Photography, Camera, Life Barbell

Embrace the extremes with your photography and cameras:

  1. Phone (super convenient) x Film (very inconvenient) camera
  2. Phone (super small) x Digital Medium Format (super big, but best image quality).

Let us avoid the “middle” (one size fits all) strategy.

Beyond “one camera, one lens”

In the past I advocated for a “one camera, one lens” approach as a way to overcome the “paralysis by analysis” we often face in photography.

But my thinking has evolved (as well as the camera technology). It ain’t about just owning one ultimate camera which fulfills all your needs — it is about embracing the best of both world (hybrid approach) to maximize your tools/power as a photographer and visual artist.

Barbell technology

Some ideas:

  1. Instead of owning a kindle paper white for reading books, better to read paper books AND ebooks on your phone.
  2. Instead of owning a family “sports” sedan, better to own a family van AND a Lamborghini or extreme sports car.
  3. Instead of using a tablet or a “hybrid” computing device, better to use a powerful desktop computer at home, and a phone when you’re out and about town.

Life barbell

  1. Only eat at super cheap fast food restaurants ($) and super high end restaurants ($$$$) instead of the “mid-brow” ($$-$$$) restaurants
  2. Better to own a few very expensive articles of clothing (all Merino wool everything) than lots of “mid-range”clothing.
  3. Better to own one Rolex watch, than lots of “mid-tier” watches.
  4. Better to do extreme fasting (no eating food during the day) and have one massive dinner, than lots of “normal” meals throughout the day.
  5. Either stand or lie on your back (don’t sit).
  6. Extreme frugality x Extreme luxury

For more ideas on the “barbell” theory — read the chapter in Antifragile by Nassim Taleb.