A while back we talked about how your photography might have looked had you been born a generation earlier.
But what if instead we look in the opposite direction – into the future?
Based on how your photography has been evolving in recent months, how do you think your photography will look a year from now?
What subjects do you think you’ll favour capturing? What equipment will you be using?
For me, I predict an incremental change from where I am now, following the simplification trend of the last year or so.
I know that in three months I’ve only really used three cameras.
First, my Lumix GF1 when I want to use my M42 lenses and/or shoot colour straight out of camera.
I have a native 12-32mm (24-64mm in 35mm terms) AF lens which is very light and compact and sharp enough, though it doesn’t focus anywhere near close enough.
Then, my Lumix LX3 for black and white photographs when I want to use a “proper” camera, and not my phone.
Oh and when I want to get much more intimate than the Lumix GF1 and 12-32mm lens allows. Which is most of the time.
And third, well, my phone, for everything else.
This includes family photos, where I don’t need any processing anyway, I just use the perfectly adequate colour images the camera creates.
With both Lumix cameras I’ve set up their on board dynamic monochrome modes so I get b/w images I’m very happy with straight out of camera (SOOC).
The zero processing dream has finally arrived.
The GF1, as I mentioned, gives me colour photos I’m very pleased with straight out of camera now too, after similar experimentation.
I would like to play with the LX3 more to try to recreate similar colours, but I have the feeling it won’t quite be as satisfying, or give me enough control, and I’ll still need to post process with Snapseed for colour.
No great hardship, but I do know that SOOC photography is possible now for me, in both colour and b/w, so naturally I want this with any camera I use.
I still have a small DSLR but haven’t used it in months, perhaps not even this year. I can see that being gone a year from now, along with the only remaining Pentax K lens I have for it, a DA 35/2.4. Fabulous lens, but not great enough to keep a whole other camera for.
My previous beloved M42 lenses I do still enjoy – the likes of the Super Takumar 55/1.8 and Zeiss Flektogon 35/2.4 are objects of beauty, and capable of sumptuous photography.
But when I’ve used them recently it’s just felt a bit of a faff and so bulky, compared with the LX3, or the significantly tinier still Sony L1.
Also, now I’m riding to favourite photowalk destinations by bicycle, I don’t really want camera kit bashing about in either a bag on my back or a pannier bag, so another reason to favour small cameras like the L1 and LX3 that I can tuck safely in a little padded lens bag and then inside my main bag.
As much as I love the romance of film, and the lovely old cameras, there’s just too much against it now for me in terms of convenience and cost to see me shooting film very often, if at all.
So that’s how I think my photography will look in a year from now, as simple and minimal as today, but more so. If that makes sense!
How about you, where do you predict your photography will be 12 months down the line?
Please let us know in the comments below (and don’t forget 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 and cycling life looks like right now.
35hunter 
Over the last couple of months I haven’t done much photography for various reasons, and I think this trend will continue over the next 12 months (and next few years!). This is mostly because I’m studying now, so a lot of my spare time will go towards that, and I only expect my degree to get harder and harder as I progress.
When I first started it, I envisioned having one day each week that I would dedicate to photography, but so far that vision hasn’t materialised. I suspect that most of my photography will now be done during Christmas, Easter and Summer when there’s less pressure to keep on top of things.
I expect as well that I will be shooting with my GX7 99% of the time. I haven’t used my film camera in well over a month, not because I don’t want to, but because of lack of funds, and because I’ve found a nice new rhythm with my GX7. I guess as well I don’t want to have to spend time going to the post office to send off packages of film for developing; every minute is precious! I still have my Nikon D50 and I never use it, but I am keeping hold of it just in case.
I’m hoping to use my Pixel 2 a lot more photography though, as it’s always with me, and it has the simplest and most convenient workflow! 😀
Mel, have you missed photography over the last few months?
