Glad to see you back, and that the break did its trick. Please bear in mind that many of the things relating to social media that have been troubling you, bother and trouble myself and no doubt many of the people who watch your channel. I and again I guess many others simply enjoy following your photographic journey. Wherever it takes you. There are far too many of those other channels, that makes ones like yours even more precious. I wish there were more like yours. Please keep going.
I totally agree I only ever watch 3 channels on photography because the rest are annoying. I really don’t have an issue if there isn’t content every week. Any serious photographer worth their salt will be too busy shooting, developing, scanning, editing, scouting locations or just basically be up to their elbows in this thing.
Same here. What are the other YT'ers you like doing this kind of thing? The algo actually gave me something great in the form of Robbie Maynard a couple months ago and he's awesome in a similar way..
Very kind of you. Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting back with a healthier approach. Already have some videos scheduled out, for the first time ever, and I'm hoping that'll allow me to avoid getting behind and chasing ideas, etc.
@@Fenton__ Maynard and Bryan Birks you three guys are the standard in analogue photography. I watched an interesting video last night on YT check this out, it’s not where I’m going personally but it’s interesting to see how Pros are working today. Linhof Studio - A Journey with Ian Atkinson on location with Technical cameras. Let me know what you think.
Hands down, one of my favourite photographers. Just love your attitude and approach. I’m suffering burnout and very much stuck in a rut with my photography. A nice reminder that it happens to everyone, so don’t sweat it.
This video has made me stand up and grab my camera. Literally, your videos are amazing antidotes against burnout and feeling overwhelmed by social media. I feel refreshed every single time after watching your videos. Thanks so much Kyle!!
Please don't worry about performance on UA-cam. Managing various UA-cam channels for different stakeholders has been my dayjob for the last 5 or so years and I can tell you: the algorithm is a bitch. It NEVER behaves like you want it to. Even if you think, you've understood what works well and what doesn't, it's still mostly a gamble. What I've learned, though: the most important thing for being successful is being personal, telling your community about your struggles AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: having fun creating content. And if you're starting to care about analytics, the fun slowly goes away.
Really good to hear what’s been cooking, Kyle. Thanks for giving an update, and I’m excited to see what’s next! Also, I think only a few weeks ago I commented on one of your Instagram posts that maybe it’s time to develop "An English Mile" or something like that. I didn’t actually expect that your next project might bear that kind of name :D But I like it! And when it comes to social media: as someone who doesn’t create a lot of content, I’m blissfully oblivious to a lot of drama going on there. And I’m still idealistic and naive enough to believe that when like-minded creatives band together, we can create our niche on the internet that we want to live in. To me, you’re definitely one of the people who make me continue believing in that!
Jesus dude, I can't believe it! I was literally just shooting at that location today, Peterston-Super-Ely, a band shoot! And I was using a Mamiya 6. This is freaky. So freaky I almost forgot to say great pictures as always man. They're really nice in that garage. Shout out to them. Again, woah.
Welcome Back. 💪 The problem with rangefinders is that in the focus window, the right edge is smaller than the left, which creates a kind of trapezoid. You don't notice it right away when you look through it. It's the same with Leica. The best thing is if there are lines in the middle for other focal lengths or to use the focus patch to make sure you're level. It also took me a while with the M6 and M11 to notice it.
I'm so glad you took a break but decided to return. I enjoy your videos so much and have found them to really help with my focus and feeling around my journey in my own photography. I've been able to learn so many great tips for refining my workflow, creative process and overall just being able to slow down and enjoy the whole action of photography. I'm excitedly awaiting news of the workshops. Thank you for all the effort you put into this content 👌
Hey! As always, it’s a pleasure to watch you learn and explain how you’ve been thinking from a broader perspective. With An American Mile, I immediately fell in love with your intentional framing and slow style, and it has taught me quite a bit. So the idea of A British Mile is incredibly exciting to me! You’ve been refining your style so much lately, and I look forward to a second masterclass! You’ve done a great job discovering rural and story-rich British subjects.
Its funny but the best youtube channels now are done by guys who shoot film. There is a maturity and photographic wisdom which is greatly needed in this fast paced world. many of us are over social media yet we still wish to engage online. "Give a man a fish feed him for a day, teach him to fish feed him for life". Many of us want to learn to fish ............. and often you provide great insight in to the photographic process.
You are one of my favorite current photographers man, and I'm stoked you are back. I think your work is criminally underrated and I always look forward to your videos and photos. I got off social media a while ago, so these vids are the only way I can see your stuff. I'm going to subscribe to your newsletter though. Great idea.
