Parkinson's Law applied to photography

rburgoss · 10-08-2014, 10:11 AM - **1 Like**

Parkinson's law is the adage that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion".

It can be applied and traspolated to just about anything. In our case, there are hundreds of examples on how that law works against us. Few examples:

No matter how big your camera bag is, you will always need more space or extra camera bags to carry all your stuff.

No matter how much memory do you have in your camera, you will always manage to overflow it needing bigger or more memory cards.

No matter how many megapixels do you have, you will find a way to justify the need for more.

No matter how fast your computer processor is, you will find a way to bog it down until you need a new and faster computer.

No matter how big your hard drive is, you will find a way to fill it and always need more "storage space".

No matter how many lenses you have, you will always need another one, and another one, and another one...

No matter how many batteries you have, you will always need more (rechargeables).

No matter how wide is your widest lens, you will always need something wider.

No matter how long your tele is, you will always need a longer one.

No matter hay many megapixels your camera has.... you will always need more, because who knows, you may start printing "everything" in 16 x 20 inches or bigger, even though you only did such prints once or twice in the past 40 years, with negatives and by spending good 10 to 20 hours retouching with Pearless colors... remember?

No matter if your 300 mm is a 2.8... you crave for a 300 f/1.8 or faster, which means your camera bag is too small and your tripod isn't sturdy enough... and round and round the spinning madness keeps going around.

...and at the end, it really doesn't matter how many toys did you had the day you kick the bucket. What matters is how much fun you really had with them ? or does it? Was the fun coming from actually using the toys or from the hoarding of gear? Who knows?

Don not be another victim of Parkinson's Law. Start enjoying your gear by actually getting out and using all your stuff. Stop craving for what you don't have. Learn to be happy with what you have, and next time you find some space available in your memory cards, your hard drive, your camera bag or your camera cabinet, leave it empty and save it for when you really need it. Not fill it because it needs to be filled with the first thing available, no matter if its useless or a copy of what you already have.

So, when someone asks: Is 16 megapix enough? You know the answer: It is untill you can justify yourself (probably with the help of others) that is not enough to produce something you probably never did or have intentions to...

**blackcloudbrew** · 10-08-2014, 10:48 AM

Or all put in one line - GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) is a harsh mistress.

**jrpower10** · 10-08-2014, 10:57 AM - **1 Like**

Great comment. Occasionally I catch myself spending too much time looking at the next thing instead of taking photos. Then I go out and shoot and decide what I have is fine (usually

).

**Kerrowdown** · 10-08-2014, 11:30 AM

Originally posted by rburgoss

In our case, there are hundreds of examples on how that law works against us

You sound a tad cynical per chance.

I'm sure you don't mean us photographer types.

Last edited by Kerrowdown; 10-08-2014 at 12:52 PM.

promacjoe · 10-08-2014, 11:53 AM

Originally posted by rburgoss

<b> No matter how fast your computer processor is, you will find a way to bog it down until you need a new and faster computer.

...

Actually, it seems that the software companies Find out that the hardware companies are making faster computers, With more available memory and hard drive space, then they make the software to run best on those computers. The hardware company then sees the need for faster computers and response by building those computers. Then the software companies Build in more features that require faster computers. It's an endless cycle. The software companies also have gotten sloppy in some of their programming practices. It used to be if you Wasted 2 clock cycles someone would catch it and explain why you shouldn't do that. Nowadays wasting clock cycles is common practice. And the fact that computers are trying to do 500 things at the same time doesn't help. It is not really our fault That we need faster computers. Blame it on multitasking And the computer industry needing to sell more computers and software.

rburgoss · 10-08-2014, 12:16 PM

Originally posted by Kerrowdown

You sound a tad cynical per chance.

My sure you don't mean us photographer types.

