Monthly Archives: October 2012
All of the knowledge, talent and skill in the world won’t get you anywhere unless you work hard. In fact no one ever got anywhere by sitting back and waiting for good things to happen.
I know this. I’ve even blogged about it in the past. Yet I have been completely unable to follow my own advice the last few weeks. So I’m writing this blog post as message to myself, and maybe it will help others in a similar situation.
I’ve been procrastinating. I’ve been waiting…for something. I’m not sure what. Perhaps making the decision to sell up my gear and switch brands put a halt on things. But that’s all done with now, and I’m still feeling the same, even with lots of new shiny camera stuff around.
All of my big plans, goals and my relentless work ethic have gone out the window, and I find myself often getting bored in these autumnal evenings, struggling to get motivated to knuckle down and actually do some work.
The frustrating thing is, I know I am letting myself down. I’m not achieving my full potential, and I’m not making the most out of the work and time I have already put in to get where I am now. The inspired, dedicated and passionate Chris from six months ago would be ashamed at the lazy Chris I am right now.
This must change; otherwise I’m going to get nowhere. And this is how:
Stop Procrastinating.
Be Proactive.
Make Plans. Set Goals.
Challenge Yourself
Take Action. Work Hard.
Don’t Stop.
Don’t EVER Quit.
To make sure I follow this mantra to the letter, I made desktop wallpaper for my iMac and iPhone, so I don’t forget it.
If you need a bit of motivation, you can download the wallpaper here.…
I’ll start of by being completely and utterly hypocritical. Camera gear doesn’t really make much of a difference on how good a photographer you are, in same way that a fancy oven doesn’t make you a world class chef. But the right equipment, the right tool for the job, makes doing it day in day out more fun, more comfortable and more consistent.
Completely ignoring my own advice, I recently made the decision to sell off my small collection of Nikon equipment, and switch to the “other” camera manufacturer, Canon. Here’s why….
Before I purchased the Nikon, I did so much research into the entire Nikon system, from flashes to lenses and accessories. This is so important because once you are in a system; you are tied into everything, whether it be good or bad.
The problem was that I was new to photography. I didn’t know what I would be doing, or in which direction I would go. I thought that I would be buying a couple of f2.8 zooms, and doing lots of off-camera strobist work. In both these areas, Nikon excels, so were deciding factors in my decision to buy into Nikon rather than Canon. Canon offered high megapixels and video recording. I didn’t think I would be interested in either.
Fast forward nearly 2 years, and things have really changed. It’s been months since I used a flashgun off camera, I much prefer shooting in natural light or with fill light these days. And I find myself struggling with the limited resolution of the D700 when trying to make 12” high quality wedding albums. Together with the fact that I’m doing more wedding work, a camera with two cards slots and great low light performance is becoming a necessity.
As for lenses, I only have two primes, a 35mm and 85mm, and I have been struggling to find the right combination of Nikon prime lenses to give me the flexibility I need for Weddings in particular.…
ABOUT THIS BLOG
This is the blog of Chris Scuffins, a hardworking, creative photographer from Gloucestershire.
With years of experience in landscape and commercial still life photography, his focus now lies on capturing creative, natural and beautiful fashion and lifestyle portraiture, as well as a fun, relaxed approach to photojournalistic wedding photography.
FEATURED POSTS
- What To Look For In Your Wedding Photographer
Choosing your wedding photographer can be an extremely...
- Fine Art Wedding Albums By Folio Albums
I figured it was about time I did a feature on the...
- Wedding | James & Arjia | Milton Keynes
Way, way back on the 18th of August 2012, I had the...
- Wedding | Natalie And Andrew | Tewkesbury Park Hotel
A Gloucestershire Wedding | St Marks Church, Cheltenham...
POPULAR POSTS
- The 35mm And 85mm
Just a few short months after making the decision to...
- 30 Day Self Portrait Project Finished!
WooHoo! Today I have finished my 30 day self portrait...
- Wedding | Natalie And Andrew | Tewkesbury Park Hotel
A Gloucestershire Wedding | St Marks Church, Cheltenham...
- Why I Switched From Nikon to Canon
I’ll start of by being completely and utterly hypocritical....
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