The world feels different today, which is November 17th when I prepare this post for you. Russia confirms that a terrorist bomb felled Flight 9268, while Western forces increase air strikes against the Islamic State […]
Author: Joe Wilcox
Flickr a Day 323: ‘L’accordéoniste’
We continue seven days of Paris street photography, with the fourth, self-titled “L’accordéoniste”, or “Accordionist”. Sylvain Courant describes: “Joueur d’orgue de barbarie sur les grands boulevards” (“Barrel organ player on the big boulevards”.) Sylvain shot our […]
Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR lens
I retract regrets stated two days ago about parting with the Fujifilm X100T. Today I had chance to use the Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR lens attached to the X-T1. Wow, the 53mm film-equivalent glass swipes away my major complaints compared to using the smaller camera.
For starters: The aperture ring offers tactile response. You can feel the click between stops, which are unmistakably visible at a glance. When the San Diego sunlight is to too bright for me to easily see numbers in the electronic viewfinder, the ring reveals the aperture by touch. Click. Click.
Flickr a Day 322: ‘Paris est Amour’
Our Paris parade of street photography continues—my small way of showing solidarity with a nation mourning, following Friday the 13th’s terrorist attacks. Stéphane Toumayan extends a photographic meme flourishing across Flickr and other social sites: […]
‘Paris, I Love You’
I haven’t quite abandoned Tidal, despite bassy boom when using my new Sennheiser Momentum 2 headphones. Lossless listening is otherwise enjoyable; the problem starts with the cans and ends with the music streaming service not providing a graphic equalizer. I understand there being no EQ, if the point is high-fidelity that fairly accurately represents the original recording. That said, I really need to throttle back bass, or my ears ache. Aging sucks.
Tidal’s playlists are consistently fresh and superbly curated. Today’s delight: “Paris Je T’aime“, or “Paris, I Love You”, which timing isn’t coincidental, following Friday the 13th terrorist attacks that killed 129 around the city. “Memoria”, by Indochine, is the 22-track playlist’s standout.
Flickr a Day 321: ‘Paris 13/11/15’
Few pics posted Creative Commons capture so aptly the dire sentiment searing parents and their children following Friday the 13th’s devastating terrorist attacks on the streets of Paris. Simply self-titled “Paris 13/11/15”, Sabrina Neveu captions: “Quel monde s’offre […]
What I Miss About the Fuji X100T
Not long after buying the Fujifilm X-T1 in July I sold my beloved X100T. At the time, it didn’t make much economic sense to keep both. Some decisions, no matter their practically, we regret. I miss the X100T’s simplicity, portability, and manageability.
The X-T1’s appeal is full manual control, including ISO, and interchangeable lens. But for me, the fixed-lens camera’s aperture ring is a killer feature. In the bright San Diego, I often find even X-T1’s excellent electronic viewfinder is difficult to read. I typically shoot aperture priority, but consistently can’t read the setting. The X100T offers tactile clicks from a ring which numerals are clearly etched into the metal. Then there is benefit of the optical viewfinder, which works well for me outdoors.
Flickr a Day 320: ‘Demonstration Against the Notre Dame des Landes Airport’
We follow up yesterday’s street protest pic with another: Self-titled “Demonstration Against the Notre Dame des Landes Airport”, which Philippe Leroyer captured on Feb. 22, 2014 in Nantes, France. You did not misread—and identify major reason why the photo takes the Day. The raging flames feel wrong given what looks like a war zone but is not. The pic’s composition is excellent and is more dramatic in black and white (see the color companion for comparison).
The violent clash captured by Philippe, a photojournalist, is but one in a series of tense encounters. The airport remains in the news more than 20 months later as a family faces eviction from the home for refusing to vacate lands designated for the facility.
Flickr a Day 319: The Standoff
Do you remember Occupy Wall Street—or care about the protest? Four years ago today, police dispersed the crowd camped out in New York City’s Zuccotti Park for nearly two months. David Shankbone captured the moment in […]
SDCC 2016 Preregistration Success!
At 9:35 a.m., I completed buying a full pass to Comic-Con 2016, four minutes after moving from the Waiting Room to the purchase queue. The pulp-media cultural event costs more every year. I paid $220 this year and $245 for next, which works out to $40 each for Preview Night and Sunday (Family Day) and $55 apiece for the others.
SDCC 2016 is the second year I pay to attend. Comic-Con International did not recertify my press status for 2015. I have submitted fresh verification documentation but took advantage of preregistration rather than wait. My concern is not attending rather than paying. Press certification’s major benefit is assured attendance. But there’s no guarantee that my media status will be approved.
Flickr a Day 318: Paris at Night
On this somber Saturday, we mourn with the nation of France, following last night’s shocking coordinated terrorist attacks in Paris. More than 120 people were reportedly killed; the number likely will change as the weekend […]
Wow, the Amazon Home Page
Solidarité is right, and nothing for sale visible above the fold. Americans are often too oblivious to tragedy overseas, even among Western allies. If someone didn’t see the news, and shops Amazon, they have to wonder what the page refers to.
My wife and I watched live coverage for hours from CBS and Sky news services, streamed, since we’re cord-cutters again. To recap: Coordinated terrorist attacks left more than 120 dead in Paris, late last night (local time there). The city is in lock down.