 |
| Daffodils and Reflections (click to enlarge) Fujifilm X-H1; 16-55mm f/2.8 lens @ 25mm; 1/500th sec. @ f/11; ISO 1000 |
Stop watching YouTube videos and reading Internet reviews about gear.
That's it.
Stop reading blogs about gear. Stop reading the web about gear. Stop reading paper or electronic publications about gear. Stop worrying about what's new, what's next or what others say. Use the gear you decided was best for you and don't worry about what others say is wrong with what you purchased or why your gear is no longer adequate, etc.
Its a game. Its a sophisticated game to convince you that you should be dissatisfied with what you purchased so you purchase something new. These individuals on YouTube and the Internet are called "influencers." Some are also "brand ambassadors." They aren't called that for nothing. They try to influence you to no longer trust yourself that your gear works just fine and you don't need anything new or better. You did your research. You bought the best you could afford that you assessed will meet your specific photographic needs. They are trying to get you to doubt yourself and buy stuff that they espouse. Don't do it. Stop watching and reading these people.
If you believe you need something new to add to your gear list or need to update replace some gear, do your own research from older, reputable sites where the owners/presenters don't get free travel junkets to exotic places by camera companies so later these You Tubers, bloggers, writers, etc., will praise the gear. Ask your friends or call someone you trust to help you determine the pros and cons of what you are considering purchasing.
Most of all, use and enjoy what you have researched and spent your hard earned money buying. After all, you have been making really nice images with your current gear.
Be happy with what you have! Don't worry about what you don't have.
Thanks for looking. Enjoy!
Dennis A. Mook
All content on this blog is © 2013-2019 Dennis A. Mook. All Rights Reserved. Feel free to point to this blog from your website with full attribution. Permission may be granted for commercial use. Please contact Mr. Mook to discuss permission to reproduce the blog posts and/or images.
Dear Dennis. I fully agree with you, but..... It is the same with smokers, who know and agree they should stop smoking. When you have become addicted to the new gear-news, it is hard to stop your addiction. By the way, I noticed your last post with a picture with the old and cheap panasonic 14-45mm. Sharp in the four corners, no distortion...everything just fine. Therefore a good example that sticking with the old stuff is a wise thing. I won't do mine away. According to the internet-sites it may not be a professional lens. But all the pictures I took for about 8 years, are somehow pleasingly good. Never something wrong with it. And it is so small and light. Yet still there are my addicted moments that I feel tempted to buy a "better" lens. It can be hard to be a photographer.
ReplyDeleteDennis. keep going. And don't sell your fuji's and don't sell your m43's. I think you deserve both. Ton van Schaik, The Netherlands.
Ton, thank you for your insight. Also, I was saddened by the news of the tram incident in your country this morning. I’m slowly losing faith in humanity and the ability to be helpful rather than hurtful.
DeleteJust as with world news, we get addicted to photo news. We check our favorite sites everyday to see what may be coming and what is new. I find it difficult, no matter how much they plea that they are unbiased in their reviews, with individuals who accept free travel, hotel, food, gear and other amentitites from camera manufacturers in exchange for reviewing the new cameras and lenses. They may think they are unbiased and try to be unbiased, but if they are critical of the gear, they will probably not be invited to the next exotic or fun location. But that is just me.
That 14-45mm Panasonic lens image is from 2013. I bought that lens specifically because I thought that first version was better than the 14-42mm later versions. I was always happy with the images I made with that camera/lens combination. You don’t have to have the newest and best to make good images.
Kind of applies to a lot of things really. Its sort of a "life lesson". Thanks Dennis!
ReplyDeleteAmen to that! I'm really tired of all of the YouTubers who talk only about gear and are constantly pixel-peeping, all of which is irrelevant to good photography, but that's what gets them views and sponsorship. This is killing the M4/3 system as everyone now thinks if they are not on FF they are not serious photographers. This is what has created this stupid race to have a 100 Mpix camera with zero noise at ISO 25,600. This is what has caused everyone to worry more about shallow DOF when more DOF is an advantage 95% of the time.
ReplyDeleteEven the better photography channels, like The Art of Photography, have become gear review channels. Sad.
@urbanfocus.photo
It seems like everything is backwards when talking about photography in today’s world. It has become all about gear instead of all about vision, light and creativity. My photographic satisfaction is still derived from creating a pleasing image that evokes an emotion and not what gear has a larger sensor or more pixels or a perfect lens.
DeleteDennis, thanks for your answer. I have traveled in that tram countless times when still at work. You, as a former policeman, and I having worked with people with behaviour-problems, must have seen a lot of destructive people. They will always be there, but I believe also/more good people will be there. Keep faith. Having professionally worked wih troubled people, as an amateur I try to use photography to show the world with beauty and hope. Ton van Schaik, the Netherlands
ReplyDeleteTon, I agree. I used to have to remind my officers to keep things in proper perspective in that there are many, many more good people than evil ones.
Delete