspirational and motivating.
For a long time I was feeling like giving up, it became a hassle carrying around my Camera and lenses with me in the hope I would see something I found interesting to shoot, Eventually I traded in my Nikon for a Olympus M43 camera and a 12-40mm F2.8 pro lens, which I can carry around in a sling bag or when working will fit in my laptop bag. I hardly ever edit any of my photos and mostly display as shoot, for me the joy now is just getting out and capturing memories as I go.
Thanks for these videos, I am finding new ways to enhance my enjoyment of photography, and am loving trying out some of your suggestions / advice.
Cheers
Great video buddy. I quit music production as I didn’t like how music was going, I wasn’t interested in what was around anymore, and I wanted to get into new things. So I’m starting new things but simple, I’m stopping getting too much stuff that I don’t need so I can enjoy it more. Also doing snapshots is entirely how I’m getting into photography.
I've felt like giving it all up, although, it was in the early days of my photography journey. I'd been teaching myself and I'd only been taking pictures for a few years. Like many others, I posted on Facebook and Instagram and I was chasing the likes and the followers. However, between the chasing and some negative comments, I was feeling quite down about my photography. I then realised that I was getting more likes for images that I wasn't necessarily enjoying taking, the ones I did enjoy didn't get the likes. After about a year of solely taking images for other people and likes, I decided to come off social media and focus solely on ME and MY photography. From that day on, I only photographed what I wanted. The stress went away, I had fun and enjoyed going out a walk with my camera. I now take thousands of images each year, all of things I like and although I'm back on social, I've no interest in growing followers or getting hundreds of likes.
I started watching your videos from previous weak and i fell llove with your woark , its gives me so much knowledge and motivation thanks for making great content ❤️ love from 🇮🇳
Roman, I see you've been to Lisbon, great city; do you have Amsterdam on your 'to do' list? Mind-blowing city to visit and take photos. Another fine vid, thanks.
Yes! Deffo wanna visit Amsterdam
I find that ,when i take photos i might have not liked that picture for that particular day/week/month
But i always go back months later
And find i like it later on, i get creative with my photos like make them into panoramas or crop them and try to make it a different photo.
As of recent i’ve been walking more and I usually have my camera on me just in case i do like something.
Getting the miles in with your camera always pays off
@@snapsbyfox i find its always beautiful just to be outside , even if you know ,you can come back empty handed
I gave up photography after I bought Sony a7III with 50mm and every single day I felt bad because my photos are not good enough as they supposed to be with such a great gear (they were just “fine” lol). Also it was so difficult to learn with this camera, I felt dumb compared with this machine) After a year of blaming myself for not taking pictures or taking them and they suck, I took a hard decision to sell it. In some months, one day out of a sudden I just went to the shop, bought Fuji XE4 and 16mm, easy, tiny and very handy. Now I go for a walk with my dog and take this camera, I take it everywhere with me, without all this pressure of fancy gear (btw Fuji isn’t cheap but compared to Sony…). Good to know that I am not alone with this feeling, good luck to everyone and many thanks for this video!
On your last point, I appreciate keeping photography as a hobby for me. I wouldn't want to ruin it with stress. While it would be great to be paid for it, I don't think I could do that and not add stress over the results. Instead it's very casual for me and I take photos because I enjoy taking photos and that's it.
Indeed!
Since there aren't that many people who are enthusiastic about photography, I tend to be the only one with a camera. Just last Sunday a friend invited me to take photos of his sons christening. He paid my expenses and I was having a good time with people I know, so it isn't a chore.
What I mean is, basically offer your services to your friends. You get to hang out, photograph people you like and who aren't weirded out by you taking their photos, you can try some directions with more staged photos, you can try out your gear with all the time in the world (because they don't expect anything magical when you do it for free), usually there is a cool activity or nice food or something else that is enjoyable outside of the stuff I mentioned... I actually haven't taken a lot of pictures for a while (often did not feel like it) and this was a great opportunity to try some stuff. And now I am reviewing everything and I start to reflect on what I liked and what I think I could have done better.
Thank you for sharing!
True!
I shoot mostly wildlife. For me it is about being out in nature and enjoying the wildlife. I see a lot more wildlife than I take pictures of. The animals might be too far away, too deep in the shadows, or just have an awful background. The photos I do take are to share with others my experience of being outside. Some are very good, some are snapshots. I am sharing my experience through pictures.
