Tell me I’m not alone in spending the entirety of January and beyond thinking I need to change everything before the season kicks off. It doesn’t help that the messaging of every industry at this time of year is ‘new year, new you’ or something equally barf-inducing.
At some point in January I decided I was switching to Nikon (from Sony), switching to Capture One (from Lightroom) and ditching my 35mm and 85mm lenses in favour of a new 50mm and 135mm pairing.
Have you felt the new year desire to change everything too? It definitely happens to me every year, and I’m sure it’s something to do with our brains not having enough to think about once the work slows and so thoughts turn to the year ahead and, inevitably, what needs to be changed.
Why did I want to change systems completely? Because staying the same is boring.
Why did I want to change editing software? Because staying the same is boring.
Why did I want to ditch lenses that I love? Because staying the same is boring.
Am I going to change camera system, editing software, and lenses? No.
Why? Because I’m not rich, I like my editing speed and quality and oh yeah I’m still not rich.
So instead of doing all that stuff I mentioned, I’m sticking with my Sony A7iii’s that I love, I’m sticking with my 35+85 which I love, and I’m sticking with Lightroom… which I hate. But I tried Capture One and I just think it’ll cost me money and editing will take me longer, but I’m going to keep flirting with it for a bit and see where it leads. I’ll keep you posted.
So get rational about your new year changes. Don’t empty your bank account without good reason (holidays are better than new cameras), and look for the GOOD that already exists in your work. Because there’s flipping LOADS OF IT. Then add new elements and facets, experiment with new techniques and work the new stuff in.
My big focus for the year – artistically – now I’ve decided not to buy all new stuff, is to get more movement into my portraits and bring some abstract weirdness back into my work in general. And at the same time, to remind myself that I do good stuff, and to keep doing all that and refine it wherever I can.
I encourage you as often as you can to take a look through your portfolio, however big or small it may be, and pat yourself on the back for the great stuff you’ve created and be excited for creating more this year.
You don’t need to change everything.
Thanks for reading!
Adam
PS – Being concise is hard! Let me know if you think I went back on my promise to be concise. I chopped a lot of waffle out, believe it or not.
