Wonderful inspiring video Mitchell. in 2007 my brother and I spent several days on the holy island of Rameswaram doing rituals in the temple, it's one of the most important pilgrimages for Hindus. Our guide was an 8th generation vedic astrologer that we knew from the US. After that we toured the most famous temple towns in Tamil Nadu. In most the towns we were the only westerners. In some of the temples there were fires that have never gone out for hundred of years, it was like living the ancient in the present, timelessness in physical form. I had my first DSLR with me on that trip, a Pentax K10D, still love the pictures from that trip.
At age 41 (a mortgage but no dependants then) and a 9 year hiatus from photography (many years shooting slide film on SLR), I took 12 weeks leave and bought a plane ticket to Laos and a return flight from Vietnam. I bought a Nikon D90 (12 MP) with 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. I shot Large Fine Jpegs and used 6 x 16Gb SD cards (no laptop). I struggled at first with what was (to my non IT mind) a computer (the D90) that took photos. I learnt digital photography and have bought better gear (including used gear) over the many years. I'm glad I made that trip !!
I did kinda both. First I started to travel and upgraded gear slowly. Now I have good gear, can travel distant places and get wonderful images. Any camera since 2015 or so takes good enough images for 99% of people.
I would choose travel over gear everytime! If I was my 18 year old self now I would buy a cheap second hand mirrorless camera (pretty much any camera after 2018 is more than good enough) and pair it with a cheap but decent vintage 50mm f1.4. You could always throw in a 35mm or a zoom lens and you will have all you need.
Worthwhile advice. There's also the temptation to purchase the latest and greatest gear when there's an abundance of quality used gear out there. Even gear that's 10 to 15 years old will render great images, when properly exposed, There's some real value out there. In the end, I believe it's better to experience a new culture, even with only a point and shoot. Carry on.
big thing I found too - more you spend on kit the more scared you are of it going missing when on a trip. Yes amazing gear adds to that amazing shot, but will you be getting your camera out to take that shot if you're scared of it getting stolen? I've found if I have a camera body generation or two back and a more compact lens the camera stays out a lot more, which equals more photos.
I went with pro gear first, simply because it helped me make money for trips. I eventually ended up shooting 12-15 weddings a year which more than paid for a couple of really great trips. Now I'm in a spot where I don't have to choose :)
Hi! Michael enjoyed every minute watching your video. Every word meant honesty and without any bias. I am from Indian state of Karnataka and want to assure you you.can get worthy experience in my state too in your next visit. I am also impressed with your admission of help rendered by your Indian friend. Best wishes.
I started when i already had money, i didn't delay any trip because of gear, but if i really wanted something i bought it, it was part of the joy of preparation. My worst concession was to go to Lofoten with a vintage fixed 50mm for mft, images were washed out and i was limited in compositions, i now have a beautiful panasonic-leica 12-60 for travel.
trip hands down, gear ive used has been great and not super expensive, I went on a few trips and loved my photos from them. I now have the 35mm 1.8 RF and 85mm F2 RF so im loving the new gear but ive gotten amazing shots of South America. Vancouver Island, Montreal, and more! I want to go visit a few places but I hear Egypt is a terrible place to bring gear.
Photography has always been a hobby for me (rather than a profession) - but much of what you said definitely still resonates! Will be shooting mostly with a 20mm and 50mm on my upcoming trip.
I started photography in 1960 when my father gave me a Brownie camera and I have enough kit for a camera museum my camera that Is my daily carry is Sony A6400 with 4 lens Sigma 19mm,30mm,56mm and a Sony 50mm macro lens this was around 2 Thousand US dollars. The IMSA road racing series comes to Virginia International Raceway I put the 500mm lens on my Sony A7R4 and the Sony 70-300mm lens on the 6400 and you couldn’t tell the difference between the two spending more money my not get you better results
Hi Mitchell! Amazing video. This is such an important topic that many budding travel photographers can benefit from. I’ve been asked the same question multiple times and it’s great to see someone putting out very relevant information about the same. Also, the link to the free ebook is not working. It doesn’t show any content there to download except for the top menu bar. Hope you can fix it. Thank you😊
Totally agree with you. I started when I was 22 with a trip from Poland to India and back, only by buses, with my best friend. With minimum means. My mother weeped when she saw me back at my parents' doors. Yop, we lost a lot of kgs :D But it was transformative, we got a travel bug that will never leave us. Regarding gear I had a legendary russian film camera...that was leaking light so basically all my photos were unusable. But at the end it didn't matter. The experiences and memories are forever or at least 'till late dementia. And one other thing, these trips are impossible to repeat, the world is changing in a crazy pace. We had only LP books and paper maps. So now, with even used equipment vastly superior to what many NG photographers had 15-20 years ago..whoever considers it, just fck the gear and go! (BTW I bought your book, beautiful shots and lovely read)
LOVE it!!! Hopefully no "dementia" for you. Haha! And YES, you are right. Not repeatable. Absolutely. Lonely planet at times was THE BOOK and the only source of info.
