The Gear Envy Trap: Why Your Creativity is at Risk!

I’ve just published my latest video: The Trap of Gear Envy: Why Your Creativity is at Risk. 

Discover how gear envy can hinder your artistic growth in photography. Learn why gear doesn’t matter and how to focus on technique and process.

#gearenvy #artisticgrowth #geardoesntmatter

As a photographer, it can be easy to fall into the trap of believing that the gear you use is the most important aspect of your work. But this belief is a symptom of something much bigger: gear envy. Gear envy can lead to anxiety and procrastination, and it can hold us back from reaching our creative potential.

Gear Envy: The Wrong Question

When people ask “What camera did you use?” it’s the wrong question to be asking. This question shows that we’re focused too much on gear and not enough on the art of photography. The reality is that camera gear is just a tool, and it doesn’t play a significant role in making a great photo.

Why Gear Doesn’t Matter

As I’ve grown as a photographer, I’ve come to realize that gear doesn’t matter as much as I once thought it did. Sure, the latest camera might focus a little faster or allow you to shoot in slightly lower light conditions, but it won’t create anything your old one couldn’t.

Overcoming Gear Envy Anxiety

To overcome gear envy, we need to focus on our artistic growth. We need to understand that gear doesn’t make the photographer; creativity and skill do. Instead of obsessing over the latest camera or lens, we should be analyzing the composition of our photos and trying to understand what makes them great. By asking questions about technique and process, we can deepen our understanding of photography and improve our skills.

Conclusion

In conclusion, gear envy is a trap that photographers can fall into, but it’s important to remember that gear doesn’t make the photographer. By focusing on our artistic growth and understanding that gear is just a tool, we can overcome gear acquisition syndrome and reach our creative potential.

Takeways

Here are five action points you can take away from this video:

1. Focus on technique and process, not gear.

2. Analyze the composition of your photos to understand what makes them great.

3. Take a break from social media and gear review websites to avoid comparisons.

4. Set specific goals for your artistic growth.

5. Practice regularly and experiment with new techniques.

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Transcript

The Problem with Gear Envy

There’s one question I see all the time on Instagram. You might get a better sense for how weird this question if we switch from photography to, say, painting. This is The Raft of Medusa, by Theodore Gericault. I doubt your first instinct is to wonder what brushes were used to paint it. “I wonder what brushes he used to make this?” “Where does this guy buy his paints? This is 🔥”. What draws you in is the complexity of the composition. The geometry of the double triangle composition. The way the bodies are posed to echo the peaks of the waves surrounding the raft. And the hidden in plain sight narrative details that keep you curious. Like this tiny dot of hope on the distant horizon… It’s clear here that brushes and paints are just tools of the trade. They don’t play any significant role in making this the masterpiece it is. Photography gear fulfils the exact same role. Your camera, lenses, lights. They’re all just tools. I think this innocent sounding question is the symptom of a much bigger problem: Our infatuation with camera gear is holding us back from reaching our creative potential.

Photography vs Painting

When I first started trying to take “artistic” photos… My understanding of photography was that it was a representational art form. What i mean by that is that my photos were reproductions of reality. A frozen moment. I could enhance it, for sure, I could make my photo more saturated or more dramatic…. but it would still be a reproduction of reality. And because that’s where my head was, it made total sense that what I needed to become better was the best reproducing device. AKA The most newest, feature packed camera gear. And I wanted every new camera, and every new lens. I’d drool over the specs and then marvel at the beautiful images people with that gear could create. Then, I’d link those two things together in my mind the expensive camera gear And the great photos. That became a problem. You see, this question… “What camera took that photo?” …is the wrong question to be asking. It’s the wrong way to think about photography. It’s a frame of mind that sent me down a really unproductive path. One that led to gear envy, procrastination and anxiety. In that order actually.

The Wrong Question

When people ask “What camera did you use?” it’s the wrong question to be asking. This question shows that we’re focused too much on gear and not enough on the art of photography. The reality is that camera gear is just a tool, and it doesn’t play a significant role in making a great photo.

Why Gear Doesn’t Matter

As I’ve grown as a photographer, I’ve come to realize that gear doesn’t matter as much as I once thought it did. Sure, the latest camera might focus a little faster or allow you to shoot in slightly lower light conditions, but it won’t create anything your old one couldn’t.