Photography gave me a creative outlet in life, and I owe so much to it. It’s my form of escape and a way to relax. It pushes me to explore new places and it gets me out the door. I love it dearly.
That being said, there’s a lot about photography that annoys the heck out me, and here’s a list of everything I can’t stand. As a side note, I hope you don’t mind that I illustrate this article with some zen photography instead of pictures of the things that annoy me. That would just get my heart rate up too high.
Disclaimer: This article is meant to be tongue-in-cheek and have some fun. Don’t take it at all seriously, please!
Buttons
Have you seen a Nikon camera these days?? Most people will never need half of those buttons in their lifetime. Can’t they invent a camera that only needs a few buttons? Where is Apple when you need them?
But seriously, I wish more camera companies put extra time into thinking about ergonomics, design, and making everyday use more pleasant rather than trying to pack each camera with new unneeded features just to lure people into an upgrade.
Lens dust
Last time I changed lenses, I was literally in a vacuum chamber and still a piece of dust got stuck smack in the middle of the sensor. And is there anyone who can clean it easily near me? Nope, because Nikon stopped making repair parts available in order to shut down third party repair companies. So not only do I have to send my Canon camera to the factory for small repairs because my local shops couldn’t stay in business without the Nikon business, but I can’t even find someone locally to quickly clean my sensor.
Yes, I know I can do it myself, but I’d rather have someone trained so that I don’t screw something up.
Filters
Remember that time when you thought you needed all these expensive filters to be a good photographer? While you do need a few filters, everyone goes overboard at some point and now has a filter graveyard drawer.
Megapixels
We don’t need more megapixels Sony! Our computers and external hard drives can barely keep up. Instead, give us better ergonomics, better ISO, faster focusing, and better dynamic range. Which brings me to the next point.
Small cameras with big lenses
What’s the point in a tiny mirrorless camera with a massive 20-pound lens? Is it impossible to make that 24-70mm lens that everyone uses just a little bit smaller? Please take the money from the megapixel blitzkrieg department and put it into the making lenses smaller department.
Tripods
Why are all $300 tripods designed to fail after a year of use? I can’t imagine how much money the Planned Obsolescence Manager at Crap Tripod Inc. makes. We all learn this the hard way. We suffer until we get fed up and spend way too much money on a Gitzo that lasts us the rest of our lives and makes us really happy.
People walking in the way of your shot to get a closer shot
You’re pretending you don’t see me. I’ve been here for an hour. I’m a peaceful man, but I will strangle you with my remote shutter cord and break this tripod over your skull (not really, I’m just kidding!). Oh wait, it’s a Gitzo. This Gitzo will break your skull and then continue to work perfectly fine.
Neck pain
Please don’t carry your tripod over your neck. Use a backpack sometimes instead of a shoulder bag. Pick one lens before you go out the door instead of five. Stretch. Your body will thank you in 20 years when you’re not walking around like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Taking an iPhone photo of some sweaty person at a party with overhead lighting and them thinking it’s going to be amazing because I’m a photographer
I’m not Saint Theresa – I can’t perform miracles. Now stop trying to look like a duck.
People saying, “Isn’t everyone a photographer these days?”
You know, photography is a way for all types of people in all walks of life to find a creative outlet, and there’s a vibrant community of so many fun and interesting people that are drawn to it. But whether you meant it or not, that statement has a demeaning and devaluing undercurrent to it. All of us are completely different as photographers, just as anyone with a pen will write in a completely different way. Just because this amazing community is growing, does not mean that photography should be devalued.
When we’re traveling and I can’t skip out on all the fun stuff to take photos
You mean I have to go to a nice dinner at a fun looking place on the water with someone that I love dearly? What the heck – I want to go walk down this dirty alleyway for the next hour to take some moody photographs!
Conclusion
What things annoy or make you angry about photography or your gear? Please share in the comments below.
