Digital cameras opened the door to photography for me. At the time, the high-tech Sony DSC-F717 camera seemed like the perfect entry point from my perspective. Today, its specifications might appear mediocre, but that's exactly how I viewed it back then. I don't think I kept the camera for more than a couple of months. Upgrades soon followed, and not just digital ones. At that time, film cameras were still prominent, and owning a "traditional" camera was seen as doing things "the right way."
Each new camera seemed to promise a step closer to perfection. In the end, it wasn't just the full-frame DSLRs or the medium format twin-lens reflex cameras (TLRs); I was also drawn to the challenge of mastering large format photography. Digital formats demanded improvements in the process, while film materials required state-of-the-art equipment—after all, who would pay the exorbitant prices for high-definition scanning?
You might have already recognised the symptoms of what's known colloquially as Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS). I became a hostage to my equipment. The joy was gone, and I was only a step away from selling everything and giving up on the hobby for years.
While I could make the photos technically flawless, there was always something missing. Despite using common rules, and even knowing how to break them, there wasn't much creativity behind it.
Now, years later, I'm starting over. In fact, I already did. For quite some time, an iPhone replaced all my photographic needs. But now, thanks to some amazing friends, I'm opening that chapter again.
Let's see where it leads this time. You can follow my journey here via Snaps.