The Wilcox family lived nearly 10 years in our old apartment, located in San Diego’s University Heights neighborhood. Except briefly for one or two bad rain storms, the small window by the front door stayed […]
Category: Fuji
A Pooch Portrait
Few days ago, Fujifilm unveiled the long-rumored GFX-100S—a 102-megapixel medium-format sensor shooter. I almost regret going back to Leica (Q2 and Q2 Monochrom), after letting go the GFX-50R in late-November 2019. Soon after, I purchased and returned the Sigma fp before buying the Q2. I love Fuji cameras, and the 50R surely satisfied. Problem: The impressive physical size intimidated animals and people, which was my primary reason for selling the thang.
The 100S reminds of what I gave up, with respect to image quality and dynamic range—both stellar benefits of the medium-format behemoth(s). So-o-o, this afternoon, I started reviewing some of my 50R RAW originals and happened upon a pooch portrait that silly me forgot to share with you.
Flickr a Week 51a: ‘Someone left These’
Brrr. Does self-titled “Someone left These” make you feel cold? I shiver just looking at this fine photo, which Jack Wallsten captured on Feb. 15, 2017, using Fujifilm X-T2 and Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR lens. Vitals: f/5, ISO 400, 1/1800 sec, 35mm. The provocative, but simple, shot takes the Sunday spot for color, composition, contrast, and creativity—then there is use of light.
The “professional videographer and editor” shoots “mainly street photography, pictures of my beautiful girlfriend, or sights from my balcony in Örnsberg, a southern suburb of Stockholm”. He wants “to improve as a photographer. I believe that no matter what skills you inhabit you are never too experienced to become better or to discover something new about yourself”.
Flickr a Week 51: ‘La Orotava, Tenerife’
Expressing a sentiment that applies to most photos showcased in this series, Viktor Kirilko says about self-titled “La Orotava, Tenerife“: “Pre COVID-19 era”. No social distancing. No mandated mask wearing. We see life as it was—magnificently depicted, too—one year ago, when, already, SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2) silently spread. How dramatically—no, drastically—life has changed since.
Viktor captured the moment on Dec. 7, 2019, using Fujifilm X100. Vitals: f/16, ISO 200, 1/4000 sec, 23mm. Nearly a decade after its release, the X100 is still worthy in capable hands and eyes. The photo takes the week for clarity, color, contrast, sassy saturation, and three-dimensional depth. BTW, the yellow building to the right is a hardware store: Ferretería Orotava. The Novel Coronavirus hit Spain hard. Did, or will, the shop—and others around it—survive?
Flickr a Week 50a: ‘Rastplatz’
Our nature trek starts with Enzio Harpaintner and self-titled “Rastplatz“, which translates from German as “resting place”. He used Fujifilm X-H1 and Fujinon XF100-400mmF4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR lens to capture the little bird, on […]
Flickr a Week 38a: ‘No Trespassing’
Our Sunday selection goes to Susan Jane Golding, who snapped this street shot on May 10, 2018, using Fujifilm X-Pro2 and Fujinon XF35mmF2 R WR lens. Vitals are unknown because the metadata is absent. Self-titled “No […]
Flickr a Week 37b: ‘Window’
Self-titled “Window” isn’t the best street shot in the Photostream of Spyros Papaspyropoulos, but it’s the one that caught my eye and that appropriately defines his style: People, or things, that fit oddly together. His composition technique is brash and intimate—as if he were invisible and thus able to get close in to capture candid, raw, unfiltered moments.
He used Fujifilm X-Pro1 and Fujinon XF18mmF2 R lens for the portrait “snapped in Chania, Crete, Greece” on Aug. 8, 2018. Vitals: f/11, ISO 1600, 1/250 sec, 18mm. The image takes the Sunday spot for candor, character, color, composition, and creamy grain that adds film-like quality. From Athens, but living in Rethymno, Spyros joined Flickr in May 2008. He also is cofounder of Street Hunters—where you should go to see more of his work and that of his companion photographers.
Flickr a Week 36a: ‘The Mystery Woman’
Composition, light, shadows, symmetry, and intrigue give the Sunday spot to self-titled “The Mystery Woman” by Enric Fradera, which he captured on April 17, 2015, using Fujifilm X100. Vitals: f/2, ISO 200, 1/750 sec, 23mm. […]
Flickr a Week 32a: ‘I Couldn’t Resist’
Self-titled “I Couldn’t Resist” certainly could be me—or perhaps you—walking by, seeing the sign, and taking the shot. But the moment belongs to Tom Driggers, who explains: “How very appropriate! This humorous sign was standing near the register at a well-known sandwich shop in Atlanta, GA”. The composed juxtaposition—big, sharp sign to the right and blurred cook to the left—just works.
Tom used Fujifilm X100F on Jan. 25, 2019 to capture our Weekend Winner. Vitals: f/2, ISO 640, 1/125 sec, 23mm.
Flickr a Week 29: ‘Oxford Street, 2019’
We greet mid-month with startling self-titled “Oxford Street, 2019“, which Sam Rodgers captured on September 8 using Fujifilm X-Pro2 and Fujinon XF16mmF2.8 R WR lens. Vitals: f/11, ISO 200, 1/500 sec, 16mm. The portrait is evocative of Sam’s street shooting style—getting down low to the subject. Before moving to San Diego, I often would lay on the pavement or sidewalk with my camera for more interesting perspective. But Californians love their dogs and let them defecate and pee everywhere; rain is too infrequent to naturally clean away the crap. So I stay on my feet.
Sam shows how changing angle and viewpoint can create character from what otherwise would be a mundane moment. He also gets in close to people, shooting wide open, and his portraits tend to be more dramatic—and clever—as a result.
Flickr a Week 27: ‘Moving House–The Philippine Way’
What a welcoming way to start the second half of 2020, following a tumultuous first six months: some spirit of cooperation—and it will be desperately needed as a pandemic-fractured humanity presses onward. Oh, and let’s […]
Flickr a Week 24a: ‘Logs on the Bus, Sullivan County’
Can someone please explain self-titled “Logs on the Bus, Sullivan County” to me? Shooter Doug Turetsky doesn’t, and I really want to know. Mystery and storytelling are principal reasons for claiming the Sunday Spot. He […]