One lens for a year, one photo per day - Challenge!

So I had a chat with a friend of mine who is also an art professor at the university where I work. He is an avid amateur photographer. We are both Nikon gear heads and enjoy shooting with various lenses and sometimes loan each other a lens here or there....it's cool. He has an interesting idea, he's thinking about choosing one prime lens to shoot with for an entire year. It's kinda a personal growth thing, and he means using the one lens exclusively. I told him this morning that there is no way that I could do that, but after giving it some thought.....maybe.

So, one prime lens for a year, at least one photo per day. Film, digital, or both. Would you do it? Which lens would it be and why?

A year! I'd never make it! LOL Although I've used a135mm most of the time doing sports/events. Now it depends on what I'm doing. When I'm using a rangefinder I'm usually using a 45 or 50mm.

Probably as soon as I decided to try something like this there'd be something that I'd want to photograph that I'd want a completely different lens than what I'd just put on the camera. LOL

I've gone one day with one lens before.

No that is one challenge I would lose. Now shooting photos with one lens a one CF card sure. That way I would not mix the shots up with the rest.

icepics wrote: A year! I'd never make it! LOL Although I've used a135mm most of the time doing sports/events. Now it depends on what I'm doing. When I'm using a rangefinder I'm usually using a 45 or 50mm.

Probably as soon as I decided to try something like this there'd be something that I'd want to photograph that I'd want a completely different lens than what I'd just put on the camera. LOL

I'm not sure if I can make it either, lol. I'm thinking about it though...

After reading a few blogs on the topic, there seems to be more than one shooter that says going with one lens was very liberating and they didn't feel like they had missed shots. I'm still thinking about it....maybe 2 lenses for me

Stealthy Ninja wrote: I've gone one day with one lens before.

You should try for a week!

Joves wrote: No that is one challenge I would lose. Now shooting photos with one lens a one CF card sure. That way I would not mix the shots up with the rest.

I like this idea too....Decisions, decisions....

What, exactly, is the point of it? If someone were beginning to photograph, it would be a good way to becomer aware of framing, composition, DOF, etc. But, if you aren't a beginner, then...?

John Landolfi wrote: What, exactly, is the point of it? If someone were beginning to photograph, it would be a good way to becomer aware of framing, composition, DOF, etc. But, if you aren't a beginner, then...?

The point is to embrace minimalism. Take one's mind off of this gear or that gear and focus on the shot, lighting, composition, editing, enjoying the craft, one shot at a time. My friend suggests that too often we make compromises for the sake of convenience rather than placing the quality of the image at the forefront. Personal growth....

I am considering 2 primes....not sure that I could do just one.

McBeth Photography wrote:

John Landolfi wrote: What, exactly, is the point of it? If someone were beginning to photograph, it would be a good way to becomer aware of framing, composition, DOF, etc. But, if you aren't a beginner, then...?

The point is to embrace minimalism. Take one's mind off of this gear or that gear and focus on the shot, lighting, composition, editing, enjoying the craft, one shot at a time. My friend suggests that too often we make compromises for the sake of convenience rather than placing the quality of the image at the forefront. Personal growth....

I am considering 2 primes....not sure that I could do just one.

Do you mean that there are those among us who fret over their gear, and DON'T think about exposure, composition, etc, but just choose a lens, shoot, and"fix it later"? Who don't shoot one shot at a time, but "let 'er rip"? . I started with one lens, because I couldn't afford anything else, but I couldn't wait to be able to get a WA after having to give up on too many architecturals, or looking at landscapes that featured microscopic cities, since I had no Tele. Framing with your feet does have its limitations. It seems :analogous to trying to cook with just one pot, not one pot of various types, just one. Isn't it part of the craft to choose the view angle, the crop, the suitability of the lens to color or B/W, etc? It would seem a bit like seeing for how long you can hold your breath. Not my thing.

John Landolfi wrote:

McBeth Photography wrote:

John Landolfi wrote: What, exactly, is the point of it? If someone were beginning to photograph, it would be a good way to becomer aware of framing, composition, DOF, etc. But, if you aren't a beginner, then...?

The point is to embrace minimalism. Take one's mind off of this gear or that gear and focus on the shot, lighting, composition, editing, enjoying the craft, one shot at a time. My friend suggests that too often we make compromises for the sake of convenience rather than placing the quality of the image at the forefront. Personal growth....

I am considering 2 primes....not sure that I could do just one.

Do you mean that there are those among us who fret over their gear, and DON'T think about exposure, composition, etc, but just choose a lens, shoot, and"fix it later"? Who don't shoot one shot at a time, but "let 'er rip"? . I started with one lens, because I couldn't afford anything else, but I couldn't wait to be able to get a WA after having to give up on too many architecturals, or looking at landscapes that featured microscopic cities, since I had no Tele. Framing with your feet does have its limitations. It seems :analogous to trying to cook with just one pot, not one pot of various types, just one. Isn't it part of the craft to choose the view angle, the crop, the suitability of the lens to color or B/W, etc? It would seem a bit like seeing for how long you can hold your breath. Not my thing.

