Lea & Lens

What can I say about Charleston that doesn’t sound cliché? I’m not a southern girl. I’m from California, people. The only true commonalities are the muted colors and palm trees. Somehow, Charleston and the surrounding area just fits me.

I love walking around the downtown peninsula, especially the old city side, with its cobblestone streets and colorful houses (aptly named “Rainbow Row”), and stopping in for a beverage at the myriad of independent coffee shops scattered throughout the area. I love driving along The Battery to take in the impressive homes with their old world charm and unique architecture. (Don’t worry, my husband is driving so I’m free to gaze to my heart’s content).

I adore the ocean air and dolphin spotting in the bay. Yes, I’ve spotted them. I love how just being there invites one to go outside. Regardless of the time of day, there’s no shortage of people walking their dogs or enjoying a stroll. And you don’t have to go far to find yourself in a lovely park, full of picturesque greenery. I love the history of Charleston, and appreciate even the shameful parts because I think history is probably the greatest teacher, and I know for myself, I want to learn its lessons so I’m not doomed to repeat them.

I can’t visit Charleston without taking a trip to the beach. Just a short 20-25 minute drive away, through Mount Pleasant, you’ll find yourself at Isle of Palms beach. It’s probably my favorite beach on either coast thus far. It has a vibe I can’t quite place. Definitely nothing like the beaches I grew up going to in southern Cali, but also not quite like other east coast beaches I’ve been to either. It’s very calming, very relaxing and never packed when I seem to find myself there, which is especially enjoyable.

I know I’ve barely scratched the surface of all Charleston has to offer. I look forward to further exploration.

As I focus on rediscovering my love of photography, I’m placing a high priority on using simple gear. Having sold off all but one tiny point and shoot camera, I committed to cut my G.A.S. (a.k.a. “gear acquisition syndrome”) down by half and also not to purchase anything I won’t keep for at least a year. In keeping with that, I’ve made my first post selling-all-my-gear purchase. And you know what? You can’t go wrong with a classic.

The Canon 5D was my first full frame camera. My first “serious” camera. I had a few Canon APS-C sensor cameras prior to it, but the 5D was the camera I used when my photography really transformed into something that was actually good. Something I was proud of. There’s a definite sense of nostalgia surrounding that camera for me. Along with it, I purchased a 50mm f/1.4 – also a classic. But nostalgia wasn’t the only reason I made this purchase. I also wanted something simple, remember? Something without all the bells and whistles of the newer bodies. Something with less settings to manage and a less complicated menu. Something with an OPTICAL VIEWFINDER that wasn’t a rangefinder. I can’t tell you how over I am staring at screens, let alone putting one (in the form of an EVF) up to my eye continually.

And where did I snag this classic duo? Well, surprisingly, I ordered them both from MPB for a grand total of $378. That’s right. Less than $400 for a full frame camera and lens. If you’ve been around a while, you know that I had a bad experience with MPB last year. Probably one of the worst retail experiences of my life actually. And that wasn’t the only bad experience I had with them. I also know I’m not the only one as I’ve heard from many others in the USA who shared their own tales of woe. But when a few very popular YouTubers were among them, I thought maybe it would get the company’s attention and they’d address some of these issues. I’ll certainly keep you posted about the experience and update my previous review if needed. (UPDATE: I’ve had a few other experiences with MPB since writing this and they’ve been good. I guess the bad press from well know photographers got their attention!)

While I await the arrival this camera and lens, I decided to go back through my archives and pull out some images I previously shot with this camera to share here. There were way too many to go through all of them but here is a small selection of images shot back in 2012-2013, my first year with this camera.

When life gets hard, I put my camera down. For some, it’s the opposite. Some use their camera to help process through hardship and stress. Not me. During stressful or busy seasons, I strip my life down to the bare essentials. I may take a few random shots here and there, but overall, I conserve my energy for survival rather than expend it on creation.

Even I was surprised to see that I haven’t posted since August. But here I am. Ready and excited for fall. I hope to get out on a few photo walks with my daughter in the not too distant future.

I’ve been on the cusp of it so many times. I’ve certainly talked about it enough. As of today, it’s official. I sold all the rest of my gear, save for one point and shoot camera.​ I’ve been selling off the camera equipment I’ve amassed for a year now, but never had the courage to literally get rid of it all. Knowing I’d take a loss was part of the reason I’ve held onto it for so long, and instead of clearing things out, I kept adding more, trying desperately to make it all work for me. 

I think it might sound ridiculous, but I have no other way to describe it. I truly felt like my gear was an anvil around my neck, dragging me down, keeping me from lifting my head to see and photograph the world around me. Too many tools, not enough vision. Too much time spent on acquisition, not enough time spent on creation. Once upon a time, I was passionate about photography. I had one camera and a 50mm lens, only I didn’t understand crop factors so had no idea for years that my nifty 50 was actually more like 80mm. I didn’t know, but I didn’t care. I just took photos. Gosh, I miss that.

Truth be told, I’m in serious danger of no longer photographing my own life in a meaningful way. I get stuck just choosing what camera and lens to use! My kids HATE having their pictures taken now. I’ve ruined them. I’ve been in need of a complete reset for such a long time, but never fully committed myself to it. Kind of like an alcoholic who keeps a bottle of whiskey in a drawer at work. It was time to pour it down the drain. No more contingencies. 

And so, it’s all gone. The bodies, the lenses…all sold. And I feel so relieved. Now it’s just me, an iPhone, and my Ricoh GRII (“Squirt”). It shouldn’t take so much work to get back to where I was ten years ago, photographing for the love of it, instinctually, not over thinking everything. 

I decluttered my house, my garage, my gear…maybe what I needed all along was to declutter myself. There was a tempest within, and now, in its place you’ll find a resolute calm. The kind that lets you breathe deeply and exhale fully. It’s exactly where I need to be.

Stuff. All kinds of stuff. We fill our lives with it. Every nook and cranny of every drawer, closet, glovebox and shelf…packed with stuff. Some of it is necessary. Some of it is useful. Some of it is sentimental. But most of it is wasteful. As I’ve come to terms with my own gear acquisition syndrome (a.k.a. G.A.S.), I’ve realized that it extends far past camera equipment. My life is littered with things I don’t use and don’t need, and my most of my friends would consider me a minimalist! I spend so much time caring for all the stuff, organizing all the stuff, even spending more money buying containers to store the stuff. Why, when it only drags me down?

No more. I’ve been working on an intense declutter of my house for the past month. As I sit typing this, the garage is the only space left to tackle. The amount of things I have been able to donate or sell up to this point has been astounding. And liberating.

It’s no secret that I switch out my gear quite often. What can I say? I like trying new cameras and lenses. But even that has been something I’ve identified as wasteful. I’ve had a higher turnover rate in the last year than is normal, even for me. I’ve decided that if I’m unlikely to keep it for at least a year, I shouldn’t buy it. Far too often, I take a loss and even small losses add up. I’d like to be a more conscious consumer. And I’d like to stop being so distracted by learning new gear that I’m able to actually go out and take pictures. Novel, huh? I’ve barely touched on my ongoing project goals this year. I’ll certainly never get them done that way!

Moving forward I plan to lessen my gear turnover rate by at least half, go out and shoot more, share more and enjoy feeling less encumbered by material possessions. So far, it feels great.