A roll of Tri-X 400 in Nashville, TN

September 4, 2023

The XA1 plus black and white is a winning combo. A roll of straight bangers. Reinvigorated my desire to explore downtown.

Shot on the Olympus XA1 with Kodak Tri-X 400.

A roll of Provia 100F in Nashville, TN

August 21, 2023

A first for me. I’ve only sampled a few slide films. Ektachrome underwhelms me (should give it another go) and Velvia enthralls me (should post those photos here). As a Fuji fan, Provia naturally interested me. I like the results. Tamer than Velvia but with more personality than Ektachrome.

Attempted some flash photography on this roll. Nothing worth sharing, but encouraged the setup works. Will be practicing more.

Shot on the Leica R3 with Fujifilm Provia 100F

A roll of Portra 400 in Austin, TX

August 9, 2023

Oops, a roll forgotten and rediscovered months later. A brief hike around an Austin Texas trail amidst the new year. More Olympus XA1 portrait goodness. Check out the rolls of Ektar and Tri-X.

Bonus shot of my sister’s cat, Moko.

Shot on the Olympus XA1 with Kodak Portra 400.

A roll of Tri-X 400 in Austin, TX

May 22, 2023

It’s hard to describe. Black and white photography is simply a different beast compared to color. Striping away the complex variable of hue is freeing. Your eye changes. All it sees are compositions and textures.

I’ve also noticed that I prefer shooting portrait on my XA, lol. Check out part one and three of Austin on film.

Shot on the Olympus XA1 with Kodak Tri-X 400.

Caroline's concept shoot

April 10, 2023

When Caroline asked if I wanted to do a concept shoot with her, my response was: wtf is a concept shoot. I’m most comfortable in documentary/journalistic photography. I have no idea what to do with a model. But Caroline was patient. We had a fun time.

Digital on Sigma fp with Summicron-R 90mm, Elmarit-R 28mm, and Sigma 45mm ƒ2.8 DG DN.

A roll of Ektar 100 in Austin, TX

March 29, 2023

I began the new year visiting my sister. Exploring downtown Austin was the perfect opportunity to run through my first roll of Ektar. Scanning proved tricky. But the results were worth it.

Also, check out part two and three of Austin on film.

Shot on the Leica R3 with a Summicron-R 90mm and Elmarit-R 28mm. Thanks to my friend overseas for scanning tips.

snapshots_2021

March 22, 2022

The past year in photos. And the year before that.

2021-01

The new year begins with the family, and Ruby. This film stock is weird.

olympus xa1 / lomochrome purple 100-400

2021-02

As it warms, photographers creep back out.

sigma fp / summicron 50mm

2021-03

We lose a lad to the east coast in March.

olympus xa1 / ilford xp2

2021-04

April. The gc teams up irl to move a loyal shitposter.

olympus xa1 / ilford xp2

2021-05

Backyard bonfire continues as a mainstay.

sigma fp / summicron 50mm

2021-06

Kayaks and hikes at the end of summer. First family vacation in a long time.

nikonos v / w-nikkor 35mm / superia 200

2021-07

Introduced to croquet in August. I was so smitten that I demanded that it be played at my birthday party the following month.

olympus xa1 / superia 400

2021-08

More Friends move in September.

olympus xa1 / superia 400

2021-09

Back to Texas for Christmas and much needed family time.

olympus xa1 / superia 400

2021-10

We suddenly lost Ruby early in 2022. But she left us with a final gift.

olympus xa1 / superia 400

Leica R3 / Summicron 90mm / Fujicolor Superia 400

Crickets

June 10, 2021

You seek me out for wisdom? For I have lived three of your lifetimes? You say, “does not time breed greater understanding?” Fool. Should you not also seek my counsel because I eat crickets? For is not their instruction valued by the wooden-headed? Does not consuming those with intellect increase your own? Foolish. Find your own wisdom. Are you not disturbing my nap?

snapshots_sanfrancisco

May 26, 2021

I am not a frequent journaler. Though I do wonder if it would help with my memory. I often struggle to remember what I did just yesterday. So to better absorb the experience, I resolved to journal my whole trip to San Fransisco I took with Adrian back in 2019. The experience failed to convert me to the Church of Journaling, but it was an encouragement to turn to this tool more often for reflection and remembrance.

Below are excerpts from the trip:

July 10, 2019

Arrived before A at SFO... Made it to the BnB without incident. Went to sleep.

July 11, 2019

Our first stop was Sightglass. They had a good cappuccino. We planned out the day.
We went to see the Painted Ladies and walked around Alamo Square. I love how fog drifts through the buildings... constantly changing the landscape.
After, we walked up Russian Hill to see the house from The OA. The hills were very steep...

