Working professionally and consistently has given me a new mind set.

Some thought processes are noticeably better, some need addressing, but overall most have changed to some degree.

Gear

Old me used to obsess about gear, but for all the wrong reasons. M43 settled me a lot, stopping the Canon merry-go-round, but still, I have spent far too much time stressing over gear.

This stress comes from three sources.

• Lack of use, in a real working environment, denying me the chance to like or not the results of various combinations of camera and lens. Instead too much time has been on my bag presence or mind games like “how does this kit look compared to….”. Shooting for you only tends to create a state of use what you want when you want. This was only exaggerated to some degree working in a camera shop. Problem solving (definition of my job), forces you to try new things, but stop when the answer is found.

• Frustration stemming from above leading to being too pedantic about “theoretical” needs, rather than just grabbing what works. Things bought for “just in case” scenarios has been an issue for me for most of my life. Just look at my hobby page. I went in and out of flash gear several times, bought multiple macro lenses and bags galore, usually from some need created in my own head. In each case, perceived need far outstripped actual need.

• Guilt at having more than I need, stemming from the above. This has led to me selling lenses I should have kept and generally the inability to switch my second guessing off. My cheaply off loaded 12-100 f4, 2x 14mm f2.5’s, Sigma 30mm and Pana 20 f1.7 (mk1) would all be so useful at the moment.

I now just use what works, being pleasantly surprised by the better results, repeating these, changing things out that do not work and generally looking at gear as a necessity, not a luxury. Seeing genuine wear marks, each coming with a memory of a time or place fills me with satisfaction. I used to boast my second hand was a genuine bargain, but that was the amateurs advantage.

Gear is just gear. I have what I need or I do not, at which point I fill the hole and move on.

Bags

Bags are a great example.

I have been a self confessed bag-o-holic. I would conjure up a picture of the places I would go, the things I would shoot and the way I would look doing it, just to justify a bag that I wanted for no other reason than I like it.

Boy has that changed. Nothing knocks a precious high value bag off it’s pedestal faster than it letting you down in the field. Too small, too poorly laid out, sagging in the middle, not appropriate to gear/place/work method, not weather proof, are just a few ways a bag can fall over (not to mention just falling over!).

The Domke 802 is my day to day bag, because all favouritism aside, it holds what I need, all of what I need, and appropriately it is one of the few bags I bought to task when I started shooting for others. No other bag I own does this in a workable fashion. The ancient F2 runs second when I need a big grip camera and lens (the 802 is too skinny).

The Filson Camera Field or standard Field Bags are only used when I know I do not need much gear, so looks can be considered (they are both much prettier than the F802), and the big Neewer backpack is employed when a pair of big lenses attached to gripped cameras are needed unless I can count on only using one, then the Turnstyle 10 is used for backup with a Black Rapid body strap.

All my many other bags are in the cupboard, reserved for personal use, or maybe not.

Lenses

Some of my favourite lenses (17, 45, 75-300) have fallen away as they are generally less useful/slower than a Pro zoom (75-300), not as powerful/useful as other primes (45) or less reliable in some of the funky light I have to deal with (17). When travelling, I am sure these will come back into the fold, but for now, their inclusion means leaving something I know I will miss more at home.

Silly things like avoiding mixing brands went out the window quickly as needs forced compromise.

The one lens I would love to have back is my 12-100 f4, sold days before this job came up. To be honest, I respected that lenses capabilities and versatility, but usually liked the images from other lenses more. Having it would be a convenience and add depth, but it is not needed.

Cameras

I was happy with small, discreet, mid range cameras. More than happy.

I now purchase cameras based purely on needs, not preferences and consider things like potential shutter count, speed, accuracy, repeatability and capacity over size, weight, price or looks. The EM1x is a case in point. Never considered a necessity for my personal work, it is now a work horse as are the two EM1 mk2’s. The camera least used is the Pen F, one I struggle to use for work, but I like this one the most for my self. The Pen has possibly found a home as a studio camera, excelling in controlled light.