Super nice to see you back and glad you took time off to rethink and recharge. So exciting to see your new book developing - such an interesting project! :) Greetz from Berlin
I can def relate to the social media aspect. I read your field notes and I have to admit, I feel the same. I've followed you for many years and I always appreciate the interactions we had because out of all the photographers out there I see you as a huge inspiration. I mean you got me to shoot film and interested in old cameras. I've learned how to fix many of them and its rewarding to go take photos with them known that I fixed them and then seeing the images after, its quite exciting that only a few people really understand. The entire process is rewarding to me but even after all that, I still feel burned out myself. I don't have a social media following, in fact I got rid of most of it and now I feel like I have nowhere to share or to connect with other photographers and that's been really hard being alone in this journey. UA-cam could have great potential but as you know, it quickly wears on you so I totally understand. I remember when I was active on here and now I post when I feel like it, often months at a time, heck one time I went a year without posting but what hurts the most to me is when I put in a lot of effort into creating a video and it doesn't get seen at all, that's extremely discouraging. I feel almost as if I wasted my time when I could've have been out hiking or something. Its something I haven't figured out yet. Keep inspiring others Kyle.
I completely understand. I've learned that social media is completely unpredictable, and as much as you can, you have to learn how to detach from determining the worth of your work based on the results. Easier said than done, but some of my favourite videos have performed the worst, and some of the simplest ones have performed the best. You have to do the work, first and foremost, for yourself.
Watching your videos always gives me inspiration to just get out and start taking photos. Your film photography especially has greatly influenced me to use my K1000 again and scan my own negatives. What a satisfying experience, thanks Kyle and good luck with your new project.
Glad you have you back man. I have that same drone and it's been an eye opener for me. Do think it's funny you landed on your next project being a sequel 😆 Can't wait to buy the book when it's ready
Glad to see you back! It took me a while to get used to my Mamiya 7ii, but now I love it. I feel like i need to streamline my cameras going forwards, so I'm not constantly reaching for whatever piece of gear. Mamiya 7ii and my Deardorff - everything else can go.
Hey Kyle, proud of you hearing you say you took a break. Even without all the extra online drama, creating a video can be contentious enough. Personally, I think you add a huge amount of value to our film community so I'm happy that you've chosen to continue with your UA-cam channel and indeed hopefully balanced so you can create time to decompress. But yes, taking those breaks from creating online are inherently consequential. It's so easy to overdo it and as a consequence suffer from creator-fatigue and not even know that you have it. Especially in these times of algorithms where uploading is being rewarded oftentimes leading to this "just push through it" culture it's easy to set our own mental health aside in an attempt to appease the algorithms. I'm often very surprised how seemingly appeasing these algorithms is so praised online while we all know that not one single line of code in these algorithms is dedicated to mental health. Of course everyone is different but taking care of your mental health is the most important thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones.
Thank you! And yeah, I agree with you. It's definitely easy to overdo things and lose balance. Especially feeling like you just can work through it. This break has been very beneficial. Looking forward to getting back at it with a healthier approach.
I think as artists, from time to time we need a real break to reset and decompress. Glad it did the job! Look forward to hanging out again. Also that work for the British Mile is looking amazing, can really see a book in that. Exciting! All the best
Love those aerial compositions, finding interesting images from such a steep angle can be challenging but I think you've nailed it. Always enjoyed your work!
Great stuff Kyle, hope you can stay at this wavelength and avoid the noise and further burnout. I've been enjoying the newsletter, and looking forward to seeing how the British Mile project unfolds over the coming years 👍
Great to have you back Kyle! I can definitely resonate with the burnout and the churn of social media. But out of any photographer, your work inspires me the most. Having some new work out and a video is helpful for my inspiration and burnout. Thanks!
Great update! I had the chance to try out a Mamiya 6 and had the same problem keeping frames straight! And I totally agree that projects can just pop out naturally, and it's amazing to pursue them to completion.
I had a similar wonky framing problem with a range finder. Eventually realised that the frame lines in the view finder were not straight. The viewfinder had twisted off the horizontal. Might be worth checking this on your mamiya.
I feel you talking about burn out. I've been shooting and sharing on Instagram way to much so I stepped back from sharing photos on IG for a while to focus on a project I've been dreaming about doing for a long while. Last couple of month I shot about 2000 photos for said project and only sharing "b-roll" photos as reels on instagram. I'm looking forward to importing all photos into Lightroom and work with the photos and the project during the winter and launch a new website, exhibition and hopefully something printed that I can sell (need to get tha gas money back from driving around northern sweden) :D Taking that semi break from social media got me back on track doing photography for ME and now I'm enjoying it as never before. Thanks for another great video!
One of your shots of a garage was literally two miles from my house! You should have popped in for a cuppa and a browse of the camera collection. Great video. I can’t wait to see ‘A British Mile’
Using a drone to shoot photo always reminds me of capturing snapshot in a game, which is very free and limitless, and this is definitely a good way to practice how to organize elements within a frame.
I'm reminded of a family friend who used to do photography from huge kites, I have no idea what camera system he used, but it was still firmly in the film days. Pretty crazy how things have progressed since then.
Drone was also something I didn't think i'd love as much as I do. But hey I used the Mini 3 Pro for an Arby's commercial/social cut when the drone pilot crashed his "Professional" setup. Works well for for professional social media work!
