surreal / blog categorization + more gear + m6 test photos
I started blogging in 2010 because I became very intensely interested in photography, and I didn’t know anyone at the time who shared my curiosities to the same depth. I blogged to share information, not knowing who would care (and a lot of people did!). Blogging, especially somewhat anonymously, has always been a way for me to share various pieces of myself in a way that felt genuine to my thought processes without the pressure of followers, view count, or the judgment of others.
I think the challenge with this blog has been that it’s directly tied to my personal portfolio. I know peers who check in on it every now and then. Potential employers have stumbled upon this page. I understand that people are interested in seeing how I’m doing, what I’m thinking about more generally, what I’m reading, maybe. I’ve devolved into a more “life update” type of blogging because I worry that diving into anything too niche will be alienating in some way. It inevitably will, but I want to revive this space as a place where I feel free to express the majority of my thoughts, no matter how specific. I’ve revived the “categories” part on my posts—the categories are as follows:
books - reflection books that i’m readin
boston - an old category tag from when i lived in boston!
digital - digital photos from trips
fiction - my attempts at writing fiction
film - posts that contain film images
gear - posts about things; might include cameras, lenses, backpacks
information - posts that are intended and organized to be informative about a specific topic
instant - posts that contain instant photographs
life - includes a general life update section
music - reflection on albums, songs, music in general
poetry - my rare attempts at writing poetry
projects - posts that include making things; might include woodworking, electronics projects
rambling - more stream-of-consciousness thoughts on relevant topics in general; might include current events + politics
travel - posts that include trips
writing - the counter of rambling, includes more structured forms of writing
I hope this helps those passing through my blog (you!) find the content that you’re interested in reading about.
As a quick gear update to my last post, here is an actual picture of my new pack and camera setup, which I have been loving a lot. The Leica M6, Zeiss Biogon 28mm f/2.8, Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4, Zeiss Planar 50mm is a sweet 3 lens setup that is barely noticeable weight in my bag. 28mm is my favorite focal length, and I was a fan of the color contrast from my experience with the Biogon design on my old Contax G1. 28mm and 50mm is probably an ideal two lens combo, but Voigtlander is hard to leave out for its wide aperture capability for indoor shots.
The Brevite Jumper has been awesome—I carried it through a full day photoshoot on Friday with the M6, lenses, and a Mamiya 6, and it was discreet, easy to work out of, and comfortable to carry on a really hot day. The outer organization pocket makes it easy to grab pens, mask, cleaning cloths, wallet, keys, and things like that, while it’s comforting to know that my camera bodies and lenses are well protected inside. The top pocket is just wide enough for my keyboard, a book, a jacket, and other necessities. I’m also excited to eventually share a photo project I got to work this month!
Regarding lenses—while researching reasonably priced M-mount lenses, I came across some cool lens diagrams that elucidate the key element differences between different lens types. There’s quite a few of these diagrams, but this one from 1978 to 2010 includes the 50mm Planar lens and the Nokton 35mm that I have. I am curious to learn more about the history of different lens designs and how each design renders images uniquely.
A shot of the new backpack on the Zeiss 28mm f/2.8 from my first M6 test roll (Fuji C200).
Less gear related and more just generally life interest related, I’ve started reading photography books. I’ve owned Susan Sontag’s On Photography for years now, but had only read one chapter up until a few weeks ago. Beyond Michael Freeman’s A Photographer’s Eye, I’ve actually never really picked up a photo book before. I regret that it took me so long, but I’m now reading Errol Morris’s Seeing is Believing and also picked up Magnum Contact Sheets and Road to Seeing by Dan Winters. I’m eager to learn more about photography in a more structured way through inspiration and lessons from great photographers.
We picked up vegan sushi from Kensho in Huntington Beach and had a picnic at a local park. (Leica M6, Zeiss 28mm f/2.8, Fuji C200).
An early sunrise near Palos Verdes (Leica M6, Zeiss 28mm f/2.8, Portra 800)
Both images from Sequoia National Forest (Olympus XA4, Fuji C200)
Ginger pays a visit (Leica M6, Zeiss 28mm f/2.8, Fuji C200)
reflection question
What is something you haven’t expressed recently?
