As someone who works in a non-creative job 9-5 and has other interests/ commitments I totally relate to this. Those short time bursts of shooting send me home feeling accomplished regardless of whether I succeeded or failed at capturing something I liked.
Thank you for reading and I’m glad that this resonated. I am surprised at how little even a creative leaning job leaves to photograph, especially with children in the mix too. But we always have little bits of time! I have a video coming out soon on how I use my time to be the most creative so look out for that soon!
Such great advice, honestly. It’s been the worst here weather wise so I leave cameras at home, but having a camera while even doing the mundane things can make for photo ops if your eyeballs are in camera mode haha. Also love that you made a whole informative post that was super engaging with only two photos, definitely taking that as a takeaway for my Substack. Cheers!!
Yes! If you can try and stay in camera mode haha I love that, then it open up the ops a lot! There is always something around to capture. Haha and I’m glad my two photo substack was inspiring…I was like man I haven’t really shot much what will I share but it ended up being a fun challenge. Thanks for reading
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Lucy. They resonate very well with mine.
I had a moment of clarity recently: the less time I have to dedicate purely to photography, the more my pictures evolve into what I really want do document.
It sort of helps me to develop my photographic language. Still not sure where this is taking me though, but it actually feels safe.
And yes, we all know about them grey hairs - it’s like a count down🙈
My dilemma when taking photos for myself would always be that I felt kinda self conscious holding a camera in public and nothing would ever be "photo worthy" to me but when I'd go out without a camera then all of a sudden the lighting outside would be gorgeous and great things present themselves. Recently I picked up a small Olympus CCD point and shoot so hopefully that'll help change things. Also how are you not a Pink Floyd fan??
Oh my god yes! This happens to me too - the weather and the photo ops you mention. I didn’t have a camera yesterday as I was out doing groceries with my mum and then I saw all these yellow raincoats laying on a bench and I was like ohhhhh that would have been so good haha!
Having something small and pocketable and easy will definitely help you I think.
Lux is a big pink Floyd fan and I do like the early stuff but it’s a bit boomer sometimes haha 😆 but of course they are iconic and influential and Dave gilmours voice is brilliant too.
Great piece. I’ve been feeling the same way. Time is an enemy. “A predator that stalks us” but I’ve bee. Trying hard to change that point of view. I’ve been taking whatever photos I can with whatever time I have and it’s made me much happier.
Thanks ☺️ yes I’ve noticed you are just shooting when you can and making the best of it. We are all so busy these days it’s the only way! Thanks for reading
I've been having this exact struggle lately of whether to bring a camera with me when I'm out and about! I'll bring a camera out with me and never even take it out of the case and it feels like "what was the point of bringing it", but you never know when something will catch your eye.
My oldest just turned seven, and my youngest starts school in September. While that’s bittersweet, I’m realizing how much creative time I’ll get back.
Photography let me be there for the early years—working from home, doing school runs, and joining kids’ groups. My business has thrived in short bursts of creativity, making me more efficient and keeping me going.
I love this new mantra "just two photos". I wish I wasn't so trapped in my head and could just TAKE the photo. Like the cute little neighborhood libraries people build and I'm just driving by rather than stopping and taking the photo. Ugh. One day. 🤞🏻
So true, Lucy. I spent 43 years as a "desk jockey" for various insurance companies. Is that what I wanted to do when I started in 1979? No bloody chance. I'd discovered the photography bug when I was 13 (1974) and had been shooting anything and everything since. What I really wanted to do was to be a freelancer working for the likes of National Geographic. I had no idea how to achieve this and no-one was going to give a snot-nosed, working class "oik" from just outside Manchester any advice on where I might start. This was a long time before the internet. I made do with weekends away with friends walking / hiking and it felt good. The world changes and photojournalists are now prime targets, so maybe I dodged a bullet - literally. I'm now retired and I have a bit more time to try to find one, let alone two, photos that change my photography. In the UK we say that there's no such thing as bad weather - just inappropriate clothing. Sound philosophy for our climate..... Grey hairs? I have nothing but.
As someone who works in a non-creative job 9-5 and has other interests/ commitments I totally relate to this. Those short time bursts of shooting send me home feeling accomplished regardless of whether I succeeded or failed at capturing something I liked.
