Gear Matters, but...

[@GlucoseYummy]

Your channel is the only one that I have found that makes genuine photography videos and not just reviews of every product coming out, I really appreciate it!

[@christoph.schneider]

Check out Sean Tucker mate, you will enjoy him!

[@savnac]

yes! i love James' content for this reason! His images are incredible, and he talks mostly about the philosophy and enjoyment of photography, and he's damn funny lol.

[@RJBiteanerd]

Nigel Danson who he makes videos with is another great option. Mark Denney as well.

[@soundscape26]

Check Sean Tucker definitely. Thomas Heaton, Mark Deeney and Nigel Danson (James' mate) are also good options in the landscape segment of photography.

[@fuzzyblurrydotcom]

Also recommend The Photographic Eye! it's a lot of theory and discussion of the process of past and contemporary photographers, and how we can best approach our craft

[@colinrenucci1984]

The comment on people with “years” vs how many photos taken is a great point. Not just for photography but anything in life. We should judge experience on how many photos taken rather than years 👏🏻

[@danielhenzphotography]

And the best tip in my book: take your camera allways with you. Even if it is a small lens or phone and shoot on the way to work, shopping or with friends. You can incoporporate allmost all of James' tips.

[@mishkalarsoncreations]

I keep my camera on the seat when I drive to and from a spot - I see so many cool things en route and have gotten some of my best shots that way.

[@danielhenzphotography]

@@mishkalarsoncreations that is also a good way. But don't get distracted from traffic

[@mishkalarsoncreations]

Oh I don’t photograph while driving. I park and then photograph lol.

[@danielhenzphotography]

@@mishkalarsoncreations I ment by looking at things rather than take photos while driving. It can be quiet distracting. And annoying if you can not stop

[@michaelladd3628]

Your videos are not only educational but entertaining as well. The segment about using your gear and not just protecting it brought on a good and extended laugh when you were laying on the shore and realized there was a huge wave crashing in on you and you jumped up frantically trying to save your gear. That was funny! Hope your next outing exceeds your expectations. Thanks.

[@BackwardsKnees]

it's interesting the relation between "gear" youtubers, whether it be cameras or anything else and the actual videos on the equipment. In the same way you really don't need all the gear, settings, etc and it's more about the bigger picture idea. KZbinrs can basically keep making the same video(gear) slightly different over and over and people will keep watching (buying, discussing, etc) until the end of time, even though the underlying ideology never changes.

[@mikeuptonphoto]

I like watching certain gear youtubers but I try to keep them in balance with youtubers who discuss technique, theory, and/or philosophy of photography.

[@liamivarsson]

@@mikeuptonphoto same

[@billb8262]

Very true. My Fuji X-T1’s are both rocking outstanding images while so many obsess about latest and greatest. 2014 era still getting it done.

[@robmcd]

@@billb8262 here I am with my XH2S wondering if 26mp is “enough” due to massive marketing right now

[@robmcd]

@@djstuc I’m looking at GFX oops

[@francoismarc3]

I'm a photographer based in Seoul, Korea! I found these tips extremely informative, ESPECIALLY "If I'm outside, my camera is outside..." I love that. Thanks for these tips! Subbed!

[@HistoryBluff137]

I'm just starting so thank you. I'm with you on editing. It's my favorite part of photography

[@3099dog]

Love this video, you're right about photographers who have shot for decades almost looking down on someone who hasn't been shooting as long.

[@peterfritzphoto]

You never disappoint, James. I’ve been shooting for over 40 years (daily for about a third of it), and I agree with every single point you made.

[@ddki9094]

Fantastic! I'm always impressed by your honesty when it comes to photography.

[@adreaminfocus]

James- I think I have now watched virtually every video you have ever done. I would leave something incredible funny and witty to say but my child is trying to kill me slowly with sleep deprivation, so I’ve got nothing. I think your photography advice and ethos speaks volumes. And it is the curiosity and the questioning of your photographs that keep me coming back for more and more. You are a bit of a gem sir. Thank you. If ever you do a workshop that isn’t in the bloody Arctic sea and somewhere a bit more civil- say wales or Scunthorpe … I’ll sign up in a heart beat ❤🎉

[@kittyclerico18]

Love the “I wonder…” point. Gives me much to ponder.

