The REAL Reason Why Buying New Gear Is A GOOD Thing
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- Опубліковано 14 лис 2023
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Why do we buy new gear? What is it that compels us to purchase the latest and greatest all the time? It's not just something that happens in photography or creativity, it's present in all pursuits we chase after. In this video I talk about what it is and how we can harness it.
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I was told that new gear doesn't change anything. I decided to go against that, and buy my new camera. It was the best decision that I have ever made. It's opened so many creative doors. It's literally changed everything for me. I love it and I love your videos Pat!
I love it! The novelty of a new camera certainly lasts much longer and has the opportunity to open up new things for you for sure. Relate! Thanks for watching.
Anyone who says new gear does not change anything has never experienced the power and glory of new sock day.
Your sign-off, “Make something that matters,” though seemingly casual, is as powerful a message to me as a blessing from a priest or holy man. I have actually made over my life many things that matter, but then in recent years various circumstances seemed to change my ability to be “a creative,” despite buying gear I can barely afford. In a couple of days I’m going on a photo workshop to Iceland (during “volcano season”), clearly not something I can do every week, but one thing I am definitely taking with me is your words, your advice to “make something that matters.” I’ll try. Thank you.
Thank you for your kind words and I'm really happy that line has a lot of meaning for you! It certainly does for me as well. Enjoy Iceland! It'll be amazing!
"If you're not learning, you're not living" someone said that once and when I hear that it resonated with me hard, particularly with photography
100% agree!
I use to have this feeling with new gear but I'm over it. To me what gets me is light. Find that pocket of light make amazing photos.
For sure! Over the course of your career the things that give you novelty will most certainly change. For me, travelling is the most effective inducer of novelty.
It's true. But I think that sometimes it can just be something like consistently using a 50mm lens for a month and suddenly switching to a 35mm you haven't used in a while and that excitement of seeing and doing things differently, suddenly comes back. It's like christmas morning
You gotta love the philosophy behind Pat Kay's. It's always something to look forward to in every video, always something new to be inspired by. Always a treat Pat!
Thank you for watching! =)
I will say that buying a camera that was way more than I needed was freeing. For the last six years, I’ve just thought about things or ideas and not camera features or limitations.
Absolutely! I personally love that feeling as well.
I always explained it slightly differently (but we essentially say the same thing). The reason that gear ends up being something that makes us shoot more is based on 2 things. 1. People naturally like to be learning new things. When you have new gear you want to use it and learn what you can do with it - this gets our endorphins going and help us get out more shooting. 2. Creativity is inspired by constraints, so when you get a new piece of gear you naturally start giving yourself constraints because you almost always use the new gear (and almost exclusively). This means that you often end up with new images that you love. The important thing to recognize though is that this time is brief and you don't need to spend money to get these outcomes. You need a project/focus with some constraints that get you motivated to go out. Think of it as running. Sure you can buy a treadmill and you will use it for a while. The more successful thing is to sign up for a race (project) you are going to get out and run more - that's what actually makes you better, fitter, etc.
Love it! Thanks for sharing.
Great video and point about riding that energy and reinvigorated initiative that comes with novelty! One thing that I do is to experiment with other genres or styles from time to time to mix things up. It's a great way to keep mentally flexible. Landscapes, macro, and wildlife are my favorites. So, I'll try some sports photography, street, etc. for the novelty of something different. I also like to explore new, especially local, locations in hopes of finding a new "gem". A riff on this is to visit a favorite location in different seasons or conditions.
I like the concept of taking on novelty as a lifestyle challenge. I've lived in different cities and states. I go on my phone map, zoom in and go places. Or stop short along the route and make a day of an unplanned location. Now, I have a nice camera on payment plan. I am studying your videos to take photos rather than pictures. This is my new newness.
What else do you have on payment plan? 😂 one check away from bankruptcy?😂
Thank you for your inspiration. Coming to Japan next year and I am super hyped to get some new gear to test there😉 📸
I hope you enjoy Japan!
I switched camera systems about a year ago. That has fueled my creativity all year! Other than that, new places, or going to a place a normally go for landscapes and looking at the ground for macro shots. I’ve started trying to shoot in bad weather more rather than just perfect golden hour conditions.
Absolutely! Love that.
love this video man
Thanks man.
For me, it can be going to a place for the first time, or going to the same place with different lighting, or in a different season/weather, or even trying to change up my editing style a bit or like you said: adding restrictions to how I shoot.
There’s so much to try, and only so many hours in a weekend 😂
Absolutely! The zero cost ways are just as effective as the purchases.
upgraded from a7ii to a7iv. The best buying decision i’ve ever made, it just works so well and i cant complain about it
Were dopamine fiends is the moral of the story. Practising mindfullness to get your inspiration and creativity is probably the best way to go about this - but that's boring and doesn't get us that lower aperture.
Putting yourself in situations to practice mindfulness in a different place is always a great way to introduce novelty too!
