Tag Archives: Street Photography

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Streetshooter

Walker the Nikon Coolpix A … ain’t LoSt on the StReEt

March 16, 2015 streetshooter 4 Comments

As I get myself geared up for the season, I seem to be thinking the same way I always have. Imagine that. I have a thing for fixed focal length cameras. Andre’ the Fuji X100s sees 35mm and Walker the Nikon Coolpix A sees 28mm. These 2 focal lengths will do almost all my work for ever. As youse know, I picked up the Canon EOS M2 and lenses etc for it. It’s a nice camera and good quality but, it’s not my cup of tea. I knew that when I got it but wanted to see if this year would be different from last year, nope. I don’t like zoomie lenses and I can’t bond to that camera cause Walker and Andre’ do what I need. So I don’t need it and it’s being sold by tomorrow on the bay.

Funny thing. I’ve had every variation of the 28mm Elmarit for my M cameras. I got a pair of M6’s because I would use the 35mm lens and the 28mm on the second body. Nope, years of struggling and I never adapted to 28mm. I always used 35mm. So now digitally, I find the 28mm getting used a lot like the last 10 years maybe. I still love the 35mm FOV but no longer have issues with the 28mm. Now I need them both, the horror. Of course Penelope the Ricoh GRD4 does 28mm very well, in fact better than any camera ever released…but…I really like APS-C sensor. There’s just something about it that floats my boat. So I find myself with the Fuji X100s and Nikon Coolpix A and feel very well covered. That means anything else I have, hmmmm won’t get much use.

It’s been said that a good shooter can get a good shot with any camera. So what? What does that mean. I can get my photos with any camera, but so what, bunk to all that shit. I wanna use my cameras that I want to use. I ain’t using a camera that intrudes on my vision, you’ll know that, damn.

Ya know, we don’t get enough time to live let alone to make photos. We have that responsibility to do both with passion and in the way we choose to do it. That responsibility belongs to us at first and then if you choose, to others. You have to own yourself and do for yourself. If not, others will own you and you end up doing for them and you still get to die alone.When you release that shutter, all that you ever were and are at the moment of exposure is right there with you.

Why would anyone let others influence us to the point that we don’t recognize our selves or our work? It happens mostly out of a lack of confidence and the need for approval. The idea that others like what we do can and will steer us into a direction that may not be our chosen path but the path influenced by others. We are all guilty of this phenomenon in both ways and it’s ok as long as we recognize it as deal with it.

It’s when we refuse to recognize it or just don’t that we have problems. How do I know about this stuff? I’ll tellya. I have a shrink and he recognizes me even when I don’t. Whats your excuse?

Be blessed everyone.

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street

Walker Evans and Nikon Coolpix A = Happy Tourist

March 11, 2015 streetshooter 18 Comments

Understanding the basic premise of photography is essential to understanding what you are doing as a photographer. That is that we see a three dimensional reality and abstract it to make a new two dimensional reality called the photograph. Now lots happens from point A to point B and that’s where each of us lives and works. That’s where we introduce our own set of variables to achieve the desired result, the photo.

So that should imply the necessity to understand what our variables are and how to play with them. How to seek and find the discovery of the photo and the self. Well, much of this is being in tune with your Eye, Heart and Mind. Together these elements will or will not realize your Intent.

Tourist have a much better awareness of this than die hard shooters. Tourist have a camera that pleases them and many different cameras in the tourist group. But, each has the camera that allows the least amount of intrusion when they make photos. Tourist are the most aware of the Here and Now. They are totally aware that this photo they are going to make is probably the last time they will see the subject in the flesh. They frame carefully trying to be in the Here and Now and make the best long lasting record of the moment of exposure and thus have the contentment that they succeeded in making the photo that lives in the album of their trip.

Ok, give me the shit. Tourist, c’mon shooter, your barking up the wrong tree. Am I?

