Why doing THIS is more important than settings for great photos.

Thanks Simon. I really needed to watch this!

I've been doing something like this all month. I'm making it a personal challenge to go out on a walk every day (usually in the morning before work) and find at least one thing that I want to take a picture of. I don't even bring a camera, I'm just using my phone's camera app, but I've gotten lots of pictures that look nice and three or four I think are really very good. The goal is absolute low stress very casual composition practice, the phone doesn't have a lot of settings to mess with that would be distracting. It's fun.

Best video yet Simon. I am reminded that some of the great photographers would use a simple rangefinder as it gave them freedom from their equipment.

You have many great videos. This is the best. It seems you described how I feel - perfection is the minimum. Gear, gear, gear -is the mantra. Photography is art, not tech. Thank you for reminding me of that.

Process, not product. It’s the act of creation regardless of medium.

I was an Army photographer in Vietnam. I was using a 1965 vintage FTQL Canon. The only electronic feature was a thru the lens light meter that required a quarter size battery, so no light meter. Events have rhythms and constantly fusing with settings pulls you out of the moment.

Great comments.

Really enjoyed your video, excellent advice to get out there and take photos for your own pleasure. I decided to just photograph things I saw on the footpath as I walked about, for no other reason than, 'why not?' I was amazed at the weird and wonderful things I found in my 'boring' neighbourhood, although I now see some of my neighbours in a slightly different light.

Great video and tips. Thats really what it is about, not gear. Sure gear is fun and we all love our gadgets, but in the end its about seeing and translating what you see into an image. Thanks Simon!

I am 76 and have had a camera since I was 8, an old Kodak Box Brownie! I don’t claim to be anything much of a photographer, but ‘seeing’ and simply ‘enjoying’ and photographing what excites and interests me is what it is really all about (unless you are earning your living as a photographer). I have 5 cameras now, all bought used and of different formats. And I still have one of my first Box Brownie photos - an elephant at the zoo!

Such good advice Simon. Thankyou for this and all your other content. I look forward to every one of them. I take something useful away from all of them and applying the ideas to my own work has improved the results as I see them immeasurably.
I hope you see out the end of 2024 with friends, family, health and happiness. Onwards into 2025. Best Regards

Great video , true about getting out of the comfort zone 😉

This is something I need to watch over and over again...

Great Simon! Not only a photography lesson, but a life lesson too! 😉
I began to shoot in 1982 just to save my memories and to enjoy walk around taking pictures... I'm still doing it.

Was into pictures long before getting a camera at age 14-15. Gear may be fun but what matter is where I point my cameras. Always...
What use is a fancy camera if the images are crap?

I completely agree with you, Simon! I no longer try to seek perfection, which can be very frustrating. More often, I enjoy going out for a walk with a "simple" gear. When it comes to wildlife, my Canon 80D plus 70-300 lens, lightweight, is perfect!!

I’ve been a total amateur photographer for more than fifty years I do use photography in my work , but those photos are not for sale. When people see, some of my photos, they sometimes say, “You could sell these.” My stock response is that I do this for fun, not for profit. Lately, I haven’t been finding much fun. I’ve forgotten the simple pleasure derived from just looking through the viewfinder and feeling the shutter release under my finger. Thanks for the reminder .

Suspending some of these fixations reminds me of how some archery teachers tell you to regularly not shoot at a paper target - just shoot at the bale (or whatever). Give the precision a little break.

Simon, very nice to hear you talk about the simple pleasure of making images, the process, etc. You enjoy it too and like you say, let go of the pressure of performing or impressing others.
In photography I'm still learning, late in life. I go out with my camera, look for subjects and have a nice time creating images. I follow those whose work I really like and get inspired. If I don't share my work, it's like it does not exist, it helps me to keep doing it, even just for myself, I look back at my older photos, learn from them.
Appreciated your talk on JOWP on low light too. Merci beaucoup de partager votre experience et connaissances! We all profit from it.

Thanks for this reminder Simon! I'm guilty of focusing so much on gear and settings to much and coming back home with lackluster results. It's frustrating to spend so much effort like that, but it's also a lesson well learned. Some of my own best photos have come from when the camera has been in auto or semi auto setting which allows most of the effort to be spent on the content, composition, angles etc. I just need to create a queue so that I'm reminded of this every time I pick up a camera.

Thank you Simon, I needed that

This resonates with me, largely because the conditions where I live are pretty grey and ugly for the next three months and I've been trying to get more creative and less concerned with the "perfect picture". Fantastic advice as always Simon!

Always finding wisdom in your videos. You're a great mentor as always.

Loved this!

