All the gear, no idea!

Andrew Moore

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Andrew
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I love Fuji.

My X-Pro2 and glass set up is now concise and fits in with what I like to do. (18 through to 56, all in primes).

My billingham bag is fantastic. I can keep all of my kit in there as well as my 2in1 laptop OR Surface Pro and IPad Pro as well as space for a spare set of undies, a fresh Tshirt, basic wash gear, a drink, a sandwich and a Chocky bar!

My tripod is great. My accessories are plentiful (although I wouldn’t say no to some more filters and SD cards).

I literally have everything I could need, everything many professionals could ever wish to use yet I come crashing back to my title.

All the gear, no idea!

Now I know what I am doing with my camera, I love using it and enjoy the process from taking the shot to editing it on Affinity and then printing it on my lovely new printer.

The problem? I’m editing odds and sods of images taken as early in the last year as March and nothing else since about September.

Why I hear you ask?

I’ve not been out and used anything (and I mean anything) since September last year. Oh dear.

I’m stuck in a none creative rut and I need a firm kick up the backside! I’m off now until the 29th, I have time on my hands and I’m in dire need of winding down before I give myself a stroke or run off to become a monk.

Anyone any Ideas to help the creative juices flow? I’m completely open to suggestion. Think of this thread as a forum edition of that god awful Jim Carey film - Yes Man. Even if I think the subject or idea is terrible, if it’s within reach of reality (travel etc) then I’ll give it a crack. You never know, I may even enjoy it!

Thanks in advance.
 



SEDUCTION.
Yes, seduction is the keyword here… and in both directions.
As you produced the pictures before the "black out" the main
aim was to seduce visually the viewer.

Now it is time for a change… get out and BE seduced. Get
your bag on your shoulder and explore… it works, Andrew! :cool:
 
Maybe combine it with another hobby like hiking / trekking / cycling.

So that you are not just going out to do photography only.
 
Well you live in a beautiful county at a wonderful time of year
You have
Stately homes and gardens
Wonderful scenery
Old Villages
Industrial decay
Industrial Heritage
modern architecture
local markets
Caverns
Historic Dams
Get an OS map, draw a 50 mile radius around your home , put your boots in the car and go exploring
 
Anyone any Ideas to help the creative juices flow? I’m completely open to suggestion.

I'm not a very positive thinking person and lazy as hell. Sitting around feeling unmotivated just reinforces my lack of drive. So I force myself to go out and take photos because I believe the only way to be 'creative' (hate the term) is by doing.

Once I start taking photos I start looking because I have to. It doesn't matter if the photos are crap, and it's not too crucial what they are of, because once I start looking I start seeing better potential photographs, getting fresh ideas. The more photos I take the more ideas I get, the more ideas I get the more motivated I feel.

Making pictures helps generate ideas to make more pictures.

Simple as that.

Start taking photos. Anywhere. Of anything.

Just my way out of a rut.
 
Lazy and uninspired does seem to ring true here!

Urban / industrial decay seems interesting so I think I’ll have a look to see what’s about and from what I gather this area seems to be full of developments falling to ruin. More taxes for London I guess!

Task for this evening - research
Task for tomorrow... - see if I can capture something
Task for Tuesday/tomorrow evening - post it up no matter what it looks like!
 
I love Fuji.

My X-Pro2 and glass set up is now concise and fits in with what I like to do. (18 through to 56, all in primes).

My billingham bag is fantastic. I can keep all of my kit in there as well as my 2in1 laptop OR Surface Pro and IPad Pro as well as space for a spare set of undies, a fresh Tshirt, basic wash gear, a drink, a sandwich and a Chocky bar!

My tripod is great. My accessories are plentiful (although I wouldn’t say no to some more filters and SD cards).

I literally have everything I could need, everything many professionals could ever wish to use yet I come crashing back to my title.

All the gear, no idea!

Now I know what I am doing with my camera, I love using it and enjoy the process from taking the shot to editing it on Affinity and then printing it on my lovely new printer.

The problem? I’m editing odds and sods of images taken as early in the last year as March and nothing else since about September.

Why I hear you ask?

I’ve not been out and used anything (and I mean anything) since September last year. Oh dear.

I’m stuck in a none creative rut and I need a firm kick up the backside! I’m off now until the 29th, I have time on my hands and I’m in dire need of winding down before I give myself a stroke or run off to become a monk.

