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Archive 2013 · soul searching

  
 
panamapreacher
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · soul searching


I started photography at the ripe age of 15. Now I'm 34 and throughout the years, I've shot a lot of things all round. At age 22 I started my own photography business and focused mostly on weddings and portraits.I consider myself a freelance advanced amiture. I've shot film in 35mm, medium format and in various other sizes. I've hand developed and printed my own B&Ws. I v'e also shot tons of digital stuff.
So through the years I've amassed quite a collection of all sorts of gear. At one point I had 8 bodies and 15 lenses.
So now I'm thinking of selling just about everything. Alas, I feel the calling to go back to Panama and start a church.
I'm considering keeping one body (D4) and 4 lenses (14-24, 24-70, 70-200 and buy the new 80-400). This would cover the full range. I plan to keep one SB and one Gitzo. EVERYTHING else I have...strobes, Pocket Wizards, Heads, Stands, Sofboxes, Cases, Medium Formats, Light Meters, Lee Filter Systems, Quantum Battery Packs and ect I plan to part with. Just Just doing some sou searching to move on. I'm a preacher first, photographer second and pilot third. Has anyone else had a similar experience on parting with their gear?



Jul 17, 2013 at 02:44 PM
kendalltristan
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · soul searching


I went through a similar state of mind regarding guitar equipment several years ago. I had thousands invested in a huge guitar rig (MIDI controlled 8 space rack with a separate Soldano head and a few cabinets) and after a few years I sold literally everything except a single guitar and purchased a single amp. I've kept it that way ever since though I have changed the amp a couple of times (first was a Boogie Mark 1, then a Fender Deluxe, and currently a Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister). My reasoning for it was actually rather simple: I felt I spent too much time playing with guitar stuff and not enough time playing my guitar. Since I made the great sell-off I feel I've greatly improved as a player and I enjoy it more.

The whole thing started with a bad case of Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Somewhere between the tone of the Soldano dirty channel and a bit of OCD about perfect tonal control I got lost and ended up with several preamps, processors, and switchers in order to have the ability to 100% dial in anything I could ever possibly want. This worked beautifully until I realized that the only thing I ever really wanted was to keep it simple and have fun with it. I think I learned a lot from that and as such I've been able to prevent myself from doing the same things with photography. Instead of buying a new lens because I want it, I buy one only when I feel that I absolutely can't get the pictures I want/need to take with my current lineup. In addition I have some income from photography which I never had from music so the business part of my brain helps to combat the OCD part of my brain. Basically I got carried away with guitar equipment because I could and I only buy camera equipment when I need to step beyond what is capable with what I already own. Learning to control myself with gear has been an immensely important life lesson.



Jul 17, 2013 at 03:05 PM
panamapreacher
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · soul searching


"Gear Acquisition Syndrome"
You hit the nail right on the head! I can testify and say I think that's what happened to me! I spent more time looking and reading about the latest gear versus going out to shoot.



Jul 17, 2013 at 03:11 PM
jcolwell
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · soul searching


https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1226243


Jul 17, 2013 at 03:55 PM





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