An Aimless Walk With A 35mm

Oct 4

Lessons My Camera Taught Me in 11,000 Steps

I've never really brought my camera out with me unless I'm on a shoot or heading out for a walk. Most of the time, my cameras stay in the dry box, only coming out when I have a job. Sometimes, I hear funky music coming from inside the dry box. I think those guys have made a life of their own in there, partying and drinking all the time.

So, what made me decide to grab one of them away from the party and take it on a walk this time around?

Well, during my walks, I usually listen to podcasts or music. Sometimes, I just put on my noise-cancelling earphones and let the silence take over.

Podcasts make me think a lot as I try to understand and absorb what they're teaching me. With music, I tend to follow the beat. If a song suddenly picks up the tempo, I often find myself walking faster without even realising it. And last but not least, silence gives me room to think about all the problems I'm facing.

In short, none of these things really help me enjoy my walks. They often leave me with even more things to think about.

So, I decided to try something new. A camera with a 35mm lens.

1. No Shot List, No Requirements. What Do I Do Then?

My job requires me to follow shot lists provided by my clients, mostly for corporate events or branding work. Now, without any shot lists or directions to follow, I found myself feeling rather lost.

Should I create my own shot list and try to complete it during my walk?

Nope. Let's try being super uncomfortable this time around.

And so I did.

Suddenly, with a camera in my hand, I started seeing things differently, especially the way light fell on the things around me. I was on the hunt for photos, and my walk became a lot more fun because I was now fully immersed in observing my surroundings.

No more noise, no more thinking about my problems. Just me and my camera.

2. Just for a Little While, Please

Now, here's my first challenge.

If I were to spend the entire walk hunting for photos and chasing light, the whole purpose of taking a walk to clear my mind would be defeated. It would become yet another stressful or challenging activity.

What if I couldn't get the photos I wanted? What if I couldn't find a story to tell?

So, I decided to limit myself to just 20 minutes of taking photos. During that time, I could freely explore and photograph anything that caught my attention, without a shot list or any particular goal in mind.

Once the 20 minutes were up, my camera went back into my bag, fast asleep.

But wait! There's a kid crying in front of me with his mum? Take the picture!

Oh, there's a cat chasing a bird? Take the picture!

Nope. Time's up. The camera stays in the bag. I want to enjoy the rest of my walk, too.

3. But You Do Have a Goal in Mind, Right?

Honestly, yes.

The whole purpose of bringing my camera along was to write this article and share the thoughts and lessons I picked up during my walk.

In fact, the focus was more on how bringing a camera along made me feel, rather than whether I had good photos to show or a story to tell.

4. What I Learnt During This Walk

Once I turned on my camera, everything changed.

I started noticing how light spilled across my surroundings. I felt excited whenever I spotted something interesting to photograph. And, most importantly, the camera distracted me from the worries and problems I had been carrying around throughout the week.

It also motivated me to practise more.

You see, I didn't spend time thinking about which lens I should bring, which camera I should use, or what shots I needed to take. I simply grabbed the smallest dude with the smallest lens and headed out. I'd figure something out along the way.

(For those wondering, it was my Sony A7 III paired with a 35mm f/1.8 lens.)

Since taking my camera out when I'm not working was never something I regularly practised, this whole experience brought back the curious little dude in me who had just started photography.

No strings attached. Just the joy of taking photos, exploring, and not worrying about the end results. Pure, magical fun.

It reminded me of how much joy I felt when I first picked up a camera. Somewhere along the way, when we turn our passion into a career, we tend to forget how and why we fell in love with it in the first place.

All work and no play makes Alfred a dull boy.

And boy, did I feel refreshed.

Another lesson I learnt was about letting go of control.

Since I took my walk at night, I couldn't really see what my photos looked like until I enlarged them or brightened them up in post-production. Some turned out to be pleasant surprises. They were awesome! Others, well, they were just plain poop.

It brought me back to my DSLR days when I was still using the Nikon D750, unlike now, when I use Sony mirrorless cameras that allow me to preview my shots before taking them.

There was something nice about not knowing exactly how my photos would turn out. It reminded me of a simpler time, when it was just me, my Nikon D750, and a 35mm lens.

5. Last but Not Least

So, will I bring my camera out with me even when I'm not working?

Yes, I definitely will.

But I also need to remind myself of my priorities. I don't want my camera to become another distraction that stops me from enjoying the things around me, just like how doomscrolling can make us miss out on the little things in life.

So, what will I do differently now that I'll be carrying a camera in my bag?

First, I'll give myself a time limit. Okay, just 20 minutes, please. And if you're nice, you can take more photos after two hours, but only after you've finished your food.

Second, I'll write about my experiences and journal them with some of my photos, just like this article.

And lastly, if I'm feeling up to it, I'll create shot lists or come up with stories to tell before heading out to hunt for the photos I need. But only for a while, and depending on what I want to achieve that day.

It feels great to practise again. It feels great to be reminded of why I picked up a camera in the first place. And it feels great to take photos for myself, without a shot list or a set of requirements to fulfil.

11,000 steps with a camera in my hand, and I got to know myself a little better all over again.

Alfred Twj