Dis—–Tance.

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I’m not active anymore on photography related forums. I don’t read websites like fstoppers, petapixel, dpreview. I am not interested in the latest gear. I have interacted very little or none with peers on Twitter or IG. It allowed me to distance myself from the photography bubble.

You needed to favour Nikon, or Canon. Photography has died, because so many people share millions of photographs a day. Every amateur can become an influencer and share their thoughts and opinions on photography, preferably gear of course. I just don’t give a s&#t about it. I just don’t care.

A lot has happened in the meantime. The Corona pandemic, black lives matter, protests, people believing in conspiracy theories, finding their truths in their own filtered bubbles. And somehow the tech industry is thriving. And I will totally ignore the US elections. It’s not my country, I can’t vote, but it will affect us nonetheless though.

Many of us have been or still are social distancing themselves from friends and loved ones. Many people suffer the consequences of the Corona pandemic and subsequent countermeasures. People losing their jobs, or reduced working hours, money uncertainties. The economy in recession and somehow business thrive unlike ever before. Again it shows me that people base their lives around certainties. Even the young ones want certainties. Going to school, finding a job, making a living, starting relationships, saving money, and making their lives worthwhile.

When uncertainties fill our lives, it becomes clear that many people try to find answers instead of simplifying their lives. And people become strongly opinionated. We are at a point in life that the unbelievable internet revolution also clearly shows its dark side. Discussions becomes shouting, freedom of speech becomes intertwined with opinions. A political correctness on both sides of the aisle forces us into stand-offs. It has become so easy to find your reasoning for your own believes. And we make the mistake of assuming that believes is the truth. When there is unwillingness to listen to others your own believes become useless. It might all seem or purpose a ripple effect, but in the end changes will be minimal and we still need to live with one another.

Instead, maybe it is better to distance ourselves from it all. Maybe it is better to experience the freedom of actually not having an opinion, or at least not share it with others. Often they say the silent majority allowed bad things to happen, but sometimes the silent majority can actually silence fightings. When silence becomes noise too.

Maybe I ramble too much, I will try to silence myself again and focus on photography instead. Still take care, stay safe.

OMG A gear blog post

I have a love and hate relation with cameras. Some are just great, others just pieces of crap. Older film cameras were build to last, although I sometimes wished some broke down so I had a good reason to replace them. My Ricoh GR1 was great, simple, light. I could use it with one hand and just loved it. I still have that camera, but stopped using it. Film is just simply not an option for me anymore.

When I finally decided to go for a digital camera I bought an Olympus. It was a decent camera, something with a four digit number. At some point the lens got stuck and the camera never worked again. Then I got myself a Ricoh point and shoot. It reminded me of my GR1. Had that camera only a year. Some dust issues kept coming back and Ricoh replaced it with a follow up. Hated the sensor of that replacement. Swapped my Ricoh for a GRD instead. Awesome camera, not that well built, and eventually the AF and snap focus played tricks with me.

Again Ricoh replaced that camera and I got a GRD3. It was reasonably constructed, still light, easy to handle. So the lens got misaligned, the AF went bogus. Ricoh kindly replaced it for another camera. Had that one some six months and then the same problems occurred. Got another GRD3. I still have that one, but the AF and snap focus is not perfect either. The thumb grip on the back came off, the front grip is slowly coming of too. I think I gaffer tape it so I can keep using it while it lasts.

I got myself a Panasonic GF1 a couple of years ago with that illusive 20mm lens. Fine camera, a bit plastic results, and a loud shutter. I might be using it more though. Got a Canon dSLR from a friend, still thankful for that. which still works. The camera is almost 14 years old now and I don’t use it anymore. Tried a Pentax K3, too big for me and that is that. Used a friend’s Leica M8, loved that camera. Besides my experience with my compact cameras and my iPhone the best camera experience I had. Still dream of owning a Leica someday. Got a Pentax Q which is small. I mean small. Don’t use it anymore, although I wished to came with a proper prime wide angle lens. It wasn’t bad either.

I sometimes use a friend’s X100 (Fuji cough). Nice camera, but I keep doing something wrong with that camera. Everytime I put this camera in my bag I accidentally switch it on. I just hate the on and off dial. It drains batteries and by the time I want to use it, the battery is almost dead. It also doesn’t like my SD cards. I should be using newer SD cards, they’re cheap, but my cards are OK for me. They’re almost nine years old, 2Gb in size, and they still work.

Eventually I got a Ricoh GR. In fact I became a Ricoh ambassador too. Don’t expect cool outtakes like the Fuji guys receive. I guess Ricoh knows their customers. Never asked me anything. Don’t mind too, I stopped asking questions too. I still have and use this GR. Last year there was a follow up, but I really don’t care about that. I had dust on the sensor of my GR. Was apparently not the only one. Many had their problems too. Received concerned questions from other photographers, but I dunno how to help them. The dust on my camera eventually was gone, though I don’t know how.

The thing is, this GR ain’t a perfect camera. I think this camera wasn’t ment to last long. When I use this camera I forget about that though. It works, I can operate it with one hand and it is just so much to use. It is a tool. Unlike my Philly friend I don’t name my cameras. I don’t play nice with it. I just keep it in a pocket, don’t protect it when it rains. If it brakes down I might eventually get myself another GR. I don’t want to have a camera with knobs reminding me of some retro style with features that might as well be hidden in a camera menu. And if it brakes and I’m not able to replace it I’ll keep using my iPhone instead. That works for me too.

