RF GAS, The Net and My Philosophy

[dcsang]

Lately there's lots of talk about being "done".

That is, finished purchasing gear.

FrankS has his reasons, Joe may have his and I haven't yet completed my "journey" but what it did was start me thinking long and hard about why I personally continue to "buy and try" or "buy and keep" gear.

The cameras I own (both digital and film) are used regularly. Ideally, I'd love to use them all the time - that is, if I could, I would be outdoors shooting street and such 7 days a week. I adore the process just that much. Do I get good photos out of it? Yes, sometimes I do. Do I get horrible photos out of it? Sure, but I'm trying to remedy that and turn that around into getting more keepers than ones that I would relegate to the trash bin.

But my issue is, I cannot shoot 7 days a week. I have a full time job - it keeps me, at times, anchored to my desk with only Net access to a view of what's going on "out there". Now, sometimes I don't even get that much of an opportunity to take note of "out there" because I'm knee deep in work but there are days and sometimes even weeks when it's a nice quiet pace but I can't leave my desk.

So, I end up browsing discussions here (and elsewhere) and I think, specifically because I can't go out and shoot that I, in turn, think that gaining more gear will fulfill this urge that cannot be satiated. It's as though the gear purchase would fill the void of the process of photography. Maybe it's just photographic impatience.....

I really do believe that the "cure" for continually aquiring more and more gear is to actually get out there and shoot to your hearts content.

The only issue is, though, that a lot of us wouldn't be eating or sleeping if this were the case.

Does anyone else feel the same?

Just my thoughts.. which haunt me at night 😀
Dave

 

[back alley]

that's pretty much my thinking also.

buying is an expensive substitute for shooting.

joe

 

[vrgard]

Well said, Dave. Sounds frighteningly familiar. As much as I'd like to shoot more frequently, it just doesn't happen. So, I keep buying and selling gear all the while THINKING about what I'm going to do with each newly obtained treasure. Same goes with logging on to this forum - as much as I learn here and have met some great folks, it generally just substitutes for actually shooting some film. Oh yeah, and it keeps feeding that GAS...

-Randy

 

[Gid]

Agree 100%. Just had a discussion (not an argument, she is very supportive) this evening with my SO about a contemplated lens purchase which made me realise that I spend more time on GAS than I do shooting. The reality is that whilst I enjoy the exchange of views on this forum and satisfying the GAS I am at my happiest when I actually use my cameras.

 

[Trius]

The only issue is, though, that a lot of us wouldn't be eating or sleeping if this were the case.
Dave

Everyone notice that Dave did not include drinking in what we wouldn't be doing. I thought that was pretty significant.

Earl

 

[kshapero]

I guess being poor solves the GAS problem.

 

[ferider]

I kind of agree with you, Dave.

Except for the time on the week-ends when I log into RFF instead of going out to shoot ...

Or sit at home and scan ...

Roland.

 

[GeneW]

Dave, here's my take on it:

Shooting film, developing it or having it developed, printing frames and/or posting frames onto websites, that's one hobby.

Acquiring gear, by trade, purchase, gift, theft, whatever, that's a parallel, but different hobby.

They're both called 'photography' 🙂

Gene

 

[back alley]

but gene, that makes it sound like we might have a choice as to which hobby we participate in.

 

[GeneW]

but gene, that makes it sound like we might have a choice as to which hobby we participate in.

It sounds that way, but 'hobby' is a weasel word. It disguises the true obsession, passion, and compulsion hiding behind it 🙂

Gene

 

[mike goldberg]

Hi guys,
Here are excerpts from two great quotes from the dialogue above:

...the true obsession, passion, and compulsion hiding behind it [GAS]
GeneW

...whilst I enjoy the exchange of views on this forum and satisfying the GAS
I am at my happiest when I actually use my cameras.
Gid

I am also happiest when out shooting and USING my photo gear. So then, what is the GAS about? Is there an out-of-awareness fantasy that HAVING will make me a better photographer? Maybe a bit... but not really.

EXAMPLE: I just bought a Bessa R+J8 from an RFF member.
MY THINKING: I don't have a 50mm range finder lens, and having an m39 screwmount camera... opens a wide variety of lens options. Having two other M-mount cameras, may result in the Bessa R+J8, in being a dedicated RF+50 combination. AND, the
Bessa R in CV history of recent years... is a first 😉

As I've observed previously, many of us seem to have the 'souls of collectors.' EXAMPLE: I don't use my Kiev much, but I like having one.
Ciao, mike
PS: To Gid with old goal Avatar; in Hebrew gedi = goat.

 

[Dfin]

Rf Gas

Rf Gas

May be it is Ying & Yang, or Hunter Gatherer. I use to hunt down photos, but lately I have been gathering Yashica rangefinders(just opened a parcel,3yashicas & 1 minolta). I get a buzz working hard for the money shot, equally I get a buzz opening that much anticipated parcel.😀

 

[HuubL]

May be it is Ying & Yang, or Hunter Gatherer. I use to hunt down photos, but lately I have been gathering Yashica rangefinders(just opened a parcel,3yashicas & 1 minolta). I get a buzz working hard for the money shot, equally I get a buzz opening that much anticipated parcel.😀

Ahhh, that's what made me choose my user-title 🙂

 

[amateriat]

On my way home this evening, I caught a snippet of Todd Rundgren's Bang the Drum All Day on someone's car radio, and I wrote a note to hit the iTunes store to download it (yikes, no wonder Tower Records imploded months ago...). But I also remembered another song of his, this time with his band, Utopia, that sort of reminds me of the whole GAS saga 'round these parts:

I blink my eyes and then it happens again
I lose my way but I discover a friend
It's a typical day on the road to utopia

It sort of reminded me of the first handful of years after I discovered the power (and curse?) of highly tech-fueled photography, and the chase for the Best Gear.

