FrankS
Registered User
Don't forget the "There are no rules," rule.
Less gear choice = Better results
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Don't forget the "There are no rules," rule.
BillBingham2
Registered User
While very stable in other parts of your life (from what TMZ has said) I do think you one of the fence straddlers at times here.
Ferider had perhaps the best observation a while back that folks who are currently working with less are focusing on creativity from a different perspective (perhaps somewhat singular in nature) than those who are schlepping lots of gear (not that there is anything wrong with this, provided you have a young strong back). I strongly agree that having lots at home or in your room is not a bad thing, but bringing it all, just in case is like carrying a 3L camelback in mall of america, a bit over prepared. GPS perhaps, but big water bottle no.
B2 (;->
back alley
IMAGES
all of my gear fits in a domke f6 bag.
ampguy
Veteran
I agree with you
I agree with you
and apologize for any part that I may have taken to disrupt your thread.
I also use a 28 and 50 when traveling. On a trip last summer to some islands with nice views, I also brought along a 15, and I'm glad I did, as I got a ton of great images from the wide lens on the trip, just as I have photographing wildlife with a long lens on other projects. [ geez, I hope that didn't fxck up my composition abilities for life 😉 ]
I'm not sure where learning about photographic composition and amount of gear got injected into your thread, but I don't feel there is any relationship, specifically where Bryan mentions above.
I believe that to learn composition, you need to study, and practice. Read all the books on composition you can at the library. Take any classes that you can on the subject. Keep a notebook and save images that you like and don't like and understand what elements of these images you like and don't like.
"Happy Snap" like crazy, then pore over your images and figure out which ones you like, and why. Repeat.
Ignore Ken R.'s ramblings (well the link in your first post), especially the part about men's and women's behavior, which is at least partially incorrect in his statements on inventions.
Collect all the gear you like. But don't burden yourself with more than what you'll use 90% of the time on an outing.
Never believe some magical statements that imply getting rid of your gear is going to magically transform your composition skills.
I agree with you
and apologize for any part that I may have taken to disrupt your thread.
I also use a 28 and 50 when traveling. On a trip last summer to some islands with nice views, I also brought along a 15, and I'm glad I did, as I got a ton of great images from the wide lens on the trip, just as I have photographing wildlife with a long lens on other projects. [ geez, I hope that didn't fxck up my composition abilities for life 😉 ]
I'm not sure where learning about photographic composition and amount of gear got injected into your thread, but I don't feel there is any relationship, specifically where Bryan mentions above.
I believe that to learn composition, you need to study, and practice. Read all the books on composition you can at the library. Take any classes that you can on the subject. Keep a notebook and save images that you like and don't like and understand what elements of these images you like and don't like.
"Happy Snap" like crazy, then pore over your images and figure out which ones you like, and why. Repeat.
Ignore Ken R.'s ramblings (well the link in your first post), especially the part about men's and women's behavior, which is at least partially incorrect in his statements on inventions.
Collect all the gear you like. But don't burden yourself with more than what you'll use 90% of the time on an outing.
Never believe some magical statements that imply getting rid of your gear is going to magically transform your composition skills.
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wgerrard
Veteran
I use an Evans Walker bag from Artisan&Artist these days. If it doesn't fit in there, it stays home But, I only use the bag when I travel.
On a related note, I'm thinking about starting a thread to find out what kind of jackets people wear that they can shove a rangefinder with its lens, and two or three other lenses, into the pockets. :angel: I picture people going out in the dead of winter wearing cavernous parkas. It's warm most of the year where I am, so for nine months I'm wearing jeans and short sleeves. When its cold, I wear sweaters and light jackets. When it's cold enough to wear something heavier, I'm not out taking pictures.
back alley
IMAGES
my current daily carry is a lowepro terraclime 100, with body plus lens and one or 2 extra lenses.
it's winter here about 6 months of the year, i wear a heavy coat with large pockets that easily fit my g1 plus 20/1.7 lens.
no rangefinders fit.
it's winter here about 6 months of the year, i wear a heavy coat with large pockets that easily fit my g1 plus 20/1.7 lens.
no rangefinders fit.
climbing_vine
Well-known
Why do people insist on taking an a --> b relationship, and seizing on "But b --> a isn't true so you're wrong!" as an argument? It's nonsensical.
No, getting rid of your gear is not going to magically transform your composition skills. But nobody said it would. I'm talking about the OPPOSITE. Constantly changing your gear, and thinking about which to use, will very likely ensure that your composition skills aren't being developed--because you're thinking about other things and synapses are limited. This isn't a wild concept.
Maybe that isn't what you meant but that's how it reads... and I wouldn't say this topic got "injected" into the thread, it's the very heart of what fdigital is talking about. When he's talking about the "now" of photography and getting better results, what he's talking about is using synapses on composition and visualization, instead of "i wonder how this would look through the rolleiflex... "
climbing_vine
Well-known
I switched to cargo pants instead of jeans during the warm months so I can carry a camera and second lens. Even if I have a jacket on I prefer to have its pockets available for my hands, my gloves if I take them off, etc....
bmattock
Veteran
Which absolute would that be?
Perhaps that is the way your brain works. It is not how mine works.
It is called 'exaggeration to make a point'. When done properly, it is both humorous and instructive. Common public speaking technique.
climbing_vine
Well-known
The one I quoted. That there are no general rules. Of course there are. At the extreme, for example, it's a general rule that trying to change your lens by telekinesis will not make you an effective photographer.
