Why I sold my Contax G2 / Cancer Still Sucks 

‘Pain is temporary, film is forever’ Stanley Kubrick said that, and it’s encouraged me before and I hope it does the same to you. I’m sorry you had to sell the Contax man, but we are here to help where we can and there’s no place to go but upwards and onwards from here. You literally beat cancer, I can count on 2 fingers the people I know who can say the same thing. Stay strong and keep your face to the sun ☀️

I cant imagine how u feel..im sorry u had to sell your camera that definitely sounds like no fun..hopefully with this fundraiser the financial burden of ur cancer battle is no more and you start to get better mentally..ur courage is something to admire n we will always support you mr sheepskin 🐑

You've got this Will! Beyond your family you have a community of artists that are here for you in spirit and hopefully more. Keep photographing this journey my friend, cant wait in a few years to hear you are in the clear.

Easiest decision I’ve made is donating to your campaign. You’re a good man and shown such courage, humility and vulnerability. I wish you all the good things in the world on your recovery journey - wherever that takes you, and I hope you regain some mental and physical strength. All the very best to you.

i sold my Contax T2 after having to repair it twice. best wishes from my side, get well soon

So much love dude, you got this

Lots of love from Portugal William, you got this.

We're here to support you Will, donated 😊

Life will work to steal joy from you at every corner. Your role is never to stop it, or even understand it. Instead, it is to experience. Your are experiencing a tremendous period of loss, but your life is sacred and beautiful. I know things may never be the same, but that can also empower you to spread messages, and create an impact on souls you never could have before. I respect you a lot and wish I had the situation to donate currently. Keep on experiencing brother, it's all you can do!

I can’t give you financial support. But hopefully by saying that you will get throw it and that the older we get life gives us more challenges to deal with it will help. All the cameras I had to sell over the years, that’s making me cry too. But it gives you the opportunity to go out and get new cameras you would not have tried if you where useing your old ones. Good luck with everything, your getting there and life will give you throwbacks endlessly along your own life’s journey. Hopefully standing tall with a nice new camera around your neck when you have your energy back.

you gotta be one of the strongest people I never met. brighter days lay ahead. love to you and the people around you.

I've been a casual viewer of this channel for some time, and I have to say I haven't been this touched in a while, your essence will always be intertwined with the those you've impacted with your art and photography and at the very least it will always be intertwined with me, I genuinely see you as an inspiration and as someone I strive to be. I genuinely hope you get better soon, best wishes ❤

Best wishes and many thoughts.

Money isn't great at the moment, but Will I'll happily sling a few dollars your way if it can help in any way. I hope you can heal and accept your new position, even if it is difficult and different from what you had.

Will, you got this!! Sending lots of love and positive vibes. Stay strong my guy! 💚💚

Stay strong, brother. Absolutely no issue at all - people care about YOU, not simply their enjoyment from your content. We've gotten to know you through this medium and believe in your recovery.

Just came upon your videos in the last few days while researching the Contax G2. Then I saw the title of this one and it was a big wtf?! nooooo. In a short time, you've managed to positively affect my life through your informative and entertaining videos. I'm sure many, many others can attest the same and in MUCH deeper ways. Stay strong and know that in addition to the direct support you're receiving from loved ones, there is a whole community that wishes you the best as you make it through this character building fight!

You got this Will! Don’t worry about perceptions people may or may not have. Everybody needs help sometimes and that’s perfectly fine! We’re all here for you!📸🎞

Just landed on your channel from Bryan Birks. I am an ex wedding photographer turned youtuber this week. This RU-vid is harder than shooting a 12 hour wedding :) Cheers, keep up the great videos

Stay positive. It can always be worse. I been taking care of my wife and see first hand how much it can suck. Positive mindset helps.

Stay strong Will!

So so proud of you Willy - you've held up like a trooper through this whole ordeal, and can't wait to see all the beautiful pictures that you make next! Lots and lots of love from Maddy and Jed. 💓💓💓

Much Love.

i can't imagine how hard, going through this shit has to be, but i firmly hope that you will break through so all the best to you, you got this

Done! Only too glad to help you both. Thanks for giving us the chance to assist!

Sending you a lot of love and support for this hard moment in life ❤❤❤

my heart goes out to you brother, wishing you nothing but wellness and contentment

Love to you dude, get well soon ❤

Wanting to sell a camera and having to sell a camera are very different and I’ve been in both positions. It’s a shame that sometimes life pushes us to work when we should be healing, I’ve been there many times. The photo community has come together and shown you how much you’re valued, not (just) as a RU-vidr but as a person. I hope this relief of financial burden gives you space to heal, you deserve it.

Wishing love and healing to you and yours. Asking for help and offering help seem to be the hardest things to do - not sure why we're all hardwired that way! Thank you for letting us in.

