Thank you for your wonderful photos, and most importantly I appreciate your commentaires along the way. It's beneficial for a lot of people like me who just picked up pur first camera wishing you good health

Im an old fuddy duddy and stick with quality products that have been around for years. For bags, that means Billingham, Lowepro or CCS, though I dont think they are made anymore.

Couldn't agree more. Art should always be a (for want of a better term) selfish act. Please yourself first, if others take pleasure from it too great/that's nice... But don't take it seriously.

I love back button focus, and have found that assigning the lower front button to focus (as Craig suggests) works wonderfully, once one gets used to it. Thanks Craig!

Ok, even if you don't like to be judged: Great that you stopped making photos with rocks as the main subject. Like your "new" approach, keep on!

I bought an old 12mp Pentax DSLR recenly. Love it. Such great ergonomics and colours. Cost me AUD $80 with lens. And now the Sony a6400 sits at home

Apple music seem to hate the Robin Trower album so much that it is not even on apple music. Which is a shame because I wanted to hear what the fuss was about.

Would a z9 and a 50mm mounted lens fit in this bag?

I don't understand why so many photographers want to create photos that are the same as others. Many musicians cover the music of others but never create their own music. Why? Creating my own music or photos is far more fulfilling than copying and I am actually growing as an authentic individual. Photograph what speaks to you.

I own a Leica Q3 and it challenges me al lot. You have to work hard to master the 28mm. But it's so much fun. I gave my x100v to my wife who enjoys it a lot. Than I haven a Nikon D750 with 8 fine lenses. A very nice set also which I will probably not trade in; doesn't bring al lot and it's very good.

I stopped listening to music critics years ago - if you listened to them you'd never like anything. Love Scammonden Water, i led two walks there earlier this year.

I also have the same approach… I walk around and see things of beauty that I photograph. And I go for my own visceral response and my own sensitivities to colour and composition. But your insight into music and more experimental or risky moves by musical artists struck a chord (lol). But photography is art. There is an aesthetic and expressionism of emotion and this benefit from mastery of the visual dynamics of composition that can be both realistic (representative of reality) and graphic. This is more important than the mastery of your equipment and how there is an abundance of options that can dilute one’s development as a photographer. As with art, there is a political role that photography plays and not just in documentary or reportage, but in the expression of the photographer’s experience.

Every artist from the Beatles to Radiohead to Star Wars to whoever, has had to deal with "fans" who basically want the same album or movie over and over again...they want a repeat of that "feeling" they got when they first saw or heard the work of art. But that's their problem, no artist should feel compelled to care much about what the "fans" want. That said, I think in photography we are more free than most other artists to explore whatever we want, because most of us don't have an "industry infrastructure" to pay for and financially satisfy. So we should revel in that, and embrace it.

Craig, you have the ability to find beauty in the ordinary, often by just photographing your local neighbourhood. You have an eye for composition which is extraordinary and you demonstrate the joy of photography like very few others. For me, you are and always have been travelling in the right direction. Keep walking.

Thanks Craig, you have helped me come to terms with my bewilderment that is photography clubs. I was beginning to think that I was the only person interested in looking at and photographing interesting things rather than so called perfect photos.

Excellent video, thanks, and a good point. Just do photography your way. Against my better judgement, I looked for the Trower album (Beyond the Mist) on Spotify but couldn’t find it.

I think this is your best KZfaq video. This is the message we all needed to hear. You do you. Thank you.

It's an easy note to comment that I follow you is because of your self-described "Lulu " mindset.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as someone once said, being able to 'see' this is what makes you an individual! (yes you Craig) Everybody has a style of their own, it begins by copying their fave creators that spark something, then after a long period of time and experience they morph into someone that others would also like to to follow! (just sayin) nice thought provoking vid as usual.👍 music albums are a bit 'meh'🙂

I saw Eric Clapton live supporting that album at Wembley arena. A certain Chris Rea as support act!

I almost did a subscription because of this and I never do subscriptions although I do subscribe to this wonderful channel

I like the way that you take shots of compositions that others may not think are worthy. I think that takes courage. Keep doing it.

I take photographs for myself, not for others. What I take gives me satisfaction. I show some of them to my wife. Sometimes she'll say that she loves the image, sometimes she shakes her head. However, I can put that same (bad?) image on Facebook and others will love it and give positive feedback. For me, it's not really about what others think. It's what I get out of my hobby that counts. You posed an interesting comparison between music and photography. None of us are identical in what we like and don't like. Life would be boring if we were all the same. Keep up the good work. P.S. I've been following you for a loooong time. I miss your subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) jokes. You are getting more serious as you get older (mature?). Can you throw in a bit of humour on the odd occasion, please? I used to love your puns.

