Category Archives: Photography

Dreamcatcher, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

October 21st, 2014 … Thoughts, Findings and Observations on the Fuji X30 … (Pt 2)

October 21, 2014 streetshooter 10 Comments

I almost forgot a most important item on the Fuji X30. The GRIP. This camera has the best grip I have ever used from any OEM. When you hold it in your hand, it has a very secure feeling Shooting a horizontal is very comfortable and when you switch to a vertical, the camera pivots very smoothly. This is critical and many cameras including Andre’ the Fuji X100s fails with grip holding procedures. When I test a camera, I put a wrist strap on it. WHOA! Not one of those cheapies I use a real strap made by the Master Himself, Luigi. So, with the X100s, the camera has a terrible grip and when using a wrist strap, it will slip out of the hand many times during a shoot. The Luigi’s wrist strap keeps the camera from getting airborne and falling to the ground. This will never happen with the X30. The grip is amazing and I wish, every camera ever made or that will ever be made had this grip on it.

Then we are faced with the issue of the Thumb Grip. Ya don’t need it on the X30. Ya do need it on the X100s but….! The X100s with a thumb grip will make the camera safe and stable but will be an irritant in your pocket. I talked about this with Andre’ the Fuji X100s and he told me that with the thumb grip installed, he pushes himself against my leg because it’s a reminder that he belongs out of pocket and working. His firmware is more advanced than mine and I need an update.

The other method of course is a strap. You guessed it, I use a few different Luigi’s straps. My issue is that I am no longer allowed to wear a camera around my neck. I actually do wear Daido the Fuji X30 around my neck on a strap because he’s smaller and lighter and so far it’s ok and my Doc doesn’t know otherwise I would get sent back to the factory. So the camera really likes a wrist strap and you never have to worry about the grip.

Of course everyone is using the ACMAXX screen protector ao I need not mention that, right.

Almost every button on the camera can be reconfigured to do almost anything you could want. That’s remarkable. I don’t do vids with a camera so the button on top is set to ISO. Hold on, we don’t just get to set ISO with the Fuji X30, ohhh no.. there’s some magic brewing in there. See, I use Auto ISO always. I use M Mode almost always. Here’s the thing. I get to set the Aperture and the Shutter Speed. I need to be able to do this because, well, I need to be able to have some control. I trust the camera to make me happy even if I choose a wrong proper exposure.

For example: I set 1/250 f/8. Daido the Fuji X30 says, danggit shooter, your exposure is wrong for this light.He knows I’m wrong and then he sees that he can’t change either the aperture or shutter speed because I’m in M Master mode.So, he thinks real fast with the great firmware Fujifilm has installed in him and he says.

Eureka! I can change the ISO because that’s my part of working and then shooter won’t get angry cause I proved him wrong with an under or over exposed photo. So, I’ll just adjust the ISO to make peace and harmony.

For me. this is crucial in a camera and many have it so why the heck am I mentioning something every other camera ever built has in it? Great question and here’s a great answer………

The X30 has not one, not two but three, count em’ three Auto ISO modes and each is configurable. So you can set one for daylight say 100-640, one to say 400-1600 and maybe ont from 800-3200 and change the minimum shutter speed on each and set the default ISO. Amazing and oh sooo useful. I very often over expose intentionally for my Dreamcatcher series. This will make it easier and more creative for me and I’ll use this feature a lot.

Tomorrow I’ll shoot a few X100s and X30 shots at 35mm and then we can compare them side by side. I think it will be interesting.

If ya’s have any questions or request, please post a comment and I usually answer my readers very fast. Have a good one and go in peace my friends.

