I am not going to lie, I have been stuck in an awful rut for almost a year. My creativity took a dramatic fall, and I had no get-up-and-go when it came to photography. Until now…

For several years now, my Sony a7 III or Sony a7 IV were my workhorses. Ever reliable, no matter what I threw at them. Capable of everything I required, whenever I called upon them.

Whether I wanted to photograph wildlife, weddings, portraits, astro, products, or anything else, no job was too big for my Sony setup. So much so that, last year, I fell out of love with photography. I was bored. Despite my best efforts to try to make stuff happen, I was not capturing the shots I wanted when working on any type of personal photography.

My Savior?

Despite struggling, I was desperate to reconnect with a camera and with the images I was taking—but how could I do this?

I decided to make what I considered a bold move: one camera, one lens, one focal length.

I have always been a fan of Leica, but the price tags for an M camera along with lenses was far too much of a bite to chew, and I have yet to try a rangefinder camera. Hopefully one day, though! This brought me to the next possible option, the Leica Q3. Firstly, what a gorgeous camera the Q system is—or any Leica, for that matter.

I watched countless YouTube videos on the Leica Q2 and Leica Q3, picking apart the positives and negatives that could affect the way I shoot and travel. Which one would be right for me? 

In the end, I went with the Q3 after picking it up for a great price on the used market. 

New Challenges

I love the idea of trying something new, and limiting myself to the 28mm focal length is an exciting prospect. It will challenge me as a photographer because I will need to work harder on compositions, focusing, style, and more.

The fresh feeling of these challenges has inspired me in new ways. I could not wait to take the Leica Q3 out on a trip, and I ended up visiting Edinburgh and Glasgow in one weekend to also try my hand at street photography.

I am certainly not going to be giving any street photography tips away any time soon, as I am a proper newbie at this type of photography. Not only that, but I am super introverted, so inside, while I was having amazing fun, I was also self-conscious and screaming inside at times!

I am no stranger to capturing portraits, but never of complete strangers in the center of a city.

Walking around Edinburgh, I spotted this dapper-looking fella above who looked interesting to me. The flat cap, mustache, and smoking device all caught my eye. I decided to be brave and started to make conversation with the gentleman. He was extremely charming, polite, and was very happy to pose for a photo, which I then proceeded to capture. I love the details of the image, and the black and white, in my opinion, really pops. What do you all think?

Early Days

As with receiving any new camera, it will take time to get used to all the differences this camera has to offer—especially when compared to my Sony setup. It is very much early days, as the Leica has only been in my hands for two weeks, but I already find myself looking at different trips to focus on street photography.

The likes of Japan, Jordan, the USA, Portugal, Morocco, and more are all being strongly considered right now. Usually, when I travel for photography, it is more for wildlife or landscape work, but I feel excited to step into this different world available to me.

Sure, I could have done this all along with my Sony camera, but with that, I was carrying a heavy bag with a heavy camera, lenses, and accessories. It was a pain! With the Leica Q3, all I carry with me is the camera, a power bank, and a small shoulder sling to carry them in.

I absolutely feel more inclined to carry this with me everywhere—an everyday carry camera. I have the will to capture more moments, which previously I could have missed or just not bothered to take.

Another crazy moment happened in Edinburgh. When I was walking around looking for my next shot, I spotted a beautiful bride and groom walking toward me. I asked if I could capture their photo, and they were very excited. I then spotted their actual wedding photographer and apologized with a cheeky smirk to him. If you’re reading this, I’m sorry—they just looked too good!

Final Thoughts

Is dropping £4,000 on a used Leica camera the solution to all my problems? Probably not. However, I love it! For the first time in a long time, I feel excited again. I feel passion for photography again, and everywhere I look, I am starting to see compositions. Even when watching television, I will see something and say to my wife, “Ooh, I want that shot.”

I feel rejuvenated, and I owe a lot of this to the shooting experience of the Leica Q3. The Sony can be like a high-performance sports car—fast, reliable, and built to get the shot—but the Leica Q3? That is pure luxury. Sleek, refined, and made to turn heads even at a standstill.

The shooting experience is so different, it can be tough to explain. I had never shot with a Leica until I got this camera. It is more deliberate. You take your time and savor the moment more. With Sony, you can end up spraying and praying, in a way.

Have you ever been stuck in a total rut and decided to buy something exciting to bring passion back into your photography? Let me know.