Landscape Photography with a Vintage Lens and Sony a6000

October 27, 2018 in journal

Again, I got sunny and clear skies in the Pyrenees, so I thought it'd be nice to use a vintage lens that I'd been wanting to try for landscape photography.

The lens is a Minolta Rokkor 58mm f/1.4 mounted on a Minolta MD/MC to Sony E adaptor.

I shot it wide open and stepping it down. The results were soft when wide open but I love that look. It's a sharp lens when stepped down.

Still, the focal lenght when mounted on a crop sensor camera like the Sony a6000 makes it a less than ideal lens for landscape photography. And I mean, as the only lens. 90mm can be a very nice focal lenght for landscapes when you combine it with something else.

Below, you can see some of the images I got and that I show in the video.

Film and Digital Photography at Cirque de Gavarnie

October 25, 2018 in journal

Deep in the Pyrenees, the Cirque of Gavarnie is one of the most stunning place I've ever been to.

The first day we hiked to there, we found torrential rain. Soaked, I gave up on making images that day and decided to go back later that week. Then, I found sunny and clear skies.

This video is the results of those two visits.

Naranjo de Bulnes, Asturias, September 2018

October 23, 2018 in photographs

Camera and Lens: Bronica SQ-Ai, Zenzanon PS 150mm f/4
Film stock: Ilford HP5+
Exposure: 1600
Developer: Ilford Ilfotec HC

I made this image on my first day in the Picos de Europa National Park. I didn't get to shoot much film those days because the Bronica would be left behind on my hikes due to its weight. I like how this one turned out, though.

See more images of Asturias.

My review of the GoPro Hero 7

October 23, 2018 in journal

I want to start talking a bit more about the gear I use, both for making images and recording videos. The GoPro Hero 7 is a recent acquisition, but I've already taken it with me on a few outings. This is my review: the good and the bad, and how it fits in my workflow.

Big effort, little reward

October 19, 2018 in journal

The Vall del Madriu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, seemed to be the perfect place for me to spend my last day in Andorra. The landscape didn't dissappoint, it was a beautiful -but hard- hike through the forest.

Photography wise, though, it was a fail. I wasn't able to come up with compelling compositions. I still had a lot of fun, and I hope you enjoy the video.

Vlogging with a GoPro Hero 7 Black in beautiful Andorra

October 17, 2018 in journal

I have a new camera, and I put it to the test during a full day of driving and hiking in the beautiful country of Andorra.

I recorded the whole episode on the GoPro Hero 7 Black, using just the built-in microphone for the audio. The footage has been color graded, though.

There's a full review of this little guy coming soon.

Of course, I'm not affiliated with GoPro in any way. I wish. You can still help me buying it (or anything else, it doesn't have to be the GoPro) through this affiliate Amazon link: https://amzn.to/2J4pVma

Finishing rolls of Ilford HP5 and FP4

October 15, 2018 in journal

I had a few rolls sitting around for a while, with a few shots left in them, so I decided to go out and finish them. This is what it came out of that morning out... and of those rolls.

Torre, Serra da Estrela, Portugal, September 2018

October 15, 2018 in photographs

Camera and Lens: Bronica SQ-Ai, Zenzanon PS 80mm f/2.8
Film stock: Ilford HP5+
Exposure: 1600
Developer: Ilford Ilfotec HC

I made this image during my recent trip to Portugal. It was a beautiful morning up in the Serra da Estrela, at an elevation of some 2,000 meters (6,500 feet).

You can't see the warm, pink colors of the sky. You can't see the green tones of the tower. But you can tell this is not mid-day light. I love shooting black and white during sunrise.

See more images of Portugal

Uploading videos to YouTube while on the road

October 15, 2018 in journal

One the biggest challenges when you are on the road and have a YouTube channel to update is how to upload the videos.

Sometimes, you get lucky: the place we stayed at in Andorra last week had a pretty decent connection so uploading movies and backing stuff up to the cloud wasn't a problem at all.

We didn't get as lucky with this week's AirBnB, though: uploading a new video using this connection would take forever, and there are no cafes around that I know of.

I wish apps like AirBnB or Booking could tell you how fast the WiFi will be on your next stay.

The obvious solution for this problem is to use my phone. I've published videos using the YouTube app before, and while it works just fine, it doesn't let you upload 4k videos. Instead, it will convert them to 1080 and then proceed with the upload.

The best option I've found is to use my computer, tethering from my phone. If I have 4G coverage, of course.

This isn't perfect, though: I "only" have 25GB a month and my average video weighs in at about 3GB. This means I'd be able to upload 7-8 videos a month using my phone exclusively. I usually publish 2-3 a week, or 8-12 a month, making me effectively dependent on things I can't control.

