Are your brain and your body.
Your body takes you and your camera to places where images live. Your brain finds them.
Take proper care of both and your photography will take care of itself.
The most important pieces of gear
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The Photography Sage
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A Sage is someone who has achieved wisdom. According to Donald Robertson in Stoicism and the Art of Happiness, the Stoics saw this person as
someone perfectly wise and good, giving the aspiring Stoic direction, structure, and consistency in her practice
In this context, a Sage would be a role model, someone to be emulated.
Many times, I like to put myself in other photographer's skin and try to see the way they would see (or the way I think they would see, at least). I also have a fictional photography Sage I try to emulate.
What characteristics would a photography Sage have?
- A photography Sage looks at familiar and strange subjects the same way, like it were the first time they see them. They travel but also photograph at home.
- They are forever beginners. They keep an open mind because they know photography isn't a recipe to follow, but constant experimentation.
- They are inspired by other photographers but try to add their own twist.
- A photography Sage is not afraid of sharing their work. Actually, they create to share and inspire others.
- They don't wait until inspiration hits them, they look for it with action. They take the first photo.
- They realize the way to make better images is go further, higher, deeper, for longer. New camera gear isn't the answer.
- They always push themselves: a photography Sage knows that those days when they don't feel like going out are the most important ones, because those are the ones that will define you as a photographer.
- They are always thinking about photography, even when they don't have a camera with them. Always trying to find something to capture, always trying to visualize that final image.
These are some of the virtues my own photography Sage would have, and the ones I try to emulate. Of course, I fail often if not most of the time, but they give me a sense of direction and serve as a guide.
What about you? What would your role model look like?
Composition after the shot
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I try not to think too much about composition when I shoot: I point the camera at whatever I saw, I move around, and press the button whenever it feels right.
It's when I'm back at home that I can see more clearly if the image works or not. Although rare, there are cases where I'll find an image I had not seen in the field, an image I can still make by "re-composing" the original negative or file.
Most of my images are square, as you know. If I'm shooting digital, that means I have to crop the files to that format. While I'd rather shoot square natively, having that extra room for editing has proven to be very useful.
One example is this image of a couple of swans I took in Lago di Garda, in Northern Italy, a few months ago. It was only when I looked at it on the computer that I saw how it could work with a heavy cropping.
Original 3:2 raw file showing the crop.
Final square image.
Another example is this image of the Badlands National Park, in South Dakota. I'd taken the original photo almost 2 years ago, but it wasn't until recently that I "saw" the panoramic image in it. It was not my intention when I took it, I wasn't thinking about a panorama, but it works.
These are extreme examples, though. Most of the time, all I do is small adjustments to the composition I did manage to capture in the field. For example, take a look at this image of a tree in the italian Alps, and compare it to the original square crop. I decided to place the tree a little bit further to the left, giving the branch a bit more room to grow to the right of the frame.
Original square crop.
Adjusted square crop.
There's no shame in creating a completely new image after the shot. As I said many times, photography is not a competition, there is no prize for those who get it right the first time. Legends of photography like Ansel Adams kept playing with old negatives for decades, coming up with new edits and interpretations.
Photography is a creative process, inspiration can hit you at any point in your workflow. Embrace it.
Results are often delayed
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The problem:
our actions produce results, but they are often delayed
Most of the time, we don't get instant feedback about our work so we are left with doubt: is this really working?
Sometimes, things get worse before they get better, even if we are already on the right path. It's during this first phase, when things aren't looking good, that most people give up.
That's why we need a system to stick to, a plan to follow even if results take a while to show up. They will, eventually.
Will the new iPad change my mind?
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Apple announced a new iPad yesterday, but it's the full mouse support and new keyboard with built-in trackpad that is catching everyone's attention. It's got mine as well, and I look forward to reading the first reviews.
As you know, I've wanted to make the iPad my main and only computing device for quite a while, but I keep going back to the laptop as the ultimate tool for productivity.
I'd love to see all the great things about the iPad (size, weight, battery life, touch screen, cellular support) on a device running MacOS. iOS just doesn't cut it.
Why is Apple trying so hard to make it work? For me, the reason is clear: the App Store. When Apple sells you a Macbook Air, for example, they don't expect to get much more money from you after that. Maybe some iCloud storage, but that's it. Meanwhile, iPhone users in the US spent an average of $79 on apps in 2018, and revenue from mobile apps will be around $581 billions this year.
