HOW TO PREPARE FOR A DAY OF PHOTOGRAPHY

7 Things I Do To Prepare for a Long Day of Photography

by GEVON SERVO on 02/05/2012

First image from a ~7 Hour photo walk I recently did

Being a photographer is like playing a game of chess, you must think first before you move. No matter which style of photography I am doing, I have to  prepare myself. This can make a long  day easier because it allows me to focus on the creation of images.

Do Not Do Things at the Last Minute

Film is not dead, yet shooting it does take some prep

The best thing I can do is give myself time. It allows for a level of comfort. Time gives me the ability to think about what I will do. It helps in deciding how to go about things. Time helps me decide weather or not I am going to bring a film camera for art work or get shots for a review amongst other things .

 Weather Conditions

Weather Conditions , the day after a storm

Knowing the weather is important. It does not matter if I am shooting indoors or not. I don’t like getting caught in the rain or snow without being able to protect my camera gear. I also do not want to over dress on a hot day or forget my towel. When I know the weather, I also know what I need to do to take care of myself, how much water to carry, etc.

 Know What I’m Doing

This day was dedicated, mostly, to street photography

The first thing I do, perhaps most importantly, is figure out what I am going to shoot. This affects all choices that come after. It determines how I travel and what I carry. I create a checklist for one final check before I leave the house.

 Which Bag to Use

Having my macro lens with me enabled me to get this shot

The bag I use depends on the weather. The style of photography I am shooting also matters. It also depends on the scene. If I am going to be in a crowded place, I want to carry a smaller side strap bag like the Think Thank Photo Retrospective 10. A bag like this is unobtrusive and maneuverable. If I am going to walking for a long time on, say, a landscape photography hike I use my Tamrac evolution 8. It holds a lot comfortably. It also has a rain cover in case of a freak storm. If I have to fly out somewhere for fun, I carry my Crumpler Haven L to transport my gear in my carry on and a low key sling to carry it in.

 What Goes in the Bag

Havng My Zoom lens in the bag enable me to get this shot

Because I already know what I will be shooting, I choose my lenses accordingly. If I know that I will need my hands free at times, my BlackRapid RS-7 goes into the bag, I also carry a simple hand strap if I need even more flexibility. I always carry my flash or my Garry Fong Puffer just in case I need fill flash. I also put the checklist next to the bag so I can check before I go out, especially if I am going far. While loading my bag I make sure to checkover all my gear. With this in mind, I make sure all my batteries are charged and memory cards are cleaned. I look over all my filters, if I will use them, and clean them as needed.

 Dress Appropriately

It was a cold day, I am glad I wore warm clothes

Because I checked the weather conditions, I know what to wear. For example, I’ll know if I need a good pair of gloves or not. Also knowing what I am going to shoot helps. I know that I will not show up at a studio shoot dressed as if I am going to be out doing landscape photography. I make sure I am as clean as possible, too. You never know when you will end up in front of another photographer’s lens. I also keep in mind that first impressions are everything. How I present myself to clients and others can affect how possible future clients perceive you.

Rest and Take Care of Myself

Sitting down and having a cup of coffee, yeah thats how I rest

Before a long day, I like to get a good night’s sleep. I do not like going into a long day already tired. I eat a good meal, and bring a snack so I do not take time away from my shoot. I keep a certain amount of cash on me for emergencies. You never know when you will have to buy something last minute.

In the End

I started my photo walk in the morning, ended it in the evening

Being prepared is so very useful in photography. It ensures that you get your shots no matter what the situation is. If I am working with clients, it reassures them. It helps them know that their money is well spent.

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Camera selection!

What to Consider When Buying a New Camera for Street Photography

by ERIC KIM on MARCH 25, 2013

On my flight from Dubai back to the states I just finished an excellent book by psychologist Barry Schwartz titled: “The Paradox of Choice.” In the book, Schwartz addresses the following question in Western society: Why is it that people are getting more miserable when the amount of choices we are given goes up?