Things are different by your mid-thrties ONLY if you allow it. As you said, it is all a matter of priorities. I am 66 and travel and shoot all over the world. I have spent the past 2 years in South America and now I am trying to decide on whether I should head for SE Asia for a year or two or Africa.
I mean, it's half true, depends on the "cards" we're dealt. In attitude we can remain young all our life, but opportunities... I think that's another matter. But, always awesome to hear from people who always have the passion!
Thanks a lot! Just flicked through some of your vids! Good stuff!!! Why is this video one of the best for you? Someone else just wrote this too. Curious.
@mitchellkphotos because it emphasises why gear isn't as important as the photography itself - but does so in a more tangible way. It's one thing to hear "photography is down to composition, lighting, etc." And not really understand why, it's another thing entirely to hear "photography is down to experience." You've said it before with "most gear is better than most photopgrahers", only I think this video offers more guidance or inspiration for how to improve.
I wish I went for the new Tamron macro and not my last photo trip, as I didn't get any images and the trip will probably cost me both this lens and a new camera. Maybe I even stop making photo trips after this nightmare?
@@mitchellkphotos My car collapsed above Gausdal on my way to the Rondane National Perk. I wanted to make a real good bye to Norway before we move to France, but now I might give up. In France I hope to cope without a car, too expensive and too much stress.
If you go for photography it makes no sense to go with a broken camera, but it looks like you didn't. Or you can set your mind that you have a slow film camera
@@cristibaluta I did hiking carrying a E-M5 shooting landscape, with a sort of "film era number of pictures" rule: only one RAW shot per subject. (Video mode is working). It was a nice experiment.
@@mitchellkphotosI do landscape/travel/street photography I found your channel 5 years back started my photography journey last year I only need two prime 50mm and 35mm those are my get to for street and travel most gear focus is a load of nonsense most airlines have weight restrictions so I have to be mindful of what to bring on trips.
Hi Mitchell! Amazing video. This is such an important topic that many budding travel photographers can benefit from. I’ve been asked the same question multiple times and it’s great to see someone putting out very relevant information about the same. Also, the link to the free ebook is not working. It doesn’t show any content there to download except for the top menu bar. Hope you can fix it. Thank you😊
Hi Mitchell! Amazing video. This is such an important topic that many budding travel photographers can benefit from. I’ve been asked the same question multiple times and it’s great to see someone putting out very relevant information about the same. Also, the link to the free ebook is not working. It doesn’t show any content there to download except for the top menu bar. Hope you can fix it. Thank you😊
Have you had a choice like this one? Has there been a trip that changed everything for you?
I chose the trip as well, and am currently on it
Wonderful inspiring video Mitchell. in 2007 my brother and I spent several days on the holy island of Rameswaram doing rituals in the temple, it's one of the most important pilgrimages for Hindus. Our guide was an 8th generation vedic astrologer that we knew from the US. After that we toured the most famous temple towns in Tamil Nadu. In most the towns we were the only westerners. In some of the temples there were fires that have never gone out for hundred of years, it was like living the ancient in the present, timelessness in physical form. I had my first DSLR with me on that trip, a Pentax K10D, still love the pictures from that trip.
At age 41 (a mortgage but no dependants then) and a 9 year hiatus from photography (many years shooting slide film on SLR), I took 12 weeks leave and bought a plane ticket to Laos and a return flight from Vietnam. I bought a Nikon D90 (12 MP) with 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. I shot Large Fine Jpegs and used 6 x 16Gb SD cards (no laptop). I struggled at first with what was (to my non IT mind) a computer (the D90) that took photos. I learnt digital photography and have bought better gear (including used gear) over the many years. I'm glad I made that trip !!
