It's easy nowadays to get caught up in all the latest gear and think you need the most expensive equipment or the newest model of a particular camera. God knows I struggle with G.A.S. (gear acquisition syndrome) everyday. I always find myself looking through Amazon or reading reviews. I do my best to keep a level head and decide if I REALLY need that new camera or lens. Will it make me a better photographer? Can I do anything different with that new camera that I can't already accomplish with what I have? In most cases the answer is usually no.
For my professional photographer such as weddings, portraits and events, I always use my full frame cameras, mainly the Nikon D810. I absolutely love that camera. The files that I create with that machine are so nice. It's a reliable, durable camera that I know I can throw anything at. I'm a pretty strong guy, with big hands, so I actually walk around with that camera sometimes when I'm doing my street photography. But, when I want something light, portable and indiscreet, I reach for my Ricoh GRII.
I've gone through a few 'small' camera over the years, including the Fuji X100, XE-3 and I actually still have the X-Pro2. They were and are all great cameras. Part of me actually regrets selling off the X100 but I just wasn't using it enough. I didn't find it completely pocketable, something the Ricoh GRII is.
There are a ton of similar cameras like the Ricoh which are probably just as good, perhaps even better but it's the camera I bought for my street photography and I absolutely love it. I have had it for about 8 months now and I rarely go anywhere without it. I told myself I would become this renowned street photographer, capturing candids of people and the such. That hasn't quite played out yet but I have been using it quite a bit for my sill life street photography. Sometimes I just want to go out and shoot and not talk to anyone.
No matter what camera I use, I always shoot RAW. I love processing photos almost as much as I love taking them. All the photos below were tweaked in Lightroom and then edited in Silver Efex Pro 2. If you don't use that program, I encourage you to do so. It's lovely and so fun to use. I often give my black and white photos more of. film look through that program, actually adding a bit grain. I just find it gives the images more character.
There you have it. I'm not quite sure what this article was really about, but I figured I would just share some of thoughts on my walk around camera. Remember, it really doesn't matter what kind of camera you have, just make sure you have one on you. Even if it's your phone. You never know when you will see that moment you want to capture.