I am sure we have all experienced this problem. Whenever we go to the grocery store and want to pick up a box of cereal, we are given hundreds of options. Whenever we go to buy a new car, there are so many different companies, models, and options to choose from. Not only that, but when it comes to buying cameras we are given so many choices in terms of what type of camera/sensor (Full-frame DSLR, ASPC-sensor, Micro 4/3rds, Compact, etc) as well as a choice of lenses.

Schwartz gives solutions in the book in terms of how to deal with the over-abundance of choice and stress that it comes with. I have found this advice to be invaluable both in terms of my everyday life and when it comes to photography/buying equipment. I hope these tips help you, as they have very much helped me.

For this post, I have also included some new photos from Istanbul that I shot last year.

1. Be a “satisficer”, not a “maximizer”

Istanbul, 2012

In the book Schwartz categorizes the two main types of people there are when it comes to making decisions. The first type of person he describes is the “satisficer” someone who makes decisions that are “good enough” that satisfies them. The second type of person is the “maximizer” someone who tries to make the “best” decisions given a certain situation and strives for perfection.

For example, a satisficer might to a store looking for a camera that suits his or her needs– and once he/she finds the camera that they find to be reasonably good, they will buy it.

The maximizer is the type of person that is looking for the “perfect camera” and spends hours agonizing over reviews, sharpness tests, and specification tables.

Guess who tends to be more regretful/miserable when it comes to making decisions? You guessed it– the maximizer.

The fist concept of “satisficing” came around in the 1950′s from Nobel Prize-winning economist and psychologist Herbert Simon. This is how Schwartz describes Simon’s position in the book:

“Simon suggested that when all the costs (in time, money, and anguish) involved in getting information about all the options are factored in, satisfying is, in fact, the maximizing strategy.”

So how do you know if you are a satisficer or a maximizer? Well take this survey below. Write a number from 1-7 (completely agree to completely disagree) and add up the numbers. If your score is 40 or lower, you are a satisficer. If your score is 65 or higher, you are a maximizer.

Maximization Scale:

1. Whenever I’m faced with a choice, I try to imagine what all the other possibilities are, even ones that aren’t present at the moment.
2. No matter how satisfied I am with my job, it’s only right for me to be on the lookout for better opportunities.
3. When I am in the car listening to the radio, I often check other stations to see if something better is playing, even if I am relatively satisfied with what I’m listening to.
4. When I watch TV, I channel surf, often scanning through the available options even while attempting to watch one program.
5. I treat relationships like clothing: I expect to try a lot on before finding the perfect fit.
6. I often find it is difficult to shop for a gift for a friend.
7. Renting videos is really difficult. I’m alway struggling to pick up the best one.
8. When shopping, I have a hard time finding clothing that I really love.
9. I’m a big fan of lists that attempt to rank things (the best movies, the best singers, the best athletes, the best novels etc).
10. I find that writing is very difficult, even if it’s just writing a letter to a friend, because it’s so hard to word things just right. I often do several drafts of even simple things.
11. No matter what I do, I have the highest standards for myself.
12. I never settle for second best.
13. I often fantasize about living in ways that are quite different from my actual life.

(From the American Psychological Association)

When Schwartz studied the differences between satisficers and maximizers, he found the following tendencies:

1. Maximizers engage in more product comparisons than satisficers, both before and after they make purchasing decisions.
2. Maximizers take longer than satisficers to decide on a purchase.
3. Maximizers spend more time than satisficers comparing their purchasing decisions to the decisions of others.
4. Maximizers are more likely to experience regret after a purchase.
5. Maximizers are more likely to spend time thinking about hypothetical alternatives to the purchases they’ve made.
6. Maximizers generally feel less positive about their purchasing decisions.

Not only that, but there was more negative attributes that Schwartz discovered about maximizers:

1. Maximizers savor positive events less than satisficers and do not cope as well (by their own admission) with negative events.
2. After something bad happens to them, maximizers’ sense of well-being takes longer to recover.
3. Maximizers tend to brood or ruminate more than satisficers.