I wrote it before, but I think smartphones have come a long way. And so often I find it adequate for my purpose. It is absolute simplicity and surprisingly fast. Especially when I compare it with my GRD3. And I like it that I can edit and post process on my phone whenever I have time available. Keeps me away from my notebook.

I don’t get myself a camera to do the things I might want to do. I just use it for what I need. Sure I can be a more competent and complete photographer, but I just don’t care. Flash, I don’t bother with it. Tele lenses, not my cup of tea. In the end, it should be about the photographs and my photography. Ain’t it? Instead I want to do more with print again. Maybe a small book, a zine, or small packages with a couple of prints. Because I feel granted for the things I can do and the moments I see and feel. I don’t know if I’m anything special. I don’t think I lead a special life, but I think that what I do matters. Like your life matters too. So many thanks for that. I go through my moods and I don’t believe I’m the only one. I try to be grateful for what I can do instead of being disappointed for what I couldn’t do. Therefore I’m thankful that I have a camera. A camera that helps me to better understand what I’m doing and what is happening around me.

All photographs by Wouter Brandsma

Time helps

I can drive 80 km/h, look down deep, but it helps to take time. Time to breath, to think, to rest, to continue.

After my previous post I gave it some extra thoughts how I want to proceed with my blog and what I want to do with the older blog posts. It is certainly tempting to host the blog myself outside the wp dot com environment (thanks Jorge for your thoughts on that subject), but I don’t really have the means (especially the finances) to do so. In the last week I also had several discussions with others on how I want to continue with my blog, and what is happening in the blogosphere. Also I had some good exchanges on photography with fellow photographer Josh White.

I find it interesting that other bloggers try to figure out what to do with their published stuff. Much gets covered by new posts and images, and what we did gets easily forgotten. I think it is not about rewriting our past, I truly think a blog often echoes a personal diary, but more about restructuring it and make it more easily accessible. Even if I would decide to migrate my blog to a self hosted platform, the restructuring would allow to reduce the number of posts and stored photographs.

The brief moment of reconsideration in the last week also helped me forward in photographing every day again like I did in 2011. While that may seem clueless at first, I found that particular time after all one of the more liberating periods in my photography. Completely unlimited by gear and techniques (sure they are relevant, but became irrelevant through experience and knowledge at some time) only restricted by my personal feelings. I mean, after 72 weeks consecutively photographing I couldn’t remember taking photographs until I reviewed them later on. At that time, last year, it was a shocking experience. The results however have become quite unique documents to me after struggling with that shocking feeling for some time.

In essence, that is for me my stroll photography. My first photo book, Saudade, was about reliving that. I want to work on a similar book for next year though. Some of my blog posts will turn in one form or another into that new book. I’m pretty excited to work on that and it really fits with how I described my feelings in my previous post.

Don’t forget your work, let it breave and remember that time helps. Time and looking back, helps appreciating the road forward.

All photographs by Wouter Brandsma

Almost

I almost pressed the publish button for a provocative blog post. I almost thought about quitting my blog and to start all over again. I almost…….. Well almost.

I do think we, photographers, worry too much about the wrong things. We try find solutions the easy way, but often realizing later on that these were all just distractions. Honestly, when I stop with photography now I will be forgotten in a heart beat. I just try to photograph for myself. And I hope you’ll do so too.

I really appreciate you all visiting my blog and viewing my photography. Current mediums all seem to be about easy consumption of blog posts and photographs. We tend to forget the past easily, both readers and creators. This blog now has over 500 published blog posts. There is a lot of unread stuff here. Therefore I am thinking about rewriting and reorganizing some older blog posts so they become more interesting to read again.

All photographs by Wouter Brandsma

week 6 | 2012

I really thought about quitting this week with my PAD project. No inspiration, no time, nothing changing, everything the same, and for the first time since last year February I felt the pressure of photographing to keep the project going. I need ideas or at least a different locations to photograph. And I constantly feel these doubts. It feels like nothing is changing, no progress, what do I learn? And these thoughts what would happen if I temporary stop for a couple of days. Would I still be able to motivate myself?

I fought the entire week with these doubts, doubts about continuing the project, doubts about my photography, doubts about sharing my photography. Still, I believe stopping now makes no sense to me. I don’t need to continue, no I want to continue. I am thinking about setting myself some goals every week to find suitable subjects to photograph.

Last January a group of photographers, including me, on a forum (a forum focused on compact cameras and it’s practical usage) participated in a project to photograph each day with only one camera-lens setup the entire month. The intention was to actually enjoy your photographic gear and just really appreciate the process of making photographs. Since I already photographed each day and mostly used a single setup, I insisted on participating. It was special to see each and everyone being a lot more creative than they ever thought they would be. Many were excited, some thought it was tough to photograph each day without any particular event occurring. There was a lot less chit chat about gear (which I personally think is a really good thing), but when the project was finished the interesting photo-related discussions stopped. Most instantly went back to all their gear and moaned that they would never do it again. It frustrated me and made me realize (again) that these forums are really the wrong places for me. I like to find like-minded people to talk and enjoy photography (in particular photographs). The popularity of these forums however drive mostly on the gear enthusiast in my opinion. I love to be challenged and feel inspired and motivated by seeing good photography. I love to get out and I greatly enjoy the photographic process, seeing moments, making photographs

All photographs by Wouter Brandsma