When I first started street photography, I was a prime lens purist. Like many photographers, I bought into the idea that limitations breed creativity—and they do, to a point. A fixed lens forces you to move, to think harder about framing, to get closer or pull back. It sharpens your instincts. In the early days, that was good for me.
But after a while, those limits started to feel more like chains.
I’d head out with a 35mm or a 50mm, but then I’d see a shot that screamed for something longer—an 85mm detail, a 100mm compression—and I’d feel stuck. So I started bringing multiple lenses. And I mean multiple. I’d switch lenses between shots like I was DJing a wedding. One minute wide, the next telephoto, back again, fumbling lens caps and missing moments left and right.
Eventually, I tried to discipline myself. I’d force myself to bring just one prime lens for the day. But that didn’t solve the problem—it just gave me anxiety. I’d be walking around thinking about all the photos I wasn’t getting. I became less present, more in my head, always second-guessing whether I had made the “right” gear choice. It took the joy out of shooting.
Then everything changed when I picked up the Fuji 16–80mm f/4. One lens. Just one. But this time, it gave me all the focal lengths I actually wanted—35mm, 50mm, 85mm, even beyond 100mm if I needed it. Suddenly, I didn’t have to choose.
The magic was in the lens markings. I could set the zoom to 50mm, shoot that classic focal length, and know I was hitting the same visual feel I used to with my primes. Same with 85mm. It wasn’t a random zoom—it was intentional. I wasn’t just twisting the barrel to “whatever works.” I was choosing specific focal lengths with purpose, while still having the flexibility to adapt in the moment.
This one lens freed me.
I stopped worrying about what gear to pack. I stopped lugging around extra glass. I stopped missing shots while swapping lenses. It simplified everything. I could be faster, more fluid, more focused on the actual image and less on the tools. And it worked so well for me, I ended up selling off all my prime lenses. That gear funded my tickets to Paris.
That’s how this became my standard practice: one camera, one lens, infinite range.
There’s still a lot of romanticism around prime lenses, and I get it. They’re sharp, lightweight, and they force a certain discipline. But for my style—for how I want to work now—I’d rather be free to respond to the scene in front of me than stay boxed into a single focal length for the sake of “purity.”
So here’s my advice: if you’re caught in the lens shuffle, maybe it’s time to let go. Find the one that lets you move freely. For me, it wasn’t about less gear—it was about less mental clutter. And I’ve never looked back.
