This article discusses the importance of pushing the envelope with how we approach our photography… and shares some recent insect images captured handheld at 800 mm (efov 1600 mm).

NOTE: Click on images to enlarge.

There is a truth in nature that is evident each and every time that we go out with our cameras. Once growth stops… the process of death and decay begins.

As photographers we can become complacent. We can take our camera equipment for granted. We may have been told… and we may believe… that it has certain limitations. Even if we have not challenged those supposed limitations with the rigors of a personal test.

Pushing the envelope with our camera gear allows us to get the maximum amount of utility from it. In business terms, pushing the envelope enables us to increase the ROI (return on investment) we are able to achieve. Does anyone not want to get full value for the money they spend?

If we are intent on wasting our money when buying camera gear, one sure fire way of doing that is not pushing ourselves to improve our skill set when using that new equipment.

Buying new gear… then following our staid, habitual approach using it… is a tacit acknowledgement that we are expecting our camera equipment to magically make us a better photographer. The reality is that all magic is based on illusion.

It is true that the camera we bought may provide some new technology and/or capabilities not found in our current gear.  Those advantages will remain underutilized if we don’t push the envelope when using it.

The proof of that is easily found in the chatrooms of various photography websites. How many times have your read comments from people who have recently bought a new camera and/or lens and are complaining that the equipment is not meeting their expectations?

Precious few will admit that they have not put in a sufficient amount of time, effort and practice to learn how to use it effectively.

Pushing the envelope with our camera gear… and ourselves… comes with a responsibility. That is to fully understand the context we are operating within… and to set appropriate expectations.

For example, would it be realistic for me to have an expectation that when I’m photographing a bee handheld from 1.8 metres away (~6 feet) using a 100-400 mm lens fully extended, with a 2X teleconverter, at f/13… that the resulting image will be as detailed and as sharp as a photograph of a bee taken with a macro lens at a distance of 15 cm (~6 inches)?

The answer may seem obvious, but many folks fail to consider the context and practical realities of what they are doing. Sometimes performance comparisons are based on completely different parameters. An apple will never be an orange.

The biggest benefits of pushing the envelope is learning how to effectively use our camera equipment in less than Ideal conditions… or in ways that are well outside of our normal parameters. That learning and those skills, make us far more flexible and creative.

Unless a photographer is completely inept, virtually anyone who can depress a shutter release can create an acceptable image under ideal conditions. It is what we are able to do under very difficult and challenging conditions that separates the wheat from the chaff. Continually pushing the envelope helps us prepare for those eventualities.

 Technical Note

Photographs were captured handheld using camera gear as noted in the EXIF data. Images were produced from RAW files using my standard process. This is the 1,313 article published on this website since its original inception in 2015.

How you can help keep this site advertising free

My intent is to keep this photography blog advertising free. If you enjoyed this article and/or my website and would like to support my work, you can purchase an eBook, or make a donation through PayPal. Both are most appreciated.

Our eBooks…

The Finding Visual Expression eBook is designed to provide readers with some photographic inspiration and composition ideas. The Little Camera That Could details our extensive experience using the Nikon 1 system. Our eBooks also include a number of travel photography publications including Images of Ireland, New Zealand Tip-to-Tip, Desert & Mountain Memories, Images of Greece, and Nova Scotia Photography Tour. We also have a business leadership parable… Balancing Eggs.

Donations support this website…

If you click on the Donate button below you will find that there are three donation options: $7.50, $10.00 and $20.00. All are in Canadian funds. Plus, you can choose a different amount if you want. You can also increase your donation amount to help offset our costs associated with accepting your donation through PayPal. An ongoing, monthly contribution to support our work can also be done through the PayPal Donate button below.

You can make your donation through your PayPal account, or by using a number of credit card options.

Word of mouth is the best form of endorsement. If you like our website please let your friends and associates know about our work. Linking to this site or to specific articles is allowed with proper acknowledgement. Reproducing articles, or any of the images contained in them, on another website or in any social media posting is a Copyright infringement.

Article and images are Copyright 2023 Thomas Stirr. All rights reserved. No use, duplication or adaptation of any kind is allowed without written consent. If you see this article reproduced anywhere else it is an unauthorized and illegal use. Posting comments on offending websites and calling out individuals who steal intellectual property is always appreciated!