This was perfect timing for me as I'm trying to "perfect" my sports photography. I often get disappointed when I download my photos and don't find any magical moments that I've captured - as I compare my shots to others I see on social media. I can definitely take your advice to all of my sporting events and enjoy being there at the game and being able to be in a unique position that people in the stands don't get to experience. I need to start "seeing" new perspectives and different angles and experiment. The great thing with digitial is that if the photo didn't work out, it didn't really cost you anything - compared to the film days. Thank you so much for this!

I rarely keep my photos. I just like to shoot

As a beginner, this encouraged me a lot! You really are the best photography teacher here in YT🤩

I envy my wife. When we go out for a walk with our cameras. She always sees stuff I don’t. And when I ask how she does that, she simply says ‘I just do’.

Thankyou.

I forget this thought process too often but it makes perfect sense. Thank you Simon. Merry Christmas to you.

Hi Simon: Thank you so much for #1 creating this video and #2 sharing this video. The messages contained within this video hit close to home for me and I really enjoyed your approach and candure on how you manage these situations. I recognized some of the locations in this video as it is also where my brother lives. I am challenged where I live to find new 'epic' locations to photograph but I am trying too hard. I simply have to let the creation of images flow organically. Keep well and best wishes to you and your family during this holiday season. Cheers, Keith Pinn (Barrie, Ontario)

The best video! What a comfort! I think we need to be refreshed about the beauty of photography and not just all business.

Thank you, sir Simon.

Hi, just found your video by chance and you have spoke my mind. I have started taking up photography again (many years ago I was into it and helped my father develop photos etc..). At first I was obsessed with settings, wanting the perfect picture. But after a while I got disheartened with my results. And like you explain, I thought about what it means to me to take photos. A door opened and now like many others are saying here, I let myself be my guide, if it looks good take it. The enjoyment I get is from the experience of taking a picture and I have found my photos are more meaningful and a delight for me to look at. Thank you for posting this video.

So honest Simon...its Amazing Brilliant !! NO BS.....

The comment about finding the photo on a postcard might land wrong with beginners. If you think your photo looks postcard-y you are on the right path! And don't worry about your photos being cliche, just try to find new ways of photographing the scene aswell!
The beaten path must be walked before you can branch of to do your own things. That's the same with the "rules of photography", follow them to get the hang of the basics. But they're not rules in any way, just stepping stones.

By the way Simon, we want to follow allow with your progress with the M50! :D

Great advice as always

Sound advice. Loved the video 🙂 Oh and another tip: look behind you! You might see beautiful things behind you too 🙂

Touché! That post has motivated me evenn more than ever. I find myself eexactly in that rut of "There's nothing to shoot around me, or nothing's worth shooting where I live" Thanks for posting this video, I will make myself seeing better and appreciate more what I have and worry less about what to bring and the settings...

I fret over my poor images. I rarely share. Thank you for your insight. I'd gotten lost. Now I can refocus.

I loved this video, probably because I lost sight of all this. I got into the rut of: I have to come back with a competition winner, or shots to send to my agency to sell. For several years i was lucky enough that my photography more than paid for itself but I stopped enjoying photography and gave up - for years. Im recovering now. I forgot that photography is meant to be fun. Enjoy it - always.

Great video

Hello Simon I’m picking up a new camera for my sister and I know nothing about cameras could you please give me some suggestions she uses her camera mainly for family outings scenery some low light conditions some video here and there nothing professional. My budget is 1500$ she has a 20+ year old dslr and I’m tryna update her. Any help would be awesome thanks

Excellent words of wisdom, Simon! It's always fascinating to see how a top pro in one genre fare when they try their hand in a totally different genre. 😄

My favourite part of photography is definitely the panning, I see the gold nugget as a bonus and not an aim. Thank you for this video Simon, Happy Christmas to you and your family.

Very good video!

I love taking photos of different things. They make really nice pictures as gifts

"There's nothing to photograph around where I live." Is exactly what I've said to myself twice in the last week and when you said it, it hit me. I'm going to get out there. Thanks Simon, needed this video!

I totally agree. It used to drive me crazy listening to others because everyone had a different taste and as soon as I changed something to please one person another would say they didn't like that and to do it another way. I came to realize I can't please everyone and that my way pleased enough people to please me so now I just 'thank people for their suggestions' and stick to my guns, so to speak. Pleasing myself is so much easier than pleasing others.

Thank you so very much, Simon, for this down to earth straight forward guide. I think that when we let other than our own enjoyment of something we do creatively become dominant, we run into many traps which diminish our personal reasons for having taken up the activity in the first place. It was/is really refreshing to hear you speak on this topic. Again, thank you. Cheers and Merry Christmas!

Thank you!

My neighbourhood is so boring and no women wants to model for me. I am loosing interest in photo even I have a lot of gear.