Technical perfection obviously killed my creativity
Image credits: Fujifilm, Canon, Nikon
Two weeks ago I felt tempted by the crazy megapixel madness monster.
“Better [photograph and] focus on your life than on the pixels in your life.”
– Christian Speck
Although I love my own slogan it was the other way round. The crazy megapixel madness monster slowed me down until my creativity came to a total standstill.
Total standstill
Short after the announcements of the Fujifilm GFX100S medium format camera and the new Sony A1 flagship camera, the rumors about the upcoming Canon EOS R1 and Nikon Z9 top models flashed up. There is a real hysteria about the new and upcoming flagship cameras. And as usual it is always the same, it is all about higher resolution (megapixels) and faster AF – and of course numerous other enhancements (such as global shutter, higher burst rates, better video modes and so on – I know, a never ending list – ) and in my opinion a complete lack of innovation.
Sometimes you have to fall down to see clear again.
When I was out in the wood last week on the Geissberg near Villigen (see →map) I wanted to photograph the huge lime quarry, where my parents used to go for a Sunday walk with me when I was a small boy – I guess this was back in the seventies – oh dear. Of course the lime quarry is huge nowadays compared to those old times.
As always I chose the direct line to the Gabenchopf where I wanted to make the photograph, I did not follow the ordinary path. And so it happened that I slipped and fell on the steep slope on the loose ground. Nothing severe, and the best thing about it: My head was clear again after the “mini crash”.
No more:
Shall I get the
Sony A7III, A7RIII, A7RIV, A1, Nikon Z5, Z 6II, Z 7II, Canon EOS R, RP, R6, R5, Panasonic Lumix S5, S1, S1R, Leica M10, M10R, Fujifilm GFX50R, GFX100S, Hasselblad X1D II?
Or shall I wait for the Canon EOS R1, Nikon Z9, the successor of the Canon EOS R?
Or shall I stick with my RICOH GR II? Or maybe get its successor, the RICOH GR III?
Or shall I start painting instead?
It’s here again.
After my “mini crash out in the wild” I was no more going back and forth, no more brooding and quarreling about those ridiculous first world problems, and there was no loss of valuable time anymore! – Instead my motivation and creativity seemed to be back again! I am so happy I have fallen.
See two of my images of the huge lime quarry, made with my good old trusty RICOH GR II (16 Megapixel APS-C sensor). 😉 – right after the “mini crash”.
Going back and forth and brooding and quarreling about what degree of technical perfection I should get killed my creativity.
Please let me know your opinion in the comments below, thank you!
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I loved the way you expressed your thoughts here, Christian. And as we often say, the best camera is the one you have with you. I think we rarely need new gear; what we usually need is motivation. For some odd reason, we think we’ll find it by buying cameras and lenses.
Last but definitely not least, your Ricoh GR ii images here are stunning! The texture, the colors -everything!
Cheers,
George
Thank you George. Although I love today’s huge diversity of camera brands and flagship models and their technical performance, I am pretty sure true innovation and real art (whatever it ever may be) is only possible by the artists/photographers eye and soul – for sure not by technology, megapixels and AF performance. Instead of working hard on their own photographic skills and the art of seeing, people tend to buy new gear – it’s much easier this way, they think. Maybe I am going to buy one of the mentioned cameras one time, sooner or later. Much more important is to tell a story behind my art – or to tell a story with my art. The piece of gear is irrelevant, it is only a tool to support you and your dreams. Thank you so much for reading and contributing to my blog! Take care and stay well.
Genau die richtige Einstellung und der richtige Weg!
Die Gedanken kann ich absolut nachvolziehen. Schneller, weiter, höher habe ich auch für mich abgelegt.
Auf diesem Blog lese ich mich sicher ein 🙂
Viele Grüße
Uwe
Danke Uwe.
PS: Ich bin noch auf der Suche nach einem geeigneten Plugin in WordPress, das meine Antwort auf einen Kommentar auch dem Kommentierenden zustellt. JetPack will ich nicht, hmm. Mal sehen.