I very much agree. I feel my photography has improved over the last few years, not from acquiring a new camera, but from observation and continual practice from simply getting out with my camera in all types of weather and light.
In other words, practicing the skills and learning to see are much more valuable than any piece of equipment! I love that you are pointing that out because it's something we all need to be reminded of! Thanks for the comment and view!
Yes, exactly! A balance must be made between gear and artist. Too often we put more emphasis on the equipment. I really appreciate your comment and the view!
such a great point. It's so easy to fall into the trap of obsessing over something to buy, especially when we're balancing work/life/etc. I've actually started to unsubscribe from channels that only parrot gear reviews and try to follow only the folks who are obsessing over the art and process. That said, gear is fun, so I'm not trying to eliminate that side of the hobby entirely. But if I can get to where I spend 90% of my time on the artistic pursuit and then dabble in the gear side for the rest, then I'm good with that!
I very much agree. For me, it's the artistic pursuit and the process of finding compelling compositions (hopefully with good light). I very rarely mention the camera or specific lens I'm using. To me, they are tools that help me achieve the results I'm looking for.
Thank you, man! I find myself falling into the gear obsession way too often! It helps to have a cleanse every so often just to realign the priorities! I love the photos you've been capturing lately, and I can't wait to see how the Fuji serves you!
@@JudeStreicherPhoto With platforms like YT it's so easy to get captivated by the latest and greatest. I just went through a major downsizing myself, probably selling off half of the lenses I owned. And I'm excited to get out with the GFX more soon, and definitely putting this message into practice to not obsess over the different GF lenses but rather enjoy what I have! Appreciate the motivation to focus on what matters
I think I started the other way round. I started with an old Nikon of my daughter, and with a 50mm lens my stepfather gave me. A good, solid, prime lens. And I used it for landscape photography. It was only afterwards I realized how much I learnt from this. Learned to look around me, to find the right spot. Afterwards I upgraded to better gear, but this was a good start.
Oh man, I wish I had done that. I spent sooooo much on gear in the beginning. (I'm embarrassed to share just how much.) And if I had just stuck with my Canon R and 35mm prime for longer, I would've probably eventually figured out the power of focusing on composition first! Thanks so much for the comment and sharing, my friend!
Welcome back! I'm so sorry you're going through those major life changes. I hope you continue to see the lemonade and not the lemons. I totally agree with your point. One of my favorite shots I ever took was about 1996, on a disposable camera, in Alaska. That shot was exposed perfectly and it made me want to control my camera exposure to get a higher percentage of good exposures per roll, so I bought my first SLR--a cheap one that I would use until it broke and I bought a better one because I was still excited and shooting daily. There is one thing though, an undeniable bump in creativity from a piece of new gear--a lens, a filter, a tripod. Every time I twist a new lens to the front of my Fuji I end up seeing many more photographs over the first couple of days. I think for me that extra inspiration is simply curiosity about how the new gear handles x-y-z situations. And eventually that gear-thrill fades. If I kept buying new lenses, that would be irresponsible and maybe like drugs where I would need more and more expensive lenses to get the same excitement. But you're absolutely right that the most productive times are when I'm exploring the artistic side, not the gear side. Which is also why I rarely go to forums. Putting pieces of gear on a pedestal makes one a fan, not a photographer. Beating gear to death, through use in the field, is much better.
I love how you actually get out and use the equipment to its fullest potential! I'm sure then gear becomes an extension of you as the artist rather than you being bottlenecked by it. I totally agree that holding any piece of gear in such high regards does make you a fan! Well said, my friend!
I seem to have never suffered this problem. That is probably because when I started into photography seriously, I was 13 years old. I lived in a rural area where the idea of a kid holding a regular part-time job was practically impossible. During high school, I sold photos to the local paper. That wasn''t very productive, but It kept me in film and paper. At 16, I scored a new SLR and 50mm lens. I kept that one camera from high school through law school to 1976 because that was the budget. I took a lot of photos then, all with one body and 50mm lens, so I was trained by circumstance to tailor my photo style to my limited equipment. Later in life, I acquired a lot of equipment, but before each purchase, I'd ask myself how will I use this (whatever) to improve my photography? When was the last time I didn't take a photo because I lacked this (whatever)? If I couldn't make that case, I didn't buy. I admit that I made a few mistakes along the way, but I could afford them. (Pentax 67 300mm f/ 4.0. Not long enough to make a difference. Too heavy to effectively use. Probably not worth now more than 25% of what it cost me. A swap meet impulse purchase. Ouch.)
