My Photo Diary

[Jamie Pillers]

My primary method of pursuing photography is by way of walking through the world looking. I generally don't have a project or theme in mind on these walks and only see themes later as I edit my photographs. Chris' "Ft. Wayne" series here inspires me to put my walk-based images into a single thread in order to see what they look like over time. So, here goes.

Today's images are from a visit last week to a small farm town in Minnesota. Images were made with the Fuji X20 camera.

Neighborhood trees

Another Main St. store closing

In-town house

Main Street storefront

 

[FrankS]

I like the chaos in the eBay store picture.

 

[daveleo]

Jamie

This is a neat idea for your thread.
Can I suggest that you limit max image size to maybe 800px in either direction - makes it nicer than scrolling to see the complete image.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Jamie

This is a neat idea for your thread.
Can I suggest that you limit max image size to maybe 800px in either direction - makes it nicer than scrolling to see the complete image.

Dave, I'll try to figure out how to do that. Thanks.

 

[FrankS]

My ipad automatically shrinks the picture to fit on the screen, but it also shrinks any text in the tread to a teeny tiny size.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

I think I have it figured out. Now I have to wait for the RFF 'clock' to move ahead a few hours before I can try uploading the next batch of the Minnesota trip.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Minnesota walk, continued

Minnesota walk, continued

More images from my walks last week in Southern Minnesota (all made with Fuji X20, and a bit of PP in Aperture 3):

 

[gho]

Can I suggest that you limit max image size to maybe 800px in either direction - makes it nicer than scrolling to see the complete image.

+1 Makes a better viewing experience.

As for the critique: Personally I like the images. I find that you have a photographic eye. But that is only part of the story.

What about using your skill to convey something coherent to the viewer? A project! Yes, a project!

Edit: The self portrait is nice.

 

[Murchu]

Nice thought for a thread, and find much of your own thoughts reflective of my own.

Right now I miss an easy constant photographic companion, a role my M used to fill perfectly, and wonder as to your thoughts and impressions of the X20 image quality and ergonomics. I suppose its too much to expect the ergonomics of an M, with the image quality I am used to from my 5 year old dslr's, yet find myself drawn back to the X20 again and again in just that hope, or that like Frank, the X20 may be just good enough for my needs.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Nice thought for a thread, and find much of your own thoughts reflective of my own.

Right now I miss an easy constant photographic companion, a role my M used to fill perfectly, and wonder as to your thoughts and impressions of the X20 image quality and ergonomics. I suppose its too much to expect the ergonomics of an M, with the image quality I am used to from my 5 year old dslr's, yet find myself drawn back to the X20 again and again in just that hope, or that like Frank, the X20 may be just good enough for my needs.

Damien,
Actually, I just traded the X20 away. 🙄 It's a fantastic little camera and produces image quality that I'd say is good enough for anyone, at least for normal lighting conditions. The camera has great control set-up, grip, weight, etc.. And the on-off/focal length ring around the lens is brilliant. The optical viewfinder is excellent and I didn't really notice that it only covers 85% of the view. But I'm just not a P&S fan. I keep trying them, but always want to go back to interchangeable lens bodies. I have the X-Pro1 and love it. And, in my mind, 'needed' another lens for it rather than the X20. If I had more $$, I'd definitely keep the X20 for carry-around every day kind of kit.

 

[Murchu]

Damien,
Actually, I just traded the X20 away. 🙄 It's a fantastic little camera and produces image quality that I'd say is good enough for anyone, at least for normal lighting conditions. The camera has great control set-up, grip, weight, etc.. And the on-off/focal length ring around the lens is brilliant. The optical viewfinder is excellent and I didn't really notice that it only covers 85% of the view. But I'm just not a P&S fan. I keep trying them, but always want to go back to interchangeable lens bodies. I have the X-Pro1 and love it. And, in my mind, 'needed' another lens for it rather than the X20. If I had more $$, I'd definitely keep the X20 for carry-around every day kind of kit.