Anyone any Ideas to help the creative juices flow? I’m completely open to suggestion. Think of this thread as a forum edition of that god awful Jim Carey film - Yes Man. Even if I think the subject or idea is terrible, if it’s within reach of reality (travel etc) then I’ll give it a crack. You never know, I may even enjoy it!

Thanks in advance.

I feel your pain.
As far as I'm concerned, many people drool over the kind of equipment I have.
1dx2, 7d2, 70-200 mk2, 85mm 1.4 100-400 mk2,........................it goes on.
I wish I had an answer to your question. I'm border line giving up and turning my hand to the wheel of the potter.
 
God, I could have written this thread myself. And then go out this afternoon like I did with the Missus and have a holy argument cos I want to stop and take photographs and she wants to yomp around on a walk!

Her, me and my camera almost ended up in the lake we were standing next to :(:D
 
After an ‘A’ panel for the RPS was offered a resubmission and that became an entanglement/ annoyance/ drain, I walked away from that and just went out shooting - at the same time, my in-laws became terminally ill and I found a new subject whilst we were visiting them. It was nothing to do with my previous project. Here are a. Few suggestions:

- So, perhaps whatever was your main genre for shooting, turn it on its head and do the opposite?
- You have 8 days left so, if funds allow, jump in the car and go somewhere new on as many days as you can.
- Take a lightweight pack, perhaps limiting yourself to one lens, or a different lens on each day.
- decide to do a series of 5 images which represent something to you at a location that you can walk to.
- Shoot to a theme; here are 5 themes that you could pick from and shoot a set for: three, freedom, wet, woods, strangers.
- Each time you go out, print at least one of them.

Hope that helps...
 
Well I failed miserably yesterday. Ended up in the Derbyshire dales and then the peaks. Had chips in Matlock and realised soon after I had taken ZERO images. I’m going to hopefully tackle this head on tomorrow. Let’s see what happens.

I had written a long post about those types of books and my feelings towards them however I think it’s best left in my head. :)
 
I've found a long time ago that the number of pictures I take is directly related to the amount of gear I carry (not talking jobs now) the more I carry, the less pics I take.
A bag full with 3 bodies and say 7 lens and a few flashes+ batteries/bits/filters/brain surgery kit etc ;), I might not take any pics. Go out with one body and a standard 2.8 zoom and I'll come with with shed loads. Sometimes I'll just take a compact and get pics. Very odd.
My suspicion is I need to make decisions with a bag full of gear, what lens shall I use, do I need flash or will an LED light be enough, will I need a filter etc, plus it means stopping, getting kit out and setting up etc etc etc. With one camera/len I pause, snap and walk on, no faffing about.
 
That’s the thing, I went out with a single body and a 23mm prime. I didn’t even bring the camera to my face, I quite literally kept it in my hand and powered off.

I did actually get a pic, it was of my wife and I in a beer garden getting refreshments but this was on my phone.

They say the best camera is the one you have with you. I technically had two and used the one that is arguably garbage in comparison. Perhaps it’s time to sell up and take some time out but I can’t bring myself to it because the set up I have now is the one set up I have always actually enjoyed using and what I don’t want is to start fresh again in a few years with something I can’t get on with.

Anyway, I have a week! I will succeed in using it. Let’s see if it rewards me with a new flame for my dying photography candle.
 
I had written a long post about those types of books and my feelings towards them however I think it’s best left in my head. :)

Though to be fair, the two books mentioned are very different. The one Ed and I mentioned isn't a lessons and exercises type of book. Just a very interesting conversation between two respected photographers, and makes you think about what you do want to use your camera for.
 
Though to be fair, the two books mentioned are very different. The one Ed and I mentioned isn't a lessons and exercises type of book. Just a very interesting conversation between two respected photographers, and makes you think about what you do want to use your camera for.
I only had a quick look at the one to be honest so I’ll have a look back at the other now. Thanks for pointing that out, it was something I’d missed!
 
Lazy and uninspired does seem to ring true here!

Urban / industrial decay seems interesting so I think I’ll have a look to see what’s about and from what I gather this area seems to be full of developments falling to ruin. More taxes for London I guess!

Task for this evening - research
Task for tomorrow... - see if I can capture something
Task for Tuesday/tomorrow evening - post it up no matter what it looks like!

How about, as part of your research, find a photo taken in your area that you like and go out and try and recreate it yourself? What you come away with may not be original, but it'll get you out with a purpose, and chances are, while you're there you'll see other images to capture, or a different take on the one you originally found.

