The best point-and-shoot camera I've owned
I've been around for a while; all 36 years, and during that time I've accumulated and used a number of point-and-shoot cameras, from the film days to the adoption of digital. And I can honestly say after using, Yashica, Ricoh, Leica, Fuji, Kodak, Olympic, Canon & Contex my favourite point-and-shoot camera can be summed up into these categories; ease of use, quality, features and size. It would have to be the…
What's in my camera bag
Like all of us, I carry around a few things every day in my bag. Be it going to work, for a walk or trip. I wanted to share what I can't leave home without, why I choose these particular items, for everyday use and the essentials I need when leaving the house.There is something about having a neckless or watch that you wear every day and that one day you forget it you feel naked. Like something is off; not quite right. And these few items I can't leave without, I would rather be late leaving the front door than going outside without them. It's not that I need them to live or for my job, but rather for comfort. Like a morning coffee or newspaper. Here they are in no particular order.
Does having all this photography gear make me a good photographer?
Does having the latest gear, or the best or a large amount of gear make you a better photographer? Everything you see in this photo I use daily for my commercial work. This gear is an asset that helps me make a living. But does it make a good photographer?
Let your subconscious take over your photographs
Once you subconsciously realise that when you are taking photos without a desire or theme; it's then when we go through our edit and our archive that we start to see melodies throughout our work. Be a spectator to your instances, and let go of theory, rules and guidelines. That is when you start to notice your voice was there all along hidden in your spontaneous subconscious mind.
Photography is selling us a lie
When it comes to what photography is predominantly used for in our society, documentation; or to put it simply to sell us a feeling or product. An extraordinary amount of advertisements focus on three emotional components to manipulate us. This idea is that whatever they are selling will bring us happiness, love, status or luxury. But advertisements wouldn’t work well if they focused on what we really need. Is advertisement or our focus photography selling us a lie?
A fresh start
A new system and a fresh start. These past two years I had a News Years resolution to do less, and play more. What I didn't realise was that what I stopped doing was what brought joy to my life. And playing games isolated me more and removed me from responsibilities. So like a good person in a capitalist society I purchased a new/old camera.
No one knows what they are doing
When you realise no one knows what they are doing, and no one has it figured out. and the majority are just regurgitating what they have seen or been taught. Life is real but our reality is entirely fiction. Why is it that if you say something enough time for a substantial period of time you become an expert on the subject? Someone is an expert; know they just did one thing many times. They might not be the best or great but just the fact that they have done that one thing for an extended period of time makes them an expert.
Time anxiety
Reflecting on New year's resolutions in August I've been thinking about life, yearly goals and aspirations. The choose to focus on having fun over ambition and capitalism progress and guilt for not improving or self-improvement or having a side hustle. I ask you have you kept up your new year's resolution?
Dreaming of becoming a millionaire or make it a reality
If you want to be a millionaire, then not just work more. What are you talking about? Isn't that how one gets rich, by obtaining more money through work. Well, yes, but to become financially free, employment isn't the answer. Let me show you.
Where ever you go there you are
Where ever you go there you are. People dream of living in the countryside, a nice house or even a fancy high-rise apartment. People dream of having a better job or certain items in their life, and they think that these things will bring them peace, contentment, joy and happiness. And they will, for a time. But no matter where you are or where you want to be, you will always be who you are. That will not change.
Why minimalism won't save the planet
Have you heard the saying minimalist or minimalism? The word minimalism described an art movement in the 1960s regarding artists like Donald Judd, Agnes Martin or Carl Andre. The interesting thing is many of the artists didn't relish being called minimalist artists or identify it as a movement at all. The idea around their artistic aesthetic was a reduction of the abstract movement favouring the literal.The word minimalism has been construed from its original form into an aesthetic that is desired in consumer culture. Mainly in high-end products away from the middle to low-income households. This is because the minimalist lifestyle is a preference to own less, rather than the economic struggles of lower wealth classes. Minimalism has become a status symbol, represented mainly by White European or Asian ethnicities.