I’m curious because I know there have been periods in my life where I’ve been deeply immersed in something and thought I couldn’t ever see myself not doing it as much as I was then. But then six months later I’m doing it far less, perhaps not at all. And wondering where the passion went.
Life with the GX7 sounds good! And there’s much to be said for simple workflow. Since I started using Google Photos fully it’s made saving and editing photos much easier. And I love that I can access/edit/process when I have spare moments either on my phone, iPad or MacBook, rather than the photos just being on one physical drive on one device.
I might go digital. It will be interesting to see how much film I’ll be shooting in a year.
Very interesting, what are your motives for this thinking?
Hola Dan! En los últimos años he vuelto a disfrutar de las cámaras analógicas y espero seguir en la senda, sólo que pretendo deshacerme de todas las de 35mm ( menos las Leica, claro) para dedicarme únicamente a paisajes en gran formato, creo que así me veo en un año… saludos!!
Pablo, thanks for your comments. Which Leica do you have? Have you already used a large format camera, or would this be a whole new venture for you?
Tengo 4 Leicas, IIIb, IIIF, IIIG y M3, con lentes desde 35mm hasta 200mm, que son mi gran tesoro fotográfico…y con respecto a gran formato no, no he usado ninguna cámara de ese estilo aún, como dices sería una nueva y gran aventura para mí, tal vez la definitiva, o eso quisiera pensar, lo más grande que he manejado es una Mamiya Super 23 con movimientos sólo traseros, pero me gustó mucho, así que me sumergiré en el GF con todas las ganas! Un saludo cordial y felicitaciones por tu gran trabajo en este blog!!
Thanks for your kind words Pablo.
With that Leica collection some might argue you have all the cameras you need for the rest of your life!
But I think many of us reach a point where we realise that most cameras of one format are very similar to each other. I know I went through at least 50 different 50mm lenses to find they’re all much the same!
So then the challenge and the fun comes from trying cameras so different they really can’t be compared – like your plans with large format.
It’s the same with bikes. You might have the most beautiful racing bike in the world that’s super fast on a smooth track. But then if you want something to hurtle through the woods on, or something to stick a trailer on the back of to transport shopping and a couple of kids, the racing bike is completely unsuitable! Bikes that fit those other purposes (and many more) offer a very different experience.
Look forward to hearing about your large format adventures!
Tienes razón Dan, por eso estoy considerando vender todas las cámaras y lentes de 35mm, sólo para concentrarme en gran formato, aunque por otra parte creo que para cada ocasión hay una herramienta justa, especial, que realiza la tarea en forma casi perfecta, por eso planeo sólo dedicarme a un tipo de fotografía muy específica, despues de haber pasado por casi todos los estilos, cámaras y lentes posibles! Coincido contigo, casi siempre menos es más!! Un saludo
Hi Dan, Nice post and a very thought provoking one at that…. in a years time I hope to be well in tune with the
Ricoh, which I see gets no mention your posting…. which makes me think are you now in the position that you will be offloading the gx100 ????? and also whats happened to the Pentax Q range you were using ?????
in all fairness I suspect that for me the Nikon 300 will be gone and also the Sony 5100, and possibly the Pentax Q10…. leaving me with just the Ricoh…. which for me is more than sufficient for my needs and also recently Ive been busy offloading gear that has just sat around… doing nothing…. Will I be buying anything photography related in the next 12 months…. no….why you may ask???? Ive actually made a decision to offload the gear around me as I want to do more travelling …. its amazing just what “clutter” we have lying around doing nothing that when turned into money we dont miss…… roll on spring so I can put to good use the money raised…… br lynd
Hi Lynd, good to hear from you, you’ve been quiet in recent weeks.
I haven’t used the Ricohs much lately, or the Pentax Q, see my most recent post about my ever shrinking camera collection. I still love them, just they don’t get much use. I may sell, but for the space they take up and the relatively low value, it’s probably not really worth it.
Great to hear you’re enjoying your Ricoh!