[@daycube8506]

James I've been subscribed to your channel for years and I want to thank you for your honesty.

[@lowyrida2822]

Started photography. Has been great so far but i want to buy a lens for wildlife. Getting better every day. And that is something that keeps me going outdoors. That really cool. Great Video

[@dippitydog9876]

You are wise and thoughtful. It means a lot to my exploration into this form of creativity.

[@FoonOfficial]

I bought a Sony Alpha 7 II New for 500€ and i love it. Dont eyeball the newest and most expensive. Buy what you can afford and let your creativity work. Great Video!

[@michelvondenhoff9673]

1/X f8 and auto iso are my walkaround settings. Just a metering to check for the shutter to be at and ready to go. Spotmetering and spotfocus, like for concert.

[@bjorngrauers]

really love how your content doesn't feel rushed or speed up. I just feel so relaxed watching your videos. The honesty also. You made me save a bunch going for the Lumix system as opposed to more expensive competitors. I bought a g85 after your review and I've been so happy ever since. the g85 and now the g90 really hit the sweet spot for me in terms of cost vs outcome! thanks for what you do, it really inspires me in my craft. staying tuned for the next one!

[@kidmohair8151]

you are a very level headed person, with a great attitude towards photography and how to do that thing. my thought to reinforce your "be aware" dictum is "if you see it, take it" which makes me sounds like I am a shoplifter, so I don't post that on ig any more. I now write, I stop for foto ops.

[@rickbear7249]

James "Quick-Draw" Popsys 😂 Totally agree your thinking. I'd also add that experience leads to "intuition" in placing yourself in the right place at the right time without conscious thought. This is also one definition of becoming an Expert

[@benhines23]

So after watching your recent video with Ricoh GRiii x, I went and spent a lot of my hard earned cash and bought one. Perfect. Love it. Took it to Lake Garda in northern Italy, loved it. Then, I slipped. Fell in the lake. Camera fully submerged. Dead. Done. Gutted. Prepared to fork out another £900 for a begrudging replacement. However, five days later. Having had sufficient time to dry, it’s alive. It’s fully alive. Fully working. No issues at all. Not really relevant to todays video but thought you should know. If your GR gets wet, let it dry. It might survive!!

[@thegrayyernaut]

5:55 Some people came up with another purpose: Making those cameras subjects of the same photos of an upside-down view of a camera, on a black background, lit in product-photography style, to show people that they have those gears.

[@bardofhighrenown]

I've heard you suggestion before about simplifying your photos and I always try to keep that in mind when I'm out. It's really helped me grow as a photographer. It causes me to stop and pin down exactly what it is I'm photographing, and figure out what is necessary to convey the subject to the viewer and what is just noise. I often times find that things I want to include because they look nice are often their own separate subject of photos rather than putting everything in a single photo.

[@edgarsilva3433]

Your videos and reactions are the best online

[@racecardriverrr4201]

Simply epic production quality, every video is like an episode from TV. Keep up the top work mate!

[@Gj_frames]

I took a 3h photowalk with my Leica M10 in a snow blizzard. I was 100% sure that I’ve read that the camera was WR, but it wasn’t. No problem thou, and I still use it every day! It’s a tool, no interior design for the house! Great points here! Use it or sell it to someone that does!

[@billkipper3264]

I use the Peak Design clip as well, and like you, If I'm out my camera is out. I also typically set it up like a point and shoot so all I have to do is turn it on and shoot. However, the best example I have of being ready was while driving through the San Juan mountains of southern Colorado this last Spring. Suddenly, this beautiful image presented itself. A huge peak with patches of light shining down on it through the clouds. I banged the car to the shoulder, jumped out, composed as fast as I could and shot. Afterward, I walked across the road to get a better comp but the light was already gone. It was thirty seconds or less. It has turned out to be one of my best photos of the year. Great video James. You always keep us up to speed, show us some excellent photos and keep us laughing. Thanks!

[@heatherwoodward7309]

Thank you for your tips. I enjoy watching your videos and learning.

