Mellow stroll

When you’re mellow and comfortable you take the things you feel and see differently. It can take the stress out your images. Life is grant.

It makes you aware that so much can be framed.

That you don’t need to see everything to understand what you’re seeing. Light and shadows can be so powerful.

It even can bring you in a nostalgic mood again. Although the scenery in the Dutch city of Utrecht is quite nostalgic too. The city known for the peace and friendship treaties of Utrecht from 1713 that helped end the war against Spain.

Reminds you too that you’re never alone on the street, always accompanied.

No matter how obsolete the place even looks like.

In two weeks I try to post my impressions of the Ricoh GR. Also soon I will post a series of photographs I took at the former industrial complex Zollverein in Germany. I posted a teaser on Flickr.

All photographs by Wouter Brandsma

First outinGR..

Old skool

There is obviously so much that crosses my mind after a day of photographing with the new Ricoh GR, but I also feel it is way to soon to just write some first impressions down. I know some have no problems jumping to conclusions after a couple of hours using a camera. I however want to learn to master it. I should say though that after a brief moment it felt very comfortable.

It feels easier to hold than the GXR, the grip is reassuring and the finish of the camera is like expected. The little bit of extra weight is much appreciated. The menu though….. A typical Ricoh menu, organized, well structured, but you do almost need an IT background to understand all the firmware features. I’d better figure it out now and just set up the camera once and for all.

New skool

I always try to set up my cameras to keep the shooting process simple. A concept I always appreciated when I bought my GR1 briefly after it was launched in 1996. All the options of the Ricoh GR can, at first, be very overwhelming. If you already have a GRD predecessor I suggest to set up your GR similarly. Best for me though, was to get out with the camera as soon as possible.

All photographs by Wouter Brandsma

My name is….

Some of my friends say that the camera does matter, but don’t make it larger that it is. You see, there is so much more to an image. You are the brain, the thoughts. You have the feelings and you see the world. You make the conscious and subconscious decisions. You are not a tool, unlike your camera. My name is Wouter and you have a name too.

In reaction to my friends post.

All photographs by Wouter Brandsma