It’s time to forget about your camera!

Please leave all gear worries at the door

You don’t need a gazillion megapixel camera, a zoom lens so big you can barely carry it or camera bag that is bigger than a family-sized suitcase. Many of my images are made using just a smartphone.

Nor do you need to get up at dawn (I hate getting up at 4am, even though my cats would that I served them breakfast at this time), a travel budget to go to classic locations or one of those apps that tells you where the sun will be when you plan to make your image (it will probably be cloudy anyway).

There is a serious point to my slightly tongue-in-cheek comments:

Photography is about seeing

And it is also about expressing how you feel when you see. We should be thinking about what our images are about and what we want to say. It could be the poetry of a shadow on a wall. The beauty in a dying flower. Or attraction of a path leading off into the distance. 

If we want to achieve satisfaction and happiness in our photography then we need to concentrate less on gear. And to stop trying to constantly learn new techniques. We should focus more on seeing what is in front of us and understanding what we want to say about that. Stop trying to be pixel perfect. Start trying to express yourself more.

And your back and bank balance will probably thank you when you realise there is no need to lug all that kit around anymore.

We should remember that there is no such thing as a “correct” image

You will see that many of my images are a bit blurry. They directly contradict how everyone tells you to manage your tonal curves. Most of what I create would horrify the average camera club judge. 

And I’m proud of that!

If you’re curious about this way of working, I’ve been writing a book about it

Please check out my forthcoming book “A Deeper Way Of Seeing”. I’m launching in May. And right now there’s a chance to become a Founding Reader at a very special price. Find out more here. (This article is adapted from the book).