What's up peoples, new here and thought I'd spill some stuff I've been thinking about lately.
I've been making pictures for a decade now and over the years, I've used / owned dozens of lenses and bodies, everything from cheap kit glass to all types of L glass. And if there's one thing I'm now realizing, it really does not matter at all what lens or what body I'm using.
Sure, gear talk is always fun and great, and I've always had a habit of thinking far too much about what gear I should get (since I'm not rich, I can't afford to own everything at once). But every single time I use any particular body or lens, I always manage to make something I'm proud of, and worthy of large prints.
Recently I took a trip to the beach with nothing but an EOS M and a rental 18-135mm lens (I'm without my 6D at the moment) and the images were some of the better ones I've made this year. I had initially scoffed at this dinky slow lens and had a terrible time using live view in bright daylight, but when I got home, I was a bit shocked at what I had managed to create. And then it dawned on me that every time I've used any lens or body, I've always made things I was proud of. Every time I was unhappy or unsure about some lens and traded it in for something else, I always still made pictures I was happy with.
It really isn't about the gear. It's about recognizing what you have at the moment and using it for ITS strengths, and adjust your composition and subject accordingly in order to accommodate that gear. For example, if there's a man in a picturesque street that I want to take a picture of, but he's too far away to get a portrait with a 50mm that I have with me, then I'll reassess the scene to make the picture something other than a portrait, and incorporate the environment somehow.
I've been doing this for years and just now realized exactly what it was I was doing!
I understand that for pros, and for particular types of photography like sports, gear is VERY important. But if you're just a creative looking to make beautiful pictures of anything, this approach to photography I've found can lead to fulfilling results. I cringe whenever people start discussing MTF charts or micro-contrast or any one of the silly things that just don't matter. It's fun to talk about, sure, but when you start to use these things as excuses for your photos, then it becomes an issue. I've never had an issue making 16x24 prints with any gear I use.
Anyways, that's my intro! Happy shooting!
Canon EOS-M / 18-135mm IS STM
