As photographers we have the fortune of needing equipment to do our art. Complex, shiny equpiment! "Ooohh! You have the new G-whiz Super? Boy, I gotta get one of those too." We tend to accuire gear like crazed collectors. It's very tempting to want to drag everything we own with us when we go to photograph, just incase we could possibly use it, not need it. Like when you take your macro lens and lights out to shoot mushrooms but take your 500mm f/4 just incase you see wildlife. It's easy to want to always "cover your bases" but the fact is, you rarely use all that junk at a one time. Zooms are supposed to make life easier by reducing the number of lenses that you carry but are not a true substitute for the fixed lens that it replaces. Most long time and pro shooters don't fiddle with lots of lenses or lens settings on their zooms, but prefer certain lenses for the "look" that they like/want. A true minimalist outfit would be a body and either 35mm or 50mm lens. That's it. After that, it is a matter of how much gear do you need to do what you want. I shoot maybe 85% of my general assignment work with 2 bodies, a 24mm, 50mm and 85mm. I've learned that it's all I normally need. I do have a bag full of everything else in the car incase I need it though. Zooms are tools. Either they do what you want/need or they don't. Generally, I have no need for zooms but love my 80-200mm f/2.8 and use it regularly for sports. Shorter zooms just don't do it for me, so I don't use them. Other people love their 28-70's or 20-35's and that's great too. When a photographer really knows their subject and themselves, they rarely feel the need to drag a big bag of equipment with them. They take what they need. If that means for you to take a 28-70 and a 70-210 and it covers your needs then you have your minimal gear. Photography, like all other arts, is very personal and no 2 shooters work or shoot the same way. Find what is best for you but remember, the less you have to lug around, the more likely you are to be in the mood to find pictures. Jonathan Castner Photojournalist Denver