[@elainejerauld4044]

Excellent summary of ideas. I get the take your camera with you...every time I don't the wildlife in our garden does something that should be captured in a photo.

[@-grey]

That experience point is bang on. I have shot everyday for about 5 years now, before that it was about once or twice a month. The difference is staggering. Just for a visual reference: My hands have taken the paint off of my X-T2 almost entirely. It's not been dropped or anything, maybe the hand sanitiser years didn't help, but it's largely just been grappled in my violently disgusting mitts for years. I actually travelled for a year where I didn't bring a strap so I just held it in my hand all day from dawn until dusk.

[@cliffterpher]

This was great James. One of your best IMO. Especially your thoughts about hours/days and years

[@invinciblenowyt]

I have several cameras, including a fujifilm X-T30 and a Fujifilm x20, the first I got with a huge discount & the second being free. I love both of them for different reasons and it's easy to take them out and shoot with them.

[@kenbair6001]

One of your best "conversations"!

[@alanlee2751]

I've been back to this video a couple of times - just to remind myself of your tips. For the record, you always make me think.....and you always make me laugh. A good combo - keep it up !

[@ArmbrusterCompany]

Superb. Well said. Excellent core principles.

[@charleshodge1223]

Sage, thoughtful, and eminently watchable. Thanks a lot for inspiring me to pick up a camera again, I benched my disappointing Canon 710 a few years ago when smartphones were getting better shots. now sold, and prompted by your £52 Lumix walkabout, i picked up a used Lumix TZ100 from MPB for not much (top tip also). Having fun, and take it everywhere. Taking the camera makes be observe, and gets me out of my head. As a rookie to manual mode, and the exposure triangle business.. my cheat of the week is to first snap in a couple in auto to have some idea as a diving in point for the 3 main settings - at least in very low or very bright light. Also along the lines of your advice to print your photos to look at them, I find it useful to not judge / delete any based on the camera screen, but force my self to look at them all on a decent screen..thanks again

[@irenec2252]

You’re the best! I look forward to your channel every week

[@martynharris962]

Yes, your right, it was interesting and helpfull! I am one of those who have taken photos for years - but with big gaps....Thanks.

[@stephenmeriwether5178]

Thanks!

[@klausmoritzpeitzsch690]

8:21 I prefer getting it all in camera. But sometimes it really helps to "Expose To The Right", i.e. expose in a matter that the highlights are at the edge of being to bright, therefore keeping details in the shadow. That helps me with my legacy Canon 6D and its limitations to get shadowy areas with less noise in post. just my 2 cents

[@petemellows]

Great comment about using the gear. I splashed out on some high end gear and take it everywhere. I’m not precious about it. You’ll find scratches in the body and I have at least two broken lenses from mishaps. Insurance is key, but so is trust in the gear. As long as I don’t swap lenses in poor conditions, I get the best images to work on at home.

[@kevin-haggerty]

Just found your channel and THANK YOU!!! That’s it brother🎉

[@just_eirik]

Been listening to audiobooks and podcasts while out shooting for years now, great tip!

[@jerryrichards8172]

Thanks for sharing.

[@n0w3lly90]

I sold up all my Nikon gear back in 2016, and it was a lot of gear I used for studio, landscape, portrait, arty shots, street, travel... anything that took my fancy. But, I got tired of carrying around heavy burdensome gear, and my career was making time a premium for me as well as other life changes (e.g. getting a dog, which is a time sapper too!) So I changed to a Sony RX1RII (I had looked at a Leica Q) too. I still wanted exceptional imaging quality, and I also wanted full manual control of the camera. I decided to specialise, and that was to move to fixed focal length photography. Zoom with the feet, and move left and right, back and forth to get composition. I have to say, I have loved it ever since, and I still use it almost exclusively! The most important thing to do is to focus on your skills. If you are a pro photographer, you will need a bigger range of gear though, and reserve gear in case of theft, damage, etc.

[@thatspiritualhumane]

Your videos are always genuine & out of this world 😇

[@wandagambling6523]

Saw a potential photo a week or so ago, I didn't catch it because I was driving at 70mp, the focus was driving towards me at 40 mph and the light was fading fast, but it was so nice!

