Is it the camera or the photog ?

The same age old question... Off course its the photographer. But the camera/equipment makes a difference. I always think about  comments online where someone asks if she/he should go ahead and buy a new lens or camera and then the poor soul gets snide remarks from everyone.

Personally I started with a Nikon D50 - a great little camera, I then got a D200 and then a D700. For the past 4 years I've shot with D700. Its an awesome camera. But I sold it yesterday... I could have kept D50, D200 and D700. I could continue to pursue my hobby with any one of them. So why then did I switch when I wasn't unhappy with any of them? Infact I am not sure if selling D700 was a good idea (time will tell). I suppose its the pursuit of the next level. Although the tool (camera) will not itself make me take that step, the incentive to use the tool and the pressure of justifying the upgrade does bring out something extra and helps taking that next setp.

It brings fresh energy and desire to learn and experiment. It brings motivation to improve techique and photographic vision. So knock yourself out and get that camera/lens/tool. It will not magically make you better over night, but it might actually make you better over time - magically :)

Eye Candy

When I look at pictures on 500px, flickr or even 1x it appears that too much of effort is being put into post processing. At first the pictures with their vivid colors or other dramatic looks grabbed my attention, but revisiting the sites over a period of time I've become desensitized. Now it almost feels like the same picture is being posted and reposted over and over and over again, however by diffeent people. Topics are being beaten to death without much originality. This eye candy is just not good for the soul. I want to feel inspired after looking at so many pictures, instead I feel a bit disgusted.

I've also tried to look in the mirror and it appears that I have been doing the same!
So I am going to make a concious effort to not follow the hackneyed approach.
When I visit a place thats been photographed a zillion times, I'll try to see it differently.
Thats my resoluiton !