The woods of Mount Desert Island
Colorless wonder.
Here are some photos from a hike into the woods on Mount Desert Island, Maine, inside Acadia National Park. They are black and white edits of RAWs, taken on the Fujifilm X100VI. I originally intended to edit these in color, due to the breathtaking light blanketing beautiful evergreens and moss, but I locked myself in. Let me explain.
I’ve had my X100VI set to a black and white recipe that intentionally uses a high ISO range to get noise in the photos. The theory is that the sensor noise—in black and white, anyway—better emulates film grain. In scenes with limited shadows, this usually works okay. But under a tree canopy with intense shadows, the photos end up looking too muddy in color. Black and white it is!
Another thing I’m noticing is that the diffusion filter I have permanently attached to my lens is creating blooms I’m liking less and less every time I see them. That also locks me into edits that may not fit every scene. Many of this set looked downright bad in color. I believe I shall remove that filter (side note, I’d been trying to decide whether to put a diffusion filter on the GFX100RF when it arrives, but after seeing the results in this set, I think I’ll stick to a plain protection filter going forward).
In this set, I decided to embrace higher contrast more than my typical black and white edits (though the SOOC JPG’s were also good). Forests can be visually busy. The higher contrast minimizes the busyness and draws the eye to the same spots of light my eye was drawn to.
Soft photos from Maine’s coast
That time I had no idea how to properly focus a bright lens on a Fujifilm camera.
Here are a few photos I dug out of the archive. They were taken with a Voigtländer 23mm f1.2 on a Fujifilm X mount camera. At the time, I couldn’t manual focus these cameras for shit, especially with a lens this bright wide open. The peaking didn’t help that much. It would highlight areas that were almost in focus, but not sharp. I was frustrated with the lens and returned it. (Later I bought another Voigtländer f1.2 lens to go with my Leica M6.)
Since then I’ve learned about the zoom in button, which has helped me get tack sharp images on lenses much more finicky than this. And I’ve learned to prefer manual focus for most of the photos I take.
Despite the softness, there’s still something about these images that just looks good. If I were in the market for another ~35mm lens for the X system, this would be it. (Seems unlikely I’d be in the market, since the X100 scratches that itch.)
Panoramic fog
Wide open.
It was foggy, I made some panoramas. When I came back to the house, I’d received an email about another of my panoramas being licensed for an interesting use. March 6, 2025: Panorama Day, I guess.
These are straight out of camera files, some with small exposure tweaks in post.
Siri, start creative workout
Closing those rings.
Last Saturday I didn’t go out on a typical hike or stroll or wander, since we were helping our child move out (the third (!) to do so). In between all the busyness, though, I grabbed my camera and whipped out what more serious photographers than I would call a “study” of some flora in a pitcher on the table. Enjoy.
Crappy photos from a crappy lens
You get what you pay for. Or more than you pay for, depending on how this goes.
Last year I briefly tested a Fujifilm X-Pro3, which I loved but couldn’t really justify keeping given my other X mount cameras. Besides, X-Pro5 has to be just around the corner… right? Guys?
For reasons known only to my B&H account, I chose to test this great camera with the worst lens I’ve ever had the pleasure of using (4.5 stars on B&H 🤔). It was a TTArtisan 25mm (37.5mm eq) f2, chosen (I guess) for its tiny form factor. I couldn’t get my hands on an X100V (this was January, weeks before the X100VI announcement), so I wanted to approximate the idea of one. Reader, this approximates the idea of an X100 series camera that’s been run over by a truck and put back together again. Poorly.
THAT SAID, there is something about the hazy, heavily vignetted, crapfest of these photos that makes it both the worst lens imaginable and the one lens you could use for the rest of your life, winning awards, and becoming the most published photographer in history (assuming you’re a white man).
What do you think? Am I just squinting weird or is there something almost right with this lens, amongst all the wrongness? Given a more capable photographer who makes better compositional choices, would it shine?
These are from a wander around Brunswick, Maine.
The things people do at Reynisfjara
Beware the waves—oh never mind, you’re special.
At the beginning of 2024, I’d planned on a travel project where I photographed the reality of what you’d find at popular tourist destinations. The electric wires most people are photoshopping out, the mass of other people, that kind of thing. I abandoned the project before I even started traveling, partially because I lost interest and partially because it felt a bit cynical.
When we visited Iceland, though, I did take the opportunity to photograph people experiencing places, not just the places themselves. Reynisfjara beach was full of examples of people shooting big lenses, people proposing marriage, people ignoring the signs about the dangerous waves and nearly being sucked in (multiple times while we were there), children just having fun, parents filming children having fun, people vlogging, families staging the mom’s insta-pose, and the occasional person just being and seeing and memorizing (my favorite, though it wasn’t me). Enjoy.
