Photography · by Liam Eriksson · 2026-10-08

What I wish I knew before trying street after 31 tries

Part of me wanted the fancy version with all the tools. The better version was boring: one notebook, one reminder, and a willingness to be clumsy with the first draft for a while.

I know this is a tiny sample size, but after 4 attempts the pattern is pretty clear. When I keep the setup simple, I actually follow through.

I had a disappointing first try, a surprisingly good second try, and then a third attempt that taught me humility. So, naturally, I now have opinions.

Part of me wanted the fancy version with all the tools. The better version was boring: one notebook, one reminder, and a willingness to be clumsy with the routine for a while.

33 sparks · 21 comments

Comments

Jack Taylor · 88 likes

Great point, especially the part about before. The the library detail changes the whole answer.

Grace Parker · 4 likes

This reminds me of something a friend in Nairobi mentioned. A little friction removed goes a long way.

Brave Panda · 3 likes

Beautifully put. I needed that reminder today. This is more useful on a tired commute than on a perfect day.

Liam Eriksson · 4 likes

Adding this to my notes.

Amelia Hughes · 3 likes

Can you expand on that a bit?

Marco Conti · 1 likes

I am stealing that phrase.

Brave Panda · 2 likes

I would love a follow-up example.

Solar Orbit · 0 likes

This is the gentle version of my rant.

Pieter Botha · 2 likes

Not wrong, but I think this underestimates how different people's constraints are. Great use of light and restraint.

Camila Soto · 2 likes

This is genuinely helpful, thanks for writing it out. This is more useful on a tired busy month than on a perfect day.

Rohan Mehta · 0 likes

The best answer in the thread, honestly.

Avery Johnson · 2 likes

Honestly, this is a little too vague to be useful. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing.

Maja Wiśniewska · 4 likes

That sounds great until you add children/pets/deadlines.

Bianca Santos · 1 likes

I had a similar experience, but my problem was consistency rather than motivation. I keep a note about photos for exactly this reason.

Lena Müller · 2 likes

That is the part people skip.

Cedar Baker · 1 likes

I would not call it wrong, just incomplete. For me it came down to the tiny repair.

Midnight Marauder · 1 likes

That last line is excellent. I used to overcomplicate this constantly.

Isha Menon · 1 likes

Useful intention, poor execution. I used to overcomplicate this constantly. This makes me want to start a weekend project.

Cozy Noodle · 1 likes

Big fan of this approach. This pairs weirdly well with dumplings.

Marco Conti · 0 likes

Honestly, this is a little too vague to be useful. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me.