journal

The gift of the desert

in

Weather and chance lead me to Central Oregon, the next destination on my road trip across the American West. But this leg of the journey wasn't going to be as smooth as I was hoping for.

There, far away from everything and everyone, I fight the elements and an even more powerful enemy: my inner demons. I doubt myself, my photography, and even my purpose. An accident that resulted in a broken lens didn't make things any better; neither did a very cluttered mind after spending several days trapped inside the car.

The isolation of the desert was another unpleasant layer, but as the days went by, and with no other option but to embrace it, it became exactly the medicine I needed. It was the gift of the desert.

Spring cleaning

in

After years of doing this, one thing is pretty clear to me: more gear, more problems. A lesson I should’ve learned a long time ago, and yet, here we are.

During my most recent road trip across the US, despite lugging around 8-9 lenses, I did most of my photography and video work with just 2 of them. Add a couple of primes and the telephoto for those rare images that needed them, and the math tells me I’ve got 4-5 too many lenses.

But it gets worse, because of all the accessories and other gadgets cluttering up my bag: from the neglected 360 camera to the wireless mic that my phone could easily replace. It’s all excess baggage.

So, it’s time for a spring cleaning. I went through my bag (and closet) and decided to part ways with a bunch of stuff. Letting go is the easy part, though. The real challenge will be to resist the temptation to fill those now-empty spaces back up with new and shiny objects. To stay light.

Because out there, when the hike gets tough, when the weather takes a turn for the worse, when you are tired and exhausted after hours of chasing the shot... less is more. Always.

One lens to see anew

in

After years of shooting in my hometown, it's hard for me to find new images. That's why I've decided to limit myself to shooting with just one lens for a few days. But not any lens, no. The least used lens in my camera bag, one that would prove to be quite the challenge in the narrow streets of town.

How to do fog photography

in

I forgot to share this video last week, as it went live while I was on a plane (new adventures coming soon!). Anyway, one all about fog photography, my favorite conditions to shoot in. Tips, how to compose, how to edit, camera gear and settgins, drones, and some words about safety.

Brutal conditions in Snowdonia National Park, Wales

in

In other circumstances, I would have waited for better weather. But this was my last chance to do some more photography in the UK before heading back to Spain, and I didn't have a lot of time to explore Snowdonia, so I had to venture in less than ideal weather. Extremely windy, and very, very rainy. A couple of very intense days that brought a couple of images I love.

Editing has always been an integral part of photography

in
 

Richard Avedon’s markup

 

Post-processing is one of the most controversial topics in photography these days, with some even dismissing edited photos as "digital art." This argument often comes from the idea that back in the film days, photography was more honest, and editing is a new thing.

History tells us a different story, though. Some big names in photography, like Ansel Adams and Bill Brandt, knew that what happened after the shot was just as important as taking it. Clicking the shutter was just another step in the very long process of crafting a masterpiece, which often required many hours in the darkroom perfecting the final print.

Other masters would use professional printers to bring their vision to fruition. Take Richard Avedon, for example. He handed his negatives to a master printer. This person would take Avedon's incredibly detailed notes and feedback and turn them into the final print. Now, that is even better than AI!

Perhaps, part of the criticism comes from the fact that the darkroom was once reserved for the most dedicated or the ones with the most resources. Today, anyone with a smartphone can tweak their photos -and it’s easy to overdo it.

Whether you prefer the simplicity of straight-out-of-camera shots or enjoy fine-tuning your images afterward, it is you who decides what to do and how to do it. Never let anyone change that.

My office on-the-go (what’s in my backpack)

in

I’ve done a few “What’s in my bag” type of posts / videos in the past, mainly focused on camera gear. However, I’ve never talked about what else I use on a daily basis to do my work.

Given the nomadic nature of my lifestyle -permanently moving between Spain and the US and spending months living in my car for photography- I try to keep it simple, light and pragmatic. I don’t have an office anywhere; my backpack is my office.

Most of the items in my backpack are at least 3 years old; some I’ve been using for over 8 years. I like to use the stuff I own until it breaks, unless they significantly hinder my life or work.

While the newest Macbooks and iPhones have very tempting features like SD card slots and USB-C ports that would greatly simplify my workflow, I can’t justify spending so much money on something I can fix with a couple extra cables and a dongle.

I don’t own an iPad anymore, and I rarely carry a wallet. Despite considering external keyboards, trackpads and monitors many times, their benefits would not make up for the added weight and cost.

So, this is all there is in my backpack right now:

  • Timbuk2 backpack - stolen from my wife, who originally got it from her former employer. A good upgrade from my previous generic Amazon backpack.
  • Macbook Air M1 (13”, 16GB, 1TB) - the best computer I have ever owned, period. Even though it’s now the oldest and least powerful of Apple’s laptops with Apple Silicon chips, 3 years in and it still excels at editing 4k video and 61-MP RAW files from my Sony A7R IV. Pair that with a battery that lasts all day and you get a winner. And yet, this laptop is not perfect: limited ports and the dongle hassle. When it’s time to retire the Air (not anytime soon!), my eye is on the (base) Macbook Pro.
  • Hyper Drive dongle - an inconvenient necessity, but still preferable to spending $2k+ on a new computer. A few extra ports and slots for SD and micro-SD cards, everything I need.
  • SanDisk 2TB Extreme SSD - upgraded from the 512GB version a few months ago. It stores my entire Lightroom catalog, every single photo in it. While I also have them backed up in the cloud, having a local copy speeds up the editing process.
  • LaCie 2TB rugged external HDD - one of the oldest items in my backpack, still going strong after 8 years of use. Currently, it stores the high-resolution versions of my YouTube videos from the last 3 years. It’s running out of space so I will need to get another one soon.
  • Seagate 5TB external HDD - used to store raw footage from my adventures in the field and a third backup copy of my Lightroom catalog.
  • Sennheiser 4.50 - exceptional headphones for the price ($100 back in 2018). I had to replace the earpads, which had worn out from the heavy use. Battery life is still great after 6 years, and I don’t see myself replacing them any time soon either. If I had to find a flaw is the MicroUSB port, one of the very few devices I have left that use such connector, forcing me to have an extra cable.
  • iPhone 12 mini - the best phone I have ever owned, one I will treasure until it breaks. I absolutely love the size, and it runs the latest version of iOS smoothly. Even though the 15’s cameras and USB-C port are tempting, they are not worth spending $1k+. I’d rather use that money on a photography trip. I’m not a big fan of phone photography, anyway.
  • AirPods 2 - initially reluctant due to the cost, they are perfect for listening to podcasts or music around the house, on a walk or a run. I also use them on-the-go for video editing, when I don’t have the Sennheiser around or it’s a hassle to use them. The AirPods got daily use for almost 4 years now, and I have no plans to replace them.
  • RAVPower 26,800mAh - I have another 2 smaller portable batteries, but this one can charge my Macbook Air through USB-C. My phone can run off this battery for a week. Ideal for road trips.
  • Apple Watch Series 6 - good enough to track my walks, runs and hikes. I also use it to set timers for my long exposures. And as a silent alarm clock: a better and more respectful way to wake up.
  • Moleskine Cahier Journal - for those moments when I want to jot down some thoughts while away from the screen. I don’t find analog note-taking practical for my lifestyle -lugging around several notebooks across the ocean is out of the question. However, I still find joy in picking up a pen and writing or drawing something on paper every once in a while.
  • Stabilo Point 88 fine 0.4 - my current favorite pen to use on the Moleskines, great feel to it. It’s a new addition so time will tell how long the ink lasts.