Why less is more, and more is less (Part one)

By Greg Cromie | 7 July 2026

Are you spending too much time hunting around inside your camera bag for the best lens for the shot? Are you packing EVERYTHING in your camera bag just in case you need it?

I came across this skate event while walking past the local skate park. At the time, I was carrying the Fujifilm X-M5 with my beloved Fujinon XF 27mm F2.8 R WR pancake prime. The action was there, and I had no time to return home for another lens. I made the shot work for me! Fujifilm X-M5, Fujinon XF 27mm F2.8 R WR lens. 1/1250s @ f6, ISO 400.

Is gear-choice-paralysis hindering your artistic freedom and ability to focus on getting the best shot? And most importantly, is your joy of photography suffering from carrying so much weight?

If this sounds like you, there’s a good chance you’re stuck in what I like to call a More Is Less mindset.

We all make this mistake at first

Most of us initially believe we need the right lens for every occasion. And the reality is that it happens most when we first start out as photographers. Being new to any hobby that requires specialised gear can be intimidating.

You want to make the most of your creativity and don’t want to be caught out without the right lens for the job.

I’m a Chapel Street local and have lived and raised my family in the area for the past 30 years. While a familiar view, I love walking this street with my camera in hand, a spare battery in my pocket, and nothing to distract me from capturing compelling frames. Fujifilm X-E5, Fujinon XF 23mm F2 R WR lens. 1/250s @ f8, ISO 160.

As a result, you invest in a lens kit that covers all the bases. Then, when heading out the door with your camera bag, you tend to pack all that new glass to be ready for anything. I mean, you spent all that money, of course you should pack it…right?

With all that gear on board, there’s a real risk you’ll be sore and fatigued before you even arrive at your destination. Once you arrive, you need to unsling your camera bag and select the best camera and lens combo for the lighting, composition, and moment.

And if those key elements of lighting and composition change significantly, you’ll need to unsling that bag again and find the best lens for that new moment. Juggling lenses in the field is also a surefire way to expose your sensor to dust or drop a lens.

Plus, you’re likely missing something even more valuable – the shot!

Does this remind you of something? If you’re packing this much gear into your camera bag, it will eventually slow you down, distract you, and erode your joy of photography.

More gear will just slow you down

If you pack your camera bag with everything, there’s a good chance you're hindering your photography. Yes, you have options for capturing the scene, but you could also be struck by Gear Choice Paralysis (GCP). GCP is a little like a deer in the headlights!

You stare down at all those bright, beautiful lenses and can’t seem to make a choice or reach instinctively for the best lens for the job.

Meanwhile, your light, composition and even your subjects are changing. But more importantly you may be missing the best shots of the day.

Photography is all about being present and documenting fleeting moments in time and space that will never repeat in the same way again. I often say photography is the art of documenting what is, before it becomes what was.

While you hesitated to select the best lens, the light, the scene, and the subjects changed. I’ve seen countless photographers miss shots while hunting for the right gear. And, I’ve seen countless more complain about the weight and impact of their bulging camera bag. In essence, more gear equals less outcomes.

Gear Choice Paralysis is a well-documented phenomenon that causes even the most confident photographer to freeze, fumble their gear, and miss the magic shot of the day. Don’t be like this guy and think you need to bring it all!

More is less

In 2015, I travelled to Tokyo, Japan, for the first time – it was a dream come true. I journeyed for a one-week solo photography experience. Of course, I packed and carried every lens I owned just in case I needed them.

By the end of my first day, I was miserable. I had lugged all my camera gear around Tokyo, and my back, feet, and neck were aching. I initially attributed the discomfort to my new camera backpack.

But really, the bag had nothing to do with it. I was carrying too much and spending far too much time unslinging my backpack, opening it, changing lenses, closing it, and putting it back on.

Look out for part two next week.