GAS Lives Between Expectation and Reality

Gear Acquisition Syndrome operates on a simple mechanism: attributing the limitations in my work to the limitations of my tools. When I look at my photographs and feel dissatisfied, it’s easier to blame the camera than to blame my seeing, my timing, my compositional choices. The camera is external and replaceable. My ability is internal and requires actual work to change. Taking photos in Paris with a TLR The urge to acquire more equipment comes from the gap between where I am and where I’d like to be. That gap creates real discomfort, and the question is how to close it. New gear creates the illusion of progress without requiring the difficult work of actual improvement. I’ve made a decision, spent money, acquired a tool that theoretically expands my capabilities; it feels like moving forward even though nothing about my ability to make photographs has changed. The expectation is that better equipment will close the gap. Sometimes this is partially true: if I’m shooting in low light…