You're just wrong on this one Bill. Despite your rants against the "weak-minded" who are "controlled by their equipment", it's well-established science that if those options are there and you haven't yet made them part of your routine they are taking up cycles upstairs to the exclusion of other things. It hence follows that you should probably master the "other things" first, so that as you think about the options in your camera bag you're not short-changing your development.
And I'll stress again that if you don't care about "development" in that sense then this doesn't matter and more power to you.
Exaggeration is different from addressing a completely different issue. 🙂
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Brian,
Not just synapses and learning, but time, which I'd suggest is even more important. Time spent thinking about which camera or lens to use, and whether to change lenses, and changing lenses, and putting cameras in bags and taking them out again, is time not spent taking pictures.
Cheers,
R.
dave lackey
Veteran
I think it's true. Went on a hollyday trip to Venice.
Carried a Nikon S3 2000 with 3 lenses. a 2.8D Rolleiflex Xenotar, and a vintage 1931 6X9 folder for amusement.
Which one in colour ? which one in B/W ? Which lens for this and that ? This has been a waste of time. After all the 35mm film has been exposed, and tired of my Rolleiflex, I spent the last day with the 1930 folding and one B/W and one Provia 400X film in 120. 16 exposures.
They were the best pictures. No time to regret what pictures I would have take. I just tried to did my best in the simpliest way...
Revisiting classic, elementary camera, made me took better pictures.
Ebner bakelite folding, Rodenstock uncoated Trinar, Provia 400X.
Not to be lost in this thread, but the image above was nicely done! Thanks for posting.
FrankS
Registered User
For me, this time that you speak of is a mere moment, like maybe 2 seconds. I don't ponder over these decisions, I just go with my gut. Rather than bogging down and tying up mental resources (synapses), it primes and prepares my brain, getting me ready to react creatively. In fact, it is step one, the first creative decision to be made, to select colour or B+W and focal length which will realize my vision of the situation/scene.
Whatever. It seems this is a topic like politics and religion. There is little chance of changing another person's mind/position through chatting on the internet, let alone acknowledge and understand your view.
Steve M.
Veteran
Many's the time I've thought of going back to what I had in the beginning, a Canon A1 w/ 50mm lens and a Nikon 6006 w/ crap 35 80 plastic zoom. At the time I thought these were really great cameras and in my ignorance took lots of great shots w/ them. Now I have legendary cameras but are my shots any better? Is photography as fun? The shots are sharper and all, but the AF Nikon gave me opportunities that my slower-to-focus MF cameras don't, and I can only shoot one camera at a time so the others end up sitting around unused for long periods.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Frank,
Point taken about changing others' minds, but if you've got two cameras and two lenses round your neck, one colour, one mono, it's a fraction of a second -- and sometimes, that's all the time you've got. If you want to switch lenses from one to the other (I normally carry 35/75), that's a few seconds. But if you think, "No, I should use a 135," and the 135 is in the bag, it's going to be quite a few seconds. Now add a 15 and a 21 and a 50 and a 90 and indecision about which to use. Worse still, carry 3x 50mm because each has its different look.
Carrying more than two cameras is usually too damn' heavy, and (for me) it's a lot quicker and easier to use two cameras with identical or near-identical controls (MP/M9) than to use two cameras with completely different controls, especially 35mm/MF.
Cheers,
R.
Ade-oh
Well-known
This whole thread - or at least the parts of it that I've bothered to read - seems to be worrying at a situation which I suspect most of us don't encounter that often: wondering around speculatively looking for something to take a picture of. I generally have a pretty good idea of what I'm going to shoot and take the appropriate equipment, which is rarely more than one camera and one or two lenses. This doesn't stop me from having ludicrous quantities of gear at home.
I would suggest a slightly different formulation is true in my case: less automation = better results. The reason for this is that it forces me to make decisions about what I'm doing, rather than setting everything to 'P' and 'Autofocus' and blazing away, hoping for the best.
I would suggest a slightly different formulation is true in my case: less automation = better results. The reason for this is that it forces me to make decisions about what I'm doing, rather than setting everything to 'P' and 'Autofocus' and blazing away, hoping for the best.
climbing_vine
Well-known
But Frank, that's exactly what I've been saying. You say you already have a vision of what you're trying to do. I'm talking about people who are still developing it. Your "step one" is in fact "step two"--step one was building an idea of what result you're looking for.
I don't think I'm disagreeing with you at all. I'm just making an argument that isn't either-or.
Yep, I always only bring one camera and one lens with me.
Ted2001
Established
I agree with Mr. Mattock. I could never carry one camera with one lens, unless it was a zoom. I always carried 2 or 3 bodies and 21, 28, 50, 90 with rangerfinders and 20, 28, 55 macro, 105 and 200 with SLRs. Now I carry one body and 10-24, 16-85 and 70-300, along with a choice of macro or a fast prime (all for DX). Yes, I could leave home with one camera and one prime lens, but for me it would just be limiting and frustrating.
gavinlg
Veteran
When I made this thread I was referencing a trip to Japan I made late 09 in which I had no idea what I was going to photograph each day - just sort of loosely planned my trip and then went from there - each day a surprise.
With normal photo work I know exactly what I want to achieve and the lenses I need to help me achieve that