Why am I disappointed with a EDC?

[Olaf_ZG]

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Post this in the Q section as Leica promotes the Q as a perfect EDC.

For years I am carrying a camera EVERYWHERE I go. Really everywhere. But the truth is, my life is boring. I drive to my work (can’t really photograph), sit 9 hours in an office. Drive back, relax at home, sleep, repeat. During those years, I photographed a lot, but didn’t print a single one. My daily life is boring. Do I need an EDC? In worst case I have a phone…

Now, when I go out with intent, then things change. I pick either color or monochrom, I pick a lens, I start creating… i love that.

I am however disappointed with an EDC. Not because of the tool, but because of my every day life is boring, especially as i am commuting alone in a car…

Do we need an EDC? What do you photograph in your every day life?

[Andy6527]

3 hours ago, Olaf_ZG said:

Post this in the Q section as Leica promotes the Q as a perfect EDC.

For years I am carrying a camera EVERYWHERE I go. Really everywhere. But the truth is, my life is boring. I drive to my work (can’t really photograph), sit 9 hours in an office. Drive back, relax at home, sleep, repeat. During those years, I photographed a lot, but didn’t print a single one. My daily life is boring. Do I need an EDC? In worst case I have a phone…

Now, when I go out with intent, then things change. I pick either color or monochrom, I pick a lens, I start creating… i love that.

I am however disappointed with an EDC. Not because of the tool, but because of my every day life is boring, especially as i am commuting alone in a car…

Do we need an EDC? What do you photograph in your every day life?

I guess EDC means different things to different people. Yes, it could mean literally you take a camera with you every time you set foot outside your house, no matter what, popping to the shops, commute etc.

For me, the reason for getting a Q2, or any other compact or EDC type camera was to be able to take it with me when going somewhere not specifically to take photos but to have it with me should the opportunity arise. just going out with the family, a trip to a restaurant, walk in the park or hiking etc. where you don't want to lug around a big bag full of lenses and heavy "pro" cameras.

I guess if I were still commuting by train into the city (I live on London) I would take a Q camera with me every day going to work as there would be all sorts of possibilities in a large city, you could get off the train a stop early and walk the rest of the way and look for opportunities, especially early morning when the suns just coming up and the city is waking up, but same as you, my life is boring, I work from home, don't go anywhere on a daily basis apart from pop to local shop or for a coffee, so don't literally use my Q2 as a "daily" camera, but more likely to take it with me if I do go somewhere than a big heavy DSLR kit.

[FrozenInTime]

I think the Q would be fine if you always needs to carry a laptop size bag with you, but something more casual and jacket pocket sized, like a GRIII, will fill the everywhere carry role better. Or mix things up by composing and printing everyday scenes and objects you see with your phone to an Instax square printer.

When the office routine is too much, think of Echo Beach.

 

.

[city of bristol]

EDC camera for me means in my free time and the images of my grand children ,landscapes and nightscapes i have taken with my Q2 are over and above the images from previous cameras like my minolta x-700, leica m262 ,olympus em-1 mk iii and olympus om-1 digital ,

In my view the output from my Q2 is breath taking and i take the thing everywhere except work,

[IkarusJohn]

EDC?

[frame-it]

4 hours ago, Olaf_ZG said:

Not because of the tool, but because of my every day life is boring, especially as i am commuting alone in a car…

but you answered your own question.

maybe a holiday is a good idea to "reboot"

 

[gotium]

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10 minutes ago, IkarusJohn said:

EDC?

Every day carry? (just guessing)

[IkarusJohn]

Every Day Camera?

Electromagnetic Difference Constant?

Exceptionally Dislikable Company?

IDK

[Driften]

For me the Q series is for taking with me when I don't want to bring larger camera with extra lens. For actual Every Day Carry to have something better than my phone, I put a Ricoh GR IIIx in my pants pocket. It's not a replacement for the Q2, but for times I don't want even a small camera bag. My Q2 is for when I'm going to a museum or someplace like that were I don't need a longer lens. If I'm doing landscape I want a 100-300mm to isolate features, so the Q2 stays home for that. 

[Olaf_ZG]

5 hours ago, frame-it said:

but you answered your own question.

maybe a holiday is a good idea to "reboot"

 

Just came back from holidays 😩

[McMx72]

I have a Ricoh GR III. and the idea was that I use it as an EDC, but I feel the same, my daily life is boring, from a photogrpahy point of view at least, and I don't get any value for myself if I take pictures on my daily commute, although I took a few, occasionally.

I do use the Ricoh (and I have ordered a Q3 for similar purposes) at home though, on weekends, on holidays, etc. These days, the only kind of photography I am interested in (as far as photos I take, not generally) is to document family life, basically.

The thing is, as far as *other* people's photos are concerned, I am interested in street photography and all kinds of mundane things, they just don't do anything for me if *I* take them.

[M11 for me]

Life is never boring. I can not understand the content of this thread. 

One thing I must admit: I learned what an EDC is. One positive thing.

[stuny]

Even at work (I'm retired now) I'd often find things to shoot at work, or when taking a break to walk around our building's neighborhood.

[LocalHero1953]

Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. I know them well from my time in environmental chemistry. Difficult to photograph though.