The quality is surprisingly good for the price. We've come a long way. The first drone I ever purchased was an octocopter with a 5D MKIII attached. Flew it straight into a tree as well. 😂
So pumped to see you using the Mamiya 7ii. Your channel inspired me to shoot film again and I recently purchased the M7ii as well. Can’t wait to see how you use that tool! ❤❤❤❤❤
Great to see you back, Kyle. At whatever pace you prefer to create and share, is fine by us. We all need to take care of ourselves in these chaotic times.
Yah, definitely slow down the volume - totally fine. Interested to hear about the DJI. Think I might pick one up at Costco. I hear you on not always wanting a project and just letting things reveal themselves :-)
Glad you took a break and are back. I always enjoy your videos. As far as getting away from gear debates, do you hear much from the analog community? Brand loyalty was such a huge amount of noise in the digital space, but I rarely hear it from analog shooters. Actually, the opposite seems to be true with so many since people tend to own more than one brand and are excited to see and learn about other brands at meet ups.
Yeah, I would say I don't notice it as much, compared to the digital space. I think with digital, the constant stream of new tech is what fuels it. There's always something new coming out, and something to compare it to.
I wondered where you were and really do understand. I’ve been dealing with some life issues lately and haven’t been able to take the photos I want when I want leading to frustration. So I get it I understand. We are still with you stay strong. I was also looking at the Mamiya 7 and the 7ii they are just way too expensive so I have decided to buy a Hasselblad 503 CX or CXi so I’m saving again it’s going to cost me an arm and a leg though, but with it I feel I’m better equipped for up and coming projects.
Thank you. And yeah, the Mamiya 7 is definitely not cheap. Like I said, I'm lucky I was able to borrow one long-term from a friend. Otherwise, I still wouldn't have worked with one.
Good to see you back, but have been enjoying your newsletter a lot - it’s nice to read long form now and again. As for the 7, I frequently look at the one on my shelf with a broken advance mechanism, quite a common issue with them apparently. I’ve spoken to various repair folks here in the UK and the consensus is there’s no spare parts left anywhere. That’s the thing other these old machines… no parts, company gone bust. High and dry.
@@mynewcolourPossibly, it’s the gear that advances the film spool eventually strips (starts with odd spacing, then slipping then just grinds). The old way was to replace the whole mechanism as a unit.
Glad you've enjoyed the newsletter, Phil. I definitely plan to keep it going! And yeah, I've heard about the advance issues. That's a shame. Hopefully, someone can make some replacement parts.
im going to be honest i actually really like your pentax shots i like the way you did the composition as 2 shots of the same subject or area from different perspectives really makes them stand out
So many thoughts ran through my head while watching this vid. I scanned just a few of the comments, so I don’t want to repeat what’s already been said. So… very quickly, I am 57 yrs old, and have been shooting film since the 70s. I started shooting digital in 2013 and very much enjoy the practicality / economy of it. I still shoot film, I have a bunch in my fridge. I agree that too many focus on gear and needlessly argue, quite passionately, over it. I don’t get it. I’ll end this here by saying - just create images, compose, capture, edit (if you like), and share via prints, or online; or don’t. Just do what makes you happy, no need to judge or concern yourself with how others follow their own path. ✌🏼
Nice photos. The same reason I hate rangefinders. And I find all the medium format photographers use a portable view finder to get centered photos on their rangefinders.
Keep it up Kyle, but always at your own pace. There will always be a place for quality channels over those that just churn out content for the sake of content.
i got rid of my leica's around 14 years ago and got myself a mamiya 7II with some lenses and have never looked back. Cutting back and stream lining my camera gear helped me to be more focused and have a clearer vision on where my work sits within my critical view of photography and art.
Kyle watching your video is a joy both informative and relaxing. But have to blame you for spending all the savings on gear though. If I had the money I would obviously go and get everything you have said you love haha. Thanks for the great work again 👏
I'm actually finding myself 1.5-2° tilted to the right with both of my rangefinders, like you - but only since falling back into the groove with my SL66! I was fine before then. I'm working on it but it's nice to know that isn't just me. :)
The Mamiya 7II viewfinder can get misaligned rather easily from impacts to the camera or just over time. It’s quite likely the reason you’ve struggled to get perfect level shots is because the camera needs to have the finder recalibrated.
Hi Kyle, good to see you again. On the rangefinder...do you think the rangefinder "looseness" (in terms of framing) aided in your free like state of mind when shooting recently? I get what you mean about losing that ability to frame up something exactly as you see it - technically -, but perhaps from a phycological level it could have freed you in a different way? Maybe I'm reaching. But coming from a person who shoots rangefinders almost exclusively, my experience is that I "see" a frame or shot before lifting the camera to my eye and instinctively know what I'm going to get in the frame. Although this could be to down to years of experience and also shooting 95% of the time on a 35mm lens.
The petrol/gas station theme is great and has excellent topicality and historical value as the U.K. plans to ban petrol cars from 2030-35. The British Mile also sounds good
Everyone complains about the price of the Pentax 17 thinking it should be priced alongside Ebay listings of 40 year old cameras. The reality is in 2024 dollars the Nikon F100 would have been over $2000 and the remade Nikon SP from 1999 would cost well over $8000.. kinda puts Leica prices in perspective. Also, I have the Mamiya 6 and LOVE it. I am a guy who likes to see through the lens, but the Mamiya 6 is so easy to use, esp if you are doing more landscape type work.