Beachfront hotels in panorama
Thematic material.
Like you do.
On consecutive weekends recently, I set my GFX to a 65x24 XPan crop and shot things on and around beaches. The first weekend I just used the kit 35-70 zoom lens. The second weekend I went rogue and used an adapted Yashica 50mm f1.9 (“vintage”!). I really liked the black and white JPGs straight out of camera, but wanted to see how these would look in color. As expected, there’s not much color in these cold winter scenes. But I liked how the colors that did show up were extra highlighted against the relative blandness, so went with the color versions for this set.
Looking back through the photos, there were a fair number of shots of hotels—some closed for the season, one with a person looking at me through an open balcony door, all with a distinctly charming seaside vibe. Here they are.
The kids were all right
The good old days.
Looking back through my archives, it’s apparent to me that the years around ~2018 were incredibly formative for my family. All of my children were grown enough to participate in the same activities. We traveled, hiked, and generally did everything together. Those times are less frequent now, but even more appreciated.
Here are some photos from late 2018 documenting that time’s adventures. I have plenty more showing my kids’ faces that we shall enjoy privately, but these photos are enough to share what those moments in time meant to me. I can’t stress how important it is to document your life—balanced with actually living it.
For those interested in gear, nearly all of these were shot with the Fujifilm X-T2 equipped with the 16-55mm f2.8 lens. That lens. I’ve foolishly acquired and sold it twice. The more I come across photos I’d taken with it, though, the more I think I could happily shoot nothing else the rest of my life. Not really, probably. But yes, maybe?
On the street again
Back in NY.
This time in New York, New York, about a year ago. I’ve previously shared photos from this multi-day street outing, but here are a few more.
On the street
Hitting the bricks.
Walking around Portland, Maine on a chilly April morning in 2024. I don’t always like using this heavy handed Lightroom preset I’ve been developing for a couple years, but sometimes I like the nostalgic look and especially how it treats brick. And the Old Port of Portland, like many New England towns, has a heck ton of brick. So here are some people going about their day–and bricks.
What have I done?
We’ll see how this goes.
A quick post to mention my new YouTube channel launching tomorrow. The first couple videos are scheduled, starting with a semi-monthly (like salaried paychecks, the 15th and the last day) cadence. You can subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/@halfagrain
Albuquerque at night
Lights in the ABQ.
While scrolling through the archive, I came across some night light shots from a recent evening stroll in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Tourism boards are trying their best to keep the Route 66 mystic solvent, but I found it all a bit sad. The occasional retro-ish motel sign scattered between typical laundromats and pawn shops is not enough to keep the vibe alive. There is little difference between these in-town places and the obviously defunct desert sites documented in books like American Mile—besides that somebody’s paying the electric bill to keep up the ruse.
That said, framing is everything, so it’s still possible to make it seem like this is the most exciting place on earth. Enjoy.
Winter Seens
[sic]
I haven’t shot around my property lately. And I haven’t shot my Walter Mitty* setup—arguably my favorite camera + lens combo—lately. So after the sky dumped that fluffy white shit on us yesterday, I grabbed the old WM and wandered around the yard looking for shots.
Here are some things I spotted.
Straight out of camera JPG, small exposure tweaks on a few, one cropped.
*Fujifilm GFX 50s ii (Walter) with Mitakon (Mitty) Zhongyi 65mm f1.4. I know the name’s a stretch, but “Mitakon” became “Mitty” and I forced the rest.
Scenes from a public toilet
Inspiration in unlikely places.
Yeah, really. Don’t worry, it’s the offseason and the place was empty so it’s not creepy. The relative cleanliness, colors, lighting, and tile patterns inspired me to document this beach restroom quickly, before someone else entered and questions ensued. Then I washed my hands.
Hibernating
The Darkness 2, now in theaters.
A second Trump administration is disastrous for the world and will negatively affect you and everyone you know. Plus, it’s really cold outside. So I haven’t been going out much to shoot yet this year. I do have some photography plans queued up, and new-to-me gear I’m excited to use. And by not going out much, I just mean I haven’t been forcing daily shooting like I did in past years. I have used weekends to visit beautiful places to shoot, braving the wind and cold the best I could. Those photos (mostly film, interestingly) will show up on this website and/or my Glass profile eventually.