I did kinda both. First I started to travel and upgraded gear slowly. Now I have good gear, can travel distant places and get wonderful images. Any camera since 2015 or so takes good enough images for 99% of people.
Experience over acquisition - forever the happy mantra.
I would choose travel over gear everytime! If I was my 18 year old self now I would buy a cheap second hand mirrorless camera (pretty much any camera after 2018 is more than good enough) and pair it with a cheap but decent vintage 50mm f1.4. You could always throw in a 35mm or a zoom lens and you will have all you need.
Thanks for letting us travel a little bit with you…
In that choice, I would choose to travel, but at least with my Canon 6D and my 40mm F:2.8 pancake, certainly not only with my smartphone.
Great advice as usual. The experience has no price tag. Really enjoyed seeing your personal journey here, thanks Mitchell!
thanks for your reflections, get out and experience outside your realm
Worthwhile advice. There's also the temptation to purchase the latest and greatest gear when there's an abundance of quality used gear out there. Even gear that's 10 to 15 years old will render great images, when properly exposed, There's some real value out there. In the end, I believe it's better to experience a new culture, even with only a point and shoot. Carry on.
I think you are absolutely right. The experience is far more important than expensive gear.
big thing I found too - more you spend on kit the more scared you are of it going missing when on a trip. Yes amazing gear adds to that amazing shot, but will you be getting your camera out to take that shot if you're scared of it getting stolen? I've found if I have a camera body generation or two back and a more compact lens the camera stays out a lot more, which equals more photos.
I went with pro gear first, simply because it helped me make money for trips. I eventually ended up shooting 12-15 weddings a year which more than paid for a couple of really great trips. Now I'm in a spot where I don't have to choose :)
Hi! Michael enjoyed every minute watching your video. Every word meant honesty and without any bias. I am from Indian state of Karnataka and want to assure you you.can get worthy experience in my state too in your next visit. I am also impressed with your admission of help rendered by your Indian friend. Best wishes.
I have been to Karnataka, wonderful. Especially the few places where I stayed a little longer.
I started when i already had money, i didn't delay any trip because of gear, but if i really wanted something i bought it, it was part of the joy of preparation. My worst concession was to go to Lofoten with a vintage fixed 50mm for mft, images were washed out and i was limited in compositions, i now have a beautiful panasonic-leica 12-60 for travel.
And which Camera you sie with the 12-60?
@@mvhan911 Olympus E-P7
Beautiful photos and good insight!
trip hands down, gear ive used has been great and not super expensive, I went on a few trips and loved my photos from them. I now have the 35mm 1.8 RF and 85mm F2 RF so im loving the new gear but ive gotten amazing shots of South America. Vancouver Island, Montreal, and more! I want to go visit a few places but I hear Egypt is a terrible place to bring gear.
Very honest video Mitchell, thank you
Photography has always been a hobby for me (rather than a profession) - but much of what you said definitely still resonates! Will be shooting mostly with a 20mm and 50mm on my upcoming trip.
Thank you Mitchell great video.
Thank you so much for keeping it real. I thoroughly enjoyed your videos and following your adventures.
Thank you for watching! Appreciate the kind words. :)
I started photography in 1960 when my father gave me a Brownie camera and I have enough kit for a camera museum my camera that Is my daily carry is Sony A6400 with 4 lens Sigma 19mm,30mm,56mm and a Sony 50mm macro lens this was around 2 Thousand US dollars. The IMSA road racing series comes to Virginia International Raceway I put the 500mm lens on my Sony A7R4 and the Sony 70-300mm lens on the 6400 and you couldn’t tell the difference between the two spending more money my not get you better results
Hi Mitchell! Amazing video. This is such an important topic that many budding travel photographers can benefit from. I’ve been asked the same question multiple times and it’s great to see someone putting out very relevant information about the same. Also, the link to the free ebook is not working. It doesn’t show any content there to download except for the top menu bar. Hope you can fix it. Thank you😊
Wow im so inspired by your life and your wisdom. Thank you for sharing!
Don't know about wisdom, but, I guess I've been around enough to learn at least some things. :) Thank you for watching.
