Percolate

The Delights of Familiarity. When you use the same few lenses, you get used to them focusing the same way, and the aperture ring moving in the same direction, not to mention knowing what kind of image you can create with them before you even attach them to your camera. It’s the same with the camera. Put another way, more familiarity leads to fewer obstacles, and there’s far greater fluidity in the whole experience— something I greatly value in making photography an immersive and rewarding pursuit. I’m definitely guilty of going through phases where I'm in camera tester mode, rather than true photographer mode... where I'm doing a shoot that is probably compromised because I'm testing a different camera out, only to find that I'm not really comfortable using a said camera. What I mean by that is that I use a particular camera because I'm at least slightly (if not completely) making it a fetish object, rather than using my tried-and-true equipment. My confirmed and proven equipment isn't hip & cool, but instead completely reliable for getting the job done. I find that using equipment that you’re so familiar with it almost becomes invisible is the best equipment to get the best images. Knowing how your camera and lens will perform in any scenario— where shooting becomes a meditative, almost zen-like experience of seeing and capturing each image. While I typically appreciate the experience of trying some really cool new or vintage camera out, I tend to ultimately treasure the comfort (and the results) of the tried-and-true.

Ajaye

Peace.

Lissa

"There aren't any rules for good photographs. There are just good photographs."    ~Ansel Adams

Ash

A photographer can make an infinite number of prints from the same negative— but while this is true in theory, it is in reality, typically false. It is paradox that in a medium that is capable of producing quality prints in large numbers, the yield of prints per negative is often just one or even zero. Very often a print from a negative is the only one in existence, which would make it no less unique than a painting. Photographic prints, unlike etchings and lithographs, seldom have numbers. The photographic negative does not wear out, so the only reason for numbering would be to purposely create scarcity and market value. This may be desired by some dealers and collectors, but not so much by the creative artist...

Elise

"Wherever there is light, one can photograph." ~Alfred Stieglitz

Izzy

"It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera... they are made with the eye, heart, and head." ~Henri Cartier-Bresson

Tali De'Mar

A Short History of Photography: First it was monochrome, then there was color. First, it was to document, and then it was a fine art as well— although in retrospect it was always a form of fine art, as the very first print is in an art museum. First, there was film, then there was digital as well. The End. Seriously— it can really be summed up this simply, without a hint of a smirk. Also, it feels to me as if its history is mostly wrapped up just as music and painting is. Well, at least there is most likely much more history in cinema and television to look forward to...