The break from daily forced shooting has been great for my wellbeing and has restored my photography hobby as the mental balm it always should’ve been. Sure, I want to get better and better at photography (whatever that means) as quickly as possible, but nothing described with terms like “hustle” and “let’s gooo” can lead to calm and considered creation. If I described a well known YouTuber as “the Michael Bay of photography,” many of you would know who I’m referring to. While entertaining to watch, that’s not what I want for my soothing hobby. I’ll continue to be the Michael Bay of stacking and hauling firewood, thank you very much. But I’ll also be the happy-but-commercially-insignificant indie filmmaker of photography.
Here’s a set I took around the yard after our first real snow of the season (the kind that stays the rest of the winter), before hauling in the day’s firewood.
I declare today Snowy Lighthouse Day
Here me out.
For no other reason than I came across some archive photos of lighthouses with snow, I’m declaring today regional Snowy Lighthouse Day. This day will not be repeated next year.
My favorites from this year’s 365 project—and why I won’t be doing one next year
What worked, what didn’t.
My first 365 project (take a photo a day for the year, share it on social media) was in 2020, which proved to be a good year for it. I used a single camera and lens combo for that project, the Fujifilm X-T2 with 23mm f1.4 lens. This went along with walking a lot, which got me in a better headspace and physically healthier. Photography-wise, I ended the year… fine. I definitely shot more photos than in years before.
My second 365 project was in 2023. This came at a time when I’d decided to take photography more seriously as a hobby and I wanted to try all sorts of things. It served its purpose, but by the end I was ready to quit the project. I finished, but declared I wouldn’t be doing another one in 2024—and then changed my mind at the last minute when I saw many other people committing to their own 365. I should’ve stuck to my guns.
Why I won’t be doing another 365
I don’t need it and it’s in the way.
I need practice, I’m nowhere near as consistent as I want to be. But I don’t need motivation in the form of a forcing function. I recommend a 365 (or 52, or any other variety of the same idea) project when you’re having trouble getting off the couch and finding photos. I now see photos everywhere, I often shoot without hesitation or even any clear objective (project, blog post, etc.) for the final outcome.
Except that because of the project looming over everything I do photographically, many times I’ll see a photo, know I already got “my photo” for the day and file away the scene to get “next time.” That may or may not actually happen. Oof.
The project threatens to become a replacement for the real photography work I want to do. It’s batting practice that is helpful until it makes you afraid to face a real pitcher. I want to figure out projects that result in a set of work that tells the story of a place or an idea or a feeling.
More articulate people than I could talk about how projects geared toward social media sharing alone make you less creative than projects geared toward the creation of art for its own sake, but I can only allude to a vague feeling about that aspect. I want to share my art with whoever’s eyeballs will look at it, but I want it to be art I obsessed over, not art that checked a box.
So I might post less often, but who knows. I have thousands of archive photos I haven’t even given a proper look that likely contain better examples of what I want to contribute to the photography world, so some of those will show up online.
Favorites
I’ve picked out my 28 favorite photos from my 2024 365 (366 because Leap Year) project. These are not necessarily my favorite photos I took this year, but they are the best of those chosen (often hastily) for the project. On this site I often post a gallery of photos with little explanation, but bear with me as I include a note about what exactly I liked about each of these.
Revelations looking back
I’m starting to swing back to 35mm instead of 50mm. Looking back through the project, a fair number (not all) of the Mitakon photos feel too tight. Maybe 43mm is the answer…
Heck, I’ve even enjoyed many 24mm and 28mm.
The “Kodachrome” look worked more often than not. That said, cool it with the warming.
The best photo of the day is often not where I thought it’d come from. Some outings had hundreds of photos from photogenic locations and the photo I picked was taken in a parking lot on the way home.
2024 Photography milestones
X100VI as daily carry. This involved finding the right bag that fit the camera just right, along with wallet, keys, etc. It’s easy to grab off the hook every time I leave the house. Sometimes I swap the X100 with the XF10. A recent change is to switch to a Bellroy 6l sling, which lets me add the Leica M6 to that carry, while still remaining very small and light.
Film, scanning. I shot a lot more film this year (based on Lightroom folder counts, 351 film photos in 2023 and 1,410 in 2024). I fine tuned my scanning process to be more repeatable at higher quality. If I were to improve this process even further, it’d involve something like the Valoi Easy35 or Easy120 to eliminate camera leveling and stray light.
First Leica. My partner and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary this year and her gift to me was a Leica M6. To continue my obsession with shallow depth of field, I chose a Voigtländer 50mm f1.2 lens to pair with it. I’m very happy with this setup, especially the camera. As mentioned above, my new daily carry bag also allows me to always have the M6 with me. I still love shallow photos, but a potential change would be a lighter, possibly wider lens, maybe something like a 40mm f2 or 35mm f1.4. I would love to carry a digital Leica M someday, but I really love my Fujifilm gear as well, so there’s no rush.