WILLYY!!

Happily helped!

Lots of love from australia man, you got this. Constantly in my thoughts, you’re such a beautiful person. ❤

I commend you for speaking your truth and sharing your unique experience Will. I can't possibly fathom what you're going through but please know you have a community of peers and artists that support your journey and we're here to do whatever we can for you mate. Terribly sorry you had to sell the Contax G2, that must have been difficult.

Brighter days are ahead, don’t lose sight of that! One day at a time will get you through this.

So sorry you're dealing with this William. Rooting for you!

Thank you for being so open and vulnerable Will. Im certain you got this in time.❤

Screw the camera. Keep it pushing man. You got this.

Sending you love and prayers buddy - I am looking forward to hear when you are all in the clear from this. Keep Strong!

Hi William. Man, over the last 4 years I helped almost everyone in this world who cared about me die as comfortably as possible from the big C or Parkinsons. I know, the misery of that damned disease knows no boundaries, physically or mentally. As I'm just discovering your videos and enjoying your openness to share your work & journey with us, I'm immediately saddened to see you going through this, and yet very glad you survived and are coming up the other side of it. You take some heavy blows in the process, but every day you can get a little stronger, even if it doesn't feel like it. As is commonly prescribed, the best medicine I see people take in recovery is daily bicycle rides. They always start slow & short, but every day, the body steadily rebuilds your endurance, strength & stamina better than anything. And you can turn around any time & lazily coast & take photo breaks to plod home when you run out of energy. Bike & Camera = Health & Beauty. Anyway, thank you for sharing your life with us.

Commenting so this hopefully gets more reach. Stay strong dude!

Sorry to hear the recovery has taken longer than expected

There will always be another!

Don't worry Will, we'll always be here, ready to watch your great content. Don't set back your recovery in the name of getting videos out there. As for the campaign, it takes a lot of courage to show vulnerability on the internet, and the least I could do is donate.

Just started doing freelance photo work in the last year or so. It's terrific finally getting paid for the thing I love so much. Yet, I would never have gotten to this point without a strong, passionate online community to show me the possibilities of where this medium can take you. I donated some of the payment I received today for a gig I just shot. Thanks for being an inspiration. The weight of dealing with something like this in front of an audience must be immense and I admire your frankness.

Sorry man. Hope you feel better soon! You are strong!

Buddy, you have and will continue to be one of my favourite youtubers and an inspiration. Gonna head to the support page now. Stay strong my guy, better days 🤞

I love how real you are in your photography videos, and you've inspired me to try my hand at it even if it means making a few mistakes along the way. I donated a small amount, if only to give you some small joy and hope for the future. Thank you for everything you do Will.

I'm so sorry Will ❤Sending you love

I have only participated to two fundraisings. 1 is for Wikipedia and 1 is for you (jk) but those are the two I whole heartedly meant and really would like to see you stay with photography!! When I first discovered you on RU-vid, just fall in love with your images and your video style, coincidentally, I found out a person that means a lot to me got diagnosed with cancer as well…. He lives across country and did not want to talk about it. Later I found out you two have the same rare cancer… I was really shocked. You sharing your experience really helped me understand what he has been going through… You will get through this Will! Side note: I’ll gladly watch ads from your video 🫶🏻

That was a hard video to make man but we are all here with you. I hope things get better soon and just take your time, we know where to find you when you get back. Much love Will

I'm so sorry that you've experienced this valley in life. Thank you for sharing your struggle and ensuring that folks your age can see how good health can be so fleeting. I have many thoughts and some questions - but instead, I'm going to seriously pray for your healing and your renewal - and not knowing your beliefs but having experienced some terrible and dark moments in my own life, I'm going to encourage you to cry out to the Lord for complete healing and a renewal of your mind and soul. Peace, brother.

Glad to see you again Will. This is growth. The strength within you is amazing. I know it doesn’t always feel like it, but it’s there. Resiliently face each new challenge. I admire your tenacity. You’ve got this and the support. Cheers to you!!!

Much love brother will. Took some serious bravery to be ablt to talk about your stuggles. You reached out into the universe and it will reach back without fail. If anything my opinion of you has been strengthed by your ability to show that you a real person with real struggles. #sheepsquadforever

You are a real motivation Will. I love you. I can understand how hard was it is to record this video. More and more power to you. Prayers. Everything is going to be alright ❤

Makes me happy to know you have people around you and o. The internet who support you, and it takes a lot of courage to ask for help. Hope you get through this as smoothly as possible, and thank you for all the great content you put out! You got this mate, you are strong as hell!! 💪💪💪

: ( sending love and support from Australia 💖

Stay positive!