The P17 naturally still competes with the second hand market though, so the point stands that it doesn't offer a good value proposition. The only situation where I would consider buying the P17 over another vintage half-frame or even professional grade SLR is to support Pentax in particular for building the camera, and I don't see a lot of people having the disposable income to do that.
@@Fauxbourg "The P17 naturally still competes with the second hand market though" As would a new $2500 SLR. But this one comes with new engineering, and new warranties etc. "The only situation where I would consider buying" I agree that I won't be buying it... Or will I? Its not for me. But it might be for my wife to try to get her into shooting not just on her iPhone. At the price point, Its a good buy. " is to support Pentax in particular for building the camera" This is a biggie I think a lot of people are missing: I think Pentax can use al this revamped engineering for their next camera. "and I don't see a lot of people having the disposable income to do that." Wait till you find out the number of people willing to throw out $2500+ for a new camera... What's funny is I just did a tour of a lot of national parks, where you would expect to see nice cameras, and the number of people using anything resembling a high end camera were few and far between. They already spent a grand on that iPhone, and it takes perfectly fine pictures, why would they spend more on another camera to haul around? I think $500 is a good price point and this is a good gateway camera, both for consumers and Pentax.
I have zero understanding of what it costs to design and build a new film camera, so I certainly wouldn't say it's too expensive. It's just too much for me.
@@KyleMcDougall You should probably go look at Nikon did to rebuild the SP and the S3 25 years ago... And that's at a time film cameras were still in full swing.
It's healthy to have breaks. Youtubing is a job, and like all jobs you get Annual Leave, be sure to use it and really step away from the platform and the demands that stem from it. It will only serve you better in the long term.
I don't know if it's for the same reasons as you, but I am 100% with you on that Pentax 17. Honestly the number of UA-camrs creaming themselves over it is actually beginning to wind me up. It's made of nasty plastics, it's cheap looking, it's extremely limited in terms of functionality and control and it's FIVE HUNDRED QUID!!! Why would anyone buy this when you can get (just off the top of my head) a very good, fully working Olympus OM1 with a legendary lens included for less than £200. Or a Canon A1 for about the same. Or a Pentax K1000 plus lens for even less. I've seen some Leicas for £500 (not the really nice desirable ones of course) Etc etc. I get that some people would prefer something new, but that thing is such a bad deal it's almost an insult.
Glad to see you back, and that the break did its trick. Please bear in mind that many of the things relating to social media that have been troubling you, bother and trouble myself and no doubt many of the people who watch your channel. I and again I guess many others simply enjoy following your photographic journey. Wherever it takes you. There are far too many of those other channels, that makes ones like yours even more precious. I wish there were more like yours. Please keep going.
I totally agree I only ever watch 3 channels on photography because the rest are annoying. I really don’t have an issue if there isn’t content every week. Any serious photographer worth their salt will be too busy shooting, developing, scanning, editing, scouting locations or just basically be up to their elbows in this thing.
Agreed. Keep going, your content is a breath of fresh air.
Same here. What are the other YT'ers you like doing this kind of thing? The algo actually gave me something great in the form of Robbie Maynard a couple months ago and he's awesome in a similar way..
Very kind of you. Thanks! I'm looking forward to getting back with a healthier approach. Already have some videos scheduled out, for the first time ever, and I'm hoping that'll allow me to avoid getting behind and chasing ideas, etc.
@@Fenton__ Maynard and Bryan Birks you three guys are the standard in analogue photography. I watched an interesting video last night on YT check this out, it’s not where I’m going personally but it’s interesting to see how Pros are working today.
Linhof Studio - A Journey with Ian Atkinson on location with Technical cameras.
Let me know what you think.
Hands down, one of my favourite photographers. Just love your attitude and approach. I’m suffering burnout and very much stuck in a rut with my photography. A nice reminder that it happens to everyone, so don’t sweat it.
Thank you. And yes, definitely happens to all of us often. That energy will eventually return.
This video has made me stand up and grab my camera. Literally, your videos are amazing antidotes against burnout and feeling overwhelmed by social media. I feel refreshed every single time after watching your videos. Thanks so much Kyle!!
Happy to hear that.
awesome video - the background audio on the mamiya is still on around the 4:25 mark and your talking and VO kinda compete with each other just FYI
Please don't worry about performance on UA-cam. Managing various UA-cam channels for different stakeholders has been my dayjob for the last 5 or so years and I can tell you: the algorithm is a bitch. It NEVER behaves like you want it to. Even if you think, you've understood what works well and what doesn't, it's still mostly a gamble. What I've learned, though: the most important thing for being successful is being personal, telling your community about your struggles AND MOST IMPORTANTLY: having fun creating content. And if you're starting to care about analytics, the fun slowly goes away.
I'd agree with all of that. I truly never know what will work/what won't. Just trying to keep putting out the things that interest and excite me.
@@KyleMcDougall Please do. It’s why I’m here.
