Quiet Landscapes podcast – simplyfying choices

In a recent episode of the Quiet Landscapes podcast, I talk solo in “Quiet Moments” about simplifying choices and the impact it can have on our happiness. Below is the transcript:

In today’s world we have abundance and so many choices – – yet we are becoming increasingly unhappy. So I wanted to chat about how more choices and indecision can lead to dissatisfaction.  Everyday choices such as clothes or food spring to my mind. I often buy several of the same dress or tops so I just re-wear the same clothes. I also batch cook in meals of 10-15 and repeat the same meals when I am happy with them. It is time-efficient and energy-efficient. The less time we spend on making choices, the more space we have in our heads for other things. And the less likely we are to feel dissatisfaction and to look around for other things.

So I think this can also be applied to kit. I see many people struggle with the decisions of what lens to use and spending time changing them and being a little unsure. Although this comes with experience and settling on the correct lens in many ways, ultimately less is definitely more. I used to work with a wedding photographer who insisted the best way shoot a wedding was with a selection of 3 prime lenses and 2 zooms and that we carried lens bags around our waists and switched during the day. Not only did this physically exhaust me, it meant I missed shots over and over. I lasted one wedding day like that and I went back to my method of 2 lenses on 2 bodies and no switching – the lens quality wasn’t as good as the primes, the depth of field not quite as dramatic, but my quality of images went up dramatically and my happiness and comfort definitely increased.

Translating that into the landscape I used a 28-300 relatively cheap Nikon lens for many of the shots that I have become known for. Because it was simple, portable, and worked. I now limit myself to 2 lenses on my GFX that I am settled on. Yes, I miss some shots my lens isn’t quite wide enough or I cant zoom in quite as much as I want, but I have what I have.

We need to learn to love what we have and use what we have and not spend days wishing for another lens, a different camera body, or some clouds to come along.

The point to this – we live in a world with abundance and multiple choices – so many choices – yet we are becoming unhappier. More choices the indecision leads to dissatisfaction. Reduce your choices and become more content.