I, like so many of you out there, love to have stuff ... all kinds of stuff. Sometimes I have stuff for my stuff that helps me to determine how to use my stuff.
Then sometimes people suggest to me what kind of stuff is out there, which now leaves me with the choice to either buy more stuff, or get rid of some stuff, or maybe even replace some of my outdated stuff.
Every time I go in a photography store, I roam all of the shelves to see what they have — I look for new stuff.
Of course, I say a quick prayer to that all-time saint of Stuff, St George Carlin ... May all my stuff be good stuff, forever stuff, amen.
Now, as some of you may share the same vices as myself, one has to remember that there is a price to pay for all the stuff we like, and want to carry around with us. First of all is cost — this stuff ain’t cheap.
It would also seem that for every situation a photographer may have, someone comes up with stuff invented to help him make it better. I remember the first time Gary Fongs came out with the flash diffusers, those round cup-like thingys with different choice of coloured plastic ends, that allowed you to give an amber hue if you so choose.
My first time showing up to do a shoot with this piece of kit for a new born and mom, I was asked by the mom if she had to be drained first before the shoot with the breast pump I came equipped with.
HUH? I hadn't seen a breast pump up close before, and after a little research, I learned a diffuser does look like a breast pump.
Add to this the fact that I now have yet another piece of kit to carry, my now even more equipped kit bag is starting to bulge out like a Sherpa backpack heading up to K-2. Guess who is the one carrying all this stuff?
The sad part is that as often is the case, some of the stuff we acquired will end up being shelved somewhere, and at times even forgotten. So, what can you do about this stuff then?
For starters, you have to give some serious thought about what you really want, versus what you really need. It seems as with everything in life, we always seem to want more stuff, no matter what that stuff is. I can always find a reason to have that stuff.
But when you have to carry all this stuff around, you better consider the fact that you have to be the one to carry it all around, and with that comes another issue, WEIGHT, and believe me that can have some long-term implications for you — more so when it comes to the health of your back and muscles. Of course, your wallet’s health can take some strain, too.
It’s not a bad idea from time to time to go through that pack you carry around with you all the time. When you think about it, you really don’t need a lot of stuff in it. If you have a body, the main lens or two you use, along with a couple of batteries, your external flash if you have one, and some spare batteries, perhaps a cleaning cloth, and blow bulb, that should suffice.
Remember, unless you have some specific needs, you don’t need to be carrying to much more than that. Even a tripod strapped to your kit bag does nothing for your pictures, although it does look cool, I guess. If you’re not using it most of the time, shed the dead weight.
By nature, I’m often told that some of us are pack rats,(pfft to that, I say), but I for one know all too well. If you can start by avoiding the bad habits right off the bat, all the better it will be for you in every way long term.
One has to remember, that those iconic pictures taken in the film days by those very famous people, were done so without the gadgets we have today, and with cameras that had no AWB, ISO adjustments, focus points and so on, let alone Gary Fongs, flash diffusers, or stuff etc..
It’s so crazy sometimes to see a photographer carrying multiple bodies strapped to them. It doesn’t make much sense really, not with the technological advancements today’s cameras all have. You can own a really good lens that has some impressive industry standards and performance that negates the needs for lugging multiple bodies, and unlike the old days, you are not limited by set ISO film speeds in any given body.
So once again you're carrying tons of gear stuff, and I have to ask why.
On occasion, I have seen the super diligent photographers strolling into a shoot with a suitcase load of gear. OMG, really? The only thing missing is a studio strapped to a camel.
It’s important to learn and master your gear, in all ranges, and once you do that, you will better understand what it is your doing and how to go about it. Most certainly, it will be easier on the pocket book, and your physical frame, too.
Besides, if you really want to impress others, do it with your pictures. I can assure you that no amount of gear alone in the world will make up for a bad picture.
So, take a look at your kit, clean out the stuff that you haven’t used in the past six months, and stop buying stuff that you will only use one time perhaps. You will save a lot of money, and your back muscles will thank you.
Don’t forget, master your gear, and push the limits, nothing is stopping you. The money you save alone, will help you buy some newer stuff — after replacing the old stuff, of course.
Chuck Swinden is a professional photographer and photography instructor at Rodenas Photography. For more information, visit www.rodenasphotography.com.