Takeaway point:

When it comes to buying cameras for street photography, I think it is far better to be a “satisficer” than a “maximizer.”

There is no such thing as the perfect camera for street photography. Every camera has its pros and its cons. Therefore the search for the “perfect camera” is a fruitless one that will lead to dissatisfaction.

One rule-of-thumb I mentioned in my previous post is the idea of getting a camera that works 80% well for you. Getting a camera that is “good enough” for your needs in the streets is ideal. This will allow you to focus more on the photographing and less worrying about if the gear you have is perfect.

So I recommend not spending so much time on gear review sites and forums which focus on every little difference between all the cameras out there. What I recommend instead is going to a camera store, perhaps borrowing it for a day or two and trying it out on the streets.

Things that people talk about on the internet (ergonomics, feel, handling) is something you have to try out for yourself. Your hands may be too big/too small for a camera, and the weight and balance of a camera is also an important consideration (you cannot get online).

2. Make your purchases non-reversible

Istanbul, 2012

In today’s consumer world, we love refunds and 100% money-back guarantees. It gives us the feeling of security– that if we don’t wholly love our purchase we can just return it.

However the reality is that if a purchase we make is refundable, it actually makes us less satisfied.

For example, there was a study in which participants chose one photograph from a set of 8×10, black and white prints they made in a photography class. In another case, they chose one small poster from a set of fine art print reproductions. The interesting finding was that although the participants valued being able to reverse their choices, almost nobody actually decided to do so. The participants who had the option to change their minds were less satisfied with their choices than the participants who weren’t able to change their choices.

This has to do a lot with the “endowment effect” in which people don’t like to part with something once they obtain it. This also happened in another study in which participants were given a coffee mug or a nice pen for participating. The gifts were worth roughly the same value. The participants were then given the opportunity to trade. What also ended up happening was very few trades happened. Once you own something, it feels like its yours. And to give it away would entail a loss. Because losses feel more painful than gains, to give it away is more painful.

And even more interestingly in another study, participants were given a mug to examine and asked the price they would demand to sell it (if they owned it). A few minutes later, they were actually given the mug, and the opportunity to sell it. Once they owned the mug, they demanded 30% more to sell it than what they said a few minutes earlier. Once again, once you feel that you own something, to part with it is quite painful.

Another theory why non-reversible decisions are better than reversible decisions is that once we make a non-reversible decision, we don’t think about “what if’s” and rather focus on psychological coping mechanisms. For example, we will spend more time justifying why we purchased something and seeing the good aspects of it (rather than the negatives).

We can also use the analogy of marriage. Once you choose a life partner, (hopefully) that partner will be with you for life. Of course the “grass is always greener on the other side.” There will always be others who will be younger, more attractive, funnier, smarter, understanding, or intelligent than your partner. But once you make that life-long commitment, you learn to see past your partner’s flaws, and see their strengths. Knowing that you made a choice in marriage that is non-reversible will allow you to focus your energy on improving the relationship instead of always second-guessing it.

Takeaway point:

When it comes to purchasing your cameras, it may seem counter-intuitive, but purchase it where they don’t offer a money-back guarantee.

In my personal experiences, I have bought many cameras and lenses over the years. I started with a point-and-shoot, upgraded to a Canon 350D, got a bunch of prime and zoom lenses, got a full-frame Canon 5D, upgraded to a Leica M9, messed around with a 21mm and a 35mm, then sold it off and got a film Leica MP.

For the lenses that I purchased online which were refundable, I would always think in the back of my head: “what if another lens was better than this?” Then after testing out the lens for a bit, I would be tempted to return it and try out another lens. Whereas when I have bought lenses from people (in person) which were non-refundable, I worried less about the “what if’s” and focused on rather using my lens and getting more comfortable with it (and seeing past its flaws).

Nowadays most online merchants offer returns or money-back guarantees. So perhaps purchase from online retailers which don’t offer returns or money-back guarantees, and either buy your cameras or lenses in-person.