Black & White, Color, Dreamcatcher, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

October 2nd, 2014 … The Legend Of Shioko and Ding The Nikon Coolpix A … Begins (Part 1)

October 2, 2014 streetshooter 4 Comments

Well, it’s been a while and still my back has issues that cause discomfort and frustration. Luckily enough today is the day I have my appointment with the Sports Therapist. I heard Dr Shioko left the VA here and went to Washington DC. So I figured, all the dreams are just that, passing fantasies that no longer fulfill an old shooters head and heart. I got to the VA on time and waited in the waiting area for about 20 minutes. It was sparse and there was only 2 other Vets there and I was in front of them, I thought.

The receptionist called out a mans name and he went into a room. A few minutes later she called out the other guys name and he went into another room. I sat and worked on the iphoney and then I heard a voice. It was a nurse and she asked the receptionist how many more appointments were left. The receptionist said that him, meaning me and then nothing till 1330. It was now 0945.

So the nurse asked me to please step in the room and she did my blood pressure, checked my weight and said, Mr Springer, you lost 35lbs since your last visit. Is this intentional and does your Doctor know about this.

I replied, yes it’s intentional and my Dr’s are monitoring my weight and things. She ask me to sit again. Then as she was walking away, she said, Mr Springer.. Dr Shioko with be with you in a minute. ( ok look, I’m hitting 65 next Wednesday the 8th. It doesn’t take much to excite me and to get my brain completely awake and other parts and things awake also. Needless to say that I was glad the nurse did my blood pressure before this newsflash as the scale doesn’t go high enough to get a reading.)

The door opens, but it doesn’t open like a door in a VA Hospital, it’s opens like Audrey Hepburn comes thru it… there’s a cloud of gentle smoke wrapped around the frame as Dr Shioko passes thru and the angels with gilded wings blow gentle sounds thru the Trumpets from HEAVEN to announce that the Angel of Mercy has entered the scene. Of course she is wearing a white lace gown with Orchards that cover her body as gently as the snow flakes on the morning crocuses at winters end.

Then, in the heat of the moment, reality sets in and the smoke turns to an illusion that encapsulates everything including my thoughts. Dr Shioko calls my name and ask me to come into the room. I walk in and as gracefully as a swan on a lake she walks over to me and hands me the gown. Please go into the changing room and then come back to the table, I’ll be back in a minute.

Now, Dr Shioko has 7 feet distance to get to the door. I make it to the changing room, get undressed, put the gown on, lock the locker with my stuff in it, come back into the room all in the time she walks 4 feet towards the door. She has 3 feet to go but and I’m cool and sitting down on the table. She looks at me and smiles.

So I’m sitting on the table and Dr Shioko comes in and stands next to me. She says, Mr Springer, I must leave as there is an emergency I have to attend to. I will give you the choice of having an associate of mine come in and take care of you or I can make another appointment for you tomorrow morning. I asked her what time and she said, 0930.

She asked me if I could help her choose another camera because she feels restricted with the X100s and the viewfinder makes her self conscious making photos. Of course I said I’d be glad to assist and we could talk about things tomorrow. She smiled again and said she’s see me in the morning and that she would make it up to me.

So Dr Shioko left the room and then this young woman woman entered and let me tell ya…think Lucy Liu, yup thats right….. ‘m telling ya one damn thing… The VA gets a bad rap from everyone except those that it helps. Here in Philly, with these Doctors, in this Department, The Department id Called Heaven’s Door

I will update tomorrow about the actual treatment and camera experience….. have a great one and…….

The One Shot Per Shoot Challenge is open to all….send 1 photo and a paragraph about the experience of making it to: streetshooter.us@gmail.com

seeyas tomorrow……….

Black & White, Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

October 1st, 2014 … The Nikon Coolpix A is Not to be Missed

October 1, 2014 streetshooter 3 Comments

Well, I spent a few weeks getting to know Ding, the Nikon Coolpix A and it was very nice. Then I felt the desire to go out with Andre’ the Fuji X100 s. Well, that was a great reawakening and it was wonderful to be be out with my old friend…(even if he screwed with my head on the battery cover dropping off procedure.) All was well with the cameras in the shooter household. The cameras were clean and had charged batteries, they had fresh formatted cards in them and they were happy just resting on the shelf. I took my meds so I was kinds un-edgy, don’t ask Tanya cause she thinks I’m completely nuts… imagine that…hmmmm!

