# Less talking and more shooting



## Physicx (Jun 10, 2012)

Without wanting to get flamed, I just want to say that I see too much discussions here about what lens, what camera, what gear etc here on the forum. Its nice talking about the gear but to be honest, if we are talking too much then it means we are not shooting. 

The bodies and lenses are there to be used on the field. I just got back from a 6 weeks backpacking to SE Asia. Took all the gear I built up over the past few years, that is, my 5DII, 16-35 II L, 24-70 L, 50 1.4 and 70-200 IS. I used to talk a lot about my gear, thinking what to use to shoot a particular afternoon stroll. But when I was out there, I just had my camera and 1 or 2 lenses with me for the day. The lenses got dirty, camera survived a typhoon, and at the end of the day that is what it is all about. The gear is there to be used on the field, out there. And I shot what ever I saw with what ever gear/lens I had with me at the time. Forget about deciding whether you need the 50 1.4/1.2/1.8 or 24-70 with or without IS, when you are out there, that is the least thing you think about. You just shoot. And you shoot with what ever equipment you have with you. And yes the lenses will get dirty, dust will get inside, UV filters might crack, but afterall that is what shooting is all about. I also had my compact digi cam in my pocket. I got some great shots without my 5DII. You dont need the latest lens with a flat MTF chart with IS and the 5DIII, its not all about the equipment. 

So if you find yourself talking about a dust speck on the inside of your 50mm you bought 2nd hand from ebay and thinking if you need a 1.2 or what case/bag you might need just for that one time afternoon garden party next week, I really think you are talking too much, and not shooting enough. So go out there and shoot. Get your hands dirty, get your gear dirty and only then will you get some great photos.


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## Marsu42 (Jun 11, 2012)

Physicx said:


> Without wanting to get flamed, I just want to say that I see too much discussions here about what lens, what camera, what gear etc here on the forum. Its nice talking about the gear but to be honest, if we are talking too much then it means we are not shooting.



+1 ... but the issue with my current gear is that after shooting I have to post-process the raws on my slow box, I put my money into lenses and not into computer stuff. So after shooting unfortunately there's plenty of time for talking left while LR tried to import or render the shots :-o ... I'd just take shooting more seriously than talking.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 11, 2012)

We are constantly getting new members who have valid questions, and don't realize that their question has been asked over and over. Just ignore it or better yet, help them out with a thoughtful reply. 

If, its unbearable, take some time off and do more shooting


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## Marsu42 (Jun 11, 2012)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> We are constantly getting new members who have valid questions, and don't realize that their question has been asked over and over.



I noticed that, too, but at the same time the quality of "yet another what macro lens to get?" threads seem to raise because everybody on the forum learns something when time passes, so answers get more comprehensive.


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## KreutzerPhotography (Jun 11, 2012)

Or... your like me and have a slow day job that you kill time with... I dont get the opportunity to get out and shoot... Learning gear and talking shop is a way to improve your photography too. I wish I could go to SE Asia and shoot and get my gear dirty but I dont get those chances.


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## Jettatore (Jun 11, 2012)

Sounds about right Physicx. I put together a kit for long travels and perseverated (but not talked) about it for many days. Now I think selling off most of it and keeping the least redundant core of it would be best. I have used most all the different options I've given myself but realistically it's overkill. As long as you are shooting some (I could do quite a bit more of) and getting good shots, then there's something relaxing about shooting the sh&*) about whatever your hobby is. I barely post or read on here any more, didn't increase my shot count one bit. Actually, after making a post a day or so ago, it inspired me to go out the next evening for some street shots, most of which, are garbage.


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## kdsand (Jun 12, 2012)

Less talking & more shooting. That sounds something the politicians would say. :-X

What drives me nuts is listening to sports talk. Its always the same old things. "We need to tighten our defence "
Makes me wanna puke. 

When I'm talking about my gear I'm often thinking about that awesome once in a lifetime trip and being ready for the shot. Daydreaming and perhaps a bit overboard but its my thing.


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## AdamJ (Jun 12, 2012)

Physicx said:


> Without wanting to get flamed, I just want to say that I see too much discussions here about what lens, what camera, what gear etc here on the forum. Its nice talking about the gear but to be honest, if we are talking too much then it means we are not shooting.
> 
> The bodies and lenses are there to be used on the field. I just got back from a 6 weeks backpacking to SE Asia. Took all the gear I built up over the past few years, that is, my 5DII, 16-35 II L, 24-70 L, 50 1.4 and 70-200 IS. I used to talk a lot about my gear, thinking what to use to shoot a particular afternoon stroll. But when I was out there, I just had my camera and 1 or 2 lenses with me for the day. The lenses got dirty, camera survived a typhoon, and at the end of the day that is what it is all about. The gear is there to be used on the field, out there. And I shot what ever I saw with what ever gear/lens I had with me at the time. Forget about deciding whether you need the 50 1.4/1.2/1.8 or 24-70 with or without IS, when you are out there, that is the least thing you think about. You just shoot. And you shoot with what ever equipment you have with you. And yes the lenses will get dirty, dust will get inside, UV filters might crack, but afterall that is what shooting is all about. I also had my compact digi cam in my pocket. I got some great shots without my 5DII. You dont need the latest lens with a flat MTF chart with IS and the 5DIII, its not all about the equipment.
> 
> So if you find yourself talking about a dust speck on the inside of your 50mm you bought 2nd hand from ebay and thinking if you need a 1.2 or what case/bag you might need just for that one time afternoon garden party next week, I really think you are talking too much, and not shooting enough. So go out there and shoot. Get your hands dirty, get your gear dirty and only then will you get some great photos.



You seem to be bursting with enthusiasm after doing lots of shooting. That's nice.


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## crasher8 (Jun 12, 2012)

Less talking and more printing!


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## distant.star (Jun 12, 2012)

.
“Art is not to be found by touring to Egypt, China, or Peru; if you cannot find it at your own door, you will never find it.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson​


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## wickidwombat (Jun 12, 2012)

BozillaNZ said:


> The op has some very valid point.
> 
> I just got back from Tahiti & Bora-Bora honeymoon last week, sort of like a once in life time trip really. I took all I had by the time, 17-40L for UWA, 50 1.4 for low light, 70-200 IS II for portait of my wife, 1Ds2 for stills, 50D (magic lantern rules!) for movie with underwater package. and a second hand beaten up 24-105L I got for fun.
> 
> ...



I carried my 70-200 around china for 3 weeks with my 5D2, 16-35 and 50 f1.4

I only used the 70-200 twice 
once shooting a really cool play at night using a tripod
and the other on a boat cruise down the yangtze river i used a 2x tc with it on this too
the rest of the time I basically used the 16-35 or the 50 and the rest of my gear stayed in the hotel room
my wife pretty much just shot with the 24-105 and her 5Dmk2


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## kdsand (Jun 12, 2012)

wickidwombat said:


> BozillaNZ said:
> 
> 
> > The op has some very valid point.
> ...



Lol
Seems as whatever I leave behind is what end up needing or wishing I had.

But truthfully 90% of the time I end up using the same body, lens & flash. Always alway have plenty of batteries to swap though.


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## revup67 (Jun 12, 2012)

> Without wanting to get flamed, I just want to say that I see too much discussions here about what lens, what camera, what gear etc here on the forum. Its nice talking about the gear but to be honest, if we are talking too much then it means we are not shooting.



This is such a broad statement and I would disagree. I shoot a lot and contribute to this forum equally. I pretty much shoot every chance I get especially when traveling from one client to another or after my final client which is ultimately several times a week. I've seen my photos progress due to regular shooting and also reading from this forum. It's great to contribute either images or banter to help others as there was a time when each of us got our first camera and didn't know what Av stood for as an simplified example. If the forums are too repetitive, mundane or uninformative then let others enjoy the reading or share some unique experiences / tips that you've encountered but don't drag down the others who enjoy these threads and are not as fortunate to travel to Asia for numerous weeks. Some of us just don't have that luxury either financially or for health reasons.


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## Razor2012 (Jun 13, 2012)

revup67 said:


> > Without wanting to get flamed, I just want to say that I see too much discussions here about what lens, what camera, what gear etc here on the forum. Its nice talking about the gear but to be honest, if we are talking too much then it means we are not shooting.
> 
> 
> 
> This is such a broad statement and I would disagree. I shoot a lot and contribute to this forum equally. I pretty much shoot every chance I get especially when traveling from one client to another or after my final client which is ultimately several times a week. I've seen my photos progress due to regular shooting and also reading from this forum. It's great to contribute either images or banter to help others as there was a time when each of us got our first camera and didn't know what Av stood for as an simplified example. If the forums are too repetitive, mundane or uninformative then let others enjoy the reading or share some unique experiences / tips that you've encountered but don't drag down the others who enjoy these threads and are not as fortunate to travel to Asia for numerous weeks. Some of us just don't have that luxury either financially or for health reasons.



You could have a person that shoots 8 hours a day and still contributes quite a bit to the forum, on the otherhand you might have a person that shoots a couple of times a month and only has 1 post here. Forums are here to share, show, advise, critique and contribute to endless numbers of different topics...and to have a few laughs.


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## kdsand (Jun 13, 2012)

Physics did present some valid points. Perhaps if he ended his comment with a rousing "*Go team! Go!*" it would have received a warmer reception. 