3. Don’t be tempted by the new

Istanbul, 2012

Every year there are always a plethora of new cameras and lenses that flood the market. Especially with digital cameras, we expect to see an upgrade at least every year or every other year. It is like buying a computer they only have a life expectancy of around 4 years. I find most photographers to upgrade their digital cameras (myself included) every 4 years (or most cases less than that).

I think that there are certain cases in which it does make sense to upgrade your digital cameras. For example, I think that the new Fujifilm x100s is worth the upgrade from the Fujifilm x100 (as the autofocus speed is now blazingly fast). Also getting a micro 4/3rds such as the Olympus OM-D is also much more convenient than lugging around a huge DSLR.

However for most cameras, the incremental shifts we see are very minor. Sure they may offer more megapixels, slightly better high-ISO performance, video functions, and all these other bells & whistles we don’t really need.

One of the things that I love most about street photography is that we don’t need uber-good image quality or high-ISO performance. Sure if you are a fashion photographer or a landscape photographer this may be important– but I still know many street photographers (check out the Mobile Photo Group) who use iPhones and take incredible photographs.

A concept I wrote in my last post brought up the idea of the “hedonic treadmill”– in which we always want the newer, the better, and the more improved. The sad thing however is that once we get the shiny new camera, we enjoy it only for a few weeks– and then get accustomed to it and it doesn’t feel special anymore. For those of you who have bought new cars in the past, I am sure that the first few weeks/months of having the new car is a joy. Then after that, you get used to it– and simply want to get something even fancier.

Takeaway point:

If you want to upgrade your camera for street photography, think if your decision is because the camera is holding you back or if it for upgrading for the sake of getting the newest.

Conclusion

Istanbul, 2012

I want to clarify, this article isn’t about the fact that you should never buy a new camera for street photography. After all, digital cameras are like computers their shelf life tends to only be around 4 years. This is why I personally switched to shooting my personal street photography on film– as I know that my Leica MP will never get outdated (it is already outdated).

Realize that there is no “perfect” camera for street photography – every camera has its pros and cons. If the camera has better image quality and high-ISO performance, it tends to be bigger and bulkier. If the camera is more compact and portable, it tends to be lower in terms of the image quality and high-ISO performance. There will always be a trade-off, just think about what attributes of a camera is valuable for you in terms of how you shoot in the streets.

I think one of the worst things about purchasing new cameras is buyer’s remorse and the “what if” questions. Rather than regretting your purchases, think about the positives and learn to adapt with it. After all, regardless of how good (or poor) your camera, you will become adapted to it.

Above all, don’t buy new cameras for the sake of them being new. Most of the new functions are quite trivial (better LCD screens, video function, extra buttons, etc). Save your money and rather use the money on a nice street photography vacation/trip or buy some street photography books.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is to have an attitude of gratitude. As photographers, we should always remind ourselves how fortunate we are even to have a camera. In a world in which so many people can barely even pay their rent, utilities, and food we still have enough spare cash to afford a camera. We are truly blessed.

Camera recommendations for street photography

One of the questions I get asked most is what camera I recommend for street photography.

Like I mentioned, there is no perfect camera for street photography and everyone’s tastes are different. However these are my top recommendations at the moment:

Digital: Fujifilm x100s

Fujifilm x100s

I remember when the original Fujifilm x100 came out, it was a superb camera in every regard (except for the slow autofocus). Now with the new Fujifilm x100s, the autofocus is insanely fast (Fuji claims it to be the fastest in the world). Based on my experiences playing with the x100s for a day, I can attest it is as fast (if not faster) than the Olympus OMD (which is also an amazing camera).

I also think that for the majority of street photographers, 35mm is an ideal focal length. 50mm tends to be a tight when shooting on the streets, and 28mm is too wide for most people.

Not only that, but it is extremely light, has superb image quality (and high-ISO performance in the ASPC-sensor), and an optical finder. In terms of price, it is also probably the best bang-for-the-buck camera for street photography at the moment.

To be quite honest, I don’t see any flaws with the camera. Sure it would be nice if there was a real manual focusing tab on the camera (maybe the next generation of the x100 will have it) but I assume most street photographers would use autofocus on it anyways.

