Photo by
synyan
In this week's Question of the week, members of the community said the biggest positive changes to their photography came from simplifying their gear and embracing a few smart tools and habits, rather than chasing specs alone.
Some of you pointed to big-ticket purchases, such as returning to interchangeable-lens systems after a long absence or investing in a medium-format body. In contrast, others highlighted inexpensive adapters, flashes, or AI tools that quietly transformed your workflow. A recurring theme was that anything which removed friction, such as lens changes, menu-diving, clunky tripods, or excessive retouching, freed you to focus more on composition, timing, and storytelling.
Read on for a spotlight selection of contributions, and then join our forum community to share your great photos and the stories they tell.
New gear rekindling motivation
Photo by
MyReality
Several community members did point to new cameras or lenses as their standout change, but not only for the specs. What mattered most was how a body or lens made them feel: whether they were more inclined to get out to take photographs, more confident handling the camera or less distracted by constant gear decisions.
Alan Sh: I know it sounds odd, but buying the Fuji X-E5 rekindled my excitement for street photography. The camera just felt 'right' in my hand - much more so than the X100VI I had purchased over 12 months before.
barefeetDave: New gear. Pulled the trigger and picked up the Panasonic Lumix S1R2… It's a heavy kit, but the images I get are terrific. I love the tactile controls of the S1R2 - I rarely have to dig into the menus to change setup.
Poppamies: Getting my telephoto zoom for Fuji, the Sigma 100-400 DG dn os. They say gear doesn't matter, but it does, wildlife is hard with a 16-80mm zoom, haha.
tvgc: The battle of size was the most influential contributor to my photography this past year. Aging brings challenges, and I found myself looking for a camera that I could carry without significant IQ compromises, but wasn't too bulky in size. I was fortunate in that I had the opportunity to try a couple of the Internet's favorite compacts. I had owned a Sony RX1RMK2 and really enjoyed it, a few years ago I foolishly sold it when I moved to the Sony A7C models.
MyReality: In 2025, I shot a lot more video, had a lot of slides scanned, and had an 80-image book printed. I did not buy more gear because my photography is shifting more to video, and I have made no decision on cameras. 2026 will be the year I buy a much more videocentric camera.
Howard V: My photography was most influenced in 2025 by a newly purchased iPhone 16 Pro. I decided to delve more deeply into its features than previously owned models, and into phone photography as a legitimate approach. To reinforce this, I shelved all other photo equipment. At first, it felt novel, but then it became less pleasant as its shortcomings became more evident. But I mostly stuck it out until July.
Habits, discipline, and shooting more
Photo by
Sam Bennett
For others, the biggest impact came from how they worked rather than what they bought. The community described small studio and workflow changes that paid big dividends in consistency, efficiency and enjoyment.
sirhawkeye64: For me, it was just getting out more and shooting more with what I already have. No need for newer/better gear, but just getting out, experiencing new things, and practicing is what had the biggest impact for me over this past year+. I'm at the stage where I don't need/necessarily want the newest, most expensive gear. I just want capable gear, which is what I have for what I shoot. It's not the latest or fastest, but it gets the job done. Now I'm focused more on shooting and making memories.
Sam Bennett: This one's easy - re-adopting the habit of having an 'every day carry' camera. Going to the coffee shop wasn't just about getting caffeinated; it was about getting creative. One of the biggest benefits of this is that the OM-3 has become an extension of my body - I use it so often that it is completely second nature. It has also helped me use my OM-1 differently and more efficiently - I understand that camera better now than I did before I got the OM-3.
Krummj: I’ve been printing more. But printing on the small side, 5x7. Printing is quick with the small size, and the photos look great. For shooting, I've been having fun with adapted Nikon G primes (these were made for full-frame DSLR and film Nikons). Adapted to my ZF and Z7, they work perfectly, and the images have something I like about them compared to the latest Z lenses (don't ask me what).
AndreyBess: I did several things…
1) Read all books by Bryan Peterson - they helped in several aspects
2) Started to use Canon Linear profile while doing RAW processing from my Canon RP.
3) Started to use DxO PureRaw, which saved a lot of my ISO 1600+ shots.
4) Bought Canon EF 16-35 F4 IS (used a EF-S Sigma 2.8 before) in addition to my Tamron 35-150 2.8-4.0 and Canon EF 100mm f2.0.
5) Finally started to shoot much more. It improved me very much.
6) Try to shoot as best as I can directly from my camera
Software, AI, and post‑processing changes
Photo by
Howard V
AI and software didn’t dominate the thread, but when they came up, readers said they quietly transformed post-processing. The focus was less on flashy effects and more on tools that removed tedious cleanup work.
Vince P: I know it's blasphemous, but the latest AI distraction, reflection removal, etc, has saved me so much time.
Maoby: The new AI features in photo editing software, such as LR, are fantastic when used intelligently and sparingly.
JaredL: Cancelling my Adobe subscription after more than a decade. I'm still getting accustomed to DxO PhotoLab, and it's been fun revisiting and re-editing photos from years ago to see the results.
icexe: Learning how to utilize Adobe Camera Raw better to do post-processing. I've learned a lot of really cool masking and lighting techniques to create just about any look I like without relying on plug-in ‘film packs’ or recipes to do it.
Community, learning, and life‑experience driven shifts
Photo by
Pedrin
Several readers mentioned that their biggest leap occurred when they changed how they viewed and shared their images. Printing, in particular, emerged as a surprisingly powerful habit.
fotoword: Camera club membership drives me to get out of my chair and my comfort zone to enter the various themed and open competitions in my local club. I think this challenge, along with attending meetings with like-minded individuals, is what mostly gets me motivated.
Acquiring an XT50 earlier in the year and later a Canon 45 mm F1.2 for my R8 helped make those excursions even more interesting. I'm just waiting for my Godox IT32 to arrive to elevate the excitement that photography provides. Of course, it's not about the gear, but it does assist the enthusiasm.
Pavel Vishniakov: I started going to photo workshops and master classes organized by a local photo gear chain. It also pushed me to look at the world differently and capture photos that I wouldn't have thought of myself.
fatplanediaries: 2025 was when I decided to launch myself by doing well in as many photography competitions as I could. It was a humbling experience. I found out how far I still have to go.
It's now the end of 2025, and I can look back at my 2.5-year panorama odyssey with good clarity. There are many obvious lessons to get out of the way. For one, the Dunning-Kruger effect can haunt you at any stage of your creative life. For another, don't have such an ego. I've since received critiques from some really amazing photographers on my photos, and learned about aspects of photography I'd never known before.
Pedrin: Hello, everyone. This is my very first time posting on this website. I am now totally blind, with some light and form perception remaining. I was able to go forward and still photograph for the pleasure of others to see, and for the pleasure of me going back to very basic manual. I am therefore experiencing the joy of my photography as I have throughout my whole life.
Change that brings enjoyment
Across all these stories, it's clear that the most impactful change in 2025 was anything that made it easier to shoot often and enjoy the process - whether that came from a new camera, a smarter workflow or a simple habit that stuck.
Are you interested in participating in this series? Keep watch for the next Question of the week every other Wednesday, posted as an article here on the homepage and also in the forums. We can't wait to read and share your stories.
