Spring cleaning

After years of doing this, one thing is pretty clear to me: more gear, more problems. A lesson I should’ve learned a long time ago, and yet, here we are.

During my most recent road trip across the US, despite lugging around 8-9 lenses, I did most of my photography and video work with just 2 of them. Add a couple of primes and the telephoto for those rare images that needed them, and the math tells me I’ve got 4-5 too many lenses.

But it gets worse, because of all the accessories and other gadgets cluttering up my bag: from the neglected 360 camera to the wireless mic that my phone could easily replace. It’s all excess baggage.

So, it’s time for a spring cleaning. I went through my bag (and closet) and decided to part ways with a bunch of stuff. Letting go is the easy part, though. The real challenge will be to resist the temptation to fill those now-empty spaces back up with new and shiny objects. To stay light.

Because out there, when the hike gets tough, when the weather takes a turn for the worse, when you are tired and exhausted after hours of chasing the shot... less is more. Always.

Scars of a road trip

I’ve talked about the scars of war before. How cameras and lenses are meant to be used rather than left on a shelf.

This belief of mine was put to the test during my latest road trip across the West. I got snow, heavy rain, intense winds, and storms. I shot along the coast, in the rainforest, in the high desert, amidst the red landscapes of Utah, and on sand dunes. It was exhilarating at times, frustrating at others.

Twice, I dropped my cameras.

The first incident happened at the Painted Hills in Oregon. My video camera (a7iv) took a bad fall while I was recording myself on a windy late afternoon. I was rushing everything and failed to properly secure the tripod.

My heart skipped a few beats when I turned around and saw the destruction. I feared I’d lost the camera. Fortunately, it was “just” the 17-28mm lens that broke on the mount.

Now, that lens lives in my a7iv as I use it all the time for my videos. So hastily, I purchased another copy (a used one) on eBay. It turns out that was another bad, rushed decision on my part. Because once I got home a few days later, I managed to put the “broken” lens back together, and it seems to work just fine! So now, I own two 17-28mm lenses.

That wasn’t the end of my gear related accidents, though. A couple of weeks later, in the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, I dropped my stills camera in the sand.

This was a rare accident. I don’t remember what I was doing with my video camera, but I thought that holding the a7riv between my legs was a good idea. I often do it without any trouble. However, this was a very, very windy day. I lost a bit of balance at some point and I instinctively tried to correct myself by shifting one of my legs, which made the camera fall into the sand. Thankfully, these cameras are well sealed and nothing bad happened. I cleaned it with the air blower, and that was it.

We are all one road trip older now -- my cameras and I. They bear new scars, and I probably grew some new gray hairs. We stumbled, we fell, but we stood back up. We are prepared for the next adventure. Unsure if any wiser than before, but certainly still strong enough.

You have to master your camera

Photography is all about timing: being at the right place at the right time. But that's not enough. We need to be ready, we need to be prepared. There's nothing worse than investing vast amounts of time and money to put ourselves in front of magical conditions if we are going to waste it because we don't know where that function is in our camera, if we press the wrong button, or we hesitate about which dial does what.

When we are in the field, it's all about the what (what are we capturing?) and the why. The how is important, but it's something that needs to be trained when the stakes are low. So when things finally come together, the camera disappears and all that remains is the composition in front of us.

Note: this video is one of the first I've uploaded to my second channel, aows.jpg. Subscribe if you want to see more like this one. I tell you everything about this new channel and what that means here.

My favorite trio of prime lenses

It took me a while to get there, but I finally have a lineup of prime lenses I love bringing with me on my daily walks. Most of the time, I'll bring my super zoom lens, but these fast primes let me switch things up every once in a while.

Cheap long exposure photography using welding glass

When life gives you welding glass, you take long exposures! After breaking my last ND filter, I headed to a hardware store to purchase another kind of dark glass, one that I use when I was getting started with long exposure photography years ago. And you know what? It's even better than I remembered. A totally viable option for low budget long exposure photography.

Why the A7Rii is still all I need in 2023

I was very, very close to pulling the trigger on a newer, faster, better, flashier camera. I thought I *needed* it. But then, something happened, something that reminded me of what really matters in photography.

What "Black Friday" can teach us about ourselves

Camera companies don't sell cameras, or lenses; they are trying to sell us an idea, a hope: buy this piece of equipment and you will become someone else, an adventurer, an explorer; finally being able to make the images you've always wanted to make.

