Photos=Blog?
Welcome to my first attempt at blogging in any capacity since it’s earned that moniker (high school and LiveJournal are behind us). I think I can make this work... Rather, I should make this work seeing how I’m trying to make a living with cameras! Updates will come as frequently as I find content to put up, be it my past outing or some archival stuff that I just needed an excuse to get online.
It’s only fitting that this entry is filled with photos from the Santa Monica Pier meet-up that Philip Bloom organized a few weeks ago (September 14, to be precise). It was a great excuse for local photographers, videographers, and cinematographers to get out and shoot, network, and ogle people’s DSLR rigs, or in my case, Philip’s Leica M9 and Voigtlander 50mm ƒ/1.1.
It’s only fitting that this entry is filled with photos from the Santa Monica Pier meet-up that Philip Bloom organized a few weeks ago (September 14, to be precise). It was a great excuse for local photographers, videographers, and cinematographers to get out and shoot, network, and ogle people’s DSLR rigs, or in my case, Philip’s Leica M9 and Voigtlander 50mm ƒ/1.1.
If you’re salivating after checking that link out and we aren’t friends/haven’t met, something needs to change.
Anywho, I don’t think it’s possible to say enough nice things about Philip. Going into the meet-up, I was worried that he’d be similar to most professional commercial photographers I’ve met and attended sessions with who seem like their only interest is selling me the gear that they endorse so they can earn a kickback.
Nothing could be farther from the truth than that (probably because he’s not a commercial photographer). He wasn’t touting DSLRs as the second coming of digital cinema. It was quite the opposite, really. He was quick to point out their flaws and shortcomings to less experienced shooters who didn’t know better. That being said, He wasn’t slow to acknowledge how affordable and fantastic they are for everybody who isn’t shooting with a significant budget.
For how well known he’s across the intertubes, the guy is incredibly down to earth, friendly, and helpful. Despite the British sense of humor that perpetually shames us Americans, it was anything but intimidating to strike up a conversation with him at the meet-up.
If anyone interested in cameras, whether a hobbyist or a pro, isn’t following Philip on Twitter, you should change that.
Thanks for actually reading all of that... I didn’t realize I had that much to say about something that happened over two weeks ago! I’m aware that I declared this a photo blog, so here are the photos!
Philip snapped some great shots during the meet-up with his M9. That’s not the 50mm ƒ/1.1... I think that’s a 28mm ƒ/2?
My favorite detail of this shot got lost in the resize. At full resolution you can see two couples holding hands and walking down the beach on the other side of the pier. You can kind of make out the first couple if you look for the red and white dots a little over an inch from the center.
When you shoot RAW, you don’t really need to do multiple exposure HDR... Most would prefer it, and rightfully so, for image fidelity’s sake, but it’s really comforting to know you can pull this much detail from a properly exposed RAW shot.
Pre-edit Screenshot:
That’s what it started as. Adobe Camera RAW’s adjustment brush is an incredible tool.
Magic hour over the ocean is definitely something I can get used to out here. It sure beats watching the sun rise over the water!
“Om nom nom!” was what went through my head when I shot this. I don’t think there’s a more fitting caption.
Under the Santa Monica Pier
Photos like this remind me why I love my Lensbaby.
Being a low-fi lens, nothing is sharp when a Lensbaby is wide open. Meanwhile, Philip is reviewing impeccably sharp shots on his M9.
Jesus walks! I bet you didn’t know that his real name is Kevin.
It’s a good sign that I enjoyed this! Look for more in the not-so-distant future, dear readers... or would you be viewers? Discuss.
Anywho, I don’t think it’s possible to say enough nice things about Philip. Going into the meet-up, I was worried that he’d be similar to most professional commercial photographers I’ve met and attended sessions with who seem like their only interest is selling me the gear that they endorse so they can earn a kickback.
Nothing could be farther from the truth than that (probably because he’s not a commercial photographer). He wasn’t touting DSLRs as the second coming of digital cinema. It was quite the opposite, really. He was quick to point out their flaws and shortcomings to less experienced shooters who didn’t know better. That being said, He wasn’t slow to acknowledge how affordable and fantastic they are for everybody who isn’t shooting with a significant budget.
For how well known he’s across the intertubes, the guy is incredibly down to earth, friendly, and helpful. Despite the British sense of humor that perpetually shames us Americans, it was anything but intimidating to strike up a conversation with him at the meet-up.
If anyone interested in cameras, whether a hobbyist or a pro, isn’t following Philip on Twitter, you should change that.
Thanks for actually reading all of that... I didn’t realize I had that much to say about something that happened over two weeks ago! I’m aware that I declared this a photo blog, so here are the photos!
Philip snapped some great shots during the meet-up with his M9. That’s not the 50mm ƒ/1.1... I think that’s a 28mm ƒ/2?
My favorite detail of this shot got lost in the resize. At full resolution you can see two couples holding hands and walking down the beach on the other side of the pier. You can kind of make out the first couple if you look for the red and white dots a little over an inch from the center.
When you shoot RAW, you don’t really need to do multiple exposure HDR... Most would prefer it, and rightfully so, for image fidelity’s sake, but it’s really comforting to know you can pull this much detail from a properly exposed RAW shot.
Pre-edit Screenshot:
That’s what it started as. Adobe Camera RAW’s adjustment brush is an incredible tool.
Magic hour over the ocean is definitely something I can get used to out here. It sure beats watching the sun rise over the water!
“Om nom nom!” was what went through my head when I shot this. I don’t think there’s a more fitting caption.
Under the Santa Monica Pier
Photos like this remind me why I love my Lensbaby.
Being a low-fi lens, nothing is sharp when a Lensbaby is wide open. Meanwhile, Philip is reviewing impeccably sharp shots on his M9.
Jesus walks! I bet you didn’t know that his real name is Kevin.
It’s a good sign that I enjoyed this! Look for more in the not-so-distant future, dear readers... or would you be viewers? Discuss.
blog comments powered by Disqus