Not cynical at all. I must confess I've been a victim myself. Its just natural. Almost impossible to avoid, its like an addiction... sometimes you crave for it, other times you let the environment push you, because deep inside, you are begging for that push. Sometimes the push comes from the least expected source... your own family. It takes just an innocent comment from your spouse about how nice someone or somewhere has a nice BIG displayed picture, and your brain interpret such comment as a direct order or dare to produce something similar.

My post does not intend to offend any photographer, pro or enthusiast. Just telling that the need for something bigger, faster, "better" or whatever you may feel the need for, that such need comes like second nature to us humans, and there is no need to try to justify such needs under possible scenarios that have never happened or will likely never happen in your life. Let me give you a fast example:

John has a nice "pro level" 12 megapix DSLR (about 8 years old). Before shooting digital, he always used Walgreens film developing and photo printing. Once or twice a year, he ordered some 5x7's and 8x10's but never more than a dozen a year. Today he walked into the camera store to get some batteries and he sees a brand new 24 megapix DSLR, selling at about the same price he payed for his 8 years ago.

He decides to take the plunge and walks home with his new toy. 24 hours later, he has discovered that his memory cards are not good because they are two small for the new file sizes. Same with his computer's hard drive. He once used std. cd burning for archival purposes, now blu ray burning seems will not be enough. In the camera bag sits proudly his new toy, but not a single lens that could take full advantage of the new features available....

I believe you are getting the picture... In our case (photography), the Parkinson's Law happens almost under the cascade (or avalanche) effect. It takes just a little "something" to trigger the mayhem, which sadly enough 95% of the time stops for one single reason: Not enough money to keep up the buying spree! and its at that moment, that feelings of guilt and regrets start and this bad feelings points towards your beloved photo gear....

narual · 10-08-2014, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Parkinson's law is the adage that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion".

Is there a law that adds "plus 20%, give or take" to the end of it? because that seems more accurate.

rburgoss · 10-08-2014, 01:30 PM

Originally posted by narual

Is there a law that adds "plus 20%, give or take" to the end of it? because that seems more accurate.

Ha... that is so true. In our case, that 20% could easily change into "twice" or "three fold", or even "slightly". I know for some, just getting an extra set of rechargeable AA's is "too much", for others, having 18 versions of the same focal length lens in three different apertures and four different but compatible lens mounts... is not enough!

Back where I live, there is a popular saying that states that "A como es el sapo, así es la pedrada" a rough translation is like "according to the size of the frog, the rock always matches its size to kill it" I guess you understand. In short words, everyone is a different world. for some, anything could be too much and to others, the same thing could be insignificant....

**boriscleto** · 10-08-2014, 01:38 PM

Originally posted by rburgoss

having 18 versions of the same focal length lens in three different apertures and four different but compatible lens mounts... is not enough!

Just because I have 19 50mm lenses in 4 different (but not all compatible) mounts doesn't mean I have a problem...

Well, 20 if you count the Q Prime 01...

rburgoss · 10-08-2014, 01:56 PM

Originally posted by boriscleto

Just because I have 19 50mm lenses in 4 different (but not all compatible) mounts doesn't mean I have a problem...

Well, 20 if you count the Q Prime 01...

No problem, you are safe. Different and not compatible lens mounts means only one or two things That you do have the needed camera bodies to use those lenses and/or you are more a collector of 50 mm lenses and not a photographer.

Its like me, some years ago I walked into a camera store and saw a bunch of guys digging into a huge basket, that had a hand painted sign saying "Everything at $2.99". I got closer, and the basket was full of photo gadgets (all open packages) of rubber hoods, lens caps, cheap filters, dust brushes, battery cases and something that called my attention: Cokin filters (3"), but even though I had never used them, I just couldn't resist and took a dive into the basket. Got myself about two dozen Cokin filters. Didn't had the time to even check what they were meant for. Just payed for them on my way out. Would you believe that today, 20 years later, there are some of those filters I still do not know what they are for. I've never opened them, but I have them!