I think not. We are all tourist thru life. No none gets a permanent Visa. You bet your butt your a tourist and ya better start thinking that way cause tourist are the most noble shooters out there. They don’t need to study the mechanics of photography, They just have to locate their subject matter, frame and make the photo. Catalog the photos into some kind of grouping and then decide where they want to travel to and make more photos.

Sound familiar? See, you are a tourist. Told ya. I love being a tourist especially in my home town. It allows me to feel free and open with the environment and ppls. This is not an illusion but facts and a way to work.

I’m at Love Park watching the tourist watch me and I feel happy. Being around tourist gets me to think and feel as they do. That’s a wonderful gift and I cherish it completely. I look to the fountain and I see this guy walking and screaming profanities that I never heard before. As I watched him I started to feel like I was seeing Moses and the lost Tribe. Something like that. He’s looking right at me and I raise Walker the Nikon Coolpix A and he lowers his head in a very humble position. CLICK!

I became anxious to see this photo when I get home.

Photos are not only a reflection of ourselves, they may also reflect others and in many ways. This is an anti-tourist photo. I guess that’s not entirely true cause if in fact I am a tourist, then this is a tourist photo. See what can happen if we dissect the natural process of what we are doing? Well, we must do that to understand what and why we are doing it and also to get a pathway to subject matter that we should be on.

I’m heading out to work and seeing where I can find some photos. I’ll be back later and write more. Post your thoughts plz as I need to know if this is interesting to you as it is for me.

………………………………………………………………….. To Be Continued………………………………………………………………

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Streetshooter

A Chat With Andre’ the Fuji X100s

March 9, 2015 streetshooter 5 Comments

Shooter, c’mere for a min. Well, I recognize that voice anywhere anytime. I also know Andre’ the Fuji X100s is gonna have his say on something but I don’t know what yet. Listen Shooter, the boys and girl on the shelves are a bit upset by some of your actions. Ya got the Canon EOS M2 on the shelf with flash, lenses. I gotta tellya Shooter, we are all upset by your latest acquisition. Even Penelope the White Ricoh GRD4 is like beside herself. She’s real cute by the way but I can’t calm her down anymore. Sexi little lens cap…mmmmmm.

Now, it’s been decided that The Nikon Coolpix A is now named Walker. This is not a request, we have decided that and end of story. So when you and I go out and it damn sure better be a lot, we are taking Walker the Nikon Coolpix A with us. Once again, this is not a request.

Now tell everybody about today and we will discuss the EOS M2 situation over a glass of Spatlese. later.

Finally a temperature that will allow snow to melt. So I take Andre’ and Walker and load them in the Cosyspeed. Wait for the bus and I feel it getting warmer every minute. Awesome. I can feel my hands and me fingers.

My ears aren’t numb as well as lower extremities and stuff.I set the clocks on the cameras cause Andre told me cause he knew I’d forget. I got my POW/MIA hat on so when I’m talking to Andre’ no one pays me any mind. I get to Market East and as I’m walking thru, I see a guy sitting by himself. I move past him and Andre’ says, you need to work, make this shot work. So I walk back, get Andre’ at the eye, slowly frame, and I mean I’m not hurrying at all. Then I release the shutter. The guy turns to me and laffs. He say’s it’s fuggin’ hot out. I say, well, you dressed for the cold bro’. He laffs and says you crazy mudder fugger. I smile cause he’s right.

I say, what makes me crazy? He says, how old you is? 65. You pay a mortgage? yup. You pay lectric and stuff? yup. He says, I told ya you waz fuggin crazy.

I’m in therapy for years and this guy gets me zero’d in, in a few minutes and tells me I’m crazy and now I believe him.

I wonder if he has office hours. Sometimes I feel disconnected and it’s an awkward feeling until I see what I’m feeling all over the place. People lost in the environment, lost humanity, just a sense of not being in the moment. Well, I don’t suffer from these things cause I’m always aware of the moment whether I am in it or not. Even if not, I’m usually aware that I’m not.