Film: Leica M6 and 35mm f/2.5 Voightlander lens

Leica M6

Voightlander 35mm f/2.5

I have a lot of people asking me for recommendations for film cameras for street photography. I have been using my Contax T3 a lot recently (love the compact size, image quality, and auto settings) but I still would choose my film Leica at the end of the day. Why? Film Leicas are indestructible, reliable, and can operate without a battery.

The Leica M6 is definitely the best bang-for-the-buck film Leica you can get. It is has a meter, all the frame lines you need, and is quite compact and light. I loved my first Leica M6 (thanks to Todd Hatakeyama for giving it to me as a gift) but I ended up upgrading to the Leica MP after I sold my M9. The MP and the M6 are pretty much the same camera, except the MP is newer and thus more reliable (which helps when I travel).

In terms of the lens, the Voightlander 35mm f/2.5 lens is the best bang-for-the-buck lens you can get. It only costs a few hundred bucks, is one of the smallest lenses I’ve used, and is very sharp as well.

For buying any film cameras, I highly recommend Bellamy Hunt (Japan Camera Hunter). I get all my stuff from him, and I love the peace-of-mind he gives me (he personally makes sure all the cameras work properly and are in good condition).

Compact cameras

I am a big fan of compact cameras for street photography. Why? Because you can carry them with you everywhere you go (which will make you more likely to take photos). Not only that, but they tend to be the least threatening and conspicuous cameras to use on the streets.

Ricoh GRD IV

For digital, I recommend the Ricoh GRD IV. It has a very sharp 28mm lens f/1.9 lens, one of the most comfortable grips I have used, and easy functions to pre-focus on the street.

Contax T2

For film, I recommend the Contax T2. It has a sharp Zeiss 38mm f/2.8 lens, zone-focusing abilities, and is built like a tank. It is a superb bang-for-the-buck camera. The Contax T3 is quite similar, except it has a 35mm lens, is a bit more compact, but has worse handling (it is like holding a bar of soap).

Further Reading

For further reading on decision-making processes, I recommend Barry Schwartz’s “The Paradox of Choice” as well as Daniel Kahneman’s “Thinking, Fast and Slow.” Both have changed the way I have made decisions in all aspects of my life.

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

3 Stoic Techniques that Can Help You Gain Tranquility in Street Photography

by ERIC KIM on MARCH 19, 2013

Part of my “Suits” project. Beverly Hills, 2011

One book that has deeply influenced me the last few months is: “A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy.” The book is a great introduction to the philosophy of Stoicism: which can be summed up as being undisturbed by negative emotions and gaining tranquility and a peace of mind.

I have applied the philosophy of Stoicism to many parts of my personal and work life– as well to my street photography. While I am still new to the concepts of Stoicism, much of its concepts have helped me I hope this post can also help you. To illustrate the points in this article, I have included some photographs from my ongoing “Suits” project.

1. Imagine: What is the worst that can happen?

Part of my ongoing “Suits” project. NYC, 2012

One of the psychological techniques that Stoics employ is contemplating the worst that can happen to us.

Seneca points out the benefit of imaging the “worst case scenario”:

“He robs present ills of their power who has perceive their coming beforehand.”

Seneca also mentions that when bad things happen, it is often to those least prepared. An excerpt from the book:

Misfortune weighs most heavily on those who “expect nothing but good fortune.”

One of the things that many of us street photographers face is the fear of how people react in public when we photograph them. Certain concerns we may have:

• Getting your camera smashed
• Getting cursed at
• Having other people look at you as a “creep”
• Getting physically assaulted
• Getting arrested

Fortunately shooting street photography in most places in the world is 100% legal in public places- so in reality you are covered by the law. However the concerns that I listed above are still very real.

How can we overcome these fears we have in the streets? As the stoics would say, imagine the worst-possible scenario.

Getting your camera smashed:

This is indeed a concern we may have we spend a lot of money on our equipment. We don’t want anything bad to happen to it.

