While it might seem like you need all the newest and most expensive camera to start doing great work, this is often not the case. There can be a number of advantages to shooting with less gear. Here are 11 reasons why carrying less gear can benefit your photography.  

1. You Carry Less Weight Around

One of the best things about having less photography gear is that you do not have to carry as much weight with you.

When you carry your photo gear for a while, even if they are not very heavy, they can take a toll on you. Your camera gear can eventually cause you physical discomfort, which can make it difficult for you to do your work.

Further, less gear can also translate to smoother to travel and photo shoots.

When shooting outdoors, you are likely to clamber over a variety of obstacles to get the best shot.

You might spend some time climbing to high or unusual places. Or perhaps you opt for a low-to-the-ground shot instead. Whatever you decide, having less weight to carry can make things simpler.

It is also much easier to go to and navigate through the photography location if you are holding fewer items. This can be particularly useful if you are in a crowded or busy setting.

 2. Structure Gives You Freedom

People with creative minds often fall somewhere between both loving and hating structure.

But, though it sounds counter-intuitive, having structure can give you the freedom that you crave.

This stems from the fact that limited options force you to be decisive and learn to trust your instincts than if you have a wide variety of options.

For instance, having the ability to choose from several different lenses can lead you to second-guess which lens is the best one to use.

At that point, you have likely spent so much time trying to make a decision that you have lost the opportunity to capture the image in the first place.

Having a limited set of gear, on the other hand, relieves you from this burden. By having only one lens to choose from, you are forced to make do with what you have.

It frees you from the unnecessary distractions that come with choices. This, in turn, enables you to focus on your subjects and maximizes your opportunities to capture unique moments.

Further, successfully taking images with limited equipment can provide you a sense of freedom from the constraints of having the “right” gear.

Knowing that you have limited resources encourages you to be more bold and experimental with your approach to photography.

In turn, your images will lend themselves more to the talent of you, as the photographer. This, as opposed to merely having the right gear to capture the right moment at the right time.

3. Your Limitations Can Be Your Strengths

Learning to live with limitations cultivates creativity and lead to teaching yourself new skills.

For instance, when I first started photography, I couldn’t afford a wide-angle lens. This forced me to learn to stitch my images together in Photoshop to capture vast landscapes.

I found the time to learn and execute this technique to be time-consuming and frustrating at first.

But in the end, I benefited from the perks of learning a new skill. If I had not had less gear in the first place, I would not have had the opportunity to test out and practice that skill.

Also, having fewer gear forces you to think outside the box. It teaches you to get more creative with your photography and to try to do things differently than you usually do.

There is always a familiar situation where you might never be satisfied with the gear you do have. However, when you cannot afford to obtain new equipment, you have to learn how to maneuver with what you do have, even with limitations.

This is true for me. When I couldn’t afford to buy an ND filter for my wide-angle lens, I was forced to take my coastal images using faster shutter speeds.

The process was frustrating. Ordinarily, landscape photographers utilize an ND filter for a smooth water look in their images.

I wanted to create the same effect. However, because I did not have that filter, I learned a different way to obtain similar results.

With limited gear, I found that using fast shutter speeds created some of my best work of coastal photography. The method itself results in sharp, crisp captures of movement.

Using the faster shutter speeds causes you to view moving objects in a way that you could not before. You can even capture the strength of waves, frozen upon impact on coastal rocks.

Freezing moments with fast shutter speeds highlight narratives that might not be perceptible with your own set of eyes. Because of this, you, as the photographer, can make your audience experience a moment that feels secretive and special.

Overall, having less gear led me to a unique array of strengths and knowledge that I have gathered out of necessity.

4. It Enables You to Master Your Gear

Having less gear also allows you to take the time to know your equipment.

You will know what your gear can do and what it cannot do. You will be able to master all aspects of that piece of equipment and push your creativity to the limit. This gear may even start to feel like it’s a part of yourself.

As a result of your intimacy with your equipment, shooting will become second nature. Your instincts will evolve, and you will feel when it is the right moment to take a photo.

You will know how to tweak your settings even without seeing the camera buttons. This can be especially useful if you are into astrophotography and often shoot in the dark.

In other instances, your camera may malfunction in certain ways. For example, you could be in the middle of a shoot when your autofocus quits working. Or you could be in a situation where your camera decides to post an error message no matter what you try.

If something like this happens with your old camera, chances are you have likely encountered a similar issue before. And you probably know exactly how to fix it.

But dealing with the same situation is not as easy when you don’t know your gear well. 

Whenever you add a new gear in your kit, you will have to remember that it takes time to know how to operate them. 

For instance, when I switched my main camera from the Canon T3i to the Nikon D800e, I struggled quite a bit. Sometimes, to the point where I risk missing the shot.

It was not that I did not know how to use the D800e. It was that I just did not know how to use it in the same ways and as much as my T3i.

When you think about it, it might be better for your work if you get to know the gear you have, rather than upgrading to the newest equipment.

5. You Learn to Master Composition

Being limited with your gear will cause you to use your imagination in ways that you have likely not considered before.

Because of your limited gear, you might have to manually make adjustments to yourself or your camera to get the photo that you are envisioning.