………but, maybe I need to get out again tomorrow with my dear friends, Andre’ the Fuji X100s and Walker the Nikon Coolpix A. Yes, good idea and I’ll continue the conversation with Andre………

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

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Winter Doldrums Defeated By … Walker The Sony RX100M3

January 31, 2015 streetshooter 12 Comments

Brrrrrrr, I hate it. Winter keeps me cold not just my physical being but inside also. Even my mind sloooooos down and tries to find comfort by the burning ideas region. It’s all smoke right now, no fire of ideas burning.

I try to live and work by the theory of Eye, Heart and Mind. It works but now, my eye and mind are very close in here but my Heart is down there a ways. The elevator from me head to me heart is out of service because it’s too cold. Usually this time of the year I work my LR catalog and get things ready for the new year. Usually this time of year LR always wants to mess things up with my hard drives and catalog. Well low and behold, the LR mess with shooter’s catalog and hard drive Gremlin is front and present. Oh yeah, everything is a mess. Don’t even think I’m gonna mees with today, hell no.

Anyway, back to the street. I guess that the doldrums are inside of us more than exterior. Ya get to feeling kind down and then it’s easy to place the blame on other things going on. Yeah, yeah. I’m more guilty of this than anyone I don’t know. I’t not like slump time, it’s more like focus your intent time. Time to recognize the moment with the eye, heart and mind then with many photos and seeking the moment in LR after the moment has passed. Winter doldrums could be the best tool and friend you ever have.

If your slowing down and focusing your Intent, maybe just maybe you can see the photos before you knew they were in the camera.

The Zen of Archery applies to the Zen of photography. If you go out with your camera and shoot a lot of frames thinking you’ll edit later in hopes of finding something, well, good luck. When I was an archer, I used scopes all kinds of things to help me hit the target. Just like a camera, load it up with stuff and go for it and not be from the ryr, heart and mind.

A friend Ray told me, Don, you’re a good archer but maybe you should start to enjoy it instead of making it work. I didn’t have any idea what the hell he was talking about. I was in the high 90’s all the time and that’s out of a possible 100.

I mean I had this stuff down. Then one day Ray took off all my stuff from my bow. I mean just the arrow rest was there. He said lets go find ourselves. Well, first off I was happy because another nut was now on the planet. Any way, Ray showed me how to shoot intuitive. So I started to like the feeling of standing my ground, looking at the target maybee 100 yds away and then set the arrow and breathe and just let everything go without intrusion. I would squint my eyes, draw the bow and feel the arrow come back to my chin. I closed my eyes for a second and could see in my minds eye the arrow hitting the target. I then opened my eyes and looked at the target, no aid to help me see… raise the bow and feel where it was to be, draw the arrow the to release position and let it go.I close my eyes for a brief second and then open and heart Pfttttt! Plumpt! I walked to the target and was amazed that I hit the target, no not a bullseye but I was close. I did this every time I went to the Archery range and the more I did this intuitive style, the better my hits were.

Here’s the relationship to what you do in life and now we are talking photography. A camera has to eliminate intrusions as much as possible. Yes, you can go out and shoot your brains out and maybe get something. If this is your style, you and I will have little to talk about.

When I wen to the target to see my hit, I loved seeing it in there and sometimes a BULLSeye. I mean, I did this with my feelings, I was aware of my intent and my eye, heart and mind all being aware in the here and now and I see the hit on the target and I claim it as mine. I mean really mine. I was there and remember the experience.

Shooting photos is the same. If your connected like this, the reward for you is that YOU are aware that you were there when you release the shutter and when you see it as a finished image, that image represents you in total. It is you. It is the experience as you recorded it totally aware of doing so.

Hey, ya know what. It’s too cold for archery and my back can’t do it anymore. Just go out and make your photos connected this way and you’ll have the rewards of loving what you do.

