I ask this question out of curiosity as I myself sometimes go 2 moths without really shooting a thing and wonder to myself if I truly need the gear that I have l, than when I get the opportunity to go out and shoot I'm thankful I do have my gear. I'm not a spur of the moment kind of a person and my camera isn't always on me, I like to plan things out and take a look at the areas I'm going to shoot. How is it for yourselves? Do you find yourselves in the same dilema or are you always planing a year in advance and executing those plans?
Between the 5-6 weddings I attend a year recently, 2-3 camping / backpacking trips, 1-2 vacations, local gatherings with family and friends every week, casual hikes around the area, and my cats, I like to make 1-3 Google Photos album every month as a hobbyist.
Since I have other hobbies too, I like to balance bringing my camera around town and leaving it at home. The casual photos through the 35mm sensor and nice lenses (24 GM, CV 40, Batis 85, CZ 35-70) come out really well, way better than phones.
As a landscape hobbyist, for me it depends on the season. Spring and autumn a couple of times a week in peak season. Winter and summer I could go for a month or two without shooting unless my daughter is playing volleyball in which case I shoot once a week.
I wish I could say more often, but between work, family and COVID, it's been a challenge to go on dedicated photo trips. Like the OP, I sometimes go two months without touching taking pictures with my camera (phone camera is a different story, but to me, snapshots taken with phone don't really count). Recently during the cherry blossom season, I managed to go out and shoot a few times, though. Honestly, I don't plan. For landscape shooting, I need decent weather, so I can't and won't plan months or weeks in advance. Then again, even when I travel to photo destinations, they are relatively close by, say 3-4 hours max by car, which is obviously a different ball game than flying to another continent to take pictures.
Totally normal for me as a hobbyist landscape shooter to not shoot anything for weeks if not a month or two. Summer i tend to shoot less. I like the colors of spring and fall more. I have tons of gear and don't mind at all. It's not a job and I love collecting glass I get a huge joy being out but yeah this year I've been far busier with work and getting settled in our new home ect.
It will pickup real soon. Shot some poppys few weeks ago. Wasn't the best weather and nowhere near what I shot in similar time of poppys a year ago with some epic light. Been using my gear more for family events and it's satisfying enough tho not the same level of getting that good light in a landscape setting. That's where I feel the happiest; near a sunrise or sunset time, getting that near perfect SOO shot and coming home and fine tuning it a bit while jamming some tunes.
We go a lot of places, and since we are only just engaged and don't have kids yet we can continue doing that for the forseeable future.
This usually means going out both weekend days and sometimes a weekday, and the camera comes along most of the time. For me the A7R4 and for her the A7II or just her phone.
I feel like that best suits us; we just have day trips and if I happen to take great pictures that's just a bonus. Having a weekend rail pass really helps out too!
I try to get out before breakfast most days, either on my bike or on foot, and am lucky to live somewhere where there's plenty of nature or else rural roads where there are things to photograph. Then by the time work starts, I've done my workout and done some photography. Covid working from home has helped. Things may be less good as they require us on campus more!
I used to have weeks between shots but this year I decided to take at least one photo every day to hone my skills, and build my muscle memory.
Sometimes I feel forced to take a shot, and it ends up being a quick, pointless snap. But the longer I go, the more I want to go shooting, and even the forced snapshots seem better.
If you have a smaller system the joy of photography and the likelihood of always having a camera with you increases, leading to more photographs. Obvious, but I find it a truism.
Embarrassed to answer this one. If I知 not shooting for revenue than certainly not enough. I知 slowly fading away from it. I did buy a Sony ZV-10 and given that I知 not lugging 200 lbs of gear I do at least take it with me more but I also been doing this so long I知 feeling this as a naturally progression for me. I would like to get out more though. Time
DavidBM wrote:
I try to get out before breakfast most days, either on my bike or on foot, and am lucky to live somewhere where there's plenty of nature or else rural roads where there are things to photograph.
Same here, although in my case it's after breakfast. I take the same walk almost every morning. When you have a curious eye, an appreciation for light, and an open mind, every day is different. Even though I've walked this same route close to 4,000 times over the past 15 years each day is fresh and I often manage to find new things to photograph. There are plenty of days when I walk and don't take a single photo, though, mainly due to poor light or lack of inspiration.
Sounds like its not necessarily your passion. Thats ok. If you池e questioning the need of your gear then maybe you already know the answer. Perhaps you got caught up in the buying/selling disease. Thats not really related to enjoying photography.
