Great equipment is prohibitive to frequent photography

Ya, moving doesn't work. I need to get past the worry.

emelvee wrote in post #12473108
I've always thought that (whenever I carry around my 80-200) that lens could do some serious damage - so if someone were ever to attack me I could just thump them on top of the head with it - a repair would probably be cheaper than an entire replacement

(kidding)

There's a lot of truth there. A well executed thump would send someone to the sidewalk.

Heh...there ya go These things are built tough!

You only need to get past the worry if the worry is unreasonable. Choose to live in a crime ridden s###hole and being in imminent danger is just a reality, ignoring it won't make you any safer. And after you are robbed or violently mugged, I rather imagine the worry will return even worse.

Out of curiosity, are you employed by the automakers?

Samueli, here's a video I think you'd find enlightening; it's on self assignments and how to expand your photographic skills. Check it out, maybe it will motivate you and lessen your need to carry all your equipment. I liked this video that I think I will give it a go here in downtown DC.

Check it out.

http://www.adorama.com …Photo-Challenge-AdoramaTV

Balog wrote in post #12474316
You only need to get past the worry if the worry is unreasonable. Choose to live in a crime ridden s###hole and being in imminent danger is just a reality, ignoring it won't make you any safer. And after you are robbed or violently mugged, I rather imagine the worry will return even worse.

Out of curiosity, are you employed by the automakers?

Yes, automakers indirectly. Let's not say choose though. I don't choose, rather I am forced to deal with an economical situation much like a lot of others, that goes well beyond the price of a decent camera kit. So I have to make do with my situation until I can change it, and I don't really want to stop photography in the mean time.

It's not that bad around here. I'm just noticing more things. Some people are straight up broke and hungry, and if oppourtunity presents itself, some people might take it when they are desperate. I know I would have a hard think about it myself if I where in a similar situation and some punk was livin it up with some high dollar camera gear. That's a lot of food or bills paid.

Now I feel like crap even having anything nice while others are so down. Quite selfish really...

I'll check out that video shortly. Thanks for all the great advice!

samueli wrote in post #12475912
......It's not that bad around here. I'm just noticing more things. Some people are straight up broke and hungry, and if oppourtunity presents itself, some people might take it when they are desperate. I know I would have a hard think about it myself if I where in a similar situation and some punk was livin it up with some high dollar camera gear. That's a lot of food or bills paid.

Now I feel like crap even having anything nice while others are so down. Quite selfish really...

I'll check out that video shortly. Thanks for all the great advice!

Well, if you feel that bad about things there's always "giving back" through volunteerism - soup kitchens, helping out the elderly and infirm with yardwork, etc. - my wife and I did the kitchen thing for a bit: it gives you a totally different perspective on life. We fret over "L"'s here while others have to scrape for calories.

I always make the best casual shots when I have one body, one lens.

Any more than that and it becomes too much of a chore.

When I just have one lens, I spend my time thinking about how to make a great photo, rather than what lens I want to switch to.

One body, one lens. Set out with a goal in mind, and your photos will be better for it. Pick whatever it is that is suited to that task.

When I go out to shoot architecture, I'm prepared for that - and I don't get upset if I miss a great landscape opportunity, because that wasn't the goal of my outing.

Aimless wandering is useless.

Yes, even when traveling I stick to these ideas.

There is a caveat however - if you know what you need to get the shot that you have in mind, feel free to take the lenses (plural) or bodies that you know you will need. A sports shooter, for instance, might have a 70-200 on one body and a 400 on the other, but he isn't wasting time deciding what to use because he knows how to get the shots he has in mind. He's using the bare minimum and his shots are better for it.

edit: that's what i get for grunching. didn't read bohdank's post, but he is saying the same thing that i am.

I usually have an idea of what I'm going to shoot, but I never ever follow it. I just can't! There's always something that pops up when I'm all set on one subject. Especially for walk-around photography.