Stay connected to yourself and you’ll have the ZEN of life with you at all times.

Be blessed my friends, even youse that walked out of the room…………….

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Winter Doldrums Defeated By … Andre’ The Fuji X100s

January 22, 2015 streetshooter 7 Comments

It’s no secret that Phila has not paid the Spring Summer weather service so now we have Winter. It’s ok, we just have people on the street freezing and homeless, people committing murders, divorces, marriages, babies being borne, young people and even old people dying. There’s lots going on here and maybe if I wasn’t so damn cold I could get off my azz from the couch and stop watching CNN.

Well, this is called winter doldrums and it’s a disease that creeps in when the wether gets cold and stays until it warms up. There is no known cure NOR HAS THERE EVER BEEN FOR THIS WINTER DOLDRUM SICKNESS.

So a few dayz passed and Tanya said get the hell off your ass and get some exercise. I thought to my self, Shooter, maybe she’s right. So I went upstairs to the office and sat at the Mac and started exercising my fingers by typing and opening LR and looking at photos.

Well, I damn sure felt better, no kidding, I be exercising this and exercising that and man o’ man, it was a good workout. Me brain cells even gitz werkin’. all 17 of em’. Then all the sudden, out of nowhere, I hear a voice. Now see, I’m allowed to hear voices as per VA Guidelines. I recognize dem dere voices so they are VA approved. No problems yet. shhhhhhh, closes the door to the office, pit’s Springsteen on, yup, good ole’ Bruce and then starts to listen to the unapproved voice that is not VA certified recognized warranted selected deselected and otherwise allowed to hear said voice.

Well, the voice is non other that Andre’ the Fuji X100s. He says, listen shooter. I doin’ care about you and yer fancy schmancy Leica’s, Nikons, Sony’s Ricoh’s Canon’s nuttin. You don’t get me out to work pronto, I’m a gonna give you the worse case of Mental Diarrhea ever suffered by any one in the history of mental diarrhea.

So beings da smaat shooter that I am, I grabbed Andre’ the Fuji X100s and we headed out. Well, he’s got it made ya know. He fits in my pocket to stay warm and then, yup you guessed it he gets me to hold him and keep him warm in my hand. Then he says to me, listen kid, you walk around and find the photos you want. DO NOT BOTHER ME until needed. So, I put him in the pocket and walked around. Then, oh yeah, then when all else was right in the world, I started to tune in to my inner self. It’s a dark place in there. No, no not because theres a demon or bad energy in there, sheeeeesh, I don’t have lighting inside so of course it’s dark.

Well, once I started to release everything about any preconceptions or expectations, wants or demands. I started to feel some images. Andre’ told me not to worry and just enjoy the moment. I really wanted to get into just being free with my camera but I was freezing my butt off. He don’t have a butt so what the hell does he know anyway.

All I know is this. I love making photos and the ones that I like the most are the ones that I like the most. The Winter Doldrums are def here and they ain’t going anywheres in a hurry but truth be told, Andre’ and I are up to the task of staying mentally flushed and not falling prey to the nothingness that surrounds us all….. more about this tomorrow…………..

Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Barsik The Cat and Andre’ the Fuji X100s Face Winter

January 15, 2015 streetshooter 12 Comments

Don’t worry, Walker the Sony RX100M3 was there also. See, I don’t really like winter. It’s not just the cold, or the lack of warm sunlight. It’s not that I have to wear 200 lbs of clothes and still be cold, nah.. not any one of those. It’s not even getting lectured how I’ll be cold if I don’t wear the proper protection against the cold, nope not that either.

It’s not just the cold on the cameras that makes my hands cold because I’m not wearing the gloves that Tanya told me to wear so I wouldn’t have cold hands and I know that cause it’s been that way since I was a kid and I still ain’t learned to listen.

No it’s not any one of those things I hate about winter, it’s the whole damn package. All of the above and more are problems for me. So, what to do?