That is great you haven't fallen into this trap! I love hearing your backstory. So interesting and full of fascinating life events! What type of law do you practice? Thanks for sharing, my friend!
@@JudeStreicherPhoto All civil law. Mostly what in the biz is called creditor-debtor. Mostly federal; business rehabilitation. I retired five years ago with the intention of expanding my photography. Unhappily, an accident two years ago has left me housebound pending an operation, which is why I have the time to troll through YT commenting on photo things for better or worse. So. I'm living vicariously through your channel (and others).
Well Jude, for me, when I get obsessed with getting some more equipment, my Chief accountant will come up and look me in the eye and say, why in the heck🤣 do you really need this anyways. This causes me to seriously reflect on the need to purchase. So it goes. Take care now.👍👍
Haha! My wife tends to do the same for me. I tend to have a million reasons why I "need" the gear, but yeah, she has a way of slapping that out of me. Thanks, my friend!
😅 Saw this video through RUclips recommendations and it actually describes my creative state for most of a year and 4-5 months. I'm a fiction writer by the way. I was trying hard to increase my level of productivity so I watched a video about that and the RUclips said her secret was having an iPad to use on her lunch breaks. You can ask any of my friends or family, I went on a measuring spree with a ruler, trying to find the oerfe t tablet size but I had a good functioning laptop. The only problem was that it was 15.6 inches. Too big to carry around everyday. So, I wanted a tablet. I just had to have a tablet even though I couldn't and still can't afford one. Oh boy, the things I've done and been through because of this. And the worst part was I didn't even settle at a tablet. I went from wanting an iPad, to the S6 lite, to an iPad mini, to Amazon tablet and back to an iPad mini, to a netbook, to chrombookssses, back to an ipad mini, to android tablets, to GPDs and finally, I spent a whole four day weekend obsessing over the perfect netbook and the OS system to out on it. 😂 I believe I need to write a blog post on this and guess what: I haven't blogged properly in over a year 😅 Because the devices I have are not small enough, fast enough, don't have enough space, or enough battery life or a finger print scanner or boot under 2.5 secs. A thousand and one excuses. And now that I think about it, it's sad. I didn't make the best of my laptop, now it has a lot of faults, still works but I not have an unintentional nontouch tablet (The screen doesn't touch anymore and so does the keyboard and keypad.) I needed this video on more ways than one. Especially because my other devices worked fine for what I needed. Were they the best? No. But then it wasn't an all-or-nothing mentality. Now it is. (Sigh) Thanks. ❤
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences! I am so happy my video spoke to you. I've been in the same boat so many times, it's like I never learn! Haha! Have you found a way to stay focused on creativity even when the gear starts calling?
@@JudeStreicherPhoto I've tried to put my plans for a new computer/tablet on hold while I get an old one, upgrade the ram and change the operating system. That's still going to cost me some money. But for now, my primary responsibility is to finish editing my two books while I save towards buying and upgrading the old PC..
But that Leica is soooo shiny... ;) I will miss the on location stuff, but you do you. And I'm certain it will be interesting and I'm looking forward to more discussion/thought/topical videos from you.
Mmmmm.... Leica... can't be a real photographer without a Leica, amirite? I can't wait to really dig deeper into discussions of the artistic life! And I haven't completely written off on location videos, just need to find my "why," first, I believe. Thanks so much for the support and for participating in the journey!
I very much agree. I feel my photography has improved over the last few years, not from acquiring a new camera, but from observation and continual practice from simply getting out with my camera in all types of weather and light.
In other words, practicing the skills and learning to see are much more valuable than any piece of equipment! I love that you are pointing that out because it's something we all need to be reminded of! Thanks for the comment and view!