What would happen if my home burnt down
Recently I was talking to my wife about what would happen if our home burnt down. And reflecting on this. The only thing that I would be worried about is losing all my hard drives filled with photographs of our memories. Everything else I couldn't care about. Like if our home burnt down, I wouldn't be sad or angry, I'd just be annoyed that I needed to call the insurance company and do all that paperwork. I literally have no attachments to the thing in our home. And my wife said, "I wouldn't call that a flex, like that's sad." But in my mind it isn't and here is why.
Compassion
Compassion is accepting, accepting that someone is not ready, because they are dealing with something, and they are not willing to learn or hear. Wisdom can only be transferred when the student is ready to listen. Compassion is seeing the potential and being willing to wait for them.The dictionary definition for Compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate that suffering. I feel that compassion is a bit more than that. A willing to wait, to see through someone else eyes. And to accept where someone is in life be it mentally or emotionally.
Well-being and mental health
I see there is a fundamental flow with our current society and it is changing for the better. There are so many of us who focus on productivity and growth and work and building a business or career. But very few of us focus on our wellbeing or the wellbeing of others around us. I have been in so many meetings that aren't volunteer about work structure, processes and responsibilities, goals, output etc. I have yet seen emotions or feelings or mental health be the focus. It's always on the fringes or the outskirts, always volunteer or self-driven. This makes me sad, that we live in a business world about profit but not wellbeing.
Audiences are selfish
Do you really want to devote yourself and all your energy towards something or someone that just takes and takes and takes? That is not a healthy relationship. Be careful about a relationship we think you want.We are led to believe that to be successful this day in age, you need to be comfortable in front of a camera, and that you need to have an opinion on everything. And that you need to build a community. And that you also need to be consistent, constantly making new content. But consistency leaves no space for evolution. There is so much pressure in the modern world of social media to press upload. Is this good for mental health?
Is that for me or you?
Be careful of wearing your symbols and ideology. Ideal worship of the ego and representing it through the cloth to show who you are and what you are is a form of insecurity. It might be a false deity or use, we are not the cloth we wear. So I ask you why are you wearing or showcasing your beliefs or group, why do you feel you need to distinguish yourself from others?I'm not talking about discrimination or stopping someone from wearing something that relates to their beliefs. Like a wedding ring, green stone, a cross, prey beads or a hijab. I'm talking about a full getup that tells people you love a car brand, that you are a new-age hippy, a minimalist or that you are a serious businesswoman that only wears pants. I'm talking about displaying your identity so no one will confuse your beliefs or morals. Cloth that helps people stereotype you from just what you are wearing.
Worry
Worry, anxiety, stress and concerns can become predominant in our lives, and can feel debilitating. With everything is accessible at our fingertips. The world is becoming more and more transparent, and things that never saw the light of day be it good or bad. And with all that knowledge comes fear and a natural sense of worry. How does one deal with worry, because someone telling you to chill out or charm down, is easy to say, but not very productive or achievable in the moment.
How does one take care of themselves so you last?
Isn't it crazy how easy and simple it is to take care of yourself? But for some reason, we don't do it, mainly because we think it is hard and that well-doing these things aren't entertaining or rewarding enough for the amount of energy it requires to form it into a good habit.
Your thoughts and beliefs aren't real
Purpose, meaning, spirituality, religion, motivation, goals, dreams, aspirations. If you really think about it are all fabrications. Man-made, and predominantly in your head, things not of the physical world. I would say that anything your mind can think up isn't real. Go with me on this.
The 50 hour work week is dying and here is why
So many of us gen-z and millennials will be the last generation to own their own home (not an apartment) if they are lucky. And with inflation and high stress and anxiety in work environments, we are beginning to value our time more than the money we make. Because realistically money is becoming less and less valuable. Retirement is no longer a sure thing and owning your own home or even being able to pay off your mortgage and keep your lifestyle is very unrealistic for an average two-person income household of $120k. So why work, work, work, retire and dye. When we can live a little more?