Over time I have come to realise that the modern photographic world has hit a plateau.  One reason is that every conceivable photographic images has been captured and what we are all really doing is going over old ground (this is only partially hyperbolic because in a world of Instagram etc. we are almost at the infinite monkeys  at a typewriter moment.)    The other reason is the almost mad development of new equipment which the manufacturers are creating in a vain attempt to bolster falling equipment sales.  In a world where photography has never been more popular ‘proper’ camera gear  just isn’t selling even though it is unbelievably sophisticated but there lies the problem.  There is no real reason to buy the latest and best because it isn’t really that much better than last years greatest thing and so on.

I have thankfully left behind the pursuit of the latest and greatest camera gear, although if I had the money I no doubt would buy the latest because that is the sort of person I am.  I don’t have the money so I don’t.   I am not saying I am going without, far from it, but I now find I enjoy photography for different reasons (having spent the last ten years visiting a wide variety of art galleries and encountering many different types of art has had a far more lasting impact on my own photographic practice than an extra 5 stops of dynamic range ever would have!)  With age comes a realisation that little is genuinely new in the world but rather the same old crap repackaged for modern consumption (not an appealing images I realise but true.)

I do have an Instagram account that I hardly use because, and I know this is an age thing, the frenetic output is just too much to keep up with.  The noise of an infinite number of people trying to understand the world through square images is something I don’t feel any need to join in with.   If I have reached a plateau then as far as I am concerned the view from here is fine.  To prove it these two  photographic images of a Meadow Brown butterfly were captured this afternoon with my desidely dated equipment.  I’m pleased with the result and that is all I try to achieve – if anyone else is it is a pleasant  bonus.

Here endeth the latest mangled ramble.