Thank you for reading and I’m glad that this resonated. I am surprised at how little even a creative leaning job leaves to photograph, especially with children in the mix too. But we always have little bits of time! I have a video coming out soon on how I use my time to be the most creative so look out for that soon!
Looking forward to it!
Hi just stopping by. You re-ignited my interest in Substack given my invisibility on IG. Russ (llkoolwhip on IG)
Oh that’s awesome to hear! I hope you find more positive interactions and community here!
thank you for this little but tremendously important reminder <3
Thank you for reading!
Such great advice, honestly. It’s been the worst here weather wise so I leave cameras at home, but having a camera while even doing the mundane things can make for photo ops if your eyeballs are in camera mode haha. Also love that you made a whole informative post that was super engaging with only two photos, definitely taking that as a takeaway for my Substack. Cheers!!
Yes! If you can try and stay in camera mode haha I love that, then it open up the ops a lot! There is always something around to capture. Haha and I’m glad my two photo substack was inspiring…I was like man I haven’t really shot much what will I share but it ended up being a fun challenge. Thanks for reading
Libraries and librarians love you back!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Lucy. They resonate very well with mine.
I had a moment of clarity recently: the less time I have to dedicate purely to photography, the more my pictures evolve into what I really want do document.
It sort of helps me to develop my photographic language. Still not sure where this is taking me though, but it actually feels safe.
And yes, we all know about them grey hairs - it’s like a count down🙈
Cheers Hanno
My dilemma when taking photos for myself would always be that I felt kinda self conscious holding a camera in public and nothing would ever be "photo worthy" to me but when I'd go out without a camera then all of a sudden the lighting outside would be gorgeous and great things present themselves. Recently I picked up a small Olympus CCD point and shoot so hopefully that'll help change things. Also how are you not a Pink Floyd fan??
Oh my god yes! This happens to me too - the weather and the photo ops you mention. I didn’t have a camera yesterday as I was out doing groceries with my mum and then I saw all these yellow raincoats laying on a bench and I was like ohhhhh that would have been so good haha!
Having something small and pocketable and easy will definitely help you I think.
Lux is a big pink Floyd fan and I do like the early stuff but it’s a bit boomer sometimes haha 😆 but of course they are iconic and influential and Dave gilmours voice is brilliant too.
Great piece. I’ve been feeling the same way. Time is an enemy. “A predator that stalks us” but I’ve bee. Trying hard to change that point of view. I’ve been taking whatever photos I can with whatever time I have and it’s made me much happier.
Thanks ☺️ yes I’ve noticed you are just shooting when you can and making the best of it. We are all so busy these days it’s the only way! Thanks for reading
I've been having this exact struggle lately of whether to bring a camera with me when I'm out and about! I'll bring a camera out with me and never even take it out of the case and it feels like "what was the point of bringing it", but you never know when something will catch your eye.
My oldest just turned seven, and my youngest starts school in September. While that’s bittersweet, I’m realizing how much creative time I’ll get back.
Photography let me be there for the early years—working from home, doing school runs, and joining kids’ groups. My business has thrived in short bursts of creativity, making me more efficient and keeping me going.
I love this new mantra "just two photos". I wish I wasn't so trapped in my head and could just TAKE the photo. Like the cute little neighborhood libraries people build and I'm just driving by rather than stopping and taking the photo. Ugh. One day. 🤞🏻
So true, Lucy. I spent 43 years as a "desk jockey" for various insurance companies. Is that what I wanted to do when I started in 1979? No bloody chance. I'd discovered the photography bug when I was 13 (1974) and had been shooting anything and everything since. What I really wanted to do was to be a freelancer working for the likes of National Geographic. I had no idea how to achieve this and no-one was going to give a snot-nosed, working class "oik" from just outside Manchester any advice on where I might start. This was a long time before the internet. I made do with weekends away with friends walking / hiking and it felt good. The world changes and photojournalists are now prime targets, so maybe I dodged a bullet - literally. I'm now retired and I have a bit more time to try to find one, let alone two, photos that change my photography. In the UK we say that there's no such thing as bad weather - just inappropriate clothing. Sound philosophy for our climate..... Grey hairs? I have nothing but.