Watch out! The launch of a new body and some lenses is imminent. You must have them! Your photography will soar to heights you could only dream of until now. Such are the times we live in, or rather, we have created them ourselves. Advertisements are shouting at us from all sides, and their creators are defining what we should look like, what we should drive, what we should eat and what we should use to cure our own ailments. What? Don’t have that supplement yet? Or was it all about the smartphone? It’s so easy to get lost… Well, that’s just it! By succumbing to the pressure of advertising and ever-changing trends, we allow someone to live our lives for us. OURS! In the field of photography, we can also fall into a similar trap. We can chase after the next top-of-the-range equipment, put aside a few (dozen) salaries for a much-anticipated release in the community, give up other domestic needs which have been pushed to the end of the queue. But is it necessary? I hope we understand each other well. The development of technology is fantastic because it not only provides us with better tools. It also showcases human genius, and that is always awe-inspiring. I recently came across a YouTube video showing the process of manufacturing a lens. Step by step. Fascinating! I have watched it several times. Development and joy start with the same letter (in Polish), but do they always go hand in hand? The pursuit of modern and curiously expensive equipment can overshadow the everyday and spontaneous joy of photography. It may or may not! Probably most photographers look at other photographers’ images. Albums, vlogs, exhibitions, websites, social media. Lots of sources, lots of inspiration. And an unrelenting admiration for photographs that have come out of the eye/hand of one master or another. Not necessarily from state-of-the-art cameras. To conclude – let’s keep the joy of photography and not give in to the pressure. The technical side of photography will always be very important, although not everyone finds their way through the maze of technical intricacies. I don’t. I sometimes forget the markings of my camera model. It is natural for our species to strive for development. However, by putting joy and the pursuit of novelty on the line, we gain an excuse to reflect.