You are 100% right. It is 80% the photographer and 20% the equipment that make for beautiful artistic photos.
Yes, exactly! A balance must be made between gear and artist. Too often we put more emphasis on the equipment. I really appreciate your comment and the view!
such a great point. It's so easy to fall into the trap of obsessing over something to buy, especially when we're balancing work/life/etc. I've actually started to unsubscribe from channels that only parrot gear reviews and try to follow only the folks who are obsessing over the art and process. That said, gear is fun, so I'm not trying to eliminate that side of the hobby entirely. But if I can get to where I spend 90% of my time on the artistic pursuit and then dabble in the gear side for the rest, then I'm good with that!
I very much agree. For me, it's the artistic pursuit and the process of finding compelling compositions (hopefully with good light). I very rarely mention the camera or specific lens I'm using. To me, they are tools that help me achieve the results I'm looking for.
Thank you, man! I find myself falling into the gear obsession way too often! It helps to have a cleanse every so often just to realign the priorities! I love the photos you've been capturing lately, and I can't wait to see how the Fuji serves you!
@@JudeStreicherPhoto With platforms like YT it's so easy to get captivated by the latest and greatest. I just went through a major downsizing myself, probably selling off half of the lenses I owned. And I'm excited to get out with the GFX more soon, and definitely putting this message into practice to not obsess over the different GF lenses but rather enjoy what I have! Appreciate the motivation to focus on what matters
I think I started the other way round. I started with an old Nikon of my daughter, and with a 50mm lens my stepfather gave me. A good, solid, prime lens. And I used it for landscape photography. It was only afterwards I realized how much I learnt from this. Learned to look around me, to find the right spot. Afterwards I upgraded to better gear, but this was a good start.
Oh man, I wish I had done that. I spent sooooo much on gear in the beginning. (I'm embarrassed to share just how much.) And if I had just stuck with my Canon R and 35mm prime for longer, I would've probably eventually figured out the power of focusing on composition first! Thanks so much for the comment and sharing, my friend!
Welcome back! I'm so sorry you're going through those major life changes. I hope you continue to see the lemonade and not the lemons.
I totally agree with your point. One of my favorite shots I ever took was about 1996, on a disposable camera, in Alaska. That shot was exposed perfectly and it made me want to control my camera exposure to get a higher percentage of good exposures per roll, so I bought my first SLR--a cheap one that I would use until it broke and I bought a better one because I was still excited and shooting daily.
There is one thing though, an undeniable bump in creativity from a piece of new gear--a lens, a filter, a tripod. Every time I twist a new lens to the front of my Fuji I end up seeing many more photographs over the first couple of days. I think for me that extra inspiration is simply curiosity about how the new gear handles x-y-z situations. And eventually that gear-thrill fades. If I kept buying new lenses, that would be irresponsible and maybe like drugs where I would need more and more expensive lenses to get the same excitement. But you're absolutely right that the most productive times are when I'm exploring the artistic side, not the gear side. Which is also why I rarely go to forums.
Putting pieces of gear on a pedestal makes one a fan, not a photographer. Beating gear to death, through use in the field, is much better.
I love how you actually get out and use the equipment to its fullest potential! I'm sure then gear becomes an extension of you as the artist rather than you being bottlenecked by it. I totally agree that holding any piece of gear in such high regards does make you a fan! Well said, my friend!
This video hit home. Very well spoken. This is a topic that most wont talk about. Thank you.
I'm so happy to hear you found value in my video! Thank you so much for the encouragement!
I seem to have never suffered this problem. That is probably because when I started into photography seriously, I was 13 years old. I lived in a rural area where the idea of a kid holding a regular part-time job was practically impossible. During high school, I sold photos to the local paper. That wasn''t very productive, but It kept me in film and paper. At 16, I scored a new SLR and 50mm lens. I kept that one camera from high school through law school to 1976 because that was the budget. I took a lot of photos then, all with one body and 50mm lens, so I was trained by circumstance to tailor my photo style to my limited equipment. Later in life, I acquired a lot of equipment, but before each purchase, I'd ask myself how will I use this (whatever) to improve my photography? When was the last time I didn't take a photo because I lacked this (whatever)? If I couldn't make that case, I didn't buy. I admit that I made a few mistakes along the way, but I could afford them. (Pentax 67 300mm f/ 4.0. Not long enough to make a difference. Too heavy to effectively use. Probably not worth now more than 25% of what it cost me. A swap meet impulse purchase. Ouch.)
