Let’s Talk About Gear #4

Why I don’t care about having the best – and still don’t shoot on my phone.

Gear isn’t what excites me about photography.
I’ve never cared much about having the latest body or the fastest lens.
These days, I shoot mostly on a small fixed-lens Fuji.
It’s simple. And it works.

People often say, “You can take amazing photos with your phone these days.”
And they’re right.
Phones are incredibly capable – fast, sharp, smart.
But for me, photography isn’t just about results.
It’s about the process.

When I hold a camera, I slow down.
I think in light.
I move differently.
I observe, instead of react.

Adjusting aperture, ISO, and shutter speed might sound like just settings –
but to me, it’s a ritual.
A way of being in the moment.
A conversation between what I see and how I feel.

Phones are great for snapshots.
But I rarely enter the same mindset with them.
They’re fast, but I want slow.
They’re clever, but I want presence.

Of course, I’m curious about new things.
New sensors, new lenses, clever features.
But do I need to follow every trend?
Probably not.

Something yoga has taught me, too:
You don’t always need more.
Sometimes, everything you need is already there.

Because in the end, I don’t want a camera that tells me what to shoot.
I want one that reminds me why I’m shooting in the first place.

So no – I don’t need the best gear.
But I do need something that makes me stop and look.

That’s what my camera does.
Not because it’s expensive.
But because it’s a tool that helps me pay attention.

And that’s all I really ask of it.