Leica R3 / Elmarit 28mm / Fujicolor Superia 400

Took a break at a coffee shop called Saint Frank. We shared a table with another woman. She was working, and A & I were writing and talking about notebooks, pens, and process. Stephanie joined in when A brought up washi tape and journalling. This led to writing tools... Before she left, we discovered she was a professional photographer.
Leanne K happened to be in town for work and we met for dinner. Leanne and I hadn’t seen each other in five years, or as she put it, “ten years!” So not since we graduated.
We decided to visit the original Swensen’s Ice Cream. I was determined to walk since it was less than a mile away, but it was up an extremely steep hill. A and Leanne called an Uber. Swensen’s was as sweet as always. The shop was decidedly different from what A & I were used to in Thailand. But it was a fun pilgrimage all the same.
Leanne had a plane to catch so we said goodbye... A & I took the train back to the BnB and immediately crashed due to the long day of walking the hills of SF.

July 12, 2019

We started the day at b. Patisserie with coffee, croissants, and quiche. The quiche was made of the lightest, creamiest eggs. 10/10, best quiche.

Next, we made our way to Golden Gate Bridge. It was shrouded in fog... I prefer it this way. Movies usually show it on clear days. I’m glad I saw it cloaked and mysterious.
We went out on a pier (or wharf?) for a better vantage of the bridge. There was a seagull eating a crab, and one of the several fishermen had pulled up a stingray. It was windy, chilly, foggy...

Everyone records a podcast on vacation, right? A had been messaging @bojackhiddenjokes on Instagram and Leca, the creator of the account, invited us to participate in her podcast. We met at SalesForce Park which took up the entire rooftop of a high-rise.
Leca thanked us for taking the time, we thanked her for having us on, and we parted ways. We had dinner at House of Xian Dumpling and ate soup dumplings (a first for me).

July 13, 2019

Ferry day. Left early for Fisherman’s Wharf to get tickets to Angel Island. We ate bagels and pastries, and drank coffee while we waited for departure. On the way to the wharf, we had the opportunity to ride the classic SF trolly cars.
The wind was bracing on the ferry. We had a good tour of the bay on the way. Saw Alcatraz up close, another view of Golden Gate, and the skyline of SF itself.

Angel Island was beautiful. Nature trails to hike, azure vistas of the ocean, and fresh air. We hiked to the Immigration Station and spent a couple hours at the museum there. I learned more about the Chinese Exclusion Act, how asian immigrants were detained for months on end in terrible conditions. Chinese detainees took to carving poems into the walls. Lines of despair, frustration and hope.
History repeats itself.

We missed lunch. By the time the ferry returned us to the mainland, we were famished and exhausted. We took the bus to Japantown and ate at Ramen Yamadaya. Best bowl I’ve had to date. Stuffed, we explored the area and ended up walking around a mall full of Japanese shops and restaurants. We ate crepes stuffed with bananas and Nutella at Sophie’s Crepes.

July 14, 2019

Today was dedicated to the MoMA. We started at Blue Bottle Coffee with pastries and coffee. I had a savory pastry with roasted cherry tomatoes which liked to spray juice every time I bit into it.

It was supposed to be a “light” day but we spent six hours looking at art. My right hip and leg ached by the end. They had an installation devoted to photography... There was a room filled with prints of every photo uploaded to Flickr in a 24 hour period. My favorite pieces were created by mailing a pinhole camera made from a box. Photographic paper recorded abstract images of its travels.
I was most drawn to the works of an artists know as Jess... His work involved intricate collages pulled together from detailed illustrations found in old books and bits of text. He also made a few Curio Boxes. I love the idea of assembling a curated collection of objects and presenting them in a single container. The physicality and mystery.
I also saw Zapatistas by Alfredo Romas Martinez. It was an arresting painting. I kept leaving and coming back to look at it.

We headed to Mission Dolores Park after the MoMA. On the way we ate sandwiches at a deli (I had pesto chicken on a baguette) and bought a pint of ice cream at Bi-Rite Market to eat at the park. We sat on the grass an enjoyed our dessert.

July 15, 2019

Our last day was spent at the San Francisco Zoo. While we waited for the zoo to open, we went to Philz Coffee. We ate bagel sandwiches and drank their signature Mint Mojito iced coffee.
We took our time walking around the zoo. Again, it was supposed to be a “light” day. We had fun looking at and photographing all the animals. We even took a few pictures of us riding a lion (statue). I got to pet a ferret.

From there, we took the bus North to Golden Gate Park. The plan was to explore it a bit before heading to dinner. The bus dropped us right beside Ocean Beach though and we had to take the opportunity to see the Pacific. It was beautiful. White sands. Dunes. Fresh, brisk ocean breezes. People enjoying the sun, walking their dogs. In the distance, the faint shapes of ships traveling to and from the bay.
Reluctantly, we plunged into the park. I marveled at Central Park when I visited New York City. The amount of green carved out of the concrete blocks. Golden Gate Park is similar but on a different scale entirely. Massive. It’s a marvel how much space it takes up in this urban sprawl. There were Dutch windmills (plural), ponds, forested paths completely isolated from city, a bison paddock (!?), a museum... we were only able to see a small portion.