“Shutter savers” like my little EM10 mk2’s and older EM5’s are still invaluable, extending the life of the pro cameras on a 1 for 1 shutter count basis, but are used only when best speed and accuracy are not paramount.

Processes and Backup

Lightroom, low storage capacity and poor house keeping was how I rolled for years.

All that has changed.

C1 has made my images better in a more practical way. My processing is getting more client oriented, consistent and finely tuned. I am also more willing to explore more options for even better output.

Dropbox is now my most important storage partner and I always seem to need another backup hard drive. I now talk in TB’s, not GB’s.

Lighting

This was traditionally a no go area for me, basically because I did not need it for my personal work (they call me Mr Tripod), but now it is a staple and an exciting ally in my war against poor quality images.

I once considered flash a poor solution to an on going problem best avoided. I now happily strap 3-4 speed-lites to various mods and stands for all sorts of effects. Lighting terminology, technical considerations and an experimental mind set have all contributed to overcoming my dislike of artificial lighting, even turning it into my preferred form for creating.

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To nutshell it, I use what works, replace or adjust what does not, buy what is needed without question and look for solutions to problems, rather than play mind games of mix and match that lead to inevitable purchases with little justification then, just an often a wasteful off-loading.

No preciousness, no over thinking, no favourites, just get and use what works. Very year of the Ox.

GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) is for me, a product of an idle mind and hands. When I shoot more, I use less and misguided protestations like “I don’t use zooms” tend to disappear.

A good example is my past indecision about the f1.2 Oly lenses. Even on brutal sale I could not make up my mind which would be best, because I could not identify a genuine need when compared to my f1.8’s. Now, I would instantly buy the 17mm, because as much as I love it, the 17 f1.8 is poor against back lighting in artificial light (read; near unusable). Need > solution.

Working

Time is money. Time is also indicative of results, for better or worse. I happily give more time than I am slated for, because being early and sometimes staying late more often than not nets me better images, always better connections and takes away a lot of stress.

Something I have learned quickly, is that being early is usually just being on time. I have avoided several embarrassing moments with shifting venues (or going to the wrong one ;) )and the “second half only” syndrome at sports (very common with schools for events to be reduced in length, bringing others forward etc).

Working for your self really does force you to decide whether you are doing something just for the money or as an expression of self. No, I do not ever want to leave a job done half way. I also do not want to be the last to arrive or the first to leave (unless I have to, see; last to arrive).

I also approach jobs with a more realistic, pragmatic mind set. I would in the early days take too much gear, but still often manage to not take what was actually needed. I now listen to my inner voice with a high gain mic. Get a feeling you may need lens “X”, then take it. Think you probably won’t need lens “Y”, or your flash, still take them if they are a part of your core kit (always take your core kit!). Take spare batteries, spare cards, backup bodies (1 more than minimum-usually 2, sometimes 4). Listen to that voice.

My battery charging station and day to a day card organiser have bought balance to the universe. My processes are set in place.

Expect problems to arise, jobs to change and requests to come out of left field but do not pack a caravan to deal with any potential issue. Learn what works and use that, that is to say, sometimes you need to fit the problem to a realistic solution. Familiarity allows creativity. Too much gear, too many options may lead to analysis paralysis. The most sensibly paranoid I have been is to put a bigger light kit in the car just in case.

This has especially been true with flash. I have two basic ways of shooting with artificial light (broad enveloping or controlled/feathered). Within these two loose styles I have many subtle variations, but at the end of the day, the core concepts are the same, so packing is relatively easy.

Take notes as needed so you can be prepared for next time.

I recently came across an issue of fogging lenses and sensors. Changing lenses in a humid environment from a cold bag, bad idea. The second “live” night of the school production, I mounted each lens on it’s own weather sealed camera and left them alone.

So, I hope there is something in the lesson I have learned for you.