The long LED light with remote control has been sitting in its original packaging on the bottom shelf for nearly two years. Why I bought it in the first place is still a mystery to me. Something about stock photos and cool lighting effects. Maybe you can do that with it – I've never tried.
Because of my wide-ranging interests, I always assumed I needed this or that to make my photos better. Whether the photos have actually gotten better over the years – I'll leave that judgment to others. What I do know: the collection of unnecessary equipment is endless. And I'm not even talking about lenses. That's a topic for its own article.
A Shelf Full of Relics
For a summer holiday a few years back, I couldn't resist and bought a dome attachment for my GoPro. The five photos I took with it look great – I don't regret them. But the dome has been sitting on the bottom shelf ever since. Partly because I rarely use the GoPro anymore, and partly because I'm seldom near water where you'd actually need it.
Speaking of GoPro: the amount of accessories available for that little action camera is endless. And I own at least half of them. Mounts for every surface imaginable, small tripods, spare batteries, carrying cases – and so on. And a gimbal – where exactly that is right now, I honestly couldn't tell you.
But there's one thing I see every single morning when I leave the room: the motorised slider leaning in the corner. Bought for smooth timelapses, for cinematic camera moves, for shots that were going to take my photography to the next level. Not one. Not a single one. It just stands there. Every day.
A Whole Box of Filters
Not far from the GoPro section on my shelf sits a small, inconspicuous box. Inside: ND filters – for my Mavic Mini drone. I honestly can't remember ever using one of those filters during a flight. But when I bought the drone, it was immediately clear to me: without filters, this won't work.
On the topic of filters, there's much more. I own them in every variation, shape, and size. The first ones were 58mm to fit my old kit lens, because I wanted to try long-exposure photography. But the kit lens didn't stay with me long. Its replacement – a Canon EF 17-40 – had a larger diameter, making those filters useless.
Long exposures were still on my mind, so I got a rectangular filter system that attaches in front of the lens. With different adapter rings, the diameter didn't matter anymore. The set also included colour and gradient filters that are still in their original packaging. Because when I upgraded to full-frame a few years ago, I discovered that this system created an ugly vignette. Since then, at least three more filter systems have been added. The current one I actually use.
Tripods, Lights, Props
The most unnecessary purchase of all time was fake ice cubes. During my "product photography phase," I absolutely had to have them. Besides looking completely unrealistic, I only used them once. The result was accordingly disappointing.
The same goes for the various light sources lying around – small to medium LEDs. The collection kept growing, usually in autumn when the topic of macro photography and mushrooms would creep back into my head and I'd go looking for ways to improve my lighting setup. Yet I believe one of my most beautiful mushroom photos was made with the best light available: the sun.
Less Is Usually More
What I've learned over the years: not every purchase solves a problem. Sometimes it creates one. The new filter needs a new adapter. The new light needs a new diffuser. And eventually you're standing in front of a shelf full of solutions to problems you never had.
All these things have one thing in common: I'll never use them again – and yet they're all still on the shelf. Why? Because you never know when you might need something. A photo of a cool summer drink – the ice cubes would be perfect.
Though I also know this: if that idea ever comes up, I'll probably order new ice cubes. Because they might look better.
I've never added up what all of this has cost me. Probably enough for a good lens. But I suppose that's just part of it.