We ended the day at Burma Superstar. I’ve only had Burmese food once before (in Burma) a long time ago, so I did not know what to expect. It was fantastic. We started with a fermented tea leaf salad full of nuts and berries. The main course was a mango pork curry with coconut rice and a side of naan like bread.
Toy Boat Dessert Cafe was our last stop before riding back to the BnB, just up the street from Superstar. A got a sundae. It was massive and messy. Two scoops, hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream to overflowing. I got a giant slice of cheesecake. Smooth and delicious.

July 16, 2019

We slept in a bit, packed, then rode the train back to the airport. I shot the last few frames on my last roll of film and packed it away. We went through security without incident, and ordered breakfast burritos and coffee near my gate. My plane was scheduled to take off at noon, A’s a few hours later. A and I reflected a bit on our trip, what we enjoyed, things we learned (there were a few arguments). I thanked her for making San Francisco happen. It was her idea after all. Then it was time for me to board. We hugged, exchanged I-love-you’s, and said goodbye.

Flat Battery

February 16, 2021

I was drawn out into the ice today. Ice because that's what it was. We hoped for snow but got a constant drizzle of diminutive hail.

I went out with my camera, many layers, and hiking boots. I snapped pictures of sights I rarely see, took video clips, watched the Cardinals play.

I thought of a radio tower down the road. I wondered how it looked against the icefall. So I hazarded the climb up the hill out of my apartment complex. Up the winding road, past the abandoned cars failed in their ascent, out to the main road haphazardly plowed.

I trudged through the brown ice drifts kicked onto the sidewalk. At least, what I thought was the sidewalk. I took photos and video along the way and tucked my camera inside my jacket to keep the battery from freezing.

I arrived at my destination about half a mile away. The tower stood dark against the falling ice crystals, their gentle tumble making its sharp frame hazy. I pulled my camera from its warm shelter and framed the shot. And the screen went dark. Red letters flashed twice: flat battery.

On the cold walk back, I turned down another route for different scenery. But I stopped abruptly. Before me was a wide, pure expanse of fallen ice. An unbroken plane of marble that curved out of sight. Unmarked by footprints or tire tracks. The translucent white crystals caught the streetlight and shone with a luminous gold.

I hesitated, then stepped back from that sacred field and retreated to the path I had already trod. My boots stomped through the muddied drifts beside the road, already churned up by my passage half an hour before.

I imagined what my boots would have done to that gilded surface, the rubber treads tearing into that peaceful crystal field leaving pockmarked scars in my wake.

But I wonder.

Did I heed a holy warning, or flee a divine invitation?

Childish Things

February 12, 2021

I was given my first digital camera around age 11. The Kodak MC3 took photos at a resolution of 640x480 and recorded video half that resolution at a maximum of 20 fps to a CF card with a whopping 64MB of memory. It was also an mp3 player.

I thought the MC3 was awesome. When we went on trips all I needed to pack was my GameBoy and that camera/iPod Frankenstein. I’d fill up the card with pixelated pictures and video clips, delete them, and fill it up again. One day I asked my dad if there was a way to rearrange the video clips and combine them into one thing. He took me over to our iMac G3 and showed me iMovie.

I outgrew the MC3 and upgraded to a Lumix compact digital camera in high school. Then bought a Canon T3i DSLR in college. I adored the T3i. It was no 5D, but it produced excellent photos and video. Inevitably, I outgrew the T3i as well.

Post-graduation, I was doing freelance video work and it made more sense to rent gear anyway. This freed me to tailor the equipment to the job and gave me the chance to try out different cameras. But I had to return them at the end of production. I missed having a camera that was mine. A tool laying around, waiting for the urge to create to strike me so I could scoop it up and make something.

I wanted a swiss army knife. My camera needed to enable me both as a photographer and a cinematographer. It couldn’t be too big because I wanted to travel with it. It needed to be full-frame to take full advantage of my antique lenses. Nothing caught my eye. Everything had tradeoffs I couldn’t live with. Then the Sigma fp was announced. And that was it. What I'd been waiting for.

It’s hard to explain the joy of having the proper tool at hand. The feeling of seeing a photo and knowing you can capture it because a capable camera is in your bag. The feeling of wanting to record a pointless vignette and realizing you can because a camera waits on your desk. The feeling of writing a script with the knowledge that once you’re done you can just shoot it.

It’s a kind of creative relief. The comfort of clay in the potter’s hand, or a brush in the painter’s. A conduit of potential. A reassurance that you can go out and make.