pagespicsThree New Years Resolutions…
… you may wish to ignore
The booze has worn off and it’s back to work. At this time of year we start thinking about improving our lives and our photography. Once again I find myself promising to eat less and exercise more. But what photography resolutions are there to be made? There is a plethora of advise available on what to do in 2020, but I remain sceptical on some of the ideas published.
I have added three photos to this post, all taken during my last photo walk of 2019.
Always have a camera on you.
Firstly, we always have a phone on us anyway. But should you always have your pro, or street camera with you? I think not and here is why. When I have my camera on me I am always switched on and looking for a shot. I find it hard to forget about it. There are times I just want to chill out and relax. Yes I may miss an award winning photo opportunity, but dare I say it, some things are better off seen without the camera. Lastly I believe that to be creative you need a break from what you love – even for a little while. So occasionally, put down the camera and look up to smell the roses.
Don’t Buy New Gear
We are often warned against GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome), and are urged to stick with one camera and one lens for a year. This novel idea for a resolution is ‘guaranteed’ to make you a better photographer. I’m not convinced that less is always more. I generally use a 50mm prime lens, but sometime I want to go wider and use my 35mm lens. This Christmas I purchased a 28-75mm zoom, which will be great for travel. People should feel free to get the gear they need to do the job they want. One lens does not do everything, don’t believe the hype!
Start a Project
Starting a project is a great idea. However, if you are not engaged in a project then do not panic. During 2019 I became obsessed with finding the next ‘big’ project, often letting my desire for something new obscure the tasks at hand (and I had a lot of projects on the go anyway). This was crazy! During December I forgot about travel and street photography, instead I focused on candid images of family and friends. As a result I am now bristling with ideas for 2020. The take away from this is that projects are important, but taking a break from them can be priceless.
That all for today folks, keep clicking.
Chris
pagespics 
I do carry a camera with me at all times, only my G7X but maybe you’re right and I should leave it at home now and then. As for new gear, there’s stuff I need ( quality ND Filters, Laptop ) but then there’s stuff I want ( camera upgrade, lenses, new tripod ) no as for the most of these I just don’t have the money ( unable to work due to a number of health issues ). I can’t get any decent editing software as my laptop is 6/7 years old and extremely slow, yes I really could do with a camera upgrade, I have a Canon 1300d/Rebel T6 and though it does what I need most of the time as Photography is my hobby not a business, I’ve found its limitations are getting in the way. Take the ISO for instance, it jumps up from 400-800-1600-3200-6400, nothing in between unless I start using the Exposure Compensation which isn’t always practical with Street Photography which I mainly do.
When it comes to projects, it’s not something I’ve really done besides going out and only shooting certain things on a particular day or two, Street Portraits, Shadows etc, but this year I do have some projects in mind, whether they’ll all come off, well, we’ll see.
Great Blog and sorry for the long reply.
Happy Shooting
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Thanks bcegerton, finances are always an issue. My own laptop is dying slowly and I am wanting to replace it with a decent iMac. However, I’m thinking a switch to Windows may save some cash. Also, older cameras still work fine – the industry just wants our money! Let me know how you get on with your project ideas.
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Cracking photos mate. Happy New Year to you and the family.
Looking forward to seeing the images from the new lens.
Phones have come a long way in such a short time hence I continually leave the camera at home so much that I now need to remember to take it with me and to use it. I also notice a distinct difference in the quality of photos from either having to think about what I’m doing (composition etc) and the finished product when using a camera.
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Great article and photos Chris. I don’t particularly like using a phone for photography. It’s not that my Samsung can’t take good pictures, it’s more to do with I find them difficult to hold without inadvertently touching the screen and changing a setting. My answer was to purchase a small camera, a Sony RX100 which is a great little camera and fits in the pocket well. It doesn’t turn off the desire to look for that perfect photo though!
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Great resolutions, and awesome photographs, Chris! I’m especially mulling on the idea of starting a project. And I decided to have my Ricoh GR III always on me…ALWAYS…
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The Ricoh Gr is a great camera, I had the ii and it died a while ago. I will upgrade to the iii when I’m feeling flush.
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Great post! I found out a while ago that the best way not to fail on my New Year Resolutions is not to make any! I have written an article recently about this titled ‘Why New Year Resolutions are Doomed to Fail’ – ,’https://authorjoannereed.net/new-years-resolutions/ – Feel free to check it out!
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Nice website Joanne, thanks for sharing.
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