The Nice Camera Gear Cull: Why I’m Promoting off most of my Equipment

A number of weeks in the past, I wrote in regards to the impression that the most recent Google updates had on my web site visitors and, in flip, my revenue. As a few of you could have additionally seen, it’s been a turbulent time since shifting from the Philippines to Scotland at the start of the 12 months. Huge monetary stress, in addition to marital points, mixed with that slicing of my revenue just about in a single day, have left me asking some deeper questions on what I’m doing, what I consider in, and what route I wish to head in.

The actuality is that this web site and writing gear articles has allowed me to proceed with—and actually has motivated me to get out and discover—my ardour for pictures once more. After years of considering it was a distant pipedream {that a} father of two ladies couldn’t probably pursue (“the income isn’t there, it’s too risky, I should face facts that my time to dream has passed and just get a job”), I saved going.

The drawback is that I don’t similar to taking pictures. It’s rooted deep inside me to query the world, what’s taking place, to ask questions and discover solutions, and pictures is my method of doing that. So I can’t simply shake it off. I can’t brush it underneath the carpet and easily get a job.

But right here’s the problem: I like sharing what I do know with others within the hope that it might assist somebody on an identical path uncover their ardour for pictures. I’ve 20 years of errors that I can name on and share in order that maybe it could actually cease the following photographer from making those self same errors.

However, I’m, in the end, anti-consumerist.

As I strategy 45 years outdated, I go searching on the world and I maintain a sure stage of disillusionment for the materialistic, self-indulgent tradition that we appear to have created round us. Us photographers have at all times been considerably geeky, exterior the norm. I nonetheless keep in mind my school pictures lecturer being nicknamed by college students and academics alike ‘Darkroom Dave’, with its barely sinister connotations.

But because the introduction of smartphones, Instagram, and social media, pictures has turn into hip, cool, and widespread. Usually, although, the digicam is pointed in the wrong way to how I realized. My face is simply too drained, presently too bushy, and too self-deprecating to assume that 1,000 selfies of me in numerous places would curiosity anybody aside from a psychiatrist.

The flipside to that’s this has vastly elevated the recognition of substances, as a movement of telephone photographers look to maneuver as much as correct cameras to enhance their pictures. Which is nice. But truly, as I’ve regarded increasingly into it, it’s not pictures that has turn into widespread a lot as being seen within the efficiency of pictures. Having the proper digicam, picture, and being seen in the proper place continues to be a factor. I’m in no place to criticise it or assume I’m above it, however I don’t get pleasure from it, and I don’t wish to be a part of it.

As somebody who is of course introverted, with a desire for consuming tenting meals over Michelin-star delicacies, drawing consideration to myself isn’t one thing that comes naturally. Even in my household albums, I discover that I’m typically lacking as a result of I’m behind the digicam—precisely the place I’d want to be. I’m not shy, and I’m not socially awkward; I’ve simply received to the age the place I’m very selective about who and what I spend my time on. And time is the one factor that I merely can’t make extra of.

That’s why, over the approaching months and years, I shall be transitioning the web site to be rather more photography-focused. I shall be getting out with my digicam as I did all these years in the past within the Outer Hebrides and easily being a photographer once more, not a reviewer.

The Gear and How it Came to be

Because of this realisation about the place I wish to head, I’ve been my bloated shelf full of substances, all picked for a function, but someplace alongside the best way, the monetary strain to supply for everybody meant dropping sight of that function. This web site began out as a approach to file my ideas about gear and share them—beginning at a time after I had stopped incomes my dwelling from promoting panorama pictures (someplace round 2013-14) and felt considerably misplaced, however knew I wished to nonetheless have a digicam in my hand.

Over the following decade, I sometimes added an article, nevertheless it slowly pale. Then, final 12 months, I received a notification that the web site had been hacked. It was riddled with malware, and GoDaddy wouldn’t assist, demanding I pay to repair it. I needed to decide: let this outdated buddy of a web site take its pure course and die, or truly do one thing with it.

I selected the latter. And since June 2025 till now, it’s grown past what I assumed attainable. I’m genuinely grateful that so a lot of you took the time to learn my articles, opinions, and private story alongside the best way. Some of the feedback and emails that I’ve acquired within the final 12 months have genuinely restored my religion in humanity.