I shoot every day so that's covered but as far as chewing the fat ( conversating ) people in my immediate circle go cross-eyed  so this is my outlet.


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## RLPhoto (Jun 13, 2012)

Physicx said:


> Without wanting to get flamed, I just want to say that I see too much discussions here about what lens, what camera, what gear etc here on the forum. Its nice talking about the gear but to be honest, if we are talking too much then it means we are not shooting.
> 
> The bodies and lenses are there to be used on the field. I just got back from a 6 weeks backpacking to SE Asia. Took all the gear I built up over the past few years, that is, my 5DII, 16-35 II L, 24-70 L, 50 1.4 and 70-200 IS. I used to talk a lot about my gear, thinking what to use to shoot a particular afternoon stroll. But when I was out there, I just had my camera and 1 or 2 lenses with me for the day. The lenses got dirty, camera survived a typhoon, and at the end of the day that is what it is all about. The gear is there to be used on the field, out there. And I shot what ever I saw with what ever gear/lens I had with me at the time. Forget about deciding whether you need the 50 1.4/1.2/1.8 or 24-70 with or without IS, when you are out there, that is the least thing you think about. You just shoot. And you shoot with what ever equipment you have with you. And yes the lenses will get dirty, dust will get inside, UV filters might crack, but afterall that is what shooting is all about. I also had my compact digi cam in my pocket. I got some great shots without my 5DII. You dont need the latest lens with a flat MTF chart with IS and the 5DIII, its not all about the equipment.
> 
> So if you find yourself talking about a dust speck on the inside of your 50mm you bought 2nd hand from ebay and thinking if you need a 1.2 or what case/bag you might need just for that one time afternoon garden party next week, I really think you are talking too much, and not shooting enough. So go out there and shoot. Get your hands dirty, get your gear dirty and only then will you get some great photos.



I Like my 50mm 1.2L. Its my favorite Lens.


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## pwp (Jun 13, 2012)

Check out the Image & Video galleries here at CR. Start threads showing great images you've shot with your favourite lens. People generally respond.

You're probably right in some respects. But you can't shoot all the time.

Sometimes in other, _ahem, _aspects of life, people who talk about it the most do it the least. There will be all kinds of shooters here. Busy professionals who may post half a dozen messages in a day just because it's a quiet business week, totally obsessed gear nuts & pixel peepers, and plain happy as hell photography enthusiasts who just love to share a viewpoint, plus deeply experienced shooters who truly value the opportunity to flow back. And of course there are those few insecure, troublesome trolls. 

Photography can be a fairly isolated profession in terms of contact with industry peers. Boards like this have to a great extent replaced the conversations we used to have down at the E6 film lab, somewhere you'd often go to once or twice a day. The five minute conversations with other photographers there was pure gold. That's gone but we still need those conversations. It's places like this and any number of other great boards where those conversations happen in 2012.

PW


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## Physicx (Jun 13, 2012)

wickidwombat said:


> BozillaNZ said:
> 
> 
> > The op has some very valid point.
> ...



Yes it was the same for me when I was out there. When I had my 70-200 on my 5DII I got some great shots. Unfortunately it wasnt wise to have it on there all the time. So most of my shots came from the 16-35, and in the end I was just happy shooting with my 50mm 1.4 as it was so light. And yes, you just shoot with what ever you have. 

As already mentioned somewhere down in the replies, sometimes we talk about so much about more expensive lenses, thinking what you will be shooting, why you need this and that, but onthe field it is totally different and you quickly learn what is really needed. Which is a nice thing. 

Less shooting lens charts at home with the 70-200 and more going out there with you 50mm.


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## pwp (Jun 13, 2012)

SLIM FINGER said:


> distant.star said:
> 
> 
> > “Art is not to be found by touring to Egypt, China, or Peru; if you cannot find it at your own door, you will never find it.”
> ...



Errrm, it's a metaphor...

PW


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## crasher8 (Jun 13, 2012)

pwp said:


> SLIM FINGER said:
> 
> 
> > distant.star said:
> ...


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## Sith Zombie (Jun 13, 2012)

SLIM FINGER said:


> distant.star said:
> 
> 
> > .
> ...



Doors are the new brick walls, to test for wide angle lens distortion.


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## smithy (Jun 13, 2012)

Physicx said:


> wickidwombat said:
> 
> 
> > BozillaNZ said:
> ...


Heheh, when I was in China (and some other countries) last year, I mostly used a 10-22mm and a 70-200mm f/4L on my 40D. Yeah, the white lens drew quite a bit of attention when I was walking the streets of Beijing, but I never felt threatened or anything. The telephoto was great for candid shots, while the wide angle helped capture the grandness of the architecture.

I'm always thinking about my gear, and the best ways to get the most out of it. It helps with the JPTWF (justify purchase to wife factor).


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