The Winter that Never Was
It used to be fun. It used to snow. Now it is a collection of grey days, tied together with fog and rain.
From a Window Seat
This week's post is a bit on the shorter side (and a day late), as it's been chock-full of great, albeit time-consuming, endeavors. I took on the generally daunting task of migrating to a new MacBook. It's a chore, sure, but it's also a welcome refresh, and a sort of digital spring cleaning.
On top of that, it's been a hustling period at work. The kind of busy that's invigorating, but also all-consuming. Consequently, my camera's been gathering a bit too much dust for my liking. However, that's about to change.
Later this week, I'm off to Pittsburgh with my son for a college visit. It's a significant step for him and a proud moment for me. I'm looking forward to capturing the vibe of the city and the campus.
Following that, I'll be in Las Vegas to fulfill a wish for my son. As always, I'm eager to return to LV and see how the city's vibrant lights and energetic streets inspire my photography.
So, while this week may have been light on the shutter clicks, the next couple should make up for it. Until my next post, enjoy your week, keep an eye out for those unexpected moments worth capturing, and enjoy a few photos from the office window.
Building Muscle Memory
Great news: I'm brimming with ideas for this site's potential. The slight hitch? Many of these concepts are pretty grand in scale. So, instead of shoehorning them into a format that doesn't do justice, I'm sticking to my guns. Tuesdays remain our sacred publishing day. But here's the twist: I'm also fine-tuning the rollout plan for the bigger projects.
What does this mean for you? Well, to get into the groove of consistently sharing photos here, I'll be peppering in posts featuring snapshots I've taken recently. Consider this post a taste of that - a glimpse into my week, if you will. Hope it adds a bit of flair to your day!
To give you a clearer picture of the more extensive content I'm planning to share, here are some ideas I've been mulling over. Each of these could unfold over several posts. I'm all ears for your thoughts, so feel free to drop your preferences in the comments or shoot me a message through the contact form. If there's something else you're itching to see, let me know!
Topics on My Radar:
Travel Deep Dive:
Iceland
Switzerland
Alaska
Las Vegas
Toronto
Montreal
United Kingdom
And probably a few more surprises…
Photography as a Legacy:
The significance of what we choose to capture and share.
The undervalued benefit of printing photos.
The heritage of photography across generations.
My Photographic Process:
A peek into my current post-processing workflow.
Demystifying presets: When they're a hit and when to skip.
The art of giving your photos the time they deserve – before and during editing.
Gear Reviews and Thoughts:
Fujifilm X-T5: A Long Term Review.
My take on the Fujifilm X-Pro 3.
Why the Fujifilm X-T3 is still a great camera.
Lenses: My Views and Uses:
Zooms: Why they're a mainstay in my kit.
Primes: Picking the perfect moments for them.
Inside My Camera Bag:
My daily essentials.
My travel kit.
General gear that never fails to impress.
The Creative Act, by Rick Rubin:
Diving deep into the insights and inspirations.
Recent Photos
Some Outdoor Scenes
And, as always, Running :)
It has been quite a year!
Throughout the last year, I've found myself picking up the pieces from various losses and confronting some profound, adult feelings. Feelings like "At this point, how do I help my sons continue to become solid men?" or "What do I carry forward from the loss of loved ones, and what do I leave behind?" have been at the forefront of my mind. I've also grappled with thoughts about caring for aging parents, my own aging, and what to do with my time when my sons no longer need it as much.
Amidst all this, I've had to ponder how to heal from the past without dwelling on it and what it means when the institutions I've grown up respecting seem to continually fail. It's been a year of introspection and growth, to say the least.
Without delving too deep into these topics, as they are still being actively processed in my mind, I've come to learn a few things that have helped me to contextualize each of these questions.
Opinions I have formed:
Traveling is healing: There's something about getting out of your own space that's incredibly healing. Seeing how others live and developing a global sense of empathy connects you to a larger purpose. We are all part of the same tribe, and it's important to act accordingly. A recent trip to Iceland really brought this home for me as we found ourselves literally in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by people with the same goals, desires and ambitions. We are not as unique as we believe.
Social media is cancer (but not always): Despite its name, social media can often feel like the antithesis of social connection. It creates an illusion, feeding our fears, loves, desires, and comforts at an alarming rate, all while being devoid of genuine, meaningful interaction. However, it's not all bad when used mindfully.
In this light, I've also come to view most "News" outside of sources like Reuters or The Associated Press as skewed, propaganda and devoid of anything other than an echo chamber, playing to our base fears.
I have wasted time: The tech adage, "if a product is free, YOU are the product," rings true. Despite knowing this, I still feel the pull of these "social" platforms. I need to be more disciplined in using these platforms for my benefit, rather than building theirs.
Consistency over perfection: Striving for perfection can often hinder progress. Breaking this barrier with consistent actions is key. Want to run a marathon? Start with consistent short runs. Need to get out of a creative rut? Just pick up your camera and start shooting. It's the act of creating that counts, not immediate results.
Goals for the New Year:
Travel more and connect with diverse people: I plan to continue traveling as much as possible, seeking to meet people from diverse backgrounds and learning from them.
Put social media in its place: I intend to control my social media usage, not the other way around. This means turning off all notifications, scheduling specific times for consumption, and focusing on what truly affects my life.
Prioritize my platform: Sharing my thoughts and work should start here, on my site. I prefer a few meaningful connections over millions of fleeting ones.
Embrace action over perfection: I want to focus on doing little things that matter to me, without being held back by the pursuit of perfection. This means continuously creating, regardless of the outcome or audience.
Commitments:
I have a back catalog of thousands of photos and many ideas on how I want to share them. So, I commit to creating one blog post per week this year, released every Tuesday. These posts will explore my travels, my photo capturing and editing processes, thoughts on new gear, and occasionally, introspective musings. While you might see me on social media, remember that my primary goal is to make this space a hub for genuine connection. So, feel free to reach out in the comments or via the contact form. I'd love to hear from you.
Until then...
Here are a few random photos from my recent travels to Las Vegas, Iceland, Zermatt, Alaska, and Sunset Beach. 🙂
I'm cautiously optimistic about this new phase of life. It feels like a disruption, standing on the brink of the next chapter. But with this perspective, I'm determined to avoid my greatest fear: just doing nothing.
Best of the Year
Well, 2023 has come to a close and like previous years, I find myself looking back on what was. For me, 2023 was a year filled with travel, sports and events, which is reflected in the photos I felt were my favorite.
If you’ve been following me here or on Instagram, I’d love to hear what you felt were your favorites.
Top 10
Now, as with any other list that I try to create, there are always honorable mentions. Here are the photos that I felt easily could have made the top ten, but for whatever reason, they ended up just outside of the cut.
Honorable Mentions
As Autumn Closes
The trees adorned in fiery attire,
Burning bright, as if they conspire.
Crimson leaves dance with the breeze,
Falling gently, like whispered pleas.
All photos shot over the course of two weekends in upstate NY with the Fuji X-T5 or Fuji X-Pro3
So much to do, so little time...
A compilation from the last two weeks
All Photos X-T5 & X-Pro3