Even Daido the Fuji X20 is just comfortable on the shelf looking and sexi lil’ Penelope the Ricoh GRD4 in white.

So I went to bed to rest for the trip to the VA hospital where they talk to me and give me things to make me feel better. About 0200 I feel something knocking against my head. Tanya was sleeping and Barsik the Cat that’s 1/2 American and 1/2 Russian was sleeping too.

I thought to myself, the 45 is loaded so relax but this doesn’t feel like someone I want to shoot….

then, in a very quiet tone, ever so softly, I heard a voice in me ear I tell ya…. it said…. yo pop, I wanna go back on the street. It’s pitch black like Zone -1. I’m thinking with my brain that came home from vacation so I am working on all 4 cylinders again.

Yo pop, it’s me…. it’s Ding. I wanna go out and work but that funky ass X100s named Andre’ thinks hes the king of the hill….sheeeeeet!

He ain’t gettin’ in no pockets like me…..dang it, you could get Penelope and me in yer pocket……..

STOP! I said, Penelope is a lady and you don’t get to be alone with her in my pocket. Ricoh has enough problems with Ricoh/Pentax we doin’ need no Ricoh/Nikon things ’round here.

So I told Ding the Coolpix A to go back to bed and hi m and I can get to work for a little…. he said, ok pop, I’m gonna rest till you wake me… g’d night.

Now so far everything seems normal, right. I mean I know I ain’t the only shooter around that communicates with his cameras. But ya know… I can’t figure out, how the heck did Ding get from the office, down the hall, jump on the bed, talk with me and then make the hike back?

Fancy firmware I suppose.

So I grabbed Ding and put him in the little pouch that goes on my belt and took an extra battery that I will never need cause the Nikon Coolpix A has great power management. We walked around town and just kinda relaxed and was checking out the sites.

Ding was in my hand and he was reminding me how when I was a real photographer shooting film and bringing him contact sheets to the Museum that I need to always just look for my own stuff and not worry about anything from anyone else.

Then, at that exact moment, well, it was really a few moments later but it’s more interesting to make it sound like an instant revelation…. I see this big azz rat on the sidewalk. So I said to myself, self…lets try to find something interesting with the big rat in center city Philadelphia. I mean, there’s no ratz at all in center city and there’s no ratz in Philly even in City Hall. For real… this is a one in a million opportunity to get a shot of the next Mayor on the street. So Ding was ready and I set the Aperture and Shutter speed and Ding did the ISO. I looked up from behind… and the ears………CLICK!

Ding was happy because he gets to be a part of the process more so than the other cameras,,,(shhhhhh he thinks he’s special cause he can get from the office to the bedroom and back without help…..)

Well we walked around and we snapped a few pics just cause we wanted to and cause he needs the exercise. Then he said to me… “Shooter, yeah you pop, don’t even think about pulling that One Shot Per Shoot crap with me…..” I started to get a little peeved, is that a word even? I told him, Ding, this is about me and MAYBE you making photos. I like talking to you and even my Shrink thinks it might be ok and we talk about that each session, but I need to concentrate and your bugging me.

I realized I hurt his feelings. I saw the lens sloooowly go back into the body and the lights go off. The screen was dark. So, being the Viet Nam Vet that I am I found a corner that no one was near and I apologized to Ding. I mean I damn near kissed his but… but couldn’t find it anyway.

Then, Ding came back to work… that cool whirl sound and the lens popped out quickly and with substance like any ,an..uh…uh…..sorry Judy.…

He was ready, we walked around and we came upon the Dilworth Plaza Etiquette School of Walking with a book on your head. This student was doing really well and I made a photo or her progress but I soon realized she had not attended the nice language in the open space with many people around class. She spit out a few choice words of which most I heard and have adopted into my arsenal of vocabulary but there was a few she said that stumped me and even some people around were wondering what she was saying.

