Don't let the gears get in the way

Due to the wide selection of camera body, accessory and lens available, there seem to be a gear combination for almost every situation. At some point of time, I found that I'm spend more and more time researching what equipment can do for me than taking photos.

Gear should help there to help me achieve results, but it slowly become a restriction instead. Because of how camera and lens maker market their specialize product and reviewers in depth analysis (that dun make large different to normal user like us), I came to believe I "must" have those specialize equipment to achieve result even before trying to take the photos.

Memorable moments and interesting framing just pass without me even noticing after I believe that without XXX gear I cannot shoot YYY situation....

some example will be

1. I stop looking things beyond or closer to my lens.

2. Didn't bother about object moving faster than my camera can

3. Keep your camera in bad lighting condition

4. Ignore the moments that pass me because I am not putting effort to train my visual at all.

and list go on....

It is important to get the right tools for the job but don't let the tools get in the way of your perspective. I am glad my friends hard word that slap me out of it before I am poison too deep.

Quote some of them

1. "You need a stablizer, u need ultra fast motor and u need the best camera body because you are a bloody handicap"

2. "Yes, your XXX gear cannot focus in time to capture your kids. Have ur heard of anticpation?"

3. "Yes, XXX lens is not sharp wide open. You think XXX camera maker will release something not usable to the market?"

4. "how big u trying to print?"

5. "Crop in your camera, everything will be sharp"

6. "I think I believe you got a pair of legs you can used..."

Thanks guys for all the "encouragment" !

Although it is tougher to snap the moments a goal is scored during a soccer game without a tele zoom lens equip with the best motor and a camera with good AF system. With practice and pre-focusing, you will still be able to capture alot of good moments from the game. If you do not have a tele zoom, there is nothing stopping you from capturing the emotion of the fans when a goal is scored and interesting view of the field from a wider perspective.

Manual Focus with a old 3rd party Len that unable to focus in poor lighting

Dun have a tele zoom? Wait for it come come down :P



Visited the zoo with a standard zoom, there must be some friendly animal that are safe enough to come close to you, found the sloth beside my feet when crossing the bridge. 

Lure them to the lights, there a lamp post everywhere in Singapore

No light? Pump up the ISO and MF. Convert to B/W and they look great with noise

Cannot get a shutter speed to freeze the moment? Why not try panning?

They may not be the standard photos I have "planned" to shoot, but I can still capture some nice moments around us without having all the gears. This is better than not going out to shoot or left your camera at home because "I don't have the right gear". Worst is that after sometime the gear "restriction" is "build in" your workflow till you begin to restrict what you see.

Take another quote from my friend of mine :"Your execution and visual is still quite bad, but at least I can tell you are heading the right direction. Keep shooting"

Still have a long way to go :D