For instance, this might mean taking a trek to get a closer look at your subjects.

Instead of taking off one lens and putting on another to change your perspective, your limited lens option will cause you to zoom with your feet instead of your equipment.

Having less gear available to you may mean you have to take more effort on your part. But, it also will force you to try and see things in new ways.

6. Minimalism Is an Antidote to Perfectionism

Do you spend all of your time waiting to have the perfect gear before you feel like you’re ready to go out and take photos?

You believe you have to wait till you have the right tools, like having the sharpest lens or the latest DSLR before you can begin to do your work. Or perhaps you’re convinced that you cannot do your best work without the most recent photography tools.

Do you wait for the most ideal situation only for it to never come? You wake up one day and realize that time has suddenly passed you by?

The truth is, seeking perfection can be egotistical, self-limiting, and often damaging.  And continuing to wait for the perfect set of gear will only serve to keep you from getting anything done.

Instead of focusing on having the ideal gear, consider managing your tools from a minimalist perspective.

Minimalism does not merely mean doing as little work or effort or possible. It means doing the best creative work that you can with what you have.

Contenting yourself with a small number of camera gear allows you to focus on your work without getting distracted by the need to have more.  

Taking a minimalist approach will eliminate wasted time researching the latest gadgets that does nothing to better your skills.

7. You Allocate Time and Money to More Important Things

How easy it might sound to trade our life towards trivial things. The funny thing is, by spending your money towards the latest camera gear, you can do precisely that!

What might happen if you put all that effort towards developing your skills and spending time out in the field instead?

Instead of buying new gear, sign up to participate in photography workshops. Or go on a photography trip and explore the world.

Content yourself with having a smaller set of gear and allocate your money on photography books and post-processing tutorials instead.

You don’t want to be in a situation where you realize that you have traded vast amounts of your time on camera gear that does not satisfy your needs.

By spending time learning and taking photos out in the world, you get more bang for your buck.

8. Less Gear Makes You Blend in More

Another benefit of having a small amount of gear is being able to be more inconspicuous.

By having less physical baggage, you will find it easier to navigate around your environment. You will be able to blend into the background in a way that you may not have been able to do before.

This can result in taking unique photos that might not otherwise have occurred if you appeared to be front and center.

This perk can be particularly beneficial for travel or street photographers that are trying to be very close to their subjects.

For instance, if your subjects are people in a busy marketplace, being able to capture nearby interactions is crucial for your shot.

If you are obviously around to take photographs, your subjects might act in different ways or feel uncomfortable around you. For a more candid shot, you will want to be able to blend into the background where you will not be distracting to your subjects.

Another thought is that you look less like a tourist photographer if you carry less equipment with you. If you are a travel photographer, it may be safer for you to appear like you have no expensive photography gear on your person. This can result in you hanging onto your equipment for many more years.

9. You Won’t Experience As Much Stress

Having a smaller gear to keep track of can provide you with a much more carefree travel experience.

Because you do not have to manage a lot of equipment, you can stress less about moving your gear into different locations.

You also do not have to worry about losing the equipment if you do not have it with you. This is particularly helpful when you are traveling or moving around quickly.

Having less equipment is also particularly helpful when you are traveling with a group. By not having a ton of gear to drag around or worry about, you can give your companions a better experience overall.

Even if you are accompanied by non-photographers, they are at least sure to respect you and your passion. Therefore, you should respect them as well.

So, do not be afraid to grab a single piece of gear; your travels will thank you. Overall, less camera gear wins.

10. You’ll Hone Your Compositional Skills

Because you are limited in your gear does not mean that you have to be limited in vision or imagination.

In fact, your lack of equipment will provide you the opportunity to focus on more important things, such as composition.

For instance, instead of worrying about changing your lenses, having only one lens will enable you to focus more on your framing. You’ll spend more of your time studying and learning to arrange the elements in your frame. 

Being a great photographer does not solely stem from the type of camera that you have or the brand of lenses you use. Instead comes from knowing how to take a good photograph and how to garner a reaction from your audience.

By honing your compositional skills with the limited gear that you own, you’ll be better equipped to create amazing images.

Resource: 23 Composition Techniques for Travel Photography

11. Your Understanding of Visualization Will Increase

As mentioned, one of the best ways to create compelling images is by knowing your equipment well.

Once you have a strong sense of the way to use your gear, you can begin to visualize compositions in new ways.

For instance, if you have one lens you often work with, you will know what to look for to result in the best use of that lens.

As you go about your day, you will know what elements to look for to make a great composition. Or, which angles might best capture the moment just before you.

By working with only one lens, you’ll master how to visualize your composition, even without looking through your viewfinder.

Conclusion

While it might seem like you need the best gear to capture amazing photographs, the truth is far from that. As we’ve shown, there is a number of ways your photography can benefit from having a limited set of gear.

The good news is, you don’t necessarily have to own less gear to take advantage of the benefits mentioned above. On your next shoot, you can opt to carry less gear with you intentionally. 

Challenge yourself to transform your limitations into strengths. It is not easy to do, but it can be done. 

Learning to transcend constraints can be one of the best things that you can do for yourself and your photography.