My favorite trio of prime lenses

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It took me a while to get there, but I finally have a lineup of prime lenses I love bringing with me on my daily walks. Most of the time, I'll bring my super zoom lens, but these fast primes let me switch things up every once in a while.

Bike photography on a foggy morning

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Another foggy day, a different approach. This time, I take my bike to cover my ground while still having the flexibility to stop anywhere to make an image.

Wildfires: beast and beauty

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Wildfires are hell. Not only because of the destruction they bring to the wildlife and humans living around it, but also because of the effect of the smoke they produce that can reach lands thousands of miles away.

I've experienced this a few times while living in Portland. Once, we left a window cracked during a smoky day, and came back a few hours later to an apartment covered in ash.

And yet, the apocalyptic and eerie scenes the smoke creates can make for incredible photographs. We've all seen images from New York City this week, affected by the smoke from wildfires happening in Canada. So horrible, yet so incredibly beautiful.

Similarly to fog, the smoke hides whatever is far away from you, while revealing in great detail the objects closer to you. It does have a distinct feel, though: it pollutes the whole landscape. Plus, these conditions happen at times when fog does not usually happen: there's nothing more dramatic than the Sun coming through a thick layer of smoke.

These two images are examples of some work I did in very smoky conditions. The first one was made in the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon, back in 2017, when wildfires in Alberta covered the whole PNW with smoke. The second image was made last year in Riaño, Spain, during a day with very strong calima (sand that is blown away from the Sahara desert, not from wildfires but the exact same effect).

Be cautious if you decide to adventure in these conditions, though: the danger to one's health can't be understated. Wear a good mask, and don't spend too much time outdoors anyway.

Alive by photography

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Photographers may or may not make a living by photography, but they are alive by it ~ Robert Adams

The spring is a very challenging time for me. Foggy, rainy and cold days are mostly gone, as hot and sunny weather takes over. But even worse than that are my allergies.

Going out to take some photos becomes an exercise in overcoming the discomfort, pushing through the misery at times.

Thankfully, I started taking an allergy pill that seems to be working. It's not perfect, but it makes being out bearable. So I've been taking more pictures lately and the change in my mood has been nothing short of amazing.

I went from feeling a bit sluggish, tired, to feeling more alive and optimistic. And I didn't have to go anywhere to feel that way! Just walking the very same roads, streets and paths I walk everyday. That's the power of the camera.

Just another reminder (in case I needed one!) that this is what photography... daily photography, does to us.

A foggy spring day of Black and White Photography

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It'd been a pretty hot and dry spring, but finally, finally, we got a beautiful foggy day. I made some images, got a lot of footage, and have a lot to say.