LensBeginner · 10-08-2014, 03:21 PM

Originally posted by rburgoss

No problem, you are safe. Different and not compatible lens mounts means only one or two things That you do have the needed camera bodies to use those lenses and/or you are more a collector of 50 mm lenses and not a photographer.

Its like me, some years ago I walked into a camera store and saw a bunch of guys digging into a huge basket, that had a hand painted sign saying "Everything at $2.99". I got closer, and the basket was full of photo gadgets (all open packages) of rubber hoods, lens caps, cheap filters, dust brushes, battery cases and something that called my attention: Cokin filters (3"), but even though I had never used them, I just couldn't resist and took a dive into the basket. Got myself about two dozen Cokin filters. Didn't had the time to even check what they were meant for. Just payed for them on my way out. Would you believe that today, 20 years later, there are some of those filters I still do not know what they are for. I've never opened them, but I have them!

Well, since they were less than a dollar per inch...

**kiwi_jono** · 10-08-2014, 05:07 PM

Ha!

In the business software development field it used to be no matter what the plan says it will take 2 - 3 times longer (if it was "under control" - I have seen a lot worse)! Generally things were planned by a waterfall approach which basically working to one master plan and usually had a huge associated Gantt chart. Now days this is managed by agile software development techniques which means that you focus on delivering the most useful features in each planned release. Actually works pretty well.

Anyway I tried to take a similar approach with camera gear. I have a short prioritised list of the most urgent "needs" and a fixed budget + 2 month timeframe (before any more budget is added). The idea being you take your time to assess your needs and then take time to look for the gear that fits best and at the best price.
In reality my buys are often opportunity buys (I see something reasonable on an online auction etc) but if I don't use a budget for a cycle then I just add it to the next cycle - which still works in that it slows down my spending!

10-08-2014, 10:11 AM - 1 Like	#1
rburgoss Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Jose, Costa Rica Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 972	Parkinson's Law applied to photography Parkinson's law is the adage that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion". It can be applied and traspolated to just about anything. In our case, there are hundreds of examples on how that law works against us. Few examples: No matter how big your camera bag is, you will always need more space or extra camera bags to carry all your stuff. No matter how much memory do you have in your camera, you will always manage to overflow it needing bigger or more memory cards. No matter how many megapixels do you have, you will find a way to justify the need for more. No matter how fast your computer processor is, you will find a way to bog it down until you need a new and faster computer. No matter how big your hard drive is, you will find a way to fill it and always need more "storage space". No matter how many lenses you have, you will always need another one, and another one, and another one... No matter how many batteries you have, you will always need more (rechargeables). No matter how wide is your widest lens, you will always need something wider. No matter how long your tele is, you will always need a longer one. No matter hay many megapixels your camera has.... you will always need more, because who knows, you may start printing "everything" in 16 x 20 inches or bigger, even though you only did such prints once or twice in the past 40 years, with negatives and by spending good 10 to 20 hours retouching with Pearless colors... remember? No matter if your 300 mm is a 2.8... you crave for a 300 f/1.8 or faster, which means your camera bag is too small and your tripod isn't sturdy enough... and round and round the spinning madness keeps going around. ...and at the end, it really doesn't matter how many toys did you had the day you kick the bucket. What matters is how much fun you really had with them ? or does it? Was the fun coming from actually using the toys or from the hoarding of gear? Who knows? Don not be another victim of Parkinson's Law. Start enjoying your gear by actually getting out and using all your stuff. Stop craving for what you don't have. Learn to be happy with what you have, and next time you find some space available in your memory cards, your hard drive, your camera bag or your camera cabinet, leave it empty and save it for when you really need it. Not fill it because it needs to be filled with the first thing available, no matter if its useless or a copy of what you already have. So, when someone asks: Is 16 megapix enough? You know the answer: It is untill you can justify yourself (probably with the help of others) that is not enough to produce something you probably never did or have intentions to...

