I have the wrong impression that if I somehow bought a new camera, a new gadget, or gizmo– I will somehow become more creative.
I often genuinely believe that I’m ‘missing out’ by not having the newest and greatest.
The real fault? Myself.
1. Ignore the sirens
In the Odyssey by Homer, Ulysses has to sail past the sirens. Imagine the sirens as some evil, man-eating mermaids. But they were so beautiful, and had the most intoxicating songs. Many sailors jumped to their death, because they couldn’t resist the temptations of the sirens.
So what did Ulysses do? He ordered his fellow sailors to tie himself to the mast (front) of the ship. And to fill his ears with beeswax.
The sirens in today’s world are blogs, gear review sites, advertising, marketing, and social media.
To overcome GAS, I had to plug my ears with wax. Which meant installing extension plugins on my browser (Stayfocusd on Chrome, and Wastenotime in Safari) to block myself from visiting distracting gear websites. I don’t trust
2. One camera, one lens
Too many options is creative death. Fewer options, more ingenuity, and more creativity.
So I’ve given myself a creative constraint of sticking with just one camera, one lens.
Now, I don’t stress about the gear to use. I know my limitations, the Ricoh GR II and the integrated (non-changeable) 28mm lens.
As an assignment, lock all your cameras in the closet, and just choose one camera, one lens to use for a year. Better yet, give away all your cameras to your friends, family, or those who you think can use it better than you (what I did).
3. Why do you make photos?
The last question to ask yourself:
“Why do I make photos?”
When you figure out why you make photos; you will figure out that you don’t need the fanciest gear to make the images you want.
Ask yourself why you make photos. To get more Instagram likes and followers? Or to fulfill your creative spirit and soul?
Always,
Eric
How to Overcome GAS >
More articles on how to overcome GAS:
- How to Stop Pixel-Peeping
- Why I Shoot With One Camera and One Lens
- 30 Tips to Conquer G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)
- Gear Allergy Syndrome
- Disregard Differences, Notice Similarities
- More Megapixels, More Problems
- Sensor Envy
- If Your Camera Isn’t Good Enough, Your Camera isn’t Expensive Enough
- How to Be Grateful For What You Have
- Having No Choices is the Ultimate Freedom
- Technology Won’t Fix Your Problems
- Why is Image Quality Important?
- Why Sharpness is Overrated in Street Photography