Now this sounds like a direct quote from our original conversation yesterday, even still, he's determined to go forward with the project. To me, I have the same curiosity that you do about the logic behind the idea John, but I think that he is treating it like a bit of an epiphany. I am interested in using my primes more, I just don't think that it'll be a single prime.

McBeth Photography wrote:

John Landolfi wrote:

McBeth Photography wrote:

John Landolfi wrote: What, exactly, is the point of it? If someone were beginning to photograph, it would be a good way to becomer aware of framing, composition, DOF, etc. But, if you aren't a beginner, then...?

The point is to embrace minimalism. Take one's mind off of this gear or that gear and focus on the shot, lighting, composition, editing, enjoying the craft, one shot at a time. My friend suggests that too often we make compromises for the sake of convenience rather than placing the quality of the image at the forefront. Personal growth....

I am considering 2 primes....not sure that I could do just one.

Do you mean that there are those among us who fret over their gear, and DON'T think about exposure, composition, etc, but just choose a lens, shoot, and"fix it later"? Who don't shoot one shot at a time, but "let 'er rip"? . I started with one lens, because I couldn't afford anything else, but I couldn't wait to be able to get a WA after having to give up on too many architecturals, or looking at landscapes that featured microscopic cities, since I had no Tele. Framing with your feet does have its limitations. It seems :analogous to trying to cook with just one pot, not one pot of various types, just one. Isn't it part of the craft to choose the view angle, the crop, the suitability of the lens to color or B/W, etc? It would seem a bit like seeing for how long you can hold your breath. Not my thing.

Now this sounds like a direct quote from our original conversation yesterday, even still, he's determined to go forward with the project. To me, I have the same curiosity that you do about the logic behind the idea John, but I think that he is treating it like a bit of an epiphany. I am interested in using my primes more, I just don't think that it'll be a single prime.

And, I'll make this my last remark. It seems that you're thining of using two lenses exactly because of what I said above seems the natural approach to shooting. You are probably thinking of what you shoot most often, and wanting the lens you think will work best for you. Except for numbers ( I'm usually walking around with 4 or 5), I think we basically agree

John Landolfi wrote:

McBeth Photography wrote:

John Landolfi wrote:

McBeth Photography wrote:

John Landolfi wrote: What, exactly, is the point of it? If someone were beginning to photograph, it would be a good way to becomer aware of framing, composition, DOF, etc. But, if you aren't a beginner, then...?

The point is to embrace minimalism. Take one's mind off of this gear or that gear and focus on the shot, lighting, composition, editing, enjoying the craft, one shot at a time. My friend suggests that too often we make compromises for the sake of convenience rather than placing the quality of the image at the forefront. Personal growth....

I am considering 2 primes....not sure that I could do just one.

Do you mean that there are those among us who fret over their gear, and DON'T think about exposure, composition, etc, but just choose a lens, shoot, and"fix it later"? Who don't shoot one shot at a time, but "let 'er rip"? . I started with one lens, because I couldn't afford anything else, but I couldn't wait to be able to get a WA after having to give up on too many architecturals, or looking at landscapes that featured microscopic cities, since I had no Tele. Framing with your feet does have its limitations. It seems :analogous to trying to cook with just one pot, not one pot of various types, just one. Isn't it part of the craft to choose the view angle, the crop, the suitability of the lens to color or B/W, etc? It would seem a bit like seeing for how long you can hold your breath. Not my thing.

Now this sounds like a direct quote from our original conversation yesterday, even still, he's determined to go forward with the project. To me, I have the same curiosity that you do about the logic behind the idea John, but I think that he is treating it like a bit of an epiphany. I am interested in using my primes more, I just don't think that it'll be a single prime.

And, I'll make this my last remark. It seems that you're thining of using two lenses exactly because of what I said above seems the natural approach to shooting. You are probably thinking of what you shoot most often, and wanting the lens you think will work best for you. Except for numbers ( I'm usually walking around with 4 or 5), I think we basically agree

We do agree indeed John. The biggest benefit for me to do two primes is mobility. I've go a lens case that secures firmly to one leg of my tripod. It will hold my 24 or my 50 with extension tubes comfortably. So instead of shooting at the base of the hill, I can throw my sticks on my shoulder and head up the trail, anytime, anywhere. I don't have to be concerned about the rest of my gear in the car. Polarizer and a ND-8 together in the shirt pocket. 3 stop Soft GND in the back pocket extra battery in the front pocket .... Gone shootin'

McBeth Photography wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote: I've gone one day with one lens before.

You should try for a week!

You should go eat a cookie.

Stealthy Ninja wrote:

McBeth Photography wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote: I've gone one day with one lens before.

You should try for a week!

You should go eat a cookie.

I just did.