Really good to hear what’s been cooking, Kyle. Thanks for giving an update, and I’m excited to see what’s next! Also, I think only a few weeks ago I commented on one of your Instagram posts that maybe it’s time to develop "An English Mile" or something like that. I didn’t actually expect that your next project might bear that kind of name :D But I like it!
And when it comes to social media: as someone who doesn’t create a lot of content, I’m blissfully oblivious to a lot of drama going on there. And I’m still idealistic and naive enough to believe that when like-minded creatives band together, we can create our niche on the internet that we want to live in. To me, you’re definitely one of the people who make me continue believing in that!
Thank you, Rick. I've always been of that mindset as well, and have tried to place my focus there. Focus on the good stuff. Cheers!
Jesus dude, I can't believe it! I was literally just shooting at that location today, Peterston-Super-Ely, a band shoot! And I was using a Mamiya 6. This is freaky. So freaky I almost forgot to say great pictures as always man. They're really nice in that garage. Shout out to them. Again, woah.
Such a great spot, and the owner is awesome!
Welcome Back. 💪 The problem with rangefinders is that in the focus window, the right edge is smaller than the left, which creates a kind of trapezoid. You don't notice it right away when you look through it. It's the same with Leica. The best thing is if there are lines in the middle for other focal lengths or to use the focus patch to make sure you're level. It also took me a while with the M6 and M11 to notice it.
Love the focus patch tip. I'll try that out.
I'm so glad you took a break but decided to return. I enjoy your videos so much and have found them to really help with my focus and feeling around my journey in my own photography. I've been able to learn so many great tips for refining my workflow, creative process and overall just being able to slow down and enjoy the whole action of photography. I'm excitedly awaiting news of the workshops.
Thank you for all the effort you put into this content 👌
🙏
Next time make sure it’s a permanent break, and if you can’t handle UA-cam fame then just move on.
Hey! As always, it’s a pleasure to watch you learn and explain how you’ve been thinking from a broader perspective. With An American Mile, I immediately fell in love with your intentional framing and slow style, and it has taught me quite a bit. So the idea of A British Mile is incredibly exciting to me! You’ve been refining your style so much lately, and I look forward to a second masterclass! You’ve done a great job discovering rural and story-rich British subjects.
I appreciate that, Richard. Thank you. Glad you've enjoyed the work.
Its funny but the best youtube channels now are done by guys who shoot film. There is a maturity and photographic wisdom which is greatly needed in this fast paced world. many of us are over social media yet we still wish to engage online. "Give a man a fish feed him for a day, teach him to fish feed him for life". Many of us want to learn to fish ............. and often you provide great insight in to the photographic process.
You are one of my favorite current photographers man, and I'm stoked you are back. I think your work is criminally underrated and I always look forward to your videos and photos. I got off social media a while ago, so these vids are the only way I can see your stuff. I'm going to subscribe to your newsletter though. Great idea.
I appreciate that. Thank you.
Super nice to see you back and glad you took time off to rethink and recharge. So exciting to see your new book developing - such an interesting project! :) Greetz from Berlin
Nice to see you again. Looks like some great work you’ve been doing. Look forward to seeing more.
I can def relate to the social media aspect. I read your field notes and I have to admit, I feel the same. I've followed you for many years and I always appreciate the interactions we had because out of all the photographers out there I see you as a huge inspiration. I mean you got me to shoot film and interested in old cameras. I've learned how to fix many of them and its rewarding to go take photos with them known that I fixed them and then seeing the images after, its quite exciting that only a few people really understand. The entire process is rewarding to me but even after all that, I still feel burned out myself. I don't have a social media following, in fact I got rid of most of it and now I feel like I have nowhere to share or to connect with other photographers and that's been really hard being alone in this journey.
UA-cam could have great potential but as you know, it quickly wears on you so I totally understand. I remember when I was active on here and now I post when I feel like it, often months at a time, heck one time I went a year without posting but what hurts the most to me is when I put in a lot of effort into creating a video and it doesn't get seen at all, that's extremely discouraging. I feel almost as if I wasted my time when I could've have been out hiking or something. Its something I haven't figured out yet.
Keep inspiring others Kyle.
I completely understand. I've learned that social media is completely unpredictable, and as much as you can, you have to learn how to detach from determining the worth of your work based on the results. Easier said than done, but some of my favourite videos have performed the worst, and some of the simplest ones have performed the best. You have to do the work, first and foremost, for yourself.
Watching your videos always gives me inspiration to just get out and start taking photos. Your film photography especially has greatly influenced me to use my K1000 again and scan my own negatives. What a satisfying experience, thanks Kyle and good luck with your new project.
Welcome back! Exciting to hear about ‘A British Mile’ it will be interesting to see it in a few years time!
Glad you have you back man. I have that same drone and it's been an eye opener for me.
Do think it's funny you landed on your next project being a sequel 😆 Can't wait to buy the book when it's ready
Cheers, Ben!
Glad to see you back! It took me a while to get used to my Mamiya 7ii, but now I love it. I feel like i need to streamline my cameras going forwards, so I'm not constantly reaching for whatever piece of gear. Mamiya 7ii and my Deardorff - everything else can go.
