The title of this post is a quote from Samuel Beckett that I found in Paul Arden’s It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Good You Want to Be (recommended by Chase Jarvis) and came into my mind when saw this video of Michael Jordan.

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I upgraded my camera bag a few weeks ago. I’ve chosen the same brand so it is a Lowepro again, but a Magnum AW this time.
I’m pretty satisfied with it so far. I can put all my stuff into it (see my gear here): a camera body, two lenses, two speedlights, chargers, batteries and still have some room for some future developments or a backup body.
It seems to be padded very well for protection.
I also purchased a Belt strap with it. It’s easier to carry the full bag on my shoulder with the belt fastened around my hip and the belt prevents the bag from slinging when not needed.

This is about something Chase Jarvis mentioned some time ago: the convergence of still photography and video.
Alexx Henry was lucky – or hard working – enough to get an assignment where he could use and leverage the features of an amazing Red One cinema camera for a project that combines still images and video. You’ll see some movie posters coming alive.

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I’ve just come across Chase Jarvis’ most recent blog post about the statistics based popularity top list of photography blogs. The list itself might be interesting to some (e.g. Strobist is #2, Chase Jarvis is #8 and Joe McNally is #19), but Chase’s comment on it is extremely important and eye opening.
Most of the listed blogs are techie, kind of geekery – if there is such a word – and how-to blogs writing about gear and techniques. Reading them can easily be addictive and photographers do not grow by them. Chase encourages us reading blogs rather about creativity, vision, mindset and approach.

I tend to agree with him.

Have you seen this?

I read a lot about photography. Books and blogs as well. I read to learn, to improve and to get inspired. Possibly I read more than I should. As a result sometimes I get pissed off because get less and less from what I read.

I know that many people start blogging just about anything like I did with photography almost two and a half year ago: without much of experience and knowledge. And when lack of knowledge goes hand-in-hand with rock solid confidence and, I wouldn’t question that part, really hard work and enthusiasm, that very rarely results lasting quality.

Learning about the business aspects of photography has never been as easy as it is today and, due to the just explained reasons, never has required as much cautious pre-selection as today.

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