Totally agree with you. I started when I was 22 with a trip from Poland to India and back, only by buses, with my best friend. With minimum means. My mother weeped when she saw me back at my parents' doors. Yop, we lost a lot of kgs :D But it was transformative, we got a travel bug that will never leave us. Regarding gear I had a legendary russian film camera...that was leaking light so basically all my photos were unusable. But at the end it didn't matter. The experiences and memories are forever or at least 'till late dementia. And one other thing, these trips are impossible to repeat, the world is changing in a crazy pace. We had only LP books and paper maps. So now, with even used equipment vastly superior to what many NG photographers had 15-20 years ago..whoever considers it, just fck the gear and go! (BTW I bought your book, beautiful shots and lovely read)
LOVE it!!! Hopefully no "dementia" for you. Haha! And YES, you are right. Not repeatable. Absolutely. Lonely planet at times was THE BOOK and the only source of info.
Things are different by your mid-thrties ONLY if you allow it. As you said, it is all a matter of priorities. I am 66 and travel and shoot all over the world. I have spent the past 2 years in South America and now I am trying to decide on whether I should head for SE Asia for a year or two or Africa.
I mean, it's half true, depends on the "cards" we're dealt. In attitude we can remain young all our life, but opportunities... I think that's another matter. But, always awesome to hear from people who always have the passion!
Mitchell, as one of my biggest inspirations as a photographer and content creator- this is one of your best videos yet!
Thanks a lot! Just flicked through some of your vids! Good stuff!!! Why is this video one of the best for you? Someone else just wrote this too. Curious.
@mitchellkphotos because it emphasises why gear isn't as important as the photography itself - but does so in a more tangible way. It's one thing to hear "photography is down to composition, lighting, etc." And not really understand why, it's another thing entirely to hear "photography is down to experience." You've said it before with "most gear is better than most photopgrahers", only I think this video offers more guidance or inspiration for how to improve.
Makes perfect sense! Great to hear you share your experiences
Thank you for making this video
Thank you for watching
one of your best video ......
Ah yeh? What makes you say that?
Hi Mitchell, does your new India e-book have location info for each picture? Thanks.
@@nsusatyo yes 🙂
I wish I went for the new Tamron macro and not my last photo trip, as I didn't get any images and the trip will probably cost me both this lens and a new camera. Maybe I even stop making photo trips after this nightmare?
What happened? 😮
@@mitchellkphotos My car collapsed above Gausdal on my way to the Rondane National Perk. I wanted to make a real good bye to Norway before we move to France, but now I might give up. In France I hope to cope without a car, too expensive and too much stress.
🎉 A trip to Japan with my crappy E-M5 mk1 that reboot after each still VS buying some latest SONY or CANON mirrorless with good glass
Same price
buy any cheap m43 camera that "works" and go on the trip to japan.
If you go for photography it makes no sense to go with a broken camera, but it looks like you didn't. Or you can set your mind that you have a slow film camera
@@cristibaluta I did hiking carrying a E-M5 shooting landscape, with a sort of "film era number of pictures" rule: only one RAW shot per subject. (Video mode is working).
It was a nice experiment.
3 zoom lenses 3 prime lenses midrange camera backpack that it for me.
That's a LOT :) But, I guess you'll have everything covered. :)
@@mitchellkphotosI do landscape/travel/street photography I found your channel 5 years back started my photography journey last year I only need two prime 50mm and 35mm those are my get to for street and travel most gear focus is a load of nonsense most airlines have weight restrictions so I have to be mindful of what to bring on trips.
@@robertholmes9236 The dreadful limits... I don't think I could even transport all my gear from my camper in one trip.
Or you decide to quit everything in your forties to travel the world 🙂
That too 😁
Hi Mitchell! Amazing video. This is such an important topic that many budding travel photographers can benefit from. I’ve been asked the same question multiple times and it’s great to see someone putting out very relevant information about the same. Also, the link to the free ebook is not working. It doesn’t show any content there to download except for the top menu bar. Hope you can fix it. Thank you😊
Hi Mitchell! Amazing video. This is such an important topic that many budding travel photographers can benefit from. I’ve been asked the same question multiple times and it’s great to see someone putting out very relevant information about the same. Also, the link to the free ebook is not working. It doesn’t show any content there to download except for the top menu bar. Hope you can fix it. Thank you😊
Hey, checked it, works fine. Very strange. Can you get it now?