Anyway, I’m heading out again tomorrow for a few hours and Ding is the only Kat coming along for the walk.

Have a good one and The Inspired Eye Issue 14 is hot off the press. Also, I’ll be posting more post on the IE Blog for the shooters that sent in the photo and info. It’s a nice turnout and I’m damn proud and happy to know youse alls good peoples….

hopefully, youse can feel likewise for me…….. shooter, sayin’ good night Johnboy……………………………………………………………………

Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Streetshooter

September 24th, 2014 … The One Shot Per Shoot Project … Open Call

September 24, 2014 streetshooter 5 Comments

We have a very nice response to this project and I have some emails explaining that this is making a difference. Some of the shooters are already on the Inspired Eye Blog and more will be posted every day. I am figuring out how to get this project and the participants into the magazine. I think that it’s a nice idea to get published but the real reward is in the discovery each participant gets by doing the work.

So, if you participated already, you can again and again because the discovery of your intent is an ever growing journey and now the roadmap is getting clearer.

For those that didn’t participate, it’s never too late and please consider doing this and see what happens. Can’t hurt nothing….

The idea of doing one shot per shoot is not to show you have discipline, it’s to show you what you are doing with your work. If you are always bogged down by the over abundance of images, this will show you how to sort thru everything and find the images are are borne from your intent.

Send your stuff to me @ streetshooter.us@gmail.com. A photo and a paragraph or so about the experience will do the trick….

More tomorrow……….. later my friends……..

Black & White, Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

September 18th, 2014 … The One Shot Photo Project Begins … Come One, Come All

September 18, 2014 streetshooter 14 Comments

I’m making a challenge to myself and youse all shooters. The one shot photo project is just what it sounds like. One photo per shoot. Not one a day, a week, a month or a year. Simply put, one shot for every shoot you do. It’s up to you to decide how many photos you make CasinoinUS on a shoot but only one can be submitted per shoot. You don’t have to do this, you know it and I know it. This is something I learned from Ding McNulty and it has proved to make me focus on my work with a clear and clean vision. The thing is, it helps me to really commit to my images because I can only choose 1. I slowed down a lot back in the 70’s thru all my film decades. Now with digital, it’s like overabundance is par for the course.

So, if your interested, submit a photo under the One Per Shoot Project, send it to me by email (streetshooter.us@gmail.com) along with a statement about the photo and the experience of making it. A paragraph or so is cool. You can do this more than once soooo be awake and alert and find that ONE SHOT.

If your up to doing this, then here’s what will happen. You will be put on the Inspired Eye Blog and have a chance of getting into the Inspired Eye Magazine.

The idea behind this is to create energy to work but not to have to make it a burden. This will actually tune your vision and help to eliminate boredom and loss of direction. If you make a good effort doing this, you will find a new strength in your work and vision.

I hope that youse will partake in this project as I am committed to doing it again, and again.. and again……

……………………………………………………end transmission, thanks again Ding………………………………………………………………………….. shooter out……………..

Black & White, Color, Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Off Street, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Street Presets, Streetshooter, Uncategorized

September 15th, 2014 … Andre’ The Fuji X100s … Meets … Ding The Nikon Coolpix A

September 15, 2014 streetshooter 26 Comments

Look, don’t get me wrong, ok. I really do love the X100s and it provides a wonderful working experience.

What, but everyone knows that already. Ok, ok! Andre’ is upset because I called the camera X100s and not it’s proper name, Andre’. He also said, “Look shooter, everyone calls you Don or shooter. No one calls you the human or photographer and you wouldn’t be without me anyway.” So now I get it. Andre’ the Fuji X100s is jealous

See, word on the camera shelf is that there’s a new kid on the block. Yes, it’s very true. The Nikon Coolpix A has taken up residence on the current camera shelf. The new camera has been named Ding, after Kneeland Ding McNulty.