Hey Kyle, proud of you hearing you say you took a break. Even without all the extra online drama, creating a video can be contentious enough. Personally, I think you add a huge amount of value to our film community so I'm happy that you've chosen to continue with your UA-cam channel and indeed hopefully balanced so you can create time to decompress. But yes, taking those breaks from creating online are inherently consequential. It's so easy to overdo it and as a consequence suffer from creator-fatigue and not even know that you have it. Especially in these times of algorithms where uploading is being rewarded oftentimes leading to this "just push through it" culture it's easy to set our own mental health aside in an attempt to appease the algorithms. I'm often very surprised how seemingly appeasing these algorithms is so praised online while we all know that not one single line of code in these algorithms is dedicated to mental health. Of course everyone is different but taking care of your mental health is the most important thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones.
Thank you! And yeah, I agree with you. It's definitely easy to overdo things and lose balance. Especially feeling like you just can work through it. This break has been very beneficial. Looking forward to getting back at it with a healthier approach.
I think as artists, from time to time we need a real break to reset and decompress. Glad it did the job! Look forward to hanging out again. Also that work for the British Mile is looking amazing, can really see a book in that. Exciting! All the best
Absolutely. Thanks, Matt!
Love those aerial compositions, finding interesting images from such a steep angle can be challenging but I think you've nailed it. Always enjoyed your work!
Great stuff Kyle, hope you can stay at this wavelength and avoid the noise and further burnout. I've been enjoying the newsletter, and looking forward to seeing how the British Mile project unfolds over the coming years 👍
Thanks, Hashem!
Great to have you back Kyle! I can definitely resonate with the burnout and the churn of social media. But out of any photographer, your work inspires me the most. Having some new work out and a video is helpful for my inspiration and burnout. Thanks!
Thank you! 🙏
Makes me so happy to hear your joy for potential project and just enjoying your photography
Great update! I had the chance to try out a Mamiya 6 and had the same problem keeping frames straight! And I totally agree that projects can just pop out naturally, and it's amazing to pursue them to completion.
I had a similar wonky framing problem with a range finder. Eventually realised that the frame lines in the view finder were not straight. The viewfinder had twisted off the horizontal. Might be worth checking this on your mamiya.
I feel you talking about burn out. I've been shooting and sharing on Instagram way to much so I stepped back from sharing photos on IG for a while to focus on a project I've been dreaming about doing for a long while. Last couple of month I shot about 2000 photos for said project and only sharing "b-roll" photos as reels on instagram. I'm looking forward to importing all photos into Lightroom and work with the photos and the project during the winter and launch a new website, exhibition and hopefully something printed that I can sell (need to get tha gas money back from driving around northern sweden) :D Taking that semi break from social media got me back on track doing photography for ME and now I'm enjoying it as never before. Thanks for another great video!
That's awesome to hear. It's definitely important to detach and evaluate. It very much helped me this time around. Congrats on the project.
One of your shots of a garage was literally two miles from my house! You should have popped in for a cuppa and a browse of the camera collection. Great video. I can’t wait to see ‘A British Mile’
Which one was that?
@@KyleMcDougall Ryall. It’s just down the road.
Ahh! That's awesome. Yeah I've been to that one a few times.
Break good and needed. We are happy to see you back and reenergized!!
Using a drone to shoot photo always reminds me of capturing snapshot in a game, which is very free and limitless, and this is definitely a good way to practice how to organize elements within a frame.
It's been such a nice way to switch it up from the norm.
Glad you’re back Kyle. Your videos are always refreshing to watch. Excited to see what you’ll do.
nice images, and welcome back. nothing better than a good long break! hope you're back to enjoying everything again like you used to
Thank you, Brian. 🙏
I'm reminded of a family friend who used to do photography from huge kites, I have no idea what camera system he used, but it was still firmly in the film days. Pretty crazy how things have progressed since then.
Great you're fine and back. You inspired me to start my very first project. 😊
Drone was also something I didn't think i'd love as much as I do. But hey I used the Mini 3 Pro for an Arby's commercial/social cut when the drone pilot crashed his "Professional" setup. Works well for for professional social media work!
The quality is surprisingly good for the price. We've come a long way. The first drone I ever purchased was an octocopter with a 5D MKIII attached. Flew it straight into a tree as well. 😂
So pumped to see you using the Mamiya 7ii.
Your channel inspired me to shoot film again and I recently purchased the M7ii as well.
Can’t wait to see how you use that tool! ❤❤❤❤❤
Looking forward to spending some more time with it!
Great to see you back, Kyle. At whatever pace you prefer to create and share, is fine by us. We all need to take care of ourselves in these chaotic times.
Thank you. 🙏
Yah, definitely slow down the volume - totally fine. Interested to hear about the DJI. Think I might pick one up at Costco. I hear you on not always wanting a project and just letting things reveal themselves :-)
Glad you took a break and are back. I always enjoy your videos.