We take the bait, and it feels good for a few hours, or a few days. Photography feels exciting again! But of course, nothing lasts forever, the hedonic treadmill works its magic and we are back to base one, feeling uninspired, until another sale tries to convince us once again that we can get there by purchasing yet something else.

Camera companies, like every retailer during this time of the year, are playing with our feelings of dissatisfaction. Perhaps with our own work, or something else. A feeling we can easily get rid of with just a quick and easy purchase.

As a photographer, I've been and I am there. I too feel dissatisfied, and spend way too much time thinking of camera gear and other easy ways to battle those feelings.

Even during this road trip across Norway I'm on, whenever I felt uninspired and couldn't find any images, I started to fantasize with what other places I should visit next. Almost wishing I was somewhere else. Imagine that, being in Norway and thinking that way!

I speak only from my personal experience, but I believe that these feelings are normal and natural to us. Perhaps, even the source of our creativity. The desire to create something new, the urge to keep getting out, the itch to explore and discover the world.

I think this is our curse, something we will experience as long as we are still growing. I believe that the moment we stop having these feelings, we will have stopped improving. And that'll probably be a sad moment.

So, be aware of this. We feel dissatisfied because we are still growing as photographers, as artists. Recognize that feeling for what it is. Look at it from a distance. Try to accept it. Don't let it define you. Be kind to yourself.

And then, grab your camera and go out make some pictures. That's still the best remedy I've found to put these feelings down.

What's in my camera bag, Norway road trip edition (2022)

This is a long one. I don't like to talk about gear because I don't want to give anyone the false impression that you need X camera or Y lens to create good images. Nor that you need the cameras I use to create images like mine!

I've used many, many cameras over the years. The style hasn't changed much, but the way I make them has.

So hopefully this video gives you an insight into why I have the cameras and lenses I have. But don't forget that I struggle with this stuff like anyone else, or even worse.

Summer slowdown and camera gear

The summer is here. Usually, this is the season when my photography slows down the most. This time is even worse, as I'm back in Indiana and I don't have a car to move around.

It is during these times, when I'm not out taking photos as often as I'd like to, that I start to think about camera gear. Perhaps, hoping for that spark of creativity I'm lacking.

I'm also thinking about my cameras and lenses because I did quite a bit of traveling during the last month, and carrying all of it isn't fun. The picture above shows all the gear I brought with me; it's also all the gear I own, for both stills and video. That's the downside of not having a permanent home, I have to bring everything with me when I move.

Believe it or not, all that gear still meet my requirement, the only rule I can't break when it comes to camera equipment: it all has to fit in my camera bag.

The struggle is real, though. Should I downsize? Which lens should I get rid of? Should I just get rid of everything and go compact? Or should I buy a bigger camera bag?

As the summers unfolds, these questions remain in my head. But there's no right answer to the wrong question. What I'm looking for, what we all are looking for, is out there, somewhere. I can't wait to go get it.

Does this lens deserve a spot in my camera bag? ~ Meike 50mm f/1.2

I might have a replacement to my beloved 35mm f/1.4, a lens that stopped working a few weeks ago. Let's find out if it meets all my requirements to be in my camera bag!

If I could use just one lens...

...that'd be the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6.

I never had a super zoom lens before, and I had a lot of doubts about this one before getting it. And now I can't see myself with it. In many ways, it is the replacement of my now dead RX100VII.

I just love the range, image quality, and speed in that small package. It's also relatively affordable, especially for a full-frame lens.

Of course, it comes with some compromises, like strong vignetting (fixable in post for the most part), variable aperture (it goes down to f/3.2 by 32mm, and it reaches f/5.6 at 158mm) and, above all, it lacks stabilization - this could be a problem when shooting at long focal lengths. Personally, it wasn't a deal breaker for me.

Where is photography headed?

As new cameras are announced, I can’t help but to feel like digital cameras have peaked, when it comes to photography at least. Most of the innovations of the last few years have been about video. We do get more megapixels and better AF with each iteration, but they are minor iterations.

That’s not bad, though. Today, pretty much any camera in the market is capable of producing amazing photographs. It’s a good time to be a photographer.

But I wonder, where is photography headed from here? Surely, computational photography will play a big role in the short-term. In my opinion, smartphones are not the future of photography, but they are hinting at where standalone, interchangeable lens cameras have to go in the next few years. I can’t wait to see what’s coming next.

After that? Who knows. And who cares, really. Instead of longing for a future better camera, let’s enjoy the features we do have today that we were longing for just a few years ago.

