Photography Burnout?

TijmenDal wrote in post #15114809
Try shooting film for a while. That for sure will invigorate your passion.

I still LOVE doing that. I is a challenge to get it right in one shot compared to firing away.

I went through something similar. Ended up picking up an old film camera and started shooting film for all of my personal stuff. Made a huge difference in the way I see at work. Photography finally started become fun again. I eventually started taking my film camera to work and have now made 35mm part of my work workflow. The local costco develops my film in less than an hour and their digital scans are decent for the price.

I'm still thinking about this issue and at this point I'm highly considering selling a lot of my kit and going with the 5D3 body and a single lens to keep with me at all times.

What lens? The 24-70 is just too heavy to keep on me at all times. The 70-200 2.8L II is incredible, but again, not the best choice. Any thoughts? Maybe pick up another 35L?

What keeps me from burning out is my personal work. Anytime you work for money and someone is paying you you have to satisfy their needs which is usually in many cases trying to see in a way to satisfy them so the work is really not all your own. Weston called it a lie. The professional work feeds the family, pays the bills, buys the equipment. The personal work feeds the sole, for me anyway. THats the work that is truly all mine. So my advice is never quit doing work just for you and try and keep that separate from the work that pays you. Heres a great quote from Weston:
"When money enters in, - then, for a price, I become a liar, - and a good one I can be whether with pencil or subtle lighting or viewpoint. I hate it all, but so do I support not only my family, but my own work." - Edward Weston

I agree with the exception I don't hate what I do for a living.

SCMedic wrote in post #15420229
I'm still thinking about this issue and at this point I'm highly considering selling a lot of my kit and going with the 5D3 body and a single lens to keep with me at all times.

What lens? The 24-70 is just too heavy to keep on me at all times. The 70-200 2.8L II is incredible, but again, not the best choice. Any thoughts? Maybe pick up another 35L?

I've had, well, a lot of "stuff" over the past few years, both photograpy "stuff", computer "stuff"...

Well, due to some life "changes" I started selling off gear. But I did keep some of what I consider, well, important to me...

My most-used body is the 5DC, and with it my most-used lens is the 24-105. I sold my 70-200 and my 85L, both great lenses, but...and then, I kept my 16-35 because sometimes I just need that wide FOV to get the shots I want. And, because I still like to shoot birds/critters when I can get close to them, I kept my 100-400. And, because I occasionally get into challenging "spots", I kept my old SpeedLite 580EX...

I still have other "stuff", but those I mentioned are the things that get actual use. One of these days I'll pull out my old 30D, but for now the 5DC is the one that goes with me.

I can't help you with the "just one lens" thing because of the range of focal lengths/FOVs I want/need...sorry...

The one lens idea was suggested as way to keep my 5D3 with me at all times and hopefully promote some creativeness since I'd always have it around.

Someone suggested getting a fixed lens, maybe RX1, and using that for a while. I don't know. I just know I started this thread 3 months ago and have used the 5D3 1 time since.

SCMedic wrote in post #15420797
The one lens idea was suggested as way to keep my 5D3 with me at all times and hopefully promote some creativeness since I'd always have it around.

Someone suggested getting a fixed lens, maybe RX1, and using that for a while. I don't know. I just know I started this thread 3 months ago and have used the 5D3 1 time since.

Great idea. I have done those kinds of thing a lot in the past. I was in the Fla Keys in Oct my Leica Mono had not come in yet (long waiting list) but my 35 lux had so a good friend let me take his M9 and I got did the best work of anytime I was down there. I hear people all the time say you miss photos I would argue you don't miss anything becasue you see different photos. Theres a reason why Winogrand, Bresson, Gibson, Friedlander, Frank all use the same camera lens combo all the time. It free you is ways you won't understand until you do it. Give it shot (pardon the pun) you can always go back to the other way at any time. Ya got noth'n to loose.

Well put.

Now to decide if I want to pick a lens or a fixed lens camera...

SCMedic wrote in post #15420885
Well put.

Now to decide if I want to pick a lens or a fixed lens camera...

If you have a 35, 24 or 50 throw it on the 5DIII and try it out first. I know that I tend to see in 35mm on FF and that came from a lot of experience and trial and error. Only one way to know for sure. Get out there and try it. Its a great journey and you'll be surprised at how your vision will change. Winogrand had gotten so used to using the same camera/lens combo (7 rolls of 36 everyday) that he could see what the lens was seeing with out having ot put hte viewfinder to his eye. Kinda like a fast draw shooter that can shoot coins outta the air without aiming and keeping the pistol at the hip. The more you do it the better you get.