Well, first make sure your batteries are fully charged as cold makes them get uptight too and they drain faster. Keep your lens and all glass surfaces clean. This is obvious right, don’t believe it.

The thing is for me… winter makes me aware how precious life is. I mean I see my beautiful garden covered in snow and the remains of all the work and all the love in a frozen state. I see the cold all over the world I live in and it effects my energy, my vision both internal and external. So I guess I’m stuck in a mode of not stagnant but kinda like slo mo forward with a lot of looking back. I mean winter is a slow down time. It’s a most important time and I look forward to it every year. Why? Well I slow down and smell the dead frozen roses.

It’s a time for reflection, a time for cleaning the memory banks and deleting those things recorded that make us complacent. It’s a time to dream about the warm weather and the body loosening up and how we can’t wait ti get out and really work.

Winter is a reality check for Lightroom. Oh yeah, I got the balls to say it. Time to work the catalogs, just ask Judy, she knows. Time to organize everything. Time to drink Kona in the morning and Spatlese at night.

I’m not the only one waiting for warm weather. All the birds in the world come to my birdbath. Now they just sit and wait. No camera, no lightroom, no Kona or Spatlese.

Just sit and wait…… patiently and in the cold and wait… yup, just wait………….

Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Seasons Groovin’ With The Sony RX100M3

December 27, 2014 streetshooter 18 Comments

Tis the season the be Golly cause the RX100M3 is a awesome compact camera. I have been testing the camera and it’s done perfect with ease. Unfortunately, I am not on track to be doing to much shooting. I’ve been studying my diet. I’m really inso salad and not a big meat eater so, I watch Tanya as she makes the salad and avoid anger and divorce by not testing the Sony RX100M3 as she’s cooking.

It took me 9 years to learn that camera testing procedures don’t mix with Da Wifey cooking stuff.

The guy laying there, he’s not homeless, he’s drunk. Oh and that’s not booze running down the ground behind him either, that from the Philly open air

toilet system. Dude on the left is very cool. I see him down Market all the time. He makes money there but he always gives to the needy. For him, it’s Xmas all the time.

Ya know the 70mm is not hard to take. It draws me in and allows me to get close enough but still have a tighter crop. I didn’t like the long end on the Fuji X30 as it was too long and made me move back. I guess that’s a strong reason why I always preferred the 35mm on my M Leicas. This lens goes to 24mm on the wide end and 70mm on the long end. I’m not a zoomie lover but the RX100M3 is working it’s way into becoming a Zoom Liker.

The camera is named Walker after Walker Evans. We had a private naming ceremony and it was very nice. I named it Walker because Walker Evans was a very dedicated photographer that could do anything with any camera. He worked in every genre’ and did so beautifully. I remember Ding McNulty showing me photos and then he put Walker’s down on the table. I think at that very moment I had a real complete understanding on what photography can mean to life and death. This was after my tour of duty in Nam and I knew that Walker had influenced me and I hadn’t ever seen his work. So I name my Sony RX1003M after Walker Evans with all due respect and love because the camera can do just about everything and do it well.

I’m actually feeling inspired by the RX1003M. Well, that means something to me cause the cameras that live with me inspire me or they can go inspire someone else. So that’s a big statement in it’s own.

Ok, shhhhh I have a friend named Judy. She’s a good shooter and she has the same camera, different name but same camera. In fact, I don’t think Judy names her cameras so I have to have a talk with her about that. She did most of her work in the last year or so with the RX1002 and I saw most of her stuff and a lot is good. That kinda pushed me over the edge to get the camera.

So as a New Years Resolution I will do my best to keep this blog going and make it interesting. I want to keep this blog open to the readers so if you have a story and some photos, your welcome to let it come to life right here.

Have a good weekend and I’ll be posting again on Monday.

……………………………………………………..end transmission shooter out………………………………………………….