Camera gear I carry on my daily walks

I love walking, and I love photography. So, of course, a big part of my photography is done during my daily walks.

The camera gear I carry with me has changed quite a bit over the years, as I try to find the balance between flexibility, versatility, convenience, image quality, and low light performance. In this video, I talk about my current gear.

You can find a more exhaustive list of the camera gear I use for photography and video here: my camera gear.

I broke my camera, new lens, and some Q&A

A month ago or so, I dropped my camera while taking some test shots. I had to send it to be fixed, and it's finally back! In this video, I also talk about a new lens I bought, and answer some of questions I was asked on Instagram.

Wide and fast

I love my 35mm f/1.4 lens. At that focal length, it's relatively wide while offering a very wide aperture. The images I create with it remind me a bit of the medium format look.

I like it so much, that I wanted to try other fast, but even wider, lenses. And that's what I did!

The one rule I cannot break when I purchase new camera gear

I like cameras and lenses like any other photographer, but I know that owning a lot of gear only brings problems and makes my job harder. I have a few requirements that a new piece of equipment has to meet before I buy it, but there's one rule I cannot break no matter what.

Nothing will ever beat good timing

The snow and ice are melting really quick, and they are revealing all kind of scenes. I stumbled upon this one during my morning walk yesterday: an American flag that had been underwater for a while.

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phone

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“real camera”

I knew there was an image there, so I turned on my compact camera and started to look for the right angle. After just a few seconds, it died. "Battery exhausted". I couldn't believe it.

I knew it was about to die when I left home, and made the terrible mistake of not bringing an extra battery. So I did the only thing I could do: I pull out my iPhone 7 and took a shot.

I immediately loved the result and I wanted to capture it again with a better camera. So I went home, grabbed a new battery, and soon enough I was back at the scene. It had taken me half an hour, but it was too late. Everything that made the image work earlier was just not there anymore: the Sun was higher in the sky and the reflections on the water looked bad; also the wind had picked up creating small waves.

It goes to show that camera gear does matter, but nothing will ever beat good timing: being at the right place, at the right moment.

Don't fight your gear

It breaks my heart to see other photographers fighting their gear. Every second they spend adjusting the camera settings to get the perfect exposure, is a second they are not paying attention.

I'm a huge fan of automatic modes (I use either Program or Aperture). I use autofocus, and I don't even know what I have the custom buttons set up to do.

My camera does a pretty good job most of the time, and when it doesn't, it's easy to correct in post.

This gives me the freedom to focus on what really matters: making the image.

Let your camera do its thing, and focus on doing your part. Spend less time changing the settings, and more time moving around.

It's within you

I love hearing from people who were inspired by my work or my words. It gives meaning to what I do.

A few years ago, I went through a period of struggle with my photography. It got boring and predictable, and I didn't like what I was making. It all felt the same, my work didn't feel mine, personal, unique, with my own style.

The Bronica changed all of that. It was a very different approach to photography: slower, more intentional and engaging.

And apparently, it's done the same for many people. This camera is a recurring theme in those messages, filled with stories of how it's changed the way they approach photography.

I'm very glad to hear those stories. While I don't usually like to talk about gear -it's just a tool after all-, some cameras can really spark joy and open a whole new way of seeing. The Bronica is definitely one of those cameras.

Some time has passed since the Bronica came to my life and changed my photography forever. I don't use it as often nowadays, but its effect is still profound. This is because it didn't really changed anything, it simply revealed what was already within me. The Bronica was the catalyst that brought the change, not the reason of it.

It's within you, too. Never think that your photography is tied to any camera or lens, or whatever piece of gear. You are an artist because of what you have in you, not because of the tools you use.

Remove friction

To remove bad habits, we need to create friction. Do you eat unhealthy snacks every time you pass by the kitchen? Hide them away or, better yet, don't buy them.

To build good habits, we need to remove friction. Want to start running? Try by leaving your running shoes by the door.

The same applies to photography: we should remove as much friction as possible.

Something catches our eye. A possible image, we think. But then we realize about everything we need to do to take the photograph: take our backpack off, get the camera out, mount the lens, filter, extend the tripod, place it on ground, work through the settings... every single step is friction between us and the image. The likelihood of us trying our luck with that scene is very low. We will never know if that image would have worked.

Remove friction: have your camera out and ready, use P or A mode, shoot handheld. Consider using compact cameras. The simpler, the better.