[@urselfandtom]

I’m new here, James, and though I’ve been following Nigel and Mads for a while now, and really love their work, your philosophy of photography, your ideas, really resonate with me. Thanks for these videos. Keep up the great work!

[@urselfandtom]

just in case you can delete it because you're tagged in it, I'll leave another, stop it, fake James Popsys

[@EsbjornWristwatchReviews]

Great points, thank you 🙏

[@johnarnsdorf]

Love the tip about leaving the aperture set to f8 and setting a minimum shutter speed!

[@johnanthonycolley3803]

Agreed,, Buy the camera that you will use ( I've tried more modern bodies but prefer my A100 ) Yes it's nice having " live view " the ability to shot 10 frames a second etc. Yes both are really handy to have, especially the ability to talk photos without the need to look through the viewfinder.. But my goto remains my trusty A100 ( hence I'm presently keeping a eye out for its full frame, weather resistant Big Brothers ( i.e 850 & 900 ) 🤗

[@kurteichmiller7135]

Love your advice. Thank you, sir!

[@ashstubbings2603]

Hello James. I hope you're well my friend? Just picking up on the point you made regarding if you're outside, then so is your camera, the number of times I've put my camera away when I thought I'd finished with it, only to have to get the bloomin' thing out again when I see another shot I want to take! Needless to say, the camera stays out until I'm through my front door now! The other interesting thing you mentioned was about experience and measuring it in hours, not years. In terms of years, I only have about four of experience, but when you consider that over those four years I've been out with my camera at least four if not five times a week, that does add up to hours and hours! Thousands of hours in fact!

[@mishkalarsoncreations]

Tip #1 - if your camera is in your bag it’s not ready to shoot! That is why I also got a Peak Design clip. Best piece of equipment I have!

[@besperus4475]

# 4. Olympus, or OMDS. Rain or shine pro lense. It works. Or, they work. Possible to get 50 megapixels too with a newer OM 1. Equipment wise you can use other company’s products. Don’t buy what you can’t afford. Cars, cameras, lenses you have to be able to go and do. I loved Ireland. Didn’t do much photography. Leica, wish list.

[@wildwisdomjourneys7221]

Thanks for sharing these photo tips, James. It was the perspective you shared re. ‘About Something’ vs ‘Of Something’ that was one of main reasons I subscribed to your channel years ago. Best, Sylvia 🤎

[@Batch2103]

Brilliant James. Informative but delivered in a fun format.

[@sirjackjackal1042]

I’m not some pro photographer but I use photorgrpahy for references for my painting so I kind of take photos for what I feel pleasing in a painting or drawing I don’t know if using photography for that reason is the best but I guess it works

[@valpayne2963]

Brilliant ponts. Really good to see all in one go. Thank you! Also, I’m 67 and started developing my own photos at 15. Did a day release at College and numerous courses over the years….but….add up the hours I’ve spent taking photos over this time and I bet someone taking loads of photos for a couple of years would knock spots off mine. So totally agree with your point. I’m reasonably happy with what I produce so it’s also a point of how far do you want to take it.

[@JezdziecBezNicka]

I bought an E-M10 like 8 years ago, along with 25 and 45 primes. Now I upgraded to OM-1 with 12-40 and 40-150. Now I just need to get the teleconverter and I'll be set for another 8 years. There will be a lot of gear released in the meantime, but I'll be too busy taking pictures to care. Quadrillion megapixels may sound impressive, but you won't be able to notice it on a print or instagram.

[@theblackdoglounge7185]

I love your videos James...both entertaining and informative...you helped keep me a little saner during the lockdowns and now we're largely free i find your videos help me stay motivated...thank you so much for all the time and energy you give us

[@scs6757]

Spot on! Great reminder that gear should be a part of the photography budget, not the whole budget, as well as only buying what you can afford to replace or insure vs maxing out the budget. I've found APS-C mirrorless to be my sweet spot in terms of performance vs affordability, but everyone's risk level and budget will differ. Much as with other outdoor gear, I've found that higher end bodies and lenses with at least some weather sealing give me the confidence to go out in less than ideal conditions and not be so worried about harming this thing I've put significant money into. APS-C also gives me the pixel density to crop, rotate, and otherwise optimize composition. As a hobbyist I'll gladly trade the stop of light and vs. full frame to get similar AF capability, weather sealing, and pixel density with bodies and lenses that are a fraction of the price (Sony a6600 vs A7Riii/iv as my example).