I walk along until my feet are sore
I rest a minute then I walk some more
There's no time to delay on the road to utopia

From seemingly-simple rangefinders to a top-end SLR, then another top-end SLR, and so on. Forest and trees...

And I may lose my way again and again
But I'll cross that borderline in the end

Of course, back then, I didn't have a forum like this to aid (or possibly short-circuit?) this crazy pursuit. Might this have helped, or hindered?

I will be there to share your tragedy
I know that you would do the same for me
It's no trouble at all on the road to utopia

Eventually, the "pursuit" shifted from the means to the ends (the latter was always the thing, but was frequently obscured by the former). And, darn it, in terms of the hardware itself, I ended up, more or less, where I started (RFs, this time with interchageable lenses).

But this GAS mischief never totally ends, does it?

Trouble trouble trouble whirling all about
But if we stick together we can stick it out
Will we ever find the loves we lost again
Does this crazy journey ever have an end

And will I find what I'm after
Do I know what I'm after
Guess I'll join in the laughter
On the road to utopia

(Dedicated to that CLE, whenever I get hold of one...)


- Barrett

 

[jan normandale]

I just shot 14 rolls of 35mm and 5 of 120 this past weekend and none of it was on a wedding.. the film costs less than new equipment...

 

[.JL.]

dcsang, I feel the same way as well. I am glad that I am satisfied with the Leica M system. I am still constantly thinking about new gears, but at least I have no thoughts about changing systems or formats. Thank goodness.

On the flip side, even people with a photography career have similar addiction to gear purchasing. Listen to this podcast by the editor of Lenswork. It's a little silly with all that laughing-to-himself, but I can certainly feel his hesitation to make that promise.

Lately there's lots of talk about being "done".

That is, finished purchasing gear.

FrankS has his reasons, Joe may have his and I haven't yet completed my "journey" but what it did was start me thinking long and hard about why I personally continue to "buy and try" or "buy and keep" gear.

The cameras I own (both digital and film) are used regularly. Ideally, I'd love to use them all the time - that is, if I could, I would be outdoors shooting street and such 7 days a week. I adore the process just that much. Do I get good photos out of it? Yes, sometimes I do. Do I get horrible photos out of it? Sure, but I'm trying to remedy that and turn that around into getting more keepers than ones that I would relegate to the trash bin.

But my issue is, I cannot shoot 7 days a week. I have a full time job - it keeps me, at times, anchored to my desk with only Net access to a view of what's going on "out there". Now, sometimes I don't even get that much of an opportunity to take note of "out there" because I'm knee deep in work but there are days and sometimes even weeks when it's a nice quiet pace but I can't leave my desk.

So, I end up browsing discussions here (and elsewhere) and I think, specifically because I can't go out and shoot that I, in turn, think that gaining more gear will fulfill this urge that cannot be satiated. It's as though the gear purchase would fill the void of the process of photography. Maybe it's just photographic impatience.....

I really do believe that the "cure" for continually aquiring more and more gear is to actually get out there and shoot to your hearts content.

The only issue is, though, that a lot of us wouldn't be eating or sleeping if this were the case.

Does anyone else feel the same?

Just my thoughts.. which haunt me at night 😀
Dave

 

[amateriat]

dcsang, I feel the same way as well. I am glad that I am satisfied with the Leica M system. I am still constantly thinking about new gears, but at least I have no thoughts about changing systems or formats. Thank goodness.

On the flip side, even people with a photography career have similar addiction to gear purchasing. Listen to this podcast by the editor of Lenswork. It's a little silly with all that laughing-to-himself, but I can certainly feel his hesitation to make that promise.

Oh, my stars and garters...and here I thought he was so "above it all". Even at three in the morning, I was almost on the floor with laughter. Wanna bet he lurks here once in a while, on his way to a certain auction site to further torture his artisitc soul?

Me? I just want to bang on the emulsion all day....


- Barrett

 

[Gid]

PS: To Gid with old goal Avatar; in Hebrew gedi = goat.

Henceforth I will be known as Old Gedi. Thanks Mike, I now know that all I have to do to produce magical images is to let the force be with me (or is that FP4s). I wonder if a light sabre could double as a monopod ....................

Regards

Obi 1 kanhardly

 

[iml]

I shoot all the time, but I seem to be acquiring quite a lot of gear too. When I buy something, I want to use it. I 've gone from no RFs to 4 RFs since Sept, but they all get used regularly.

Ian

 

[IGMeanwell]

JL great podcast... thanks

I have found a little bit of peace in my cameras ... some of it being lack of funds and some being no time.

Honestly if I get a good day of shooting in a month I am happy; and yet I wish I could shoot more.

Hell I bought a bunch of Polaroid film for my Land Camera back in December, only opened one pack and that saddens me.... because I find my polaroids to be so much fun.

honestly I find myself wishing for more than 24 hrs in the day (thanks to Elvis for that line)...