Well said/shared. JUST acquired the A7cii and feel invigorated just as you described. I know from past experinece the feeling will fade without proactively adding fresh perspective/play. Fortunately, as you suggest, novelty can be cheap/free.
That's still a great piece of novelty though! Lovely camera. Hope you enjoy it!
I hear so often that gear doesn’t matter. In many ways that is true. However, having a new function that helps streamline a process is invaluable, such as overlaying the first of a multiple exposure onto the live screen helps compose the final output. Having the camera move the sensor in sync with the stars for long exposures is invaluable.
These types of functions open up creativity in ways that sticking with old gear cannot.
Thank you for saying what others refuse to do (unless they’re paid by a sponsor!).
We all like new gear, new toys. We take it out and play with it, then put it away. Some become our favorites. But, even more than new gear, new travel destinations inspire me more to get out and shoot. I plan trips months ahead of time. The trip finally comes and I wish it didn't have to end. But, it does and I have to return home where I begin planning my next trip.
Travelling is what does it for me as well! Although after having travelled all over the world now, I'm looking for the next theme of things that will give me the next wave of novelty.
Great one Pat. Constraints are freeing. They are an engine, a force. Stop thinking. Do something. One hour, 1 location, 1 lens, 12 shots; think film. Shoot reflections only. Pick a street corner, 15 minutes, black and white. Photograph only 'ugly' things; find 'beauty' in them. What does everyone ignore? Find it. Ideas are the most fragile thing in the world. Save some money; or give to charity, anonymously
Hey Pat
Thanks for your awesome videos. I'm always happy to see you pop up in my feed. I have a request though - can you please not do the zooming editing effect the current way you are doing it: slow zoom out, zoom in/out after x seconds. I find it very distracting from what makes your vids amazing, which is your personality, knowledge, aesthetic and perspective that you share. In other creator's videos I normally don't notice zooming in and out or frame changes, but I believe with yours it's because of how slow it is that it's super noticeable and distracting.
Keep up the great work!
So far, I've been only shooting using vintage manual lenses. I always challenge myself to use just one prime. Additionally, I can spice things up with a "photo every ten minutes or less" challenge. That is usually enough for me to bring new photos even from locations I've been to dozens of times.
I do weekly challenges for myself and it really works, there hasn't been a single week since I started these challenges that I didn't shoot. I started with simple challenges more around themes like rule of thirds, framing, black & white, reflections, shadows etc
Try shooting 'subject matter.' Try being a photojournalist on a mission to cover a story and get that page one photo. I look at it like that. Of course you can employ those challenges while taking 'subject' photos. One day search for run down wooden building neglected for decades, next go for old windmills. Go to a car show, get seasonal photos, etc. And then challenge yourself to get bird photos (large or small). I was a photojournalist in the military. Tons of photo opportunities like visiting foreign countries, photos of young men and women working on airplanes, etc. Best of all is to document your life through photos. That is the most important thing you can do with a camera. It's a way to historically record your life and of your family and friends.
It absolutely does work!
Great Point!! P.S. I love your hoody
Haha thanks!
I got this special feeling buying a canon 1d mark ii and a icarex 35. Cheap, old beasts. People dont understand that by new gear doesnt mean wasting on the newest and most expensive without having any idea of how to use even the cheapest option. It's anout finding the one that suits you
Absolutely. Even vintage stuff works really well too!
@@patkay on the other hand you made me feel like I really need to get the stabilized 85mm 1.4 eheh if only it costed less than a salary 😂
"Gear doesn't matter" Those words always come from people wielding leica m6's and fuji gfx100's etc. They have all the choices in the world and they dont choose cheaper options. That speaks volumes.
Why do I feel like you're talking to me everytime 😂
Another good chat mate, hope you're loving it over there! 👊
same here 😆
🤣 I actually write it talking to my younger self, so I'm glad you relate!
Hello Pat, I want to join your beginner photography course. I am also in the market for a new gear that I can use for professional photography. Any recommendations?
Preorder the 300GM got it! 😂
😂 pretty much
Stop and live in the moment during the day, pet a cat when you see one on the street, go in different places and talk to a wide variety of people, meet people with opposite opinions and try to understand them, make lik-minded friends but always explore new ideas and perspectives.
Absolutely!
OFF TOPIC - WHERES YOUR HOODY FROM????
After the gear, then what? Do we have a mission statement describing what we are going to accomplish with our gear? After watching so many UA-cam videos, most seem the same and boring, what are your plans on photography?????
The best thing to happen to me was to get involved in military base newspaper work, which included photography. Great fun and you will get to know more about your organization than most anyone else.
But the one thing that is very important is documentation. I mean to document your life and your family. Maybe you can cover that. Tying in pictures of a temple in Japan, waterfalls in the us, the people and terrain in the Philippines into your life makes a story.
Try covering that topic and that will give people a reason to take their camera with them on every family outing and event.
I would urge you to watch the rest of my videos then 😂
If you're rich...
I'm just toooo broke lmao 🥲
Watch the end of the video for some ideas on how to introduce novelty cost free!