[@thomasuriarte3182]

I wonder is my favorite one. Great advice!

[@olegvelichko1659]

Notification squad FTW! And on a side note: thanks for your videos. Been binging for a while. Coincidentally - just after I got back into photography. Took your tip for the “clip” holder thing to heart. Took a while to hunt one down. But yes. You were right. Go figure. It is indeed life changing. And just as I type this you’re talking about the capture clip. Yay. Also want to share a little bit of a life experience. I’m the type of guy who looks at his feet when walking. Since I’ve gotten back into photography - I’m looking more ahead and around me. Yay. Sorry about the cheesiness. But yes. It’s great stuff.

[@bartjes2509]

Thanks for sharing these good tips James. I've been photographing since age 12 as a hobby, holidays and also experimenting. Later with DSLRs it also became more than holidays and I now shoot on average every 1-1.5 weeks. I have two uncles who are professional photographers but they but sticked too long with film photography and missed out on the whole digital thing and post-processing a bit. GAS is of course a thing. I have a Canon 6D mk. II and I hate the low-light / high ISO performance. On the other hand, I can bracket most contrasty scenes and have the Topaz noise reduction software so I actually may not need to buy a nice Sony. I'll talk to my wife about spending the savings for that on another Iceland trip ;-)

[@minus1db]

It was interesting thanks James always enjoy your muses

[@LeeAllen337]

Time off work to go take photos, HAHAHA good one. Fat chance. That's my biggest issue, finding good time to go and enjoy a day of photography, especially when working 40 hours per week, week in and week out. Weekends are usually full too, with other "life" things. Ugg the struggle.

[@paulcomptonpdphotography]

I have to agree with everything you said.

[@normstangl3499]

I just sold off all of my canon DSLR 5DMark Iv Andy lenses. I used the cash to buy a great USED Olympus E-M1 Mark III with some great USED PRO glass and still have some money left over for a nice road trip.

[@tonybaker55]

Great set of advice James, thank you.

[@JFW5358]

Some excellent points, thank you James.

[@hugo_R898]

Awesome video James! Haven’t seen it yet but I know it will be Edit: it was

[@petersmitham8273]

Me too!..😂🎉

[@FallenSaint876]

Honesty lol

[@ajithor4025]

God content, Hames..inspired to get me a cam, and go out with you..keep it up

[@giampieromaietti]

Your 6th point does make a ton of sense. They might have owned a camera for years. But how much actual experience do they have? How long did they actually spend taking photos etc. Great video mate. Always appreciate the authenticity

[@Guitar6ty]

Excellent presentation with a lot of good common sense advice.

[@nerwin]

Thanks James, I hope you never change. Love your videos and so down to the earth. You make me wanna keep doing photography! Haha. Great tips, thanks for sharing!

[@efficaciousuave]

thank You!

[@ivanmendez219]

I stumbled to your channel few weeks ago and I'm very glad I did, this video as many other are enjoyable as informative. Not rushing not pushing mindsets just expressing. Thank you! As a somewhat beginner/enthusiasts photographer your videos had helped challenge my limits in photography.

[@nickelbers48]

I needed to hear a few of these... thanks for the video

[@rebeccaclark9755]

Another great video, James. Lots of salient information. Don't stress about the newsletters - your face expresses regret and guilt, but just know that you doing photography and making vids about photography is actually enough! Well, for me anyway. I really enjoy your channel. Suffice to say that, even though I find many landscape photos very boring, you bring so much life to the genre.

[@soundscape26]

One of the ways he avoids his landscape photos from ever becoming boring is his philosophy of often including a human element in them... while you don't need to do that 100% of the times, that automatically adds a layer of interest to your photos.

[@ehmj2094]

Love your content. Great images and sense of humor. Never a dull moment.

