Acquiring new gear: Growing as a photographer, or just a "Gearhead"?

[Diane Maher]

I've bought a lot of photography gear over the years and I enjoyed researching, buying, and using it all. But I've moved to digital almost exclusively and for some reason I don't find digital gear in and of itself very interesting. Which is a good thing for me, I don't read about the gear, don't care about the gear, it's become what I think gear should be - a tool with which to make photographs. But I don't think there's anything wrong with enjoying and buying photographing equipment if that's what you like and if you can afford it. There's many worse ways to spend your money than on photography equipment.

Although I haven't moved exclusively to digital, I came to a similar realization with regards to photo gear. All the cameras and lenses and accessories are tools I use to realize my vision. I think it was after I'd gotten nearly everything on the "want list". It's been a couple of years since my last lens purchase, although I will admit to looking now and then at lenses, I haven't bought any.

I do try to not discuss my gear (or what it cost) to anyone because I feel like they think I am a gear head. Go figure.

[Bill Burk]

...because overnight, I had decided I was going to become....wait for it....a COMMERCIAL FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER! Just made up my mind one day I was gonna do that and started buying (and selling) stuff!

So after almost a year (and several thousand dollars in newly acquired gear) it took exactly one shoot with a couple semi-enthusiastic, Craigslist ad-answerer, wannabe models and my ever so promising career as a soon to be Top New York Fashion Photographer was over...

Great story!
Sounds like the start of a novel.

[Cletus]

Haha! Thanks for the comment Bill! what is it they said about "life is stranger than fiction?" or something like that.

At least nobody can ever accuse me of not chasing my dreams after that little debacle ---or that I'm not given to delusions of grandeur and utterly irrational impulses!

...I had my poor, unsuspecting wife all worked up and excited about it too. I actually had her convinced that within the next year or two we would BE in New York, making $300,000 a shoot and living high on the hog!

Sometimes I think I get too carried away with my photography.

[Vick Ko]

Gearhead here.
I like certain kinds of photo gear.
I can't even get close to using some of my stuff to its full potential.
I sometimes buy because of internet reviews or stories of results that other, much more talented photographers can obtain.
And sometimes even sell, before shooting the gear myself.

Yeah, mostly gearhead. And occasional photographer.

There, I feel better that I've admitted it.

Life isn't that long, enjoy it.

:-)

Vick

[Michael Graves]

I'm a confessed gearoholic who is religiously avoiding the 12-step program. I've reached the point where my stuff is running me out of my house and I'm starting to pare it down a bit. However, when I go out shooting, I try to envision what type of image I'm looking for and decide what format I'm going to shoot that day. I like to go out with just three or four lenses at most. On some days, I have given myself a single lens and said, "If you can't shoot it with this lens, you ain't shootin' it."

One thing that I should put right out there is that I do not consider myself an "artist". I am merely a hobbyist. There are several members here who have clearly earned the label of artist and their opinions will certainly count for more than mine.

[marfa boomboom tx]

call it "finger-nail polish" -- stuff done to cover up; to cover idle time. Something easily talked about with strangers; distant anonymous people; someone in the next cell, at the next table.

But not something done that drives, sustains, changes or challenges you.

As long as you use "it" as that, then so what -- just don't buy the polish to sniff it.

Oh, and don't make the mistake that you are, or will be a painter. It is finger-nail polish.

the phrase used to be "equipment poor," for those who had enough money for equipment, only equipment; never enough for ??? who cares, they kept the plates spinning.

marfa, 2000 people, with a view of the world.

[Michael Graves]

...So after almost a year (and several thousand dollars in newly acquired gear) it took exactly one shoot with a couple semi-enthusiastic, Craigslist ad-answerer, wannabe models and my ever so promising career as a soon to be Top New York Fashion Photographer was over....

I know the feeling. I had early dreams of being a professional...to the point of spending my life savings opening a studio. After six months doing the portfolios for a modeling agency in Phoenix I decided that doing it for money was taking all the fun out of it. (Do hookers have the same problem?) Makes me wonder how Frank stays sane...assuming his actually has...

[DrTang]

HEY..the gear is half the fun

seems I am a magnet for tripods, heavy duty lightstands and camera cases and bags - I just cannot turn down a good deal


and cameras and systems

I mean I try to be rational and all..but..something always comes along and well..if I pick up that group of stuff..then sell off the stuff I don't need..I can pay for the 85mm f1.8 lens to play with... but it's konica mount?? so now I need to save that one body too..so might as well keep the 28...

and so on and so on

when I first started here..I got all jacked up on petzvels and soft focus stuff.. so I got some.. and meh.. not my cup o tea.. so now those are gone and I'm on to my next fetish.. which is making square format out of 4x5 and 5x7 cameras (ie: wasting a bunch of area on the film sheet)


but...I must say.. very often I will just grab one camera/lens and go shoot with only that for the day/event with good results

[Cletus]

Life isn't that long, enjoy it.

Vick

Amen brother. Pro, semi-pro, collector, film, digital, whatever. It all falls under the "Pursuit of Happiness" clause as far as I'm concerned.

[Drew Bedo]

Anyone ever see a TV show called "Hoarders"?

My wife says that I have some sort of disorder in that direstion.