Ding mentored me for a while and gave me valuable life lessons and how to youtubemp3now.com have photography fall in love with me. He wasn’t concerned about my love affair with photography but wanted to make sure that photography and I had a life long symbiotic relationship. So I decided to name the Nikon after him. So of course Andre’ is upset and kinda jealous because he thinks he will get less street time than he used to get. Nothing could be further from the truth. See, both Andre’ and Ding will be out with me always starting Wednesday. Till then, Ding and I are reacquainting our selves as it’s been decades since we spent time together, at least on the physical plane.

See, for me it used to be a 35mm lens on my M Leicas. The when the digital imaging made cameras that worked like cameras, it seemed that 28mm was the preferred focal length. I still lean to the 35mm FOV but the 28mm FOV has a place embedded in my brain’s firmware. Well, now that my brain is back from vacation, I will have to update it’s firmware to the Nikon;s UI and FL and combine that with Andre’, the Fuji X 100s.

There are thing for me to write about and I am excited again to feel visual freedom once again. Ding is proving to be a worthy companion and I hope in due time that Andre’ and Ding will get along.

At any rate, I’ll be posting more for the next few weeks as the discovery and challenges arise working with these two cameras.

Shooter Out……………………………

Black & White, Color, Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Off Street, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Street Presets, Streetshooter, Uncategorized

September 1st, 2014 … Fuji X100s Light Duty

September 1, 2014 streetshooter 1 Comment

It’s Labor Day Weekend and I’m doing little to labor myself. Had to go to the shore cause my friend Joe died a few weeks ago and I had to secure the house and things. So after I set the alarm secured.onlinegambling2014.com code and organized a little, we went to the Boardwalk in Atlantic City.

I just made a few snaps cause I wasn’t in the mood for much of anything. Anyway, her’s a few photos that were made with the FujiX100s.

Ya know, color is really nice with this camera but I still don’t see or feel it, I’m kinda trusting the camera to get it right and it does.

Well, I guess I’l go do the Bar B Que for Tanya and get back to photography tomorrow…..

Seeya’s, ………………………………. shooter, exit stage left…………………………………………………………

Black & White, Color, Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Off Street, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Street Presets, Streetshooter, Uncategorized

August 30th, 2014 … Hurry, Hurry, Read All About It … Inspired Eye Issue 13 Published

August 30, 2014 streetshooter 2 Comments

Well, it’s out. It’s no secret anymore. The Inspired Eye Issue 13 has been released. The news stands are backed up with a line a block long. Every bookstore in the known Universe has a line that will take you an hour to check out, It’s that good.

Here’s the thing….. because you are a faithful follower of my antics and writings and thoughts, I am giving you a pass to the back door. You can use this pass for all your friends and family too…..please spread it around.

Here’s the pass to get the new exciting just published, hot off the press, Issue 13:

http://www.theinspiredeye.net/street-photography-magazine/

Don’t waste anytime on this one it’s bound to sell out….is that even possible, dunno but it’s a great read…..

Enjoy your weekend, be blessed and find peace on your journey.

shooter out………………………………..transmission terminated by user with brain on vacation…………………………………………………………………….POOF!

Black & White, Color, Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Off Street, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Street Presets, Streetshooter, Uncategorized

August 27th, 2014 Breathing Street With Fuji X100s & Fuji X20

August 27, 2014 streetshooter 10 Comments

The streets of Philly are starting to mellow out and I guess it’s time for me to do the same….NAH! Don’t dream. I’m never mellow, always adjusting energy to meet the reality i’m in.

The thing I recognize about life is that the number one thing to sustain life is BREATHING. Try living without it, you’ll see that I’m probably right. So, if this is so important, why not really get into it and apply it to everything you do, I know, I know…. we usually run in AUTO-BREATHING mode. Well, maybe that’s cool for those that don’t pay attention to breathing. I do and ya know, it’s the one single thing I’ve learned to love most thru my life.