Maintaining a YouTube channel while on the road is not an easy task, but it can be done. You just need a little bit of luck when it comes to your hotel / Airbnb's WiFi, and a phone with a lot of data as a backup.

See you soon, Asturias

October 13, 2018 in journal

Last video of my road trip to Asturias. It was a long drive home, but I tried to make the best out of it.

Artist Interviews: Nick Mayo

October 12, 2018 in artist interviews

In this week's Artist Interview I got to talk to Nick Mayo, one of the most visible faces in the film photography community. You might know him as Nick Exposed, the title of his YouTube channel.

Nick is not only a brilliant photographer, but he also helps and inspires a whole community of people with his videos and messages.

Fake flat tire and Ruta del Cares

October 11, 2018 in journal

Another video from my trip to the Picos de Europa. After getting a "pressure loss" warning in the car, I decided to play it safe and do a classic hike in this region: Ruta del Cares.

Because of the tire I didn't have time to do the whole hike, but after tasting the beginning of it, I'm definitely going back there sooner than later to finish it.

Misty Morning, Arnois, September 2018

October 11, 2018 in photographs

Camera and Lens: Sony a6500, 16-70mm f/4 Carl Zeiss
Settings: 16mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/320sec

I believe a photographer should always have a camera with them, and this image is a very good example of why.

This day, I had to drive to the aiport to drop someone off. On my way back, the fog started to roll in so I decided it could be a good opportunity to make some images.

I quickly went through my saved spots on Google Maps and found this one just off the main road.

I'm glad I brought my camera with me and decided to take a bit longer to get back home. This is one of a few images I made that day.

See more images of A Coruña.

Another sunny day in the mountains

October 09, 2018 in journal

After spending the night in a shelter at the base of Pico Urriellu, it's finally time to head back to the comfort of the hotel. I made some images on my way down.

House, Picos de Europa, September 2018

October 09, 2018 in photographs

Camera and Lens: Sony a6500, Sony 70-200mm f/4
Settings: 90mm, ISO 400, f/8, 1/1250sec

On my way back from Pico Urriellu, I had the chance to photograph a few houses near the mostly abandoned town of Pandebano.

This one was the best composition I could find, using a long telephoto lens to make the mountain in the background stand out. It was an impressive sight and I wanted an image that did it justice.

See more images of Asturias

Back to port, Portosin, July 2018

October 07, 2018 in photographs

Camera and Lens: Sony a6500, 16-70mm f/4 Carl Zeiss
Settings: 70mm, ISO 100, f/8, 1/500sec

A beatiful misty morning looking at the boats coming back to port.

See more images of A Coruña.

Artist Interviews: Martina Kettner

October 05, 2018 in artist interviews

TGIF! Also, the first Artist Interview of October is here.

Martina Kettner is a film photographer from Austria. I'm a big fan of her work as a whole, but particularly the images she creates with her Holga. Let's learn more about her and her photography!

All images in this post were made by Martina Kettner.

House at night, Monsanto, Portugal, September 2018

October 04, 2018 in photographs

This is one of my favorite images from my recent trip to Portugal.

I made this image in Monsanto, on my way down from the castle, well after the Sun had set.

I bracketed 3 shots to be able to capture the big dynamic range this scene had. The difference between the street light and the dark parts of the photograph was too big to capture with just one exposure.

See more images of Portugal.

How I made these Star Trail images

October 04, 2018 in journal

It's been a long summer here in NW Spain. It feels like we've had nothing but sunny and clear skies for the last two months. I'm more than ready for some fall weather but hey, if life gives you sun and blue skies, you play with star trails.

This is what I wanted to show you in this video. If you've never shot the night sky, then this can be good to get you started. I talk about the gear you will need, and the software.

Hope you enjoy it!

Image of the Month, October 2018: "Moonrise over Mt Hood"

October 01, 2018 in journal

The Image of the Month for October is now available: Moonrise over Mt Hood.

Watch the video where I made this image: "Moonrise".

What a beautiful evening at the Mt Hood National Forest this was! I had only recently started shooting with my Bronica SQ-Ai when I found out about the full Moon rising behind the always stunning Mt Hood.

I spent almost three hours there, sitting in silence, first enjoying the sunset and then waiting until it was dark and the Moon high in the sky.

This image is the result of those three hours there, trying to capture what I saw. The interaction between the mountain and the Moon, the calmness of the moment, the beauty of it, the fragility of nature and the insignificance of humans.

artist contract

A new image will be released every month and offered at a reduced price during that time. After 30 days, it will be sold at full price. They will never be on sale at any time in the future, the rate during the first month will be the lowest, ever.

want to know more?

You can find more information about how I create my images and all the details about pricing on The Art and Craft behind my prints.

"Moonrise over Mt Hood" is available for purchase here.