Zayne12 wrote:
I ask this question out of curiosity as I myself sometimes go 2 moths without really shooting a thing and wonder to myself if I truly need the gear that I have l, than when I get the opportunity to go out and shoot I'm thankful I do have my gear. I'm not a spur of the moment kind of a person and my camera isn't always on me, I like to plan things out and take a look at the areas I'm going to shoot. How is it for yourselves? Do you find yourselves in the same dilema or are you always planing a year in advance and executing those plans?...Show more →
As a hobbyist/amateur, by the dates in Capture One, it appears I head out roughly every 2 weeks or so. Sometimes I only take a few images. Other times, if there is a local event or something similar, I might take a lot more. I put no pressure on myself to get a keeper each time.
Some people meditate. I take pictures. It's an activity that gives me a break from routine and calms my mind. Really, who is to say heading out every two weeks is better or worse than every 2-3 months. Do what works for you and makes you happy if you aren't answering to someone else for your results. Enjoy yourself.
KarmaKramer wrote:
Sounds like its not necessarily your passion. Thats ok. If you池e questioning the need of your gear then maybe you already know the answer. Perhaps you got caught up in the buying/selling disease. Thats not really related to enjoying photography.
Ha, my dad has always said that photography is two different hobbies, collecting gear and taking photos
I can do a bit a of both, but I do tend to shoot a lot, almost every day. My wife makes fun of me for going to the same spots all the time but it's because I just like to get out of the house and I'm constantly trying to convey how something looks and feels to me, not just how it looks.
I live a few blocks from a beach with great views of the city and a I'm a 30 minute walk or short drive from a large, forested park, so that's nice. I'm also a short bus ride to downtown, so I can scratch my street photography itch pretty easily as well. My camera bag is a constant companion and I have a Fuji X100V for that purpose. I recently upgraded from my venerable X100s and the V is an easy camera to carry everywhere. I like to shoot it using Fuji's film simulations and not bother with RAW. I'll also admit that I use my phone a lot. Horses for courses, I guess, but I'm taking photos that I care about every day, I think.
Depends a lot on the season. When raptors present a good opportunity and I have time, I may go out every day for a week or so. But when there's a lull, I may not shoot much for a while.
I'm trying to diversify my shooting again and to shoot more than birds. But I don't really like the landscape around me, don't travel much at the moment and often don't feel like going into the city (mask in train or crazy expensive parking and all). But I do hope to shoot more.
Not getting rid of any gear though, unless I'm 100% sure I don't need it, as we plan to move abroad and I know that my shooting depends a lot on where I live. Stuff I don't use much here, I will rely on elsewhere.
KarmaKramer wrote:
Sounds like its not necessarily your passion. Thats ok. If you池e questioning the need of your gear then maybe you already know the answer. Perhaps you got caught up in the buying/selling disease. Thats not really related to enjoying photography.
For me it is definitely a passion my main issue is the country I love in I cant really go many places without raising an eyebrow. I've even had the equivalent of the fbi visit me for taking pics of a random city. But when I come to California and visit my family my gear sees a lot more use. I go out for a small hike in the morning, try to go to the beach for sunset l, take a look at the next place I can get some astro shots and plan out trips with friends and family to different places. When I come to Lebanon there is a different dynamic at play.
BIF/Birds/Flowers/Insect Macro shooter here. When I was working (5 years ago), almost every weekdays as there was a nature/wildlife trail near the office. Weather permitting, always take a walk before going to the office and during lunch. When not working anymore and the pandemic, lucky to go out once a month or every other month except when testing some new gears. Fully retired last year, trying to go out for BIFs at least 2X/week during fall or spring migrations. For spring, wild flower shoots at least 1X/week. For insect macros, 2X-3X in my backyard for quick look on subject availability.
If the FBI questioned me about my general photo-taking then I would probably go stretches without doing it too.
Zayne12 wrote:
For me it is definitely a passion my main issue is the country I love in I cant really go many places without raising an eyebrow. I've even had the equivalent of the fbi visit me for taking pics of a random city. But when I come to California and visit my family my gear sees a lot more use. I go out for a small hike in the morning, try to go to the beach for sunset l, take a look at the next place I can get some astro shots and plan out trips with friends and family to different places. When I come to Lebanon there is a different dynamic at play. ...Show more →
I get a huge joy being out but yeah this year I've been far busier with work and getting settled in our new home ect. 