As far as getting away from gear debates, do you hear much from the analog community? Brand loyalty was such a huge amount of noise in the digital space, but I rarely hear it from analog shooters. Actually, the opposite seems to be true with so many since people tend to own more than one brand and are excited to see and learn about other brands at meet ups.
Yeah, I would say I don't notice it as much, compared to the digital space. I think with digital, the constant stream of new tech is what fuels it. There's always something new coming out, and something to compare it to.
Good to have you back.
Looking forward to your future videos.
Thank you.
Great to see you back and thanks for the update!
Thank you. Glad you had a nice break and looking forward to more videos.
Welcome back, mate, we need your voice here. Keep up the great work!
🙏
Can't wait for your new books, the old garage project and British mile will be great I am sure.
I'm excited about working on it over the next couple of years.
I wondered where you were and really do understand. I’ve been dealing with some life issues lately and haven’t been able to take the photos I want when I want leading to frustration. So I get it I understand. We are still with you stay strong.
I was also looking at the Mamiya 7 and the 7ii they are just way too expensive so I have decided to buy a Hasselblad 503 CX or CXi so I’m saving again it’s going to cost me an arm and a leg though, but with it I feel I’m better equipped for up and coming projects.
Thank you. And yeah, the Mamiya 7 is definitely not cheap. Like I said, I'm lucky I was able to borrow one long-term from a friend. Otherwise, I still wouldn't have worked with one.
Good to see you back, but have been enjoying your newsletter a lot - it’s nice to read long form now and again.
As for the 7, I frequently look at the one on my shelf with a broken advance mechanism, quite a common issue with them apparently. I’ve spoken to various repair folks here in the UK and the consensus is there’s no spare parts left anywhere. That’s the thing other these old machines… no parts, company gone bust. High and dry.
Is it a printable part I wonder?
@@mynewcolourPossibly, it’s the gear that advances the film spool eventually strips (starts with odd spacing, then slipping then just grinds). The old way was to replace the whole mechanism as a unit.
Glad you've enjoyed the newsletter, Phil. I definitely plan to keep it going! And yeah, I've heard about the advance issues. That's a shame. Hopefully, someone can make some replacement parts.
im going to be honest i actually really like your pentax shots i like the way you did the composition as 2 shots of the same subject or area from different perspectives
really makes them stand out
Half-frame is always fun to experiment with. For me, it's all about the image pairs.
So many thoughts ran through my head while watching this vid. I scanned just a few of the comments, so I don’t want to repeat what’s already been said. So… very quickly, I am 57 yrs old, and have been shooting film since the 70s. I started shooting digital in 2013 and very much enjoy the practicality / economy of it. I still shoot film, I have a bunch in my fridge. I agree that too many focus on gear and needlessly argue, quite passionately, over it. I don’t get it. I’ll end this here by saying - just create images, compose, capture, edit (if you like), and share via prints, or online; or don’t. Just do what makes you happy, no need to judge or concern yourself with how others follow their own path. ✌🏼
Great advice. I'd agree. 👍
Always so stoked to see another video from you. Thanks for the inspiration
Those shots are just beautiful! Your work is always inspiring Kyle
Good to see you back. Definitely checking out your book.
welcome back Kyle, we all need breaks from time to time!
Good to see you back Kyle .. best of luck with your next photo book project !
Nice photos. The same reason I hate rangefinders. And I find all the medium format photographers use a portable view finder to get centered photos on their rangefinders.
Big proponent of taking breaks and coming back fresh!
The champaigne Mamiya 7 looks amazing! Glad to have you back Kyle!
Keep it up Kyle, but always at your own pace. There will always be a place for quality channels over those that just churn out content for the sake of content.
Thank you!
Glad to see you back and breaks are always necessary!
Good to see you back! Love the Mamiya 7
The man, the myth, the legend is back.
i got rid of my leica's around 14 years ago and got myself a mamiya 7II with some lenses and have never looked back. Cutting back and stream lining my camera gear helped me to be more focused and have a clearer vision on where my work sits within my critical view of photography and art.
So happy to see you back and refreshed. Love the videos well done you 👏
Put me down for a copy of A British Mile , super excited to see that body of work.
I’m looking forward to A British Mile!
11:48 is my fave so far.
Keep it up - love watching your vids thank you and I loo forward to seeing the British mile hit the stores
Kyle watching your video is a joy both informative and relaxing. But have to blame you for spending all the savings on gear though. If I had the money I would obviously go and get everything you have said you love haha. Thanks for the great work again 👏
Suggestion: “a British kilometre”
but in Britain we use miles. Mainland Europe use kilometres
@@michaelfoy92 seriously? Aren’t you guys the ones that implemented the metric system during the British empire?
I'm actually finding myself 1.5-2° tilted to the right with both of my rangefinders, like you - but only since falling back into the groove with my SL66! I was fine before then. I'm working on it but it's nice to know that isn't just me. :)
Get a bubble level :)
Excellent video - Always interested in what you have to say...
The Mamiya 7II viewfinder can get misaligned rather easily from impacts to the camera or just over time. It’s quite likely the reason you’ve struggled to get perfect level shots is because the camera needs to have the finder recalibrated.
