290/365
August 21, 2016
Bristol, ME
One thing that the 365 project made really clear to me is that all of this camera and gear talk I have engaged in over the years is completely overrated. Camera manufacturers instill wants and what feels like needs in us to fuel their sales. If anything, I think that's detrimental and not helpful.
I've shot the same setup for about three years now, a Leica M with a 50mm lens and a Hasselblad with an 80mm. But I still bought a shiny new Leica M-A when it came out, because it's Leica's ultimate film camera. Did it change anything about my pictures? No, not one bit. I think much more important than what you shoot is to stick to it and shoot it consistently. Until it feels like a part of you. I shot my M2 so much over the past months that even the finder of the M-A, which is almost identical, feels somewhat unfamiliar now.
And even more important than familiarity with your gear is getting out of your comfort zone and into unfamiliar territory with your work. The few halfway decent pictures from this project were all somewhat uncomfortable for me.
No camera will ever help you take the risk you need for a good picture.