10-08-2014, 12:16 PM	#6
rburgoss Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Jose, Costa Rica Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 972 Original Poster	Originally posted by Kerrowdown You sound a tad cynical per chance. My sure you don't mean us photographer types. Not cynical at all. I must confess I've been a victim myself. Its just natural. Almost impossible to avoid, its like an addiction... sometimes you crave for it, other times you let the environment push you, because deep inside, you are begging for that push. Sometimes the push comes from the least expected source... your own family. It takes just an innocent comment from your spouse about how nice someone or somewhere has a nice BIG displayed picture, and your brain interpret such comment as a direct order or dare to produce something similar. My post does not intend to offend any photographer, pro or enthusiast. Just telling that the need for something bigger, faster, "better" or whatever you may feel the need for, that such need comes like second nature to us humans, and there is no need to try to justify such needs under possible scenarios that have never happened or will likely never happen in your life. Let me give you a fast example: John has a nice "pro level" 12 megapix DSLR (about 8 years old). Before shooting digital, he always used Walgreens film developing and photo printing. Once or twice a year, he ordered some 5x7's and 8x10's but never more than a dozen a year. Today he walked into the camera store to get some batteries and he sees a brand new 24 megapix DSLR, selling at about the same price he payed for his 8 years ago. He decides to take the plunge and walks home with his new toy. 24 hours later, he has discovered that his memory cards are not good because they are two small for the new file sizes. Same with his computer's hard drive. He once used std. cd burning for archival purposes, now blu ray burning seems will not be enough. In the camera bag sits proudly his new toy, but not a single lens that could take full advantage of the new features available.... I believe you are getting the picture... In our case (photography), the Parkinson's Law happens almost under the cascade (or avalanche) effect. It takes just a little "something" to trigger the mayhem, which sadly enough 95% of the time stops for one single reason: Not enough money to keep up the buying spree! and its at that moment, that feelings of guilt and regrets start and this bad feelings points towards your beloved photo gear.... Last edited by rburgoss; 10-08-2014 at 12:29 PM.

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10-08-2014, 10:48 AM	#2
blackcloudbrew Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Cotati, California USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,461	Or all put in one line - GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) is a harsh mistress.

10-08-2014, 10:57 AM - 1 Like	#3
jrpower10 Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Richland, Washington, USA Posts: 935	Great comment. Occasionally I catch myself spending too much time looking at the next thing instead of taking photos. Then I go out and shoot and decide what I have is fine (usually ).

10-08-2014, 11:30 AM	#4
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,860	Originally posted by rburgoss In our case, there are hundreds of examples on how that law works against us You sound a tad cynical per chance. I'm sure you don't mean us photographer types. Last edited by Kerrowdown; 10-08-2014 at 12:52 PM.

10-08-2014, 11:53 AM	#5
promacjoe Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 340	Originally posted by rburgoss <b> No matter how fast your computer processor is, you will find a way to bog it down until you need a new and faster computer. ... Actually, it seems that the software companies Find out that the hardware companies are making faster computers, With more available memory and hard drive space, then they make the software to run best on those computers. The hardware company then sees the need for faster computers and response by building those computers. Then the software companies Build in more features that require faster computers. It's an endless cycle. The software companies also have gotten sloppy in some of their programming practices. It used to be if you Wasted 2 clock cycles someone would catch it and explain why you shouldn't do that. Nowadays wasting clock cycles is common practice. And the fact that computers are trying to do 500 things at the same time doesn't help. It is not really our fault That we need faster computers. Blame it on multitasking And the computer industry needing to sell more computers and software.

10-08-2014, 12:18 PM	#7
narual Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Bend (Notre Dame), Indiana Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,988	Quote: Parkinson's law is the adage that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion". Is there a law that adds "plus 20%, give or take" to the end of it? because that seems more accurate.

