In 2021, I was swept up in the resurgence of analogue photography. It all began with a Christmas gift for my eldest son - a Polaroid camera. After we quickly burnt through the first batch of film, we talked about taking a more intentional approach. This was an entirely new concept for me, as I had spent the last decade tearing through thousands of frames with ease. Now with the limited availability of film, I was forced to slow down and capture the image in one shot. This led me to rediscover the basic principles of photography. Subject, composition and lighting.

A few months passed, and I stumbled upon an old 35mm Pentax camera at a local antiquities centre. It had that beautiful reto aesthetic and was in good condition. I was unsure if the camera still worked, but armed with some Kodak film, I was pleasantly surprised to find it did. As I began to use it, I discovered a whole new approach to photography. This camera forced me to take stock of my surroundings and look at the whole composition of an image. With the option of modern postproduction techniques removed, I had to capture a moment with a single click and wait to see if I had gotten the shot.

Despite my love for digital photography, working with limitations has allowed me to tap into my intuitive creativity. This is similar to my approach to creating music - if the software I use has a million and one options, I get lost in all the choices and often don't know where to start.

For me, simplicity is often the missing ingredient. The purist in me wants the tools to be straightforward so that I can find creative ways to use them. Similar to life. We often overcomplicate things and get stuck in a rut. Having a few simple principles to live by can go a long way to helping us set out on a path.

But let me be clear - simplicity does not equate to ease. As Edmund Hillary's climb up Everest illustrates, the concept and the tools needed are simple, but the execution is incredibly challenging.

And yet, this little analogue camera - with just one dial, one button, and a roll of film - has enabled me and many others to capture incredible artworks, moments and stories that still resonate with us in this era of digital technology.

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