However know that if someone smashes your camera, you can probably get them arrested and sue them. You can most certainly win the case against them, and win enough money to buy another 2 cameras. Win-win situation.

Another solution: don’t shoot street photography with an expensive camera. Use something that you wouldn’t mind if it got smashed. I like shooting street photography with compact cameras, because I like how compact and discrete they are. If you shoot with an expensive Leica in the streets, ask yourself: “Am I willing to have the possibility of getting my camera broken by shooting street photography?” If you don’t mind, go ahead and shoot in the streets with it (like I do). If you are worried, shoot street photography with a cheaper camera.

Getting cursed at:

Sure it is nasty when we get yelled/cursed at when we shoot street photography (and we aren’t really doing anything wrong). But as humans, we want to be accepted by others– and getting cursed/yelled at is certainly not a nice feeling.

However remember the old saying: “sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.”

Yeah, getting called nasty names is not pleasant– but it won’t harm you physically. So whenever you shoot street photography, expect to be cursed at, yelled at, or negative reactions. Then if people react negatively, you don’t really mind so much because you expected their reaction to be negative. But if they happen to respond positively, you are pleasantly surprised and quite pleased. Once again, a win/win situation.

Having other people look at you as a “creep”:

Shooting street photography is strange. It certainly isn’t a mainstream practice. After all, what kind of creep takes photos of strangers without their permission?

Accept the fact that we do is not normal. Also know that everyone else out there has their “strange” hobbies. We are all weird, so just accept the fact that you will get strange stares at times when shooting in public. What I always do is pretend to be a dumb Asian tourist and smile and wave at people. Always works a charm, and people will simply ignore you after a while.

Getting physically assaulted:

The concern of getting physically assaulted is certainly more serious than getting yelled at or being looked as a creep.

I know this was one of the biggest concerns I personally had when I first started shooting street photography.

I have had instances in the past when I have been shoved when shooting street photography, people trying to grab my camera by the strap, getting karate-chopped in the back of the neck with an old chinese man, and even getting kicked in the butt in Tokyo and getting my flash smashed.

But that is the worst that has happened to me (out of the 7-8 years I have been shooting street photography).

Even though these physical assaults can be of concern to me, I just remind myself: as long as I don’t die I will be okay. In the absolute worst-case-scenario I might get my face bashed in (it might happen one of these days, but it hasn’t yet). But as long as I don’t get stabbed or shot, I don’t mind so much. It is a risk I’m willing to take. After all, I have probably sustained worse injuries playing basketball (almost breaking an ankle), lifting weights (tearing tendons in my shoulders), or getting rejected by girls I was interested in (I think mental pain is worse than physical pain).

However, I have never heard of any stories of any street photographers getting physically beat-up when shooting on the streets. After all, you are just taking pictures. In almost all the situations I have been in, people either yell at you, ask you to delete the picture, or call the cops. If anyone physically assaults you, once again you can call the police on them, get them thrown in jail, sue them- and probably buy a few Leica’s for your trouble. Win/win.

Getting arrested:

If you are shooting street photography in a public place (in most countries) you are safe from getting arrested. However most people in the public have no idea of photography laws and some may even threaten to call the cops on you. Yet many of these people don’t complain getting recorded 24/7 on the streets by video cameras (CCTV in London anyone?)

I had an instance in which I took a photograph of a woman in the streets of Melbourne, Australia. She got upset, threatened to call the cops on me. I apologized and told her that I was sorry–and explained why I took her photograph (she was an interesting businesswoman with a nice stride, might have been good for my “Suits” project). She was still pissed off, and demanded I delete the photograph. I told her I was shooting film, and that would be impossible. She then told me to rip out the whole roll, and of course I refused. She tried to escalate the matter even more by threatening to call the cops on me. I wasn’t doing anything wrong, so I told her to go ahead.

After an awkward 30 minutes of standing next to each other and not saying much, the cops showed up. The woman laughed in my face and told me I was going to get locked up. The cops then went up to her and told her calmly that I wasn’t doing anything wrong. The cops just asked me to apologize to her. I had no problem with that, and apologized again. She was still furious, and I walked away standing up for my rights (and an interesting story that I shared on YouTube).