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Goodbye Fuji X30 … Hello Walker The … Sony RX100 3

December 16, 2014 streetshooter 8 Comments

Well, I shot my Grand Niece’s sweet 16 party. I decided that I would take the camera that does family and events better than my other cameras because it has a zoomie lens thing on it. We it does zoomie nice and it gives the illusion that every-things gonna be ok. Well, the Fuji X30 has a sense of humor and displayed it to me at the most appropriate time. See, i really needed these photos to be special because it’s my family. So I get to the party with My daughter and her hubby, nice guy for a hubby. I’m sitting down and decide to put the Fuji EF-X20 Flash on the camera because this is a flash event. See, here’s the thing. I have many flash units that would work, like Mets and other good units. I want to use the little Fuji because it’s dedicated and small. Really vey cool.

Well, I’m a clicking away, clicking a here and a there and starting to get in the groove and then, than on a single press of the shutter as my beautiful daughter is standing in front of me but at a distance and I want to make this portrait of her cause it’s gonna be nice… I press….and the camera says, .. uh uh, I don’t think so shooter. Well, see, I get a little upset when my cameras don’t work with me and intrude on what I’m doing especially since it’s my daughter I’m making the photo of. This is why I name cameras. So at this point, we can talk about why the camera is not cooperating. It becomes more personal and comfortable for each of us.

I was able to secure 166 photos of which 1 used 140. So far so good. Uh uh, I don’t think so. See, when I used the flash, sometimes it worked so well I could smile.

Then the dew do started. The camera would not lock focus and would not release. White AF box…hmmmm! My Doc at the VA gives me meds so I don’t over react. They work fine but this time, no way.

So im breathing now and figured out that the camera was not at fault. THE FLASH! See the flash is good to about 15′. As long as your in the range it’s a great setup. But see it’s the nature of the beast to use a tele at longer distances.well, the UN NAMED FUJI EF-X20 will not let the camera fire regardless of what I want to do.

See, I have this problem with a single word in the English language. Trust me, no matter what language is native to you, this single word is in there.

OBEY! I just can’t and I won’t obey especially a camera or flash. Well, the flash told the camera that … we ain’t making no photos over 15′ and that shooter guy.. he will OBEY.

Yes, I did OBEY because I had to. It’s like when da wifey says, take the garbage out. I just OBEY, I don’t like it but I don’t want her to do it so I OBEY. With da wifey, it’s actually ok to OBEY because we have no choice. If we did have a choice, we wouldn’t have a wifey.

So when I got home and did Lightroom I realized that I was very upset. I did many, many pro shoots of events all over and never once had a problem.

So I thought about things and decided to let the X30 sit for a while until I come to grips with the anger I was experiencing. A few weeks went by and I realized that our time together was over. I hadn’t touched it and didn’t miss it. What a bad feeling, I gotta tell ya. To love a camera and then have it just go sour, well.. not a pretty picture. I know it wasn’t the camera totally and it’s completely my fault. I admit that I hadn’t used the flash the way it was designed. In that range, it’s amazing on the camera. Small very efficient and the battery life was great. 2 small AAA batteries and your good. Lovely.

Well, I realize the the old adage my Uncle Birney told was true. “Poison Your Mind”. That means that for example, people shove crap into you and when you try to do something, your mind in poisoned because there’s crap blocking free thought.

Well, low and behold, sure enough….when I looked at the Fuji X30, I got a feeling of failure and discomfort. It’s a bad feeling and I’m upset about it but at any rate, I sold the camera. I have the flash but will sell it also, in time.

So that’s the legacy of the Fuji X30 and you should notice that I did not call it by name. That alone is a big statement.

I have used the Sony RX100 1 for a while and forgot about it. A deal came to me by way of B&H and I have the Sony RX100 3 and I gotta tell ya….

no, no, no….. ya gotta come back to here the adventures of Walker the Sony RX100 3……………………………………….shooter out…..!

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……….

Street Photography Chronicles by Don Springer