That is great you haven't fallen into this trap! I love hearing your backstory. So interesting and full of fascinating life events! What type of law do you practice? Thanks for sharing, my friend!
@@JudeStreicherPhoto All civil law. Mostly what in the biz is called creditor-debtor. Mostly federal; business rehabilitation. I retired five years ago with the intention of expanding my photography. Unhappily, an accident two years ago has left me housebound pending an operation, which is why I have the time to troll through YT commenting on photo things for better or worse. So. I'm living vicariously through your channel (and others).
Well Jude, for me, when I get obsessed with getting some more equipment, my Chief accountant will come up and look me in the eye and say, why in the heck🤣 do you really need this anyways. This causes me to seriously reflect on the need to purchase. So it goes. Take care now.👍👍
Haha! My wife tends to do the same for me. I tend to have a million reasons why I "need" the gear, but yeah, she has a way of slapping that out of me. Thanks, my friend!
Soooo true and something that applies to other areas of life! Thanks for the great video 👍
Thank you, honey! It's true there's tremendous crossover as we have such a tendency to place too much priority on the wrong things.
Don't ever change
Thank you! I’ll do my best!
😅 Saw this video through RUclips recommendations and it actually describes my creative state for most of a year and 4-5 months. I'm a fiction writer by the way.
I was trying hard to increase my level of productivity so I watched a video about that and the RUclips said her secret was having an iPad to use on her lunch breaks.
You can ask any of my friends or family, I went on a measuring spree with a ruler, trying to find the oerfe t tablet size but I had a good functioning laptop. The only problem was that it was 15.6 inches. Too big to carry around everyday. So, I wanted a tablet. I just had to have a tablet even though I couldn't and still can't afford one.
Oh boy, the things I've done and been through because of this. And the worst part was I didn't even settle at a tablet. I went from wanting an iPad, to the S6 lite, to an iPad mini, to Amazon tablet and back to an iPad mini, to a netbook, to chrombookssses, back to an ipad mini, to android tablets, to GPDs and finally, I spent a whole four day weekend obsessing over the perfect netbook and the OS system to out on it. 😂
I believe I need to write a blog post on this and guess what: I haven't blogged properly in over a year 😅
Because the devices I have are not small enough, fast enough, don't have enough space, or enough battery life or a finger print scanner or boot under 2.5 secs. A thousand and one excuses.
And now that I think about it, it's sad. I didn't make the best of my laptop, now it has a lot of faults, still works but I not have an unintentional nontouch tablet (The screen doesn't touch anymore and so does the keyboard and keypad.)
I needed this video on more ways than one. Especially because my other devices worked fine for what I needed. Were they the best? No. But then it wasn't an all-or-nothing mentality. Now it is. (Sigh)
Thanks. ❤
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences! I am so happy my video spoke to you. I've been in the same boat so many times, it's like I never learn! Haha! Have you found a way to stay focused on creativity even when the gear starts calling?
@@JudeStreicherPhoto I've tried to put my plans for a new computer/tablet on hold while I get an old one, upgrade the ram and change the operating system. That's still going to cost me some money. But for now, my primary responsibility is to finish editing my two books while I save towards buying and upgrading the old PC..
But that Leica is soooo shiny... ;)
I will miss the on location stuff, but you do you. And I'm certain it will be interesting and I'm looking forward to more discussion/thought/topical videos from you.
Mmmmm.... Leica... can't be a real photographer without a Leica, amirite?
I can't wait to really dig deeper into discussions of the artistic life! And I haven't completely written off on location videos, just need to find my "why," first, I believe. Thanks so much for the support and for participating in the journey!