When I had a roomful of music gear, I found it hard to make music. Managing the gear became a job unto itself; it took time and energy away from the creative process.
Too much camera gear can also have a negative effect on creativity. Either you carry around stuff that you don’t need, which weighs you down, literally and figuratively, or you waste time debating what to take with you.
I’ll carry four or five lenses when I have to, or when I want a workout, but I enjoy walking around with a body and two lenses. It doesn’t cover every focal length, but so what? I shoot with what’s in my hands and I don’t waste time mulling over choices. The light weight and small size are plusses when shooting in busy places.
I find that I’m gravitating toward a few lenses for most of my shooting. One is the wide-angle 14mm f/1.8. It’s lightweight and super sharp, and it’s great for shots like this where I want to fit a fairly large building in the frame. The f/1.8 aperture lets in a lot of light, so I can take handheld shots at night.
When I took this shot, I was crammed between a food truck and a bus lane; it would have been impossible to set up a tripod in that spot. Because of the ability to shoot handheld, I got a cool shot of this bus passing the nicely decorated Saks store.
Less is more. Lighter is better. Leave what you don’t need at home.
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