10-08-2014, 01:30 PM	#8
rburgoss Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Jose, Costa Rica Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 972 Original Poster	Originally posted by narual Is there a law that adds "plus 20%, give or take" to the end of it? because that seems more accurate. Ha... that is so true. In our case, that 20% could easily change into "twice" or "three fold", or even "slightly". I know for some, just getting an extra set of rechargeable AA's is "too much", for others, having 18 versions of the same focal length lens in three different apertures and four different but compatible lens mounts... is not enough! Back where I live, there is a popular saying that states that "A como es el sapo, así es la pedrada" a rough translation is like "according to the size of the frog, the rock always matches its size to kill it" I guess you understand. In short words, everyone is a different world. for some, anything could be too much and to others, the same thing could be insignificant....

10-08-2014, 01:38 PM	#9
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,476	Originally posted by rburgoss having 18 versions of the same focal length lens in three different apertures and four different but compatible lens mounts... is not enough! Just because I have 19 50mm lenses in 4 different (but not all compatible) mounts doesn't mean I have a problem... Well, 20 if you count the Q Prime 01...

10-08-2014, 01:56 PM	#10
rburgoss Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: San Jose, Costa Rica Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 972 Original Poster	Originally posted by boriscleto Just because I have 19 50mm lenses in 4 different (but not all compatible) mounts doesn't mean I have a problem... Well, 20 if you count the Q Prime 01... No problem, you are safe. Different and not compatible lens mounts means only one or two things That you do have the needed camera bodies to use those lenses and/or you are more a collector of 50 mm lenses and not a photographer. Its like me, some years ago I walked into a camera store and saw a bunch of guys digging into a huge basket, that had a hand painted sign saying "Everything at $2.99". I got closer, and the basket was full of photo gadgets (all open packages) of rubber hoods, lens caps, cheap filters, dust brushes, battery cases and something that called my attention: Cokin filters (3"), but even though I had never used them, I just couldn't resist and took a dive into the basket. Got myself about two dozen Cokin filters. Didn't had the time to even check what they were meant for. Just payed for them on my way out. Would you believe that today, 20 years later, there are some of those filters I still do not know what they are for. I've never opened them, but I have them!

10-08-2014, 03:21 PM	#11
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	Originally posted by rburgoss No problem, you are safe. Different and not compatible lens mounts means only one or two things That you do have the needed camera bodies to use those lenses and/or you are more a collector of 50 mm lenses and not a photographer. Its like me, some years ago I walked into a camera store and saw a bunch of guys digging into a huge basket, that had a hand painted sign saying "Everything at $2.99". I got closer, and the basket was full of photo gadgets (all open packages) of rubber hoods, lens caps, cheap filters, dust brushes, battery cases and something that called my attention: Cokin filters (3"), but even though I had never used them, I just couldn't resist and took a dive into the basket. Got myself about two dozen Cokin filters. Didn't had the time to even check what they were meant for. Just payed for them on my way out. Would you believe that today, 20 years later, there are some of those filters I still do not know what they are for. I've never opened them, but I have them! Well, since they were less than a dollar per inch...

10-08-2014, 05:07 PM	#12
kiwi_jono Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Christchurch, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,437	Ha! In the business software development field it used to be no matter what the plan says it will take 2 - 3 times longer (if it was "under control" - I have seen a lot worse)! Generally things were planned by a waterfall approach which basically working to one master plan and usually had a huge associated Gantt chart. Now days this is managed by agile software development techniques which means that you focus on delivering the most useful features in each planned release. Actually works pretty well. Anyway I tried to take a similar approach with camera gear. I have a short prioritised list of the most urgent "needs" and a fixed budget + 2 month timeframe (before any more budget is added). The idea being you take your time to assess your needs and then take time to look for the gear that fits best and at the best price. In reality my buys are often opportunity buys (I see something reasonable on an online auction etc) but if I don't use a budget for a cycle then I just add it to the next cycle - which still works in that it slows down my spending!