So know that the worst possible scenario when it comes (most of the time) is people wasting your time. My honest advice is if you took a photo of someone (and are shooting digital), take a quick look at the LCD (to see if it is a decent shot). If it is a rubbish photo, just delete it in front of them, apologize- and move on. If you think it is a brilliant photo, stand your ground and tell them to call the cops.

Of course there have been stories of photographers getting arrested (unjustly by the police). But even in those cases the photographers have won their cases, and won large sums of money from the government. So if you get arrested unjustly, consider it a blessing. Just sue them, collect your money, and go on a nice street photography trip to India for a few months. Win/win.

2. How to fight “Hedonic Adaptation” (or how to conquer G.A.S.)

Part of my “Suits” project. Stockholm, 2012

We human beings are funny and irrational creatures. We are never satisfied with what we have, and our demands always go up.

For example, remember when you were a teenager and all you wanted in the world was something with 4-wheels to take you across town? So you worked for a few summers, and bought a beat-up Honda Civic and was overjoyed with the feeling of freedom.

Then of course you go to college, and you see some of the rich kids driving around BMW’s. By contrast, your Civic looks awful, and you tell yourself you need a BMW. You are sad and miserable.

Hell-bent on getting that BMW, you realize you need a good-paying job to afford it. You study law, wanting to get placed in a top-firm to get paid a high salary. You work hard in school, get that high-paying job, and finally buy your first BMW 3-Series. You are happy, you are young, successful, and have a BMW.

It gets worse: now all of your colleagues look at your BMW 3-series and laugh at you. Your buddies tell you: “You realize that the BMW 3-series is like the Honda Civic of the sport sedan world?” You then look at envy with their Porsches, and then work 100 hours a week for the next 10 years of your life to finally afford one. You are convinced that having that car will make you happy for the rest of your life.

You are now a millionaire and swimming in money, but chronically stressed, obese, and have a fragmented family life because you work non-stop. Now you find out some other guys in the neighborhoods are talking about buying their own Yacht. The cycle is never-ending.

Now replace that story with the following:

• Honda Civic: Point & Shoot Camera
• BMW 3-Series: Entry-Level DSLR
• Porsche: Full-frame DSLR
• Yacht: Digital Leica

So why are we never satisfied with the wonderful material goods that we have? Well, many evolutionary biologists say that we may have a “selfish gene” which makes us want to hoard things, for the good of ourselves and our immediate families. From an evolutionary stance, this makes sense. The more greedy you were as a hunter-gathered in the savanna with the bison you just killed, the better the chance for your own survival and that of your family. How many bison is enough? Well, you would hoard as many as you could possibly.

So how do we overcome “hedonic adaptation” (getting used to the nice things that we have)? Well, the secret is the following: create a desire for the camera/lenses you already have.

Yeah, I know that may sound easy, but how can we do it in a practical sense? Well, the ancient Stoics had an answer to the question. They told us to take time practicing “negative visualization” which is imagining how we would feel if we lost something.

Seneca shared his advice when it came to imagining the lost of your loved ones. Perhaps in this case, it may be your camera:

“We should love all of our dear ones… but always with the thought that we have no promise that we may keep them forever– nay, no promise that even that we may keep them for long.”

Another stoic named Epictetus also advocated negative visualization by imagining that when you kiss your child (or camera) it may be the last time you see him/it. The author of “A Guide to the Good Life” sums it up:

“In the very act of kissing the child, we should silently reflect on the possibility that she will die tomorrow.”

I know to use the analogies of human beings and cameras is quite extreme. However once again, this is one technique that I use to fight G.A.S. in my everyday life.

Know that even the act of owning a camera is a blessing. Imagine all of the impoverished people from all-around the world who don’t even have enough food to put on their tables. To even be able to afford any sort of camera is a huge luxury.

We might have an iPhone, a point-and-shoot, a Micro 4/3rds, a DSLR, a rangefinder, etc. But know that every camera that we ever buy, we will soon get “used to it” via hedonic adaptation sooner or later.