I'm actually the opposite of you, I have a bridge camera and I'm still learning, but I'm out all the time and come back with loads of images I'm happy with and feel a sense of improvement each time I go out. I may well fall into a rut when I upgrade to a proper DSLR and I'm confronted with the choice of lenses, filters, etc. but for now I just go out and take pictures.
 
I have the same. Not so much the kit, but limited knowledge. Although I do read it doesn' sink in. The truth about just go out with the camera and keep looking. I went to Aberglaslyn Gorge today. Didn't know how to put the filter on properly. Messed about for ages. Worked something out and can now use my little stopper. That was at 2pm. I kept on looking and could see lots of potential. I just not good enough to capture it yet. But I felt happy and will keep on trying. I got 3 days left and felt the same at the beginning of the week. So keep trying...
 
Or more like put your Pen-F in your pocket and take it with you all the time :p


I would never consider one of my combos in my pocket! :D
 
Making pictures helps generate ideas to make more pictures.
Yes, it does!

I'm also a devotee, if the photography is for personal purposes, of going out with one body and a fixed focal length prime of large aperture. It's a very efficient discipline if you can conquer the 'fear' of "not having the right lens", and instills a kind of freedom.
 
Going to lathkill dale tomorrow. I hear there are a handful of small waterfalls to perhaps take some pics of. It’s really not my thing. At all. Let’s see what happens.

Sorry I'm going to go against the crowd here and say forcing yourself to photograph something that does not interest or motivate you will only produce snapshots and is unlikely to feed your enthusiasm to get back on it.

A photograph really is quite simply a message from the photographer to the viewer, if you have no feelings or connection with the subject your photos will lack a meaning.

Totally agree with shooting different genres to experiment and improve your understanding and ability but glancing at your flickr I would strongly recommend you get on Easyjets website and book a couple of night city break with the missus of somewhere that you have seen great photos from that appeal to you. It will cost less than you are spending in fuel driving around and you can enjoy yourself photographing architecture and street, which seems to work in all weather conditions and gives you the option of shooting into the night. Then enjoy the months of processing those images until you go on your next cheap trip.

Immerse yourself in the work of other people that shoot your favourite genres too. This can help with location finding, although once you have found a location and arrived, try to turn up with an open mind and shoot what appeals to you.
 
I would say "don't force it". If you go out forcing yourself to take pictures, it becomes a chore. Easy for me to say, as I love wildlife so I'll happily spend a few hours watching the local ducks waiting for something to happen....

Have you considered what would look nice on your wall as a print/canvass? I shot a couple of holiday landscapes while in the Lakes last year, and am getting one of those as a big canvass for the lounge. I'm also doing some wildfowl portraits to make a triptych for my study. I also look at other peoples work to give me a bit of inspiration to...

Finally, when I did an intermediate night school class on photography, one of our exercises was to find the alphabet in the shape of everyday things. That proved more challenging than you think, but it does help you "see" more from everyday objects.
 
A photograph really is quite simply a message from the photographer to the viewer, if you have no feelings or connection with the subject your photos will lack a meaning.

Absolutely. And if you stop looking, you will never see. There is no point in forcing your photography. Rather, step back and just look. It doesn't matter what you look at, as long as you 'see' something (in the light, shape or the situation) from which you might create an image that appeals, firstly to yourself and then hopefully, to others. Study the light first and foremost. Yes, most of the time there's sweet f-all to see. But if you keep on looking, things can turn serendipitous. And that's when you put the camera phone away and reach for the real glass. Carpe diem.
 
Well... it really wasn’t my kind of thing I can certainly and clearly confirm!

I did however get a few pics, unfortunately the day is rather bright and even with exposure comp dropped, iso set to 100 and ap set to 11-16 I was still blowing highlights. The only filter I had in my pocket was an ND8 and it just wasn’t enough for any images requiring a shot longer than about 1.8seconds. Anything higher and he highlights blew beyond the point that could be salvaged.

C815C29D-02D9-4C33-8198-D9C0393B8934.jpeg
 
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Oh and the image is in focus.. the resize did some garbage compression that I can’t see to resolve.

On a plus side, I enjoyed the Walk with my dogs, setting up the camera in a few locations, taking a couple of pics even though 99% are garbage. I guess I just need to stick at it and I’m sure I’ll find my stride again.
 
I find that the more gear I have, the more my expectations rise and the less satisfied I am with the result. I've cut down my equipment to a basic level and often now just take a small compact with me when I go out. If I come back with nothing, then it's no big deal.
 