Since I adopted this mindset I have not regretted a single outing. They are all good.
No, I'm still passionate about photography, but I often leave unedited and unshared photos in LR... A lot of them. Trying to minimalize process as much as I can but still...
I'm doing my first "session" for my personal trainer this week! For free ofc, I'll learn something new, he will potentially get at least one or two good photos for social media. Sicked!
I'm in SA and take photographs in the Jhb CBD from about 10pm until 2 am, whenever I make time. My experience with people has been harrowing sometimes, and please know I'm not taking photos of people, more the buildings, streetlights, trying to capture the atmosphere, and how I'm feeling. It can get dangerous, and being sworn at by people living on the streets is par for the course. It can totally bring you down when it happens.
Yeah that I can understand
That’s hard going, it only takes one bad experience to put you off.
@@sexysilversurfer I'm trying to get back into it after lockdown, but I'm even very careful of not running into the police in the CBD as it can also go very pear-shaped with them if they want a bribe, or are just pissed off. I totally gave up shooting in the day as people are too aggressive. Pretty sad overall but a lot has changed here.
Thanks for the video..
Photographing on 35mm & 120mm. Seeking beauty worth the effort.
I've never felt like giving photography up completely, but I've definitely had times when I've felt totally uninspired.
My solution: I joined new groups and tried something new like light painting, fire spinning.
In the last 9ish months I've been running a photography club at the school I work at, with children between 7 and 11 years old. We use the ipads. I cannot tell you how enjoyable it is teaching the kids how to frame the shot well, how to use the light, how to vary their viewpoint ... and to see the excitement and enjoyment they get. I bring my camera along, and join in. I reckon it's the best antidote to photography fatigue. Maybe that should be my tip? ... if you're feeling like giving up, teach someone how to do shoot a better image, and chances are it'll reignite the spark.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Roman - I own a big dslr and a Fuji X-T20 with a 27mm lens. That’s the only lens I have for it at this time. In your opinion, is the Fuji with my 27mm a good camera for street photography? My other camera is a 5D Mark ii and I have plenty of lenses for it, but have always been hassled every time I have used it for street photography. I would appreciate it if you could let me know your thoughts on using the xt20. Love your channel! Thanks!
At least twice in my life, I felt strongly about just giving it up. First time I worked around it by jumping head-first into analogue. Back then, second-hand analogue cameras were *really* cheap, so it was an easy way for me to try new things without feeling guilty for spending too much. Some things, like shooting with a rangefinder, are almost impossible in a digital world, but analogue rangefinders can be had for a price of a larger meal. It also really adds to the process side of things because the shooting itself is pretty specific in some extra limits (constant ISO, speed of shooting etc.) and of course, you can also develop your film, which is, at least for me, almost meditative. And I was also almost shocked when I realised that shooting analogue also made me enjoy digital more, as well as improved my digital results.
The second time I had to realise that it's OK to just blatantly copy others when learning. It's, of course, bad to copy others' to display it publicly, but it is excellent for learning and just having fun. And it's a great relief when you can stop worrying about reinventing the wheel and can just have fun shooting pictures.
Brillant video !
I guess in those times when i feel down and uninspired, i take a break and leave the camera for a little while. This leaves room for the craving to actually make some art, and even if with only a phone, there is some excitement of getting back into it.
Photography is , among other things, an "Art" . On 1 perspective, your EYES - like a sculptor already sees the final product - will be your guiding light thru the darkness of confusion.
I have a nice Canon R6 kit that I really enjoy for portraits and my professional work. However, I was getting less excited about photography as a whole. I got me a smaller kit with a Fuji X-T20 and it's really done wonders. I enjoy taking that out and shooting downtown, in the evenings, for family stuff, on trips, etc. It just got to where I didn't want to take my big, expensive camera/lenses out at all these kinds of places. I have a smaller sling bag and take my X-T20 and a few lenses and I'm all set. Right now I use a combination of the 50mm F2, 35mm F2, 27mm 2.8 II and the XC 15-60mm zoom. I bought an M1 really cheap and am considering just keeping my 27mm 2.8 II on that camera as a daily one camera/one lens setup. I haven't decided between the 16mm 2.8 or the 23mm F2, but after I get that I'm probably done getting lenses. I really like the 50mm F2. It's a wonderful lens and takes beautiful photos. Downtown Houston is large, more spread out, and not crowded so having a 50mm F2 is more useful for street photography here.