So when it comes to your camera, rather than seeing the shortcomings of it imagine how you might feel if you lost your camera. I am sure we have all had experiences in which we thought we lost something valuable (let’s say our phone, wallet, car keys) and then it suddenly reappeared– we were full of joy and happiness, and we appreciated it more.

So marvel at the wonder of your camera, every time you have it. Appreciate what you have, and imagine the pain you might have if you lost your beloved camera. What regrets may you have? Spending too much time on gear forums and blogs instead of shooting? Complaining about the certain features of your camera but forgetting the positives?

The best way to conquer desire is not to constantly buy more cameras, but it is to eliminate it by being happy with what you have.

Another simple heuristic (rule of thumb) that I have for myself when it comes to buying cameras (and most material things) is the following:

If it works 80% well, it is good enough. If it works less than 80% well, get something else.

There is no such thing as a perfect camera. Every camera has its pros and cons. I know a lot of people who think that Leica rangefinders are the “perfect” cameras for street photography. Sure they are awesome (I love my MP to death) but there are also a lot of shortcomings. Parallax error, far minimum-focusing distance, and lack of autofocus. Some of the benefits are size, simplified settings, and quickness.

With a DSLR you don’t have the problem of a rangefinder: you don’t have to worry about parallax error (what you see through the viewfinder is what you get), the minimum-focusing distance is close, and you have autofocus (for situations you may want it). But of course the downsides are they tend to be bulky, the settings can be a pain, and autofocus can be inaccurate.

So how do you know if a camera is up to 80% of your needs? Well, it is hard to say– it differs for everyone. But at the same time, I think people have a generally good sense of what works “80% well” for them.

I am not advocating people not to buy expensive cameras (more expensive cameras tend to be of a higher-quality). Compare a disposable Kodak camera and an entry-level DSLR. But what I am trying to say is don’t get stuck into the loop of constantly buying more and more cameras as small and incremental upgrades are made.

3. Set internal, not external goals

From my “Suits” project. Wall Street, 2012

Epictetus, one of the main pillars of Stoicism, proposed one of his central ideas as being the “sphere of choice.” According to this idea, we have control over our internal goals, not our external goals. Therefore Epictetus believed that we should focus more on our internal goals to gain tranquility as we can control it. This is because we have little/no control over external goals.

For example, we can set certain internal goals (which we have complete control over) such as how hard we work in our street photography. We can control how often we go out and take photos, which photos we decide to upload to the internet, and what projects we can focus on.

There are many external goals we cannot achieve. For example, we can’t control how many “likes” or “favorites” we get on a photograph we upload. We can’t control if we will get our work featured in a prestigious gallery or museum. We can’t control if people will like or hate our street photography.

However this is not to say that you shouldn’t try hard when it comes to your street photography. Of course if you spend more time shooting in the streets (and really focus) you will have a better chance of creating more powerful photographs (which can end up to get more “likes” or “favorites.” If you spend a lot of time pitching yourself to certain galleries or museums, you will have a greater chance of getting accepted. If you show street photography to like-minded peers, you will have a higher likelihood of people enjoying your work.

But at the end of the day, the focus is focusing on shooting street photography for yourself not others. We have 100% control over our own goals/desires/aspirations when it comes to street photography. The second that we rely on others’ opinions or admiration, that is when we lose all control and may feel inadequate.

Don’t expect everyone to like your work. In-fact, if people don’t like your work revel in it. After all, it is better to be criticized than ignored.

Conclusion

Part of my ongoing “Suits” project. Melbourne, 2012

Stoicism is still a philosophy which is quite new to me– and I have found its concepts beneficial to all parts of my life, especially street photography. While I am still a beginner to the ideas and don’t fully grasp many of the concepts yet, I hope that this post can be a good introduction to Stoicism.

In the upcoming weeks I plan to do more posts based on the idea of Stoicism. But in the meanwhile if you want to learn more about it, definitely give “A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy.”