Ah cheers for the feedback, Jamie. Can I ask how you found the X20 image quality in relation to the XPro1 - light and day, or good enough perhaps. I keep on hearing about how compact sensor image quality has increased these last few years, but my last compact was a Fuji F40, so I've been out of the compact game quite a while 🙂

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Ah cheers for the feedback, Jamie. Can I ask how you found the X20 image quality in relation to the XPro1 - light and day, or good enough perhaps. I keep on hearing about how compact sensor image quality has increased these last few years, but my last compact was a Fuji F40, so I've been out of the compact game quite a while 🙂

I can't tell the difference on my computer screen. Maybe in a big print? The X-Pro1 is 16Mp, the X20 is 12Mp. And I read all over the web that the XPro1 is one of the best for low light. I doubt that the little X20 would perform nearly as well. The new breed of compacts are amazing. I just was looking through a thread here of Sony's RX100 compact. Beautiful images.

 

[Murchu]

I can't tell the difference on my computer screen. Maybe in a big print? The X-Pro1 is 16Mp, the X20 is 12Mp. And I read all over the web that the XPro1 is one of the best for low light. I doubt that the little X20 would perform nearly as well. The new breed of compacts are amazing. I just was looking through a thread here of Sony's RX100 compact. Beautiful images.

Cheers again, Jamie, if you can't see much of a difference on the computer screen, that is a glowing endorsement of the X20's quality, I think. Image quality was the final piece in the puzzle for me, so think I may very well try/ buy an X20 the next opportunity I have.

In any case, don't mean to drag your thread off on a tangent, and look forward to seeing more of your images 🙂

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

I have a wide monitor, and the photos really scroll. Took a minute to load, too.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Project photography

Project photography

Thanks, Damien. Regarding your earlier thought about doing a "project": In my view, a project like, say, "Life in Southern Minnesota Farm Country" requires a concentrated, lengthy amount of time. My life doesn't afford that, so my photography has to be via my responses to wherever I'm at, whenever. But as a compromise, I'm hopeful that over time themes will emerge from this somewhat scattershot approach.

For example, I usually have my camera with me as I roam around my home town of Oakland, CA. I'm always gathering images of it. I expect that at some point I'll have a group of 100 or so "keepers" that will make a nice exhibit or book representing Oakland as I see it. I have similar 'projects' running that involve how the arrival of our daughter changed our lives; the scene of early-morning surfing community in San Francisco; and a few others. The Minnesota set continues to grow as well.

I don't think this approach to building a body of photographic work is new at all. Most obvious examples of others using this approach are many of the most famous street photographers who spent a lot of their time simply being out on the streets responding to whatever life threw their way. Same goes for many landscape and portrait photographers.

I plan to use this thread as sort of an electronic wall on which I'll be putting up images that interest me and using the many eyes of the RFF community as a way of getting much more feedback than I can get on my own.

Regarding the X20... HIGHLY recommended as a small carry-around kit! I'll probably try it again when the X30 with 16Mp XTrans sensor, built-in ND filter and 100% viewfinder arrives next year. 🙂

 

[Jamie Pillers]

San Francisco Friday Afternoon

San Francisco Friday Afternoon

 

[Jamie Pillers]

I have a wide monitor, and the photos really scroll. Took a minute to load, too.

Hi Gabriel,
Are you referring to the second set of images I posted here? Those are under the 400k limit and I tried to make sure the height was right around 800 pixels. Should load quickly, I'd think.

 

[JoeV]

Nice images, Jamie. I like your idea of a photo diary.

Regarding image size, 800 pixels wide seems to work well for me.

Cheers,

~Joe

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Nice images, Jamie. I like your idea of a photo diary.

Regarding image size, 800 pixels wide seems to work well for me.

Cheers,

~Joe

Joe, Thanks. And I'm still trying to dial in the perfect uploading workflow... I'll get it, sooner or later.

I just checked out your photo blog. Your still images are FABULOUS! I assume you do some serious editing to select the images you post, because I'd LOVE to have that quality as my keepers... WOW!

And then I had a look at your writing blog. Great stuff. Love the piece about getting back together with Ms. Corona. Amazing how those sensitive, difficult types have a way of pulling you back in.

And tell your friend Dave he has no taste. That is a GREAT portrait of him, iPad or no iPad! 🙂

I'll check back in on your blogs from time to time.. looking forward to seeing some of that video work; see how it measures up against your still images.

 

[Rogrund]

Thank you for sharing these pictures, Jamie. I really enjoyed them. Keep up the good work!