I am trying to stay principled about my photography, I really do, but more often than not I feel overtaken by reality or some other realisation catching up. To counterbalance my previous insights about keeping things interesting here is another aspect well worth noting.
When we are younger and finances are tight, there is quite naturally a limitation about changing things around in your photo world. A new camera, a bigger camera, multiple cameras, these things are a financial impossibility and we had to save for a long time to purchase that one single camera we wanted. That also made us think thoroughly whether it would be the right move and a lasting choice. Nowadays with slightly more money at disposal (subject to wife approval of course) and also rapidly declining prices of classic film cameras and used digital cameras, it is a lot easier and tempting to jump at a piece of new equipment on impulse.
If you want to change your photographs, you need to change cameras. Changing cameras means that your photographs will change. A really good camera has something I suppose you might describe as its own distinctive aura.
— Nobuyoshi Araki
While it may give us new creative impetus as I have written in the past, I have recently also noticed a very negative effect which will make me a lot more cautious in the future: Camera Shock. When I get interested in a new piece of equipment, a new technique, a new subject matter perhaps it disrupts my previous work to a great degree.
Now, this is not always bad, but imagine you have been in a good creative groove for a while, followed by a slight natural slump when you could argue the real work is starting. At that point, when things get a little sticky, it is tempting to divert your attention to something new. It is the path of least resistance. The problem is that New will absorb your energies for a time to come as you will immerse yourself with the new and naturally interesting, with the consequence to loose track of what you have been working on previously, before it had a chance to become your best.
As photographers the search of the most suitable piece of equipment will never be separable from the medium of photography itself, but unless we are fully aware of the implications and carefully manage ourselves consciously it may do more harm than good and hold us back in our overall development.
Obviously all this is easier said than done, but perhaps our ability to maintain the required discipline is an indicator of how serious we really are about our photography, whether we see it as our mission to produce imagery to show to the world, or whether we are simply entertaining ourselves.
With 38 very different cameras at my disposal I understand some of what you say but I’ve found that once you get over the ‘new’ factor and learnt the new camera it forces you to think and act differently. The choice of camera depends on how I want to approach my subject, how I want to interact with the subject.
There is a learning curve but I find it is short and thereafter you choose a camera based on what style, effect, mood you want to capture. A 50 year old camera paints a very different picture from one of the more recent models.
I have two cameras, a Pentax K10D and a Spotmatic. I feel very comfortable with my K10D and have shot many decent photos with it. With the Spotmatic, I’ve only shot about three rolls of film, I feel uncomfortable, unsure and a little excited when I use it. What I’m getting at is maybe Araki is right, change the camera and you see the world differently although Mr.Dougan with “38 very different cameras” at your disposal, I’d feel somewhat overwhelmed. Although i love my K10D I’m excited to finish off my current roll in the Spotmatic.
Overwhelmed, no…
The cameras all get a thorough testing when I acquire each one. From that I learn how to use each camera and I learn the cameras traits and personality. From there its easy, I pick a camera based on what I want to achieve and match the camera to that.
Thirty-eight is indeed an impressive number (and I assume an impressive drying cabinet goes with that, if you’re living in Asia).
Mike, I would be interested in what broad categories you would put the lot and also the criteria you choose them by, not just technical (film size etc.) but also the “style, effect, mood” you are referring to.
Danny, I think you should just keep on working on that “relationship” and get more comfortable with the Spotmatic, I’m sure it’ll lead somwhere interesting.
I meant overwhelmed in which camera to use for a particular shoot.
I have a range of 1950’s folders, Agfa Super Isolette, Cert Six, Balda Baldalux and Zeiss Super Ikonta, These give lovely period style images, the Agfa has the look of a Hasselblad, the Certo is soft and feels pre-War, the Balda just feels late 40’s early 50’s in the way it paints an image and the Zeiss has quite high contrast but is extremely sharp so it has an unusual period feel but also with a feeling of being a modern optic.
Then we have the TLR’s, Rolleiflex, several Yashica Mat’s, Seagull and a Start 66. Again like above each one has it’s relative plus’s and minus’s but the Rollei is my favourite for its early 60’s optic’s, sharpness and moderate contrast.
I could go on, and on and on……… It’s an addiction but at least its not as harmful to my health as previous addictions.
Just for the record… the two mate with whom we run Rangefinder Filipinas, one has over 300 cameras, the other (a TV producer) has over 800, so my 38 is rather small…..
Here’s kind of a reply, Dirk. I like a camera to disappear when I use it, and I don’t need a thief for that 😉
Best regards, Christoph
I wonder what that Araki means by a “good” camera. In the last few years, I’ve found shooting with krap-kams to be a remarkably liberating experience, and one that has opened the door wide to experimentation and further development.
Hey Clive, I agree. I checked out your site and very much enjoyed your Holga photos. I used a Holga for about 6 months before I got into photography somewhat seriously and it it very liberating.
Clive,
As you discovered my “Anti-Lomo” site I have an admission to make. It was a Holga that got me into film photography! I still have it and love good “Toy Camera” photography but as you know I don’t like “Lomo”.
Mike, I’ve never considered the Holga to be a Lomo and, like you, I am suspicious of the whole Lomo thing. However, and perhaps ironically, Lomo may be the biggest contributor to the survival of film.
Danny, dig out your Holga!
Funny to read all these challenges you have with multiple cameras.
I have one camera essentially for years even I went from analog to digital the handling stayed same. For me the best camera is the one I forget about when I take pictures.
For me camera is not the tool to create my creative stimulation. It is a tool to capture and tool not to disturb my imagination.
I did an interview last year with a photographer who is currently being (re)discovered in Japan, Hiroh Kikai. He has shot all of his portraits with the same Hasselblad 500CM since 1969. I asked him whether he worries about what kind of impact the loss of that camera would mean to his work, and he told me that he recently became quite nervous about it and bought exactly the same camera as an emergency back-up. In his case I feel like the use of this same camera for over 30 years contributed to his ability to make his series of portraits very difficult to associate with a particular time (my way of avoiding the use of the word ‘timeless’).
Hi Marc, I really enjoyed the interview with Hirosh Kikai so thanks for the link. Sometimes these old timer photographers have more relevant things to say than the modern ones and their photos seem timeless.
@ Clive – I wish I could dig out my Holga but I butchered the lens so I’ll have to get another one.
dirk, i found this to be a very interesting post on the creative working process, and how the tools chosen relate to them. i have similar situations, but mine involve more the medium that i chose to work in(drawing, photography, printmaking, film, or animation etc.) i do tend to alternate frequently through these, and i feel that the work in each medium constantly fuels ideas for the other processes. its possible that when a slight natural slump occurs, working with a new camera could be a productive way of continuing to think ideas through. the important thing may be to find the connections to those original ideas, regardless as to whether you chose to return to those original tools, or change up to another. it is, as you say, about how you involve the required discipline with the working process.