Absolutely agree. Have a reasonable gear in balance with your own pretensions and needs, and stop worrying about it. And let your camera at home from time to time; you learn to see and free your mind. Also, don't dive in any internet current of practitioners; just follow your instinct.
I still love photography but I’m also trying to step away from the banger shot ideals and shoot purely by feeling. They may not be the best shots but for me it’s to remember the feeling when I saw that something. I’m glad you are able to “re-position “ your mindset and can now look at your photography in a more wholistic manner. I still hope you can find “your camera” one day.
I love photography. I love escaping and exploring through my lens. Whether that is with my phone or my Fujifilm XT-30. And I usually use 1 lens- my wideangle, though I have others. I’m not a gear head and what I have fits in a backpack. And I hate tripods. As a friend of mine has repeatedly told me, the best camera is the one you have with you.
I lose myself when I shoot. And I try to capture what I feel about the place and what I “see.” A story, if it’s there for me.
I’ve studied many photographers and artists. And I’m always learning. I incorporate techniques I’ve learned where they work for me. Focus on composition and seeing. And I don’t obsess about settings.
Photography is a part of most places I visit. When I open those photos, I live in that place again. And I enjoy sharing them.
I feel like I’m starting to go through that process now. The redefining what it means to me and what I want to accomplish with it, if anything. I totally get this post and see myself in a lot of what you wrote. 📷
Very interesting read! I think for a while I was very much into going out with my camera to take pictures of whatever I saw. Lightly getting into photo communities because this has always been a hobby for me I too felt some of those pressures. But after G+ ended and other big life changes occurred, my philosophy changed. I’m also an introvert so hanging out in communities was not my thing lol.
Away from the influence I went back to it being a true hobby, I knew my photography was just for me and maybe the few instagram followers I have, but I was never going to sell anything nor have a huge following. So I moved to just taking pictures that I enjoyed or were about my life and experiences...whether or not they were popular online.
The only thing preventing me from iPhone photography was the technology was not quite there. That changed with the iPhone 14 pro. Since getting that in September 2022 I have shot about 99% of my pictures with it. The exciting part is working with the images post capture and giving them my style.
I’m sold on the convenience and quality of mobile photography that now I truly have something with me at all times to take the photography I like to take. Which is very freeing.
Yes there are a lot of things the phone does for me but I was never one that really was looking to adjust this or that to get the image. I am much more about capturing the image in raw and playing with it after.
I still use or plan to use my actual camera, when I need to capture pictures at a distance which a smartphone is not really meant to do. But those are usually planned trips. No need to have it handy. If I miss a potential shot... no biggy because I still had the experience and could enjoy it without the distraction of the lens 😊
Absolutely agree. Have a reasonable gear in balance with your own pretensions and needs, and stop worrying about it. And let your camera at home from time to time; you learn to see and free your mind. Also, don't dive in any internet current of practitioners; just follow your instinct.
I still love photography but I’m also trying to step away from the banger shot ideals and shoot purely by feeling. They may not be the best shots but for me it’s to remember the feeling when I saw that something. I’m glad you are able to “re-position “ your mindset and can now look at your photography in a more wholistic manner. I still hope you can find “your camera” one day.
I love photography. I love escaping and exploring through my lens. Whether that is with my phone or my Fujifilm XT-30. And I usually use 1 lens- my wideangle, though I have others. I’m not a gear head and what I have fits in a backpack. And I hate tripods. As a friend of mine has repeatedly told me, the best camera is the one you have with you.
I lose myself when I shoot. And I try to capture what I feel about the place and what I “see.” A story, if it’s there for me.
I’ve studied many photographers and artists. And I’m always learning. I incorporate techniques I’ve learned where they work for me. Focus on composition and seeing. And I don’t obsess about settings.
Photography is a part of most places I visit. When I open those photos, I live in that place again. And I enjoy sharing them.
I loved your post and your journey.
I feel like I’m starting to go through that process now. The redefining what it means to me and what I want to accomplish with it, if anything. I totally get this post and see myself in a lot of what you wrote. 📷
Very interesting read! I think for a while I was very much into going out with my camera to take pictures of whatever I saw. Lightly getting into photo communities because this has always been a hobby for me I too felt some of those pressures. But after G+ ended and other big life changes occurred, my philosophy changed. I’m also an introvert so hanging out in communities was not my thing lol.
Away from the influence I went back to it being a true hobby, I knew my photography was just for me and maybe the few instagram followers I have, but I was never going to sell anything nor have a huge following. So I moved to just taking pictures that I enjoyed or were about my life and experiences...whether or not they were popular online.
The only thing preventing me from iPhone photography was the technology was not quite there. That changed with the iPhone 14 pro. Since getting that in September 2022 I have shot about 99% of my pictures with it. The exciting part is working with the images post capture and giving them my style.
I’m sold on the convenience and quality of mobile photography that now I truly have something with me at all times to take the photography I like to take. Which is very freeing.
Yes there are a lot of things the phone does for me but I was never one that really was looking to adjust this or that to get the image. I am much more about capturing the image in raw and playing with it after.
I still use or plan to use my actual camera, when I need to capture pictures at a distance which a smartphone is not really meant to do. But those are usually planned trips. No need to have it handy. If I miss a potential shot... no biggy because I still had the experience and could enjoy it without the distraction of the lens 😊