I remain skeptical about the future of the iPad as a productivity device, but I really hope Apple can prove me wrong.
Wildlife photography during a mandatory quarantine
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All Spain is in lockdown, but here in the country I'm still able to find some opportunities to take some photos.
WFH
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When I wrote about my upcoming trip a few days ago, I knew the situation could get worse. I could not, though, expect how fast everything has unfolded here in Spain in the last few days: from planning my trip to country-wide mandatory quarantine.
I will be working from home for the foreseeable future. Thankfully, I have a lot of photos to go through and many things to talk about, here and on my YouTube channel.
Before focusing on photography again, I wanted to repeat what every expert in this matter is saying: stay home as much as you can. If you are already taking this seriously, then please keep doing so. And if you still believe this is like the flu, take a look at this.
Stay healthy, my friends.
Traveling for photography in uncertain times
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In just a few days, if the coronavirus situation doesn't get even worse, I'll be taking a plane to Ireland. That will be my first stop on a 2.5-month-long trip to Ireland, Iceland and the UK.
The way I travel makes every trip a bit uncertain, but this time, I'll be embracing the unknown from day 1. Other than the flights and a few hotels in Ireland and Iceland, I have nothing else booked or planned.
On one hand, there's the virus: Italy is in lockdown and other countries are starting to require foreigners to self-quarantine for a couple of weeks. These measures could extend to other parts of the world -including the countries I'll be visiting- at any moment, so I don't want to book anything too far ahead.
There's also the issue with the weather: it's been a mild winter here in Spain, but it looks like Iceland is still getting its fair share of snow and ice these days. My hope is to travel along the southern coast, weather permitting.
I'm very excited about this trip. I've never been to Ireland, and I've been wanting to go to Iceland for a long time. And while I did visit London before, I've never been anywhere else in the UK. I'm especially excited about spending a few weeks up in Scotland.
Hopefully I get to visit all of those places as "planned", and to share many images and videos with you all. If that's not the case, it'll be fine, I'll do my photography from somewhere else. After all, those beautiful landscapes are not going anywhere and they'll be there once this virus is under control. What matters the most now is to keep everyone safe.
I'll keep you updated. Stay healthy.
"Photography is easy", my free new eBook
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I have a new book I'd love to share with you. In "Photography is easy", I try to debunk 10 common myths about photography. I talk about topics like camera gear, Instagram, how to make images anywhere, and why we should strive to be and remain beginners.
The cover of "Becoming an American"
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This is the cover of Becoming an American, my upcoming book.
Image of the Month, March 2020: "Grand View"
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Grand View is the new Image of the Month for the month of March.
The Grand Canyon took my breath away, but the same vastness that makes it so majestic, also makes it very hard to photograph. It was in the Desert View Watchtower where I found something that really caught my eye. The view from that window was stunning, so I framed the image on my Bronica. Just when I couldn't ask for more, a bird flew by. I had no idea if I'd captured it, and I didn't find out for a few more days. But there it was, on the negative. It was my favorite image from this special place.
two sizes
Remember: there are two sizes to choose from, 6x6 and 8x8 (inches). In both cases, the matt and frame are 12x12 (this means a bigger margin for the 6x6 print).
shipping included
Shipping is free to the US. International shipping is a flat rate of $14.95.
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.
Creating space and time for bigger projects
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I've been working on a couple of books that I hope to release very soon. I started working on one of them years ago, but never found the time required to finish it and it's been a side project since then.
I realized I wasn't going to finish it ever unless I created some space and time for it. This means I had to cut down on other parts of my work, my YouTube channel to be specific. I haven't uploaded any videos for over a week now, but don't worry, there will more as soon as I'm done with these two bigger projects.
What your camera says about you as a photographer
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We've talked about how talent and skills are not enough to make a photographer stand out above the crowds nowadays. While I believe patience and persistence are the best way to deal with this, there are other ways a photographer might try to be different -sometimes even unconsciously.
An obvious one is camera gear. Indeed, today a photographer's camera is not so much about image quality but about signaling who you are as a photographer. These are some examples; they are generalizations and they won't fit everyone, but they might sound familiar to you. I definitely can see myself in 2 of these.
Read MorePhotography is not a meritocracy
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I just started reading Invisible Influence by Jonah Berger, a very interesting read so far that has made me think about how our own behavior is shaped by the influence of others, and how some of those ideas might apply to photography.