Is the camera your companion in travel, or your reason for travel?

The camera is just a recording device... it can record scenes you find by chance, or it can record scenes you make by design.

If you are a scene-scavenger... then there is more than a small element of chance when you go scavenging, whether you will find anything worth a photo.

If you design the scene, then the photo-making bit is the smallest part, you have to have the inspiration and ideas first, then go make them into the scene, then 1/60th of a second, you record with camera.

IN BETWEEN!!!

You up your odds of scavenging a good scene, by planning; and to some degree design; you wont get many great photo's of sun-sets at noon! Or pictures of racing cars on a cricket pitch! Or waterfalls in the desert!

And as you are learning.... you can have all the gear, but without an idea of what you want to do with it... it's just luggage.

TIP: There's no law that says you HAVE to take photos........ nor any disgrace in carrying your camera home, without firing a frame.

There IS, however disgrace in coming home with loads and loads of frames, that even you don't really have much interest in looking at ever again......

SO! You haven't taken any photos of note for umpety months.... look on the bright side... you don't have photo's clogging up hard drive space, begging you 'try' do something with them in photo-shop or whatever to make 'something' out of them, frustrating yourself layering the failures rather than accepting the primary one.... you couldn't think or find of anything worth a photo!

Relax.... remember, camera is just a recording device, you don't have to use.

Go find things that interest you to begin with; look for inspiration in that, not the camera bag.

What did you do in the years BC (Before Camera)? What was it that actually made you think, "Oh that's interesting... make a good photo, that... whish I had a camera... maybe I'll go buy one, when I get home"

Leave camera in the bag, and bag at home.... go do them things again, until you think "Oh damn, I wish I had brought the camera with me!" or go find something new to do, leave camera bag at home, until doing that new thing, you think "Oh damn, I wish I had brought the camera with me!"

Look at the photo's you have taken... critique them... what makes them good, what makes them bad, were they worth taking to start with? Were they worth the camera you bought to take them? How many were taken because the scene was interesting, how many just because you had the camera and felt you had to take 'something' to warrant having lugged it around with you?

Look at other people's photo's.... what makes them interesting... what would you do different? What would you do the same? Where were they taken? How were they taken? What 'makes' the picture 'interesting'.. to YOU..... and was that picture found or made? Could you 'find' scenes like that, or could you make them? Would you want to?

Remember Edison, 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration; whether you scene scavenge or scene set, inspiration is but the smallest ingredient.. an important one... but means little without the perspiration begged either way.. and you STILL don't 'have' to take a photo, just 'cos you got a camera.
 
It's a tough one this subject.....! And, yes. I'm aware your free time is up!

Personally, I don't see the point in forcing yourself to shoot something that you aren't interested in/have no experience of/don't like... Okay, maybe the experience one could be a nice learning curve for something..... I do want to get to the Brecons & master some big waterfalls!!

I mainly photograph car meets/shows, my own cars, landscape, woods/forests/hiking trips, family, days out...... That's pretty much about it. Mainly because I have no interest in street, urban, macro flowers, wildlife, sports, etc so there's no way I'm going to enjoy spending hours photographing any of it...

IG, You Tube, Flickr... all good for a bit of motivation IMO ;)

I don't get hooked up on taking photos that much anymore. Car meets I'll take photos of stuff that interests me - pre-90's but mainly 60's-70's. People will add 200 photos to their FB album.... I'll add maybe 20-30ish. The last two days I've walked/hiked about 11 miles in 4 different local locations & I've came home with 7 images - 5 of which I think are pretty good & 2 which I'm a little undecided on at the moment.

Quality over quantity. It doesn't bother me in the slightest that I have 7 images where other people may have taken 64. I explored a new, further part of a forest & two new places altogether. Loved it :) 7.5 miles today and only seen one couple walking their dog - BLISS :)

I guess what I'm saying is, just get out & do things & see places. I don't go out to 'take photos' anymore. I just go out & happen to take my camera with me.....
 
When i started wildlife photography I wasn't keen on the getting up, walking about the woods at 5am... however.

I find that the best part of it, sometimes I forget I'm lugging around a camera and I'm there to take pics.

Its always a good challenge to see how close you can get to a wild animal before they spot you.
 
Do you even know what kind of photo interest you?

When you walk around without your camera, do you ever just STOP and thought "boy, that would make a great shot", at whatever it is.
 
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