[StefanoGili]

4 hours ago, McMx72 said:

I have a Ricoh GR III. and the idea was that I use it as an EDC, but I feel the same, my daily life is boring, from a photogrpahy point of view at least, and I don't get any value for myself if I take pictures on my daily commute, although I took a few, occasionally.

I do use the Ricoh (and I have ordered a Q3 for similar purposes) at home though, on weekends, on holidays, etc. These days, the only kind of photography I am interested in (as far as photos I take, not generally) is to document family life, basically.

The thing is, as far as *other* people's photos are concerned, I am interested in street photography and all kinds of mundane things, they just don't do anything for me if *I* take them.

This kind of frustration, comes from the "bressionian" idea that a photo MUST always contain something UNIQUE, EXCEPTIONAL and perfectly composed.... Since we are not Henri..(unfortunately) there are many other possibilities to shoot meaningful photos, while commuting to work..

You can find an interesting building..and make a serie of it during the year.... making a photo everyday....from the same position having the same composition...
You can find a coffee shop and make ad everyday photo of the owners or ask for a possible little storytelling about their work....and you can give them the fotos at the end...for their social..

My idea of photography is always related to a project, and it gives me the liberty to find something related to the idea of the project, almost everywhere... you can focus on something abstract, of an IDEA.. like...Effect of the wind on things, light and dark, people commuting daily with you.. after some months you will start seeing the results.. trust me.

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by StefanoGili

[Kwesi]

19 hours ago, Olaf_ZG said:

Post this in the Q section as Leica promotes the Q as a perfect EDC.

For years I am carrying a camera EVERYWHERE I go. Really everywhere. But the truth is, my life is boring. I drive to my work (can’t really photograph), sit 9 hours in an office. Drive back, relax at home, sleep, repeat. During those years, I photographed a lot, but didn’t print a single one. My daily life is boring. Do I need an EDC? In worst case I have a phone…

Now, when I go out with intent, then things change. I pick either color or monochrom, I pick a lens, I start creating… i love that.

I am however disappointed with an EDC. Not because of the tool, but because of my every day life is boring, especially as i am commuting alone in a car…

Do we need an EDC? What do you photograph in your every day life?

Hi Olaf,

First of all you don’t  have to carry a camera everyday.  But why not challenge yourself to view your in car commute as you do your beautiful landscapes as a short project? Play with focus or blur and lens choice and perhaps patterns and shapes and horizons will emerge. Your work is very thoughtful and beautifully composed. Perhaps use your commute to free your mind?

Just thinking out loud

[TDE-Photo]

vor 19 Stunden schrieb Olaf_ZG:

Post this in the Q section as Leica promotes the Q as a perfect EDC.

For years I am carrying a camera EVERYWHERE I go. Really everywhere. But the truth is, my life is boring. I drive to my work (can’t really photograph), sit 9 hours in an office. Drive back, relax at home, sleep, repeat. During those years, I photographed a lot, but didn’t print a single one. My daily life is boring. Do I need an EDC? In worst case I have a phone…

Now, when I go out with intent, then things change. I pick either color or monochrom, I pick a lens, I start creating… i love that.

I am however disappointed with an EDC. Not because of the tool, but because of my every day life is boring, especially as i am commuting alone in a car…

Do we need an EDC? What do you photograph in your every day life?

is there a problem with your life or with an EDC, funny that you expect everybody to know what that stands for.

We can't change your boring life. 

I have no problem with my daily life. Do I need the camera every day, no, but often enough.

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

[JoshuaR]

Speaking just for myself, I’ve never had success using a “documentary” setup to photograph the boring parts of life. For the exciting stuff—like time with my family or trips to beautiful places—I like a camera like the Q2, because it captures the interesting scenes accurately and vividly. But for boring everyday life, like my commute, I want a setup that transforms things somehow and opens up more varied aesthetic possibilities. For example, I’ve taken some good “EDC” pictures using my film M with black and white film and a long lens (I tend to shoot wide ordinarily). I have a Ricoh GR IIIx and have had success by putting it in monochrome mode. I’ve long suspected that the absolutely perfect EDC for me would be something like the M10M with a 50mm—that would force a kind of photography that I don’t often do.

The Q2 is pretty much the perfect capture-everything documentary camera. Maybe it’s actually the wrong tool for the job?

Edited August 9, 2023 by JoshuaRothman

[trickness]

This isn't a camera question, it's a psychological question.

Satisfaction comes from the fulfillment of your creative vision. In reality, the tool has very little to do with this. If you're not satisfied with the tool you're using, spend more time thinking about what you are trying to accomplish in your photography. Think more about the pictures you want, less about the gear which is a distraction. 

Every great photographer I've ever met talked mostly about their creative process, and almost never about the gear. Maybe they mention it in passing.

Edited August 9, 2023 by trickness

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica Q

[bill_murray]

I suspect for many people their Every Day Camera will be their phone. If something really interesting happens or appears... it can be snapped. 

You seem to put yourself under pressure by believing you should have a "proper"  EDC with you at all times,  and that you should be taking photos with it Every Day.  Give yourself a rest from that pressure... only take a proper camera and take photos when you get a creative urge to do so.