[@marcia9278]

Food for thoughts, James.

[@inigotaylor9401]

Editing, Historically what that actually meant was sitting with a pile of contact sheets or transparencies, choosing and then in some cases subsequently sequencing your chosen shots for there intended purpose. It boils my p**s when people talk about “the edit”. Nice video by the way.

[@spidersj12]

I think what you were getting at, is that one person could get the experience, capturing the number of photos, rolling the proverbial photographic odometer, that another person would get in 15 years. It just depends on how long per day and how many days per week you put in. Granted, a person needs time to digest, contemplate, mull over what they've learned that day, week or month, but photography like most skills is a repetitive task based learning skill, the more you do, more often and in regular short intervals between taking photos the faster you will gain experience.

[@profundus8946]

Had a great laugh at 7:22. Good video mate, grateful you don't put on distracting & irritating background music like so many others.

[@dalebuckwalter50]

At the beginning I didn't expect much from this video, but it is chock full of good ideas that I can use. Thank James!

[@lisasimpson9343]

Good one James.

[@robertdavis1255]

Thanks for sharing your experience with great tips & comments..... As a hobbyist I just love taking pics of whatever interests me when I am out & about...... unfortunately a lot of gear I have I don't use & should have purchased less lenses & spent the money on better quality glass..... cheers from Australia 😀

[@jeffpratley3623]

Thanks, James. Thanks for stating the bleeding obvious. No - really. Thanks. We’re (ok - I’m) really bad at keeping the sensible common sense stuff front and centre, so a vid like this is golden. So much of what you say should be just natural, and not need saying, but you clearly need to remind us (me). Except you don’t need to, ‘cos it’s not like it helps you to help me. So, like I say - thanks. I appreciate it.

[@chrisfellows7132]

Tools not jewels is a great thought! Just destroyed my 20mm 1.4 Art lens in Iceland on a glacier, worth every penny (cent)!!

[@jeffolson4731]

On your 6th point, I think to further your hours vs years, you have to add variety. If you shoot the same image 8 hours a week you will be highly skilled at that one task but not necessarily photography in general. If those 8 hours are spent taking different shots in a variety of condition then the experience will be greater.

[@mikejankowski6321]

Decades ago, Dennis Reggie, famous wedding photographer, railed against "McPortraiture" in a similar vein. He pointed out that many wedding/portrait photographers would shoot the same setup/lighting/pose and you could just cut out faces with scissors and replace them with someone else's to make "new" work. In fact, a lot of PPA and WPPA seminar attendees pursued exactly that.

[@RobinSnelson65]

Cracking video, you made me rethink what I was doing, so instead of considering how to get the new lens past the accountant, I suggested we book a weekend away...off to Staithes again. Makes miles more sense, use the kit ive got. Cheers James

[@j.m.weaver]

Really helpful way of putting things. Thanks for making these videos, and for taking photos that make me wonder.

[@ElReySupr3me]

Funny you say to not buy a camera and can't even afford to get a lens. So it just sits. For me I had old nikon lenses from my first camera. A d5000, and once I went with a a6300 I adapted my 50mm 1.8. I loved it and used it for one year until I could afford a sigma 16mm. Then sold my a6300 for an a7r3, and couldn't be happier.

[@joestrahl6980]

Thanks for your video. I've been a subscriber since about the beginning of the pandemic and this video very nicely summarized a number of the most important themes you have stressed the last 4-5 years.

[@RonaldPlett]

It's not just pixel peeping where you will see the difference. What if you wanna make a huge print. Or shoot the milkyway or need alot of dynamic range? Any of those things you need a fairly decent camera

[@jules_mac]

Great points, very helpful 👍 Thanks!

[@allendrexel7622]

Really great and helpful video, James. Keep up all your great work.

[@DannyB-cs9vx]

It impresses me more when someone says, I really don't know. Then I get to think about it. So often you will bring an issue to our attention without claiming to have an answer. Interesting.

[@giselesmith7795]

This was a terrific bit of advice (tips?) James. I replaced an entire closet of older gear that was stolen with one camera and a few lenses. But I am not a pro, so I don't need much to be happy.