Want to make photographs with a smartphone and nothing else?
Go ahead, shoot without shame.
Want to use a 100+ year old Box Brownie as your camera of choice?
Go ahead, shoot without shame.
Maybe you prefer a classic 70’s SLR like a Spotmatic or OM?
Go ahead, shoot without shame.
Is your favourite light tight box an 80’s Autofocus plastic wonder like a Canon Sure Shot or Minolta AF-S?
Go ahead, shoot without shame.
Rather slow things down with a homemade pinhole camera and exposures that last up to 60 minutes?
Go ahead, shoot without shame.
Enjoy nothing better than the feel of a Leica rangefinder and lens between your fingers?
Go ahead, shoot without shame.
Get thrilled with Lomography classic like a Holga 120N or Superheadz wide angle?
Go ahead, shoot without shame.
Love your up to the minute Sony or Fuji mirrorless like no other?
Go ahead, shoot without shame.
The message is clear. Whatever you enjoy shooting, make the enjoyment of using it your priority.
Forget about formats, brands, resolution, pixel peeping and every other kind of variable where you’re constantly comparing what and how you shoot with everyone else.
Make photographs for yourself and no-one else, with the kit that makes your heart (and eyes and mind) sing. Stand up and be proud of using whichever camera you love most.
Go ahead, shoot without shame.
Life’s too short for anything else.
Which camera will you use next to shoot without shame?
Please let us know in the comments below (and remember to tick the “Notify me of new comments via email” box to follow the conversation).
Thanks for looking. Please share this post with others you feel will enjoy it too. If you’re interested, this is what my photography life looks like right now.
35hunter 
Very honest philosophy.
Thanks! What are you enjoying shooting with currently?
I agree with your outlook/philosophy and last night I was shooting with a Pentax Q-S1 and a Ricoh XR-P multi-program film camera.
Thanks Chris. What do you like about each of those cameras? Oh and which lenses?
And the congregation said, “Amen.”
Sometimes these things just have to be said Jim!
The Pentax Q-S1 had the 02 Standard Zoom 5-15mm and other 42mm mount lenses as I have an adapter to use them on the Q. I like the Q for its compactness and versatility. The XR-P I had the Rikenon P 50mm f1.7 on it with Fomapan 400 in it and I am just trying it out for the first time but my first impressions are good, it feels nice in the hands.
Chris, what are your thoughts on the 02 zoom? I’ve resisted getting one for my Q, the main reason being it might well make my two Ricoh compacts redundant and I really like them!
its not a bad lens my overall impression is it’s quite sharp and has a reasonable range similar to a
28-80mm on a full frame/35mm have a look at my recent images on Flickr and judge for yourself.
it renders nice colours
not sure the above link works try this https://www.flickr.com/photos/89793448@N06/albums/72157695108213212
I think I may have to get one… Wide at 28mm (on my original Q) it’s likely to be more than good enough a rival to my Ricohs, the only concern is close focus as they go down to an amazing 0.01m.
I like the red leather on your Q by the way! Is that an aftermarket covering or did it come like that?
I couldn’t agree more. These days I’m using a 1945 Leica IIIc converted to IIIf BD specification by Don Goldberg with a 1958 50/2.8 Elmar lens. It’s small (which I like), heavy (which I like) and just feels right.
That’s what it’s all about Doug, just using what feels right.
Iam using a Taron Robin at the momentand loving it. Never been into range finders before but this camera as made me want to shoot more with this camera
Intriguing, what’s a Taron Robin? I googled it but no matches!
Taron Robin: http://www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/camera-4901-Taron_Robin.html
Thanks William, all the Google search gave me was loads of Robin Hood links…
HI Dan, this week I am shooting a Voigtländer Prominent and finding it is almost my perfect camera, Good weight, functions excellently and pictures… well we’ll have to see
Sounds an ideal match! Is this new to you, or a camera you’ve had a while?
New to me and dare I say it I am thinking it might be my last acquisition. If the images from last week come out as expected I think I have found what I subconsciously needed through this and another recent acquisition
Ooh what was the other acquisition?
Another Voigtländer a TLR the ‘Suberb’ now in the process of selling a couple of other TLRs I no longer use/need, one sold and one to go
Sounds like your loving the Voigtländers! Did you ever had a Vito B? I had a couple, very pretty little things, and impressive lens.
https://35hunter.blog/2016/12/12/zwei-kameras/
Shoot Photos Without Shame…
I don’t really care what anybody thinks anymore. Two weeks ago I had a man make a comment to me in Tenterden, Kent…
”Oh, an old fashioned wind on camera, can’t you afford a new one?”
I didn’t answer.
What a silly comment. Well done for not responding. I pity him for not knowing the joys of photography as we do!
Well said!
Thank you Tim! What’s your favourite currently?
Interesting. Perhaps something in the ether lately: on another site just now, a shooter working with an undistinguished zoom P&S has it that his only rule is to “…shoot anything that works.” Even at that, he does not much drill-down into most of its more sophisticated functions. A refreshing, simpler, less-“thoughty” approach.
Maybe this signals a bit of anti-marketing backlash against the relentless flogging, FOMO-ballyhooing in the update cycles of photo gear.
I think it’s also connected with the general backlash against social media we’re seeing. People just want to get back to simpler, more fulfilling experiences without the unfortunate layers of surface noise and redundancy that technology seems to (try to) drown us in.
Thanks for these thoughts!
Lately I’m coming around to the fact that I should stop worrying and do as you say… Shoot without shame.
Don’t give a damy about opinions, gear sites and pixel peepers. Don’t listen to so called purists, of the rangefinder, SLR, film or digital confession. And above all don’t fall for the advertising stuff!
You said it all in your post!
I think it’s the way forward Frank.
I realise in some ways I fell for almost the opposite to the advertising hype in the past, wanting to make great images with deliberately low end and/or cheap equipment to prove you don’t need to spend £100s (even £10 sometimes!) on a camera to have a rewarding shooting experience and satisfying results. Like my recent rediscovery of my old 5MP Sony Elm cameraphone.
Even my amazing Ricoh GRD III and Pentax Q cost under £150 each. What can you get new for that these days?
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