Read MoreSee through the fog: how to find contrast in foggy conditions
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Fog can be deceptive. As it happens with other weather phenomenons, the way our eyes and mind perceive a foggy landscape is different from what the camera will capture.
One of the reasons is that contrast can be tricky to find in fog. As we know, contrast is really important in black and white photography, so we need to know how to create it in foggy conditions.
Read MorePhotography as meditation
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I walk a lot. Perhaps I got tired of driving after my last road trip through Europe; perhaps the Camino got me hooked. Whatever the reason, I am obsessed with walking.
Of course, I always carry a camera with me. Sometimes, I'll listen to music or to a podcast. Most of the time, though, I'll just take in whatever is around -be it birds chirping or a loud highway.
Almost all the photography I've done during these past 2 months has been done on these walks, I barely used the car. This is a big shift from the way I used to do photography, not too long ago. I've found joy in just walking around with a compact camera and capturing whatever I see, wherever I happen to be.
In fact, photography while walking has become a meditation of sorts for me. During those walks, I don't think about anything, I don't reach for my phone, I don't worry about the images I'm making. I feel present and in the moment, seeing what's around me, and capturing whatever feels right. Only time will tell if the images are any good, but I've been enjoying these walks so much that it doesn't really matter.
Don't worry, though, in just a few weeks I'll be hitting the road again, on a trip that will take me to 3 islands. Stay tuned!
For now, some images I made this morning:
Keep raising the bar
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Yesterday, I ran my fastest 10k to date: 45 minutes and 50 seconds, a whole 20 minutes faster than my first 10,000 meters just 6 months ago.
My time isn't impressive by any means, but I was very proud of myself. It was similar to when I ran my first 5k in 32 minutes (current best time is 21 minutes), I could barely catch my breath but the feeling of accomplishment made it so worth it.
It was indeed a big achievement for me: before that, just the thought of running to catch a bus would make me exhausted, and yet here I was running non-stop for half an hour. I achieved my goal and I lost interest for months. I only resumed my running career because I wanted to shave some pounds off.
This time, though, I kept raising the bar as I achieved my goals. I beat my 5k time, then I ran my first 10k, then I did it faster. Setting new goals and challenging myself pushed me beyond what I thought it was possible for me. I almost enjoy running now.
45:50 might be close to my physical limit, and I'm only getting older by the day. Still, I wonder how much faster and how much further I can go. So I just did what I've been doing, I raised the bar once again: my goals for this year are to run a 5k under 20 minutes, a 10k in 40, and to run my first marathon.
Having goals gives me the sense of direction I need. I do the same with my photography and my lifestyle. Raising the bar once we achieve them is as important, if not more, than the goals themselves.
Editing 5 black and white images in Lightroom CC
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Best 5 accessories for RX100 cameras
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You know how much I love my small RX100 cameras. I always carry one with me no matter what I'm doing, and that has led me to making some images I would've never made otherwise, including the current image of the month, "Golden Gate".
I love that these cameras are complete systems out of the box: no lenses to buy! There are some accessories, though, that I think are very useful and make these little devices even better image making machines. These are the 5+1 accessories for the RX100 series I have and use.
Read MoreSlow and steady wins the race
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I thought she wasn't going to make it. It was just the beginning of another long day in the Camino and she seemed to be struggling quite a bit. With more than 16 miles ahead of us, she was limping. Overcoming the pain, the strong winds, the constant rain and the muddy trail wasn't going to be easy. I was fighting my own battles, and quickly passed her.
As the day unfolded, I ran into her multiple times. Somehow, she'd managed to keep up with me at a much slower pace. I was stopping every few minutes to take photos and film some locations. I didn't see her stopping even once: her pace was slow, but relentless. She ended up making it before me.
Photography is a similar journey. Some days feel like big steps: for me, that's a foggy day or a day spent in the mountains. It feels amazing to know you've just made a great image, but it's what we do in between that sets our pace. Do we stop and wait until the next big leap? Or do we keep going, even if only slowly?
I believe photography is something we must do everyday. This involves much more than just shooting: working on our images, starting that book we've been putting off, planning our next trip, sharing our vision on a blog post or youtube video, and of course getting some inspiration from other photographers and artists.
We are here for the long game. Some days will require putting our head down and push forward, even if it feels like we are limping and not progressing much. We need to be relentless because those days are the ones that will define us and the ones that will make the difference in the end.