Hey mate, I can't imagine how hard it was to make that video. I'm glad that you're working towards accepting that you don't have to maintain an internet persona. Everyone here is a fan of Will the person, not the RU-vidr. I am sincerely rooting for you, and please don't let this period in your life define you. You are a fabulous photographer and a genuine beacon of hope for all us other photographers. Cheering for you from all the way in Australia. Fuck cancer, you've got this.

Hey Willy, hope you start to feel a little better soon. Just sent over a little donation to your campaign - congratualtions on passing the goal! It's your talent and dedication that makes your photos so great, so you can mourn the loss of your G2, but you'll still be able to make amazing work. Cheers x

Will! I dunno if you've looked into it but the correlation of fasting timed prior to chemo has been shown to be very very effective. Heard it on Tim Ferriss' podcast. Worth looking into.

Hang in there bud ❤

❤❤❤

you are such a trooper, chom! miss you

Ahh I really miss some of the cameras I've sold due to more dubious circumstances... that being said with your level of talent and creative eye you could probably shoot better images than most using a pinhole lens 😆 Best of luck and hang in there - tough times don't last, just tough people :)

🤍 Sending Big Love Bro!! Aloha.

Stay strong chief!

You are a legend bro. You got this king

Thanks for sharing again some personal thoughts. Hey Will. I've got to tell you: this is a great channel and I've always liked how relaxed, smiling and optimistic you are on all of your videos. They are really fun to watch, because it's like watching a friend telling us what he's done recently. It doesn't look like you're acting for the camera and most probably you really aren't. But... you do not have to feel any need to share anything that you do not feel to share here. That said it must have feel awkward to pretend, for the camera, that the sale of the G2 was for entirely a matter of choice. But a camera - anything material really - can be bought again later (feel free to have another fundraising then ;-) Life is beautiful - even when it's a bitch - and that's one big reason why it is worth capturing it through photos (and... the temporary unavailability of a camera in your collection won't stop you from showing us how you do it, is it?) Big hug all the way from Italy! Stay positive, smiling and optimistic!

HANG IN THERE BUDDY… YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE SUPPORTING YOU.

Hey Will it takes a lot of guts to not only to be honest with all of us , but also to be honest with yourself. There is power in that even if it feels otherwise. On another note, if you are able to get your hands on Pure Encapsulations supplements I would highly recommend. They are free from a lot of additives that other supplement companies throw in their products. Just sharing what has worked for me in the past. Take it day by day and you will feel improvement. God speed brother.

On top of medical, living in one of the most expensive cities in SA also doesn't help. Pretoria is R5000-R10,000 for a house/apartment depending on where you stay. But Cape Town is currently the photography center of SA, so moving also limits your access to infrastructure, locations, contacts, etc. Regardless, you can always buy/rebuy gear. You just need stability now. Don't be so precious with objects that are made to create. And don't fall into societies' current trap of fetishizing objects/tech over actual skill, which you have plenty of. Even without a G2, you still have at least 5 broken Nikonos's (you really have a problem) you can do something with. At the end of the day, even if you are limited to 1 camera and 2 lenses, you can still create your best work. Do what you have to. Once you stabilize your financial situation, then you can start looking at Leica's and Rollei's again.

Don't know you men, but i love your work!, hang in there! You got this!

While I believe it’s natural for you to feel the way you feel about any sort of perception of you. I think you are worrying about the wrong thing (that sounds harsh, it’s not meant to.) You are loved man! This should never change how anyone sees you and if it does it’s not you, it’s them. So break up with them!! You need to focus on Will. The people that care about you will always be here, always. Rooting for you!

damn hype beast Will was on fire in this one

👍🙏

Saw Bryan’s post and sent a little you way man. Not much, but hope it helps

Will!!¡! Sorry to hear about the predicament you're in. I'd love to contribute to your funds, on the off chance, did you sell the 16mm Hologon!? I'll purchase from you if you haven't!!

You've got this Willy! Hopefully the financial relief helps you to take some gas off the pedal so you can recover properly...

You got this man. Fk that cancer up

Nice hair.

Sending love and money from Australia mate - stay strong. Cancer’s an absolute indiscriminate bitch. A good mate was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 24 - a real ‘wtf?’ moment for someone so young. Several years on he’s doing great but it has definitely been a fight all the way. A serious suggestion for you: turn on ads/monetisation for your channel. I know you’ve avoided ads etc. for our benefit and that’s awesome, but I think we’d all much prefer you get some extra income from all your hard work, and continue to feel inspired to make videos. I pay my RU-vid Premium so the creators I watch get compensated for their efforts. Give it serious thought - I’m sure no one here will think less of you for monetising your work. Especially considering the circumstances. Keep healing…

We're all here to help you take the next steps. I'm sorry you had to sell your G2... but maybe it had to make way for something even better that HypeBeast Will would appreciate ❤❤❤