Glad to see you back Kyle. I always enjoy your videos and think your channel is one of the best photography channels out there.
Thank you!
Love the newsletter! Your workflow and thought process on making work is very insightful and helpful
Glad you've been enjoying it. Thanks for checking it out.
Hi Kyle, good to see you again. On the rangefinder...do you think the rangefinder "looseness" (in terms of framing) aided in your free like state of mind when shooting recently?
I get what you mean about losing that ability to frame up something exactly as you see it - technically -, but perhaps from a phycological level it could have freed you in a different way?
Maybe I'm reaching. But coming from a person who shoots rangefinders almost exclusively, my experience is that I "see" a frame or shot before lifting the camera to my eye and instinctively know what I'm going to get in the frame. Although this could be to down to years of experience and also shooting 95% of the time on a 35mm lens.
Glad to see you back Kyle. Always enjoy your content and takes on things.
Your images are remarkable! After being a few years removed from the UK, they transport me right back.
Thank you. 🙏
Welcome back!
Those drone shots are so good Kyle!
Thank you, Brae 🙏
The petrol/gas station theme is great and has excellent topicality and historical value as the U.K. plans to ban petrol cars from 2030-35. The British Mile also sounds good
Cheers, Tony. I feel like it's something that could be very interesting, especially twenty years from now.
Glad to have you back, Kyle.
Finally a honest opinion about the Pentax 17. Appreciated.
Ironic, right as I’m torn about buying a mamiya 6. Now I have to, costing me all the money Kyle!!
Great video, genuinely authentic and a valuable source of inspiration for new UA-camrs like me. Thanks mate!
🙏
Keep making videos! You're so talented!
same color as mine !!!
ditch the black one !!!
Ivory is new black !!!
He’s back.
I might have got this completely wrong, but did you shoot a film on 16mm at some stage? I can't seem to find the video.
I did. A Bolex video. Way back.
FYI at the 4:25 mark you have some overlapping audio.
Always inspiring, keep up the good work👏🙌
Welcome back, Kyle.
Wow! Stick with the drone photography.
Glad you are back.
Everyone complains about the price of the Pentax 17 thinking it should be priced alongside Ebay listings of 40 year old cameras. The reality is in 2024 dollars the Nikon F100 would have been over $2000 and the remade Nikon SP from 1999 would cost well over $8000.. kinda puts Leica prices in perspective.
Also, I have the Mamiya 6 and LOVE it. I am a guy who likes to see through the lens, but the Mamiya 6 is so easy to use, esp if you are doing more landscape type work.
The P17 naturally still competes with the second hand market though, so the point stands that it doesn't offer a good value proposition. The only situation where I would consider buying the P17 over another vintage half-frame or even professional grade SLR is to support Pentax in particular for building the camera, and I don't see a lot of people having the disposable income to do that.
@@Fauxbourg "The P17 naturally still competes with the second hand market though"
As would a new $2500 SLR. But this one comes with new engineering, and new warranties etc.
"The only situation where I would consider buying"
I agree that I won't be buying it... Or will I? Its not for me. But it might be for my wife to try to get her into shooting not just on her iPhone. At the price point, Its a good buy.
" is to support Pentax in particular for building the camera"
This is a biggie I think a lot of people are missing: I think Pentax can use al this revamped engineering for their next camera.
"and I don't see a lot of people having the disposable income to do that."
Wait till you find out the number of people willing to throw out $2500+ for a new camera... What's funny is I just did a tour of a lot of national parks, where you would expect to see nice cameras, and the number of people using anything resembling a high end camera were few and far between. They already spent a grand on that iPhone, and it takes perfectly fine pictures, why would they spend more on another camera to haul around? I think $500 is a good price point and this is a good gateway camera, both for consumers and Pentax.
I have zero understanding of what it costs to design and build a new film camera, so I certainly wouldn't say it's too expensive. It's just too much for me.
@@KyleMcDougall You should probably go look at Nikon did to rebuild the SP and the S3 25 years ago... And that's at a time film cameras were still in full swing.
It's healthy to have breaks. Youtubing is a job, and like all jobs you get Annual Leave, be sure to use it and really step away from the platform and the demands that stem from it. It will only serve you better in the long term.
For sure. That's something I need to keep in mind. It's easy to be consumed with it (and photography), non-stop.
I don't know if it's for the same reasons as you, but I am 100% with you on that Pentax 17. Honestly the number of UA-camrs creaming themselves over it is actually beginning to wind me up. It's made of nasty plastics, it's cheap looking, it's extremely limited in terms of functionality and control and it's FIVE HUNDRED QUID!!! Why would anyone buy this when you can get (just off the top of my head) a very good, fully working Olympus OM1 with a legendary lens included for less than £200. Or a Canon A1 for about the same. Or a Pentax K1000 plus lens for even less. I've seen some Leicas for £500 (not the really nice desirable ones of course) Etc etc. I get that some people would prefer something new, but that thing is such a bad deal it's almost an insult.
welcome back
We miss you man 📸❤️
good to see you back!
Huge inspiration
Glad to have you back Kyle!