People much smarter than I have long noted that the creative ideas that make for great art often come from limitations, be they budgetary, technological, or otherwise. But as photography gear advances, some of the limitations we’ve previously had to work around have been lifted, raising the question: Is it time to start thinking about what limits we impose on our own photography?
It feels like it’s an idea that’s been swirling around me for a while, as I’ve covered new cameras that intentionally impose limited shooting styles onto you, either with software like the X half’s Film Camera mode, or physically, like with the colorless sensors in the Ricoh GR IV Monochrome and Leica Q3 Monochrom. It’s also shown up in the countless videos I’ve seen in my recommendations from people who have gone out shooting with older cameras.
“They know you can do anything. So the question is, what don’t you do?”
What brought it to the front of my mind was a video discussing the dos and don’ts of videography, where the host talks about the trap of shooting everything on a gimbal at high framerates and sorting it all out in post. It reminded me of a quote from acclaimed filmmaker David Fincher that was included in one of Every Frame A Painting’s videos: “They know you can do anything. So the question is, what don’t you do?”
It’s a sentiment that’s understandable in filmmaking, where advancements in CGI mean you can put anything imaginable on screen (and where doing so has become so ubiquitous that some audiences are getting tired of it). But I’d argue that, to a certain extent, the same applies to cameras. With how capable modern mirrorless cameras are in terms of image quality, dynamic range, and autofocus, many casual and hobbyist photographers can now reliably capture images that would’ve previously required immense luck or years of practice.
Asking “what don’t you do” is essentially coming at limitations from the other direction.
The result of this, combined with the interconnectedness that social media allows, is that we get to see more incredible images in a week than we’d once have seen in our entire lifetimes*. While that’s undoubtedly useful for those of us seeking inspiration, it also makes it difficult to distinguish yourself. There’s little more heartbreaking than thinking you’ve had an original idea and working hard to realize it, only to find out that someone else has already done it. (It’s even worse if you discover they’ve done it better.)
That brings us back to the idea of self-imposed limitations. Now that almost everyone can take incredible photos of fast-moving athletes, birds in flight, or breathtaking landscapes, stripping things down to their essentials can help hone your skills and take photos that will stick with those who see them.
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I often find myself exclusively taking photos of inanimate objects; buildings, landscapes, out of place items. What would I learn if I decided to not take a picture of something unless it had a pulse for a few weeks? Sony a7R V | Sigma 200mm F2 DG OS Sports | F2 | 1/400 sec | ISO 100 |
There are so many ways to do this that, ironically, you’re limited only by your imagination. It’s essentially coming at limitations from the other direction. You could challenge yourself to only take pictures of things that other photographers would find boring, forcing yourself to find something interesting in the mundane or everyday. You could shoot with an antiquated camera and process, or maybe only a cell phone, refrain from using zoom lenses, let go of technical perfection, avoid using a flash (or just relying on available light), try to get everything perfect in-camera without any need for editing or, sure, choose to only shoot black and white. You can shoot anything, but what will you choose to shoot?
I don’t want to imply that everyone should immediately get rid of their do-anything cameras, or that you always need to shoot in a totally minimalist mindset. But I do think it’s worth occasionally exploring different restrictions, perhaps by taking on a photo project.
Doing so won’t guarantee that you’ll end up with breathtaking photos, but at the very least, it’ll give you something new to think about and sharpen your basic skills, helping make your photography even better if you go back to the latest and greatest. Because while everyone may be able to access gear that lets them shoot anything, it still takes skill to capture memorable moments and to frame the scene in a way that tells the story you want to be told.
* Brought to you by the Department of Probable Made-Up Statistics