Thanks for reminding me about Behind the Sun. I really like that album. Pilgrim on the other hand was unmemorable.

My 19 year old daughter loves Metallica Her immediate response to my questioning her about it was; Oh my.... Lulu is controversial because Lou Reed collaborated and sang although James sang a few songs. But mainly Metallica wrote the music and Lou sang. She said she likes five of the songs and not sure about the other 5. Her cat is called Cliff When Bob Dylan picked up an electric guitar people lost their........

Couldn't agree more, Craig. When I first became a 'serious' amateur, after I retired, I joined Flickr and used to sweat on getting 'Faves'. Now, as you've said in one of your E6 podcasts, I concentrate of getting a Fave from me! And I too, prefer a shot of a ladder leaning against an interesting wall rather than a pretty scene. BTW, the shot of the church through the open gate (at 2:12) is an 11/10. Thanks and cheers from DownUnder 🦘

Yes!!! The best video you’ve ever done. Such a simple premise but the most important in my opinion. And a great analogy (anything music related works for me at least). I was always hunting the likes when I posted photos on IG to the point where I would delete any that didn’t hit a certain number. It would affect me, I would get despondent and actually stopped taking photos for a while as I thought I was taking and posting photos that people would like, should like. Then I decided that actually fcuk everyone else, I like the photos I take. Whether they are good or not, or whether they get the likes, I don’t really care so much now, but I love taking the photos I take (even if IG isn’t really the place it used to be, but that’s a whole different ball game now).

If you was using your phone to take pictures, nobody would say a dickie bird!

Have been adding all the albums from your backdrop into my collection these past few years.

Right up my ally!

Love your Good honest images thanks for your no bull videos

Good for you Craig, I too have always like the obscure tunes, unpopular songs and not so famous albums. and now as a photographer I have carried my appreciation for the look, the view and the perspective that pleases me into this form of art. No matter what others do. I was once told by an artist to learn to "color outside of the lines" and when I asked her about what to do on a certain project she said "well honey you're the artist". Yes yes I am the artist. love your work and thanks for the video......peace

Making the mundane become art is your virtue - please continue and keep ignoring the mainstream.

Just for fun I tried listening to the Metallica title track. Indeed.

My photos are nothing like yours. And while your photos may not always be blasted out of the park, they're always a hit. I like to do what feels right for me. I never bought shoes because that's what everyone else was wearing.

Brilliant essay Craig, Following your channel has removed some blinkers and biases I had as a photographer. You create images that I would never have thought of but now I look at the "mundane" in a different way. Keep them coming.

Totally agree … once I stopped trying to please others I found far more enjoyment in my images. Unless someone is paying you then do it for yourself, if others like it that’s a bonus but not the objective

Oh, what a nice M3 (2?) holding your albums….. finally?

Right on!

Great video. So nice when you find your style and go with it because it feels right for you. That´s the key.

I follow alot of photographers and your photos are up there with the best, your eye for an image is second to none.

I like your channel because of its distinct, unique style, in tune with your images. Most artists strive to be original, which is very difficult, but I think you get closer to it than most photographers on YT. I've watched many of them but only a few strike me as authentic, original and inspiring: yourself, Steve O'Nions, Ari Jaaksi (Shoot on Film) and Adrian Vila (aows). Long may you plough your own furrow - stay true to yourself.

Well said!

You photography is unique (and very good) - you are your own niche. The 40k subscribers to your channel would agree. Sod the critics.

i disagree completely - processing and cropping result in fewer pixels anyhow. Therefore we have to start and work with more than needed. And the ability to blow up a small section in perfect quality, the perspective of showing what was previously hidden until new printing and display technologies become available ... and even keeping content ready for unpredictable future options, all of this should make us yearn for 100mpx and more. We should also not forget that the Bayer sensor inflates the data fourfold, 100mpx are just interpolated from 25mega RGBG-subpixel data. That's why photos taken with monochrome cameras are so impressive... and to prove myself wrong 😉 some of my best snapshots I took with the E100rs (1.3mpx).

I hate critics.And experts. They do in fact know. NOWT.

Nice one...and some wonderful photographs too.

I’m so envious of the location that you have available