What the heck are you talking about shooter and what does any of this have to do with photography? Ok, ok… cut me a darn break… relax, we’ll get there.

Remember… the journey is much more than the destination.

When I’m on the street, I listen to the heartbeat, smell the fragrances, not always sweet but nonetheless stimulating. I find a rhythm to life where I’m at and try to adjust my stance, my pace, my gaze and my breathing to my surroundings. Maybe that’s why I never ever get bored being in the same city, the same streets and sometimes even the same people. It’s never the same. It’s different in time and space and the light is different and the breathing is on a different rhythm.

So how do we as shooters adapt to this situation on the streets? Well, we need to change our way of thinking, destroy preconceptions, gray out our history and try to see things as if we will never see them again. Maybe for some, try to see things as if it’s the first time.

So the point really is not to let yourself get complacent. If you can just tune into the rhythm on the streets, it will talk to you and grant you clues as to where your next photo may lay.

Life is what we are making photos of. Life as a heartbeat. A heartbeat happens because of breathing. If your not breathing with what is around you, what are you doing?

If ya find that rhythm and breathe with it and have a camera in your hand, well, there’s photos all around you, just open your eyes and have an open mind and heart… well, drink Kona in the morning or none of this means rubbish…..

See ya’s tomorrow,,,,,,

Black & White, Color, Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Off Street, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Street Presets, Streetshooter, Uncategorized

August 24th, 2014 … Fuji X100s and Fuji X-20 … The Important Difference

August 24, 2014 streetshooter 26 Comments

There is one major difference between the Fuji X100s and the Fuji X-20. No, it’s not the mp or the processing engine. It’s not the UI or Grip. It’s not the size or even the battery. All these things one could compare and see a difference. I think the most important thing that distinguishes the the cameras from each other is none of the above,

The important thing for shooters is the ASPECT RATIO. Yeah of course it’s obvious but, why didn’t you write about it? ok then, let me get into this a little. Here’s the thing. The frame or box as we call it must be seen from a few vantage points.

!st…. the idea of seeing your frame as a BOX or a Window. This works in a few ways…..

psychologically, if we see a frame as a BOX, that means we are seeing a confined area and we deal with what’s inside that frame on it’s own.

The other ways is to see the frame as a WINDOW and leave ourselves open to the possibilities to what may come into our frame and thus be aware of things around us. Both methods are acceptable and should be applied as the shooter sees fit. Of course the camera plays a bit in the but it’s easy to adapt to any camera if one desires to use it. I can’t of course and will throw cameras out the window if they bug me…..of course this has never happened but it could. I leave myself open to the possibility of Camera Throwing Out The Window Procedures.

The real important thing between cameras is how IT SEES and how it FORCES you to SEE. The ASPECT RATIO is just about that. You have, well I have 3:2 in the Fuji X100s and I have 4:3 in the Fuji X-20. It may seem like it’s not a big difference but dynamically, it sure as heck…..is. The words active/passive come to play here. NO! I’m not showing examples altho’ I did really.

Use your images to compare, ok? 4:3 is a passive rectangle. 3:2 is an active rectangle. This means whether you are aware of this or not, it effects how you frame you shot. It also effects how the viewer sees the photo and the info it contains.

So using the 2 cameras means to be aware more of aspect ratio than anything else.

Then of course we have to take Horizontal vs Vertical into play. This also has an effect on framing and viewing. You need to be aware of this so that you can understand how your camera works with your vision.

So both cameras have their merits but really, aspect ratio is the biggest advantage between the two.

It’s Sunday morning and I’m beat. Another bad night for sleep. So, I’ll sign off and continue this tomorrow when my Brain comes back from vacation. I think it’s due back on the job tonight sometime……..

……………………………………………………………………..end transmission……………………………………………………………………………….

Street Photography Chronicles by Don Springer