But this isn’t what I dreamt of the web site turning into: speaking endlessly about gear, being on the mercy of Google and tendencies, and a part of the advertising machine (even when actually and unwillingly) that in the remainder of my life, I’m making an attempt to maneuver away from. I don’t consider in countless gear upgrades. I don’t consider in overlaying each single digicam or lens launch only for content material. To proceed this web site and maintain it aggressive and really incomes cash in that method would require me to do precisely that, and it will be disingenuous.

So how did I find yourself with a lot gear? Well, if I’m brutally trustworthy it was a mix of things. I nonetheless dreamt of being a photographer once more however was caught in a job I hated merely to pay the payments and fund my kids. Every subsequent digicam buy could be the one which received me out, made the distinction, made me lastly realise my dream. Secondly, I shall be trustworthy and say that the final decade has personally been very tough for causes I wont go in to right here however I suppose I used to be nonetheless searching for one thing in life, happiness is the crux of it. Like many individuals, I received a brief burst of happiness after I added one other digicam or lens to the gathering.

When I re-started this web site, I discovered myself within the place of getting a lot gear it was sufficient to create years value of critiques, comparisons and the like. And because it began to turn into sucessful, It grew to become self fulfilling. I may now justify yet one more digicam buy because it was for the web site. But this final 3 months modified every part, I wish to step off the gear hamster wheel for the ultimate time.

The quantity of substances I’ve sitting subsequent to me proper no longer solely clutters my room, it clutters my thoughts. Instead of excited about what I wish to {photograph} as we speak, I’m left excited about what digicam and lens to decide on or what a part of the positioning wants new content material. That mixed with deeply hectic household points has left me very low on inspiration, artistic power and motivation for the final 3 months.

The transfer to Scotland began out extremely positively, I used to be motivated, excited and content material. It slowly grew to become a nightmare however I’m decided to resurect the preliminary emotions as a result of I do know I’m so lucky to be dwelling in a spot of such pure magnificence, to have Sofia (my eldest duaghter) with me, thriving with an excellent future forward of her. It’s simply going to take some time for this numb, flat feeling to depart me after Izzy (my youngest daughter) left. Clearing out my gear, specializing in what I truly need and revel in, and utilizing what I do should the fullest is a part of that course of.

I genuinely consider we have now reached the stage—or no less than I’ve—the place I may decide any of my system cameras and use them for the following 10 years and be completely pleased with the outcomes, so long as I merely ignore the fixed improve/launch cycle.

Don’t get me fallacious, I recognize a very good digicam as a lot as the following photographer. But I wish to use my digicam to create, to get out and see, to seize life’s moments, locations, and which means in my pictures. And so, that’s what I plan to do, and that’s the route this web site (and my personal one) shall be heading.

Less gear, extra pictures.

So within the final month or so, I’ve been trying to cull my now intensive gear assortment right down to what I really need and revel in utilizing. Bearing in thoughts I’m now dwelling in Scotland, the climate is unpredictable (nicely, we’re certain of plenty of rain), and I hike within the mountains, glens, and rivers rather a lot. My ardour is for nature pictures, with attention-grabbing folks and tales too.

I’ve made my ultimate resolution as to which gear I’m going to maintain: simply two methods, each very best for the kind of pictures and surroundings right here.

I’m typically requested which digicam I might select if I may solely have one, and the reply is at all times the identical: the Nikon Z8, which I’m pairing with the Z6III.

For occasions after I wish to be extra discreet, carry much less, but nonetheless shoot with one thing very succesful and a pleasure to make use of, I’m protecting the digicam system that I’ve by no means been capable of fairly shake—the one which nags at me if I don’t personal it: OM System, with the OM-1 Mark II and OM-3.

The relaxation shall be leaving subsequent week, off to MPB, and a brand new chapter for me and this web site will begin. I’ll nonetheless sometimes discuss gear, however it is going to be after severe use and received’t be as frequent, as a result of I’ll truly be out taking pictures for initiatives and for a dwelling.

I’ve spent plenty of time making an attempt to see if that is even viable these days of AI creation, however in the end, if I don’t strive, then I’ll by no means know.

So how do I plan to do that?

Well, firstly by being me. Now, individuals who know me might advise in opposition to that, however I believe genuinely being your self, documenting your course of, your progress, and your struggles is infinitely extra attention-grabbing than projecting perfection. Through a mix of articles on this web site, YouTube movies specializing in the expertise out within the area right here in Scotland (as soon as Sofia is again at college after her summer time holidays), and my private web site showcasing the pictures that I make, I hope that a few of you’ll come alongside for regardless of the subsequent chapter in my life has in retailer for me.