Photography: The Navigation of Choice

Photography

Sep 15

Photography is all about choices.

As the photographer discovers himself, they encounter a number of polarities that they feel they must chose between. These simple decisions have a dramatic impact on the set and setting of the observer capturing the moment.

Prime Lenses vs. Zoom Lenses
One Lens vs. Many Lenses
Full Frame vs. Crop Sensor
Autofocus vs. Manual Focus

Film vs. Digital
Color vs. Black-and-White
DSLR vs. Compact
Invest in Body vs Lens

My Path

After many years of experimentation (and thousands of dollars), I found that having a single camera with a single lens is exactly what I want and need as a photographer.

In the past, I had an incredibly versatile Canon setup — Canon 5D Mark II with the trifecta of L Lenses: the 35L, 50L, 85L, 135L, and 24–105L. What a dream setup, right? Wrong.

Every time I went out to shoot, or even travel, I found myself preoccupied with the current lens that I either did or did not have on my camera or on my person. I was constantly distracted with which lens I was currently using, and this lack of confidence showed in my photographs.

Eventually, I ended up buying a Fuji x100 for travel. Much to my surprise, the elegant constraint and simplicity of of the x100, with its 35mm lens, was so freeing that I never touched my $8,000 worth of top-of-the-line Canon gear again!

Making the Switch

Eventually, I sold it all (including the Fuji) and made the move to the Leica M System. This was one of the boldest and best decisions I've ever made as a photographer.

I now have a single camera and a single lens. When I go out to shoot, there's no question of "do I have the right lens with me"? I always have the perfect lens with me, because there is no choice. I always have the perfect camera, because there is no other option.

And, because I've stuck to one focal length for so long, my lens has become a true extension of my eye. When I look at a scene with my bare vision, I know precisely where the Leica 35mm framelines will appear once I hold the camera up to my eye.