Letting Go to See More

Why carrying less — and caring less about algorithms — helped me fall back in love with photography………..

I used to head out with what felt like half a camera shop on my back — two camera bodies, three lenses, a big bag full of filters, a tripod strapped to the side, and all the bits and pieces “just in case.” It made me feel prepared, like I could handle any scene that came my way. But looking back, I think I was carrying too much — not just in weight, but in distraction.

These days, things look very different. One camera. A few filters. Most of the time, no tripod. And honestly, I don’t miss it. In fact, I’ve never enjoyed my photography more. I don’t spend ages swapping lenses or thinking about settings — I just get on with it. I walk, I notice, I take what I see.

I used to be all about the big vistas — those wide, sweeping landscapes that everyone expects from a “proper” landscape photographer. The kind of shot you chase for hours, hoping the light will do exactly what you want. But somewhere along the way, that stopped exciting me.

Now I look for the smaller things — the details you’d probably walk past. Patterns in sand, the way light hits wet rock, a bit of grass moving in the breeze. Tiny moments that most people might not even see. They feel more honest somehow, more me.

It’s strange how much has changed just by carrying less. My bag’s lighter, my head’s clearer, and I don’t feel pressured to come home with the “big” shot anymore. Some days, I barely take a photo at all, but I always come back feeling like I’ve seen something worth noticing.

The same thing has happened with Instagram. I used to post every three days without fail — constantly planning, editing, writing captions, and worrying about engagement. Now, I post maybe once a week, sometimes longer. And the best part? I don’t feel guilty about it. I’m no longer posting to please an algorithm or to stay “relevant.” I post for myself, when I want to.

Somewhere along the way, I’ve taken back control of my photography. I’ve got no one to please — only myself. And it feels really, really good.

If you’ve gone through a similar shift with your photography, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.