Digital processing I’m happy with. For much of the year, I tweaked a Lightroom preset to get to a “Kodachrome” look. It works well in many situations, but I wasn’t always fond of the result. I decided to see if someone else’s presets might help me get to outcomes I felt better about. I found Very Good Presets and ended up purchasing quite a few of their offerings. I like the way the presets are put together: a main look and then modifier sub-presets. Most of the time I can get to a look I’m very pleased with without touching a slider.
I’ve also been using quite a few B&W photos straight out of (Fujifilm) camera. I started with a film recipe meant to emulate Tri-X. (Its killer innovation is an intentionally high ISO range which pairs with the grain simulation to create a more film-like grain structure.) I tweaked that recipe a bit (original version in the photo from Day 113 above) and have been very happy with the outcome. I still shoot a RAW alongside the JPG, but don’t usually need it. And in the case of RAW’s I’d like to get to the same look, the Very Good Presets Tri-X is close. I’m able to get the RAW looking virtually identical to the Fujifilm JPG with little effort.
The main improvement needed across my work, and especially in editing, is consistency. My photos are all over the place. I don’t want to be locked in too tightly, I am a hobbyist who doesn’t need to demonstrate a particular style to land clients. But I want to be consistently delighted with the final edits of the photos I deem worthy of sharing with others.
Removing EXIF data before posting. On Glass, part of the fun for many (myself included) is to look at what camera and lens combo was used to take a photo. Originally when I started incorporating film scans into my posts, I removed the EXIF data because the camera I used to digitize the negative wasn’t the camera the photo was taken on. Then I accidentally left that Lightroom export preset active when exporting digital photos. And then I realized that for me, the practice of gawking at gear was getting in the way of enjoying a photo for its own qualities. I now post photos from many different cameras and lenses, leaving only the date on the digital files. And even that was only to “prove” the 365 photo was taken on the day I said it was. Now that I’m done with that project, I may remove the date as well.
In most cases, I doubt a viewer could guess at the camera and lens. The downside is that my photos have fewer data points, so appear in fewer places, and are seen by fewer people. That’s okay. If someone asks how I shot a photo, I tell them. Sometimes I talk about it in the photo description or in a blog post. But a photo that’s captioned by its gear loses something, in my opinion, and has a harder time achieving timelessness. I also don’t know or care what mic was used to record my favorite music, or what brush a painter used to make a masterpiece.
Personally, I find that my weakness for shiny gear makes me equate a photo I appreciate with the “need” to acquire the gear used to create it. Without that visible labeling, I find myself appreciating the beauty, skill and/or luck, and importantly, the mystery behind the photo itself.
But! As I went to upload the 28 photos I consider to be my favorites, I noticed something interesting about which cameras were used to take them. In order of usage:
Fujijfilm X100VI (13). I guess carrying it every day makes it get used. Undeniably a great camera and proof that trendy doesn’t mean incapable.
Fujifilm GFX 50s ii (8). Paired with Mitakon 65mm f1.4 for all of them. This camera and lens combo was used for most photos in this project, but not the most favorites. Interesting. But I still love the almost large format feel of the shallow depth and will continue to revel in what this lens can do wide open. (I also plan to add Mitakon’s newer 80mm f.1.6 at some point.)
Tie: Fujifilm X-H2 and DJI Mini Pro 3 (3 each). Photos from the X-H2 are all travel photos, using the 16-80mm f4 lens. I fell in love with that combo as a do-everything photo and video setup. The drone photos are (shockingly) all aerials taken relatively near my home.
Fujifilm XF10 (1). My oldest digital camera, formerly my daily carry when I had a smaller bag. Every time I use it I’m amazed at the photos. Not just “good for an old camera” but just good. Still a great option when I want to pair down my every day carry for a specific purpose, like going to an event where my bag will be checked and big cameras are frowned on. The one favorite I chose from this camera was taken at a concert.
Failures
I didn’t do the project I said I’d do. I have certainly taken some photos that would fit in such a project, but there was a lengthy gap between the beginning of the year and any significant travel, and I lost interest in the idea.
I didn’t start a YouTube channel like I’ve hinted at for years. I may actually do this soon (really!), but it didn’t happen this year. I don’t like channels with nothing to contribute and I didn’t want to be that guy. But I did pay more attention to my blog this year, and I think that’s a better accomplishment anyway.
Consistency in style and quality still eludes me. This is my biggest focus and the main reason I don’t want to continue forcing a photo every day. I don’t need motivation, the main reason to do a 365 (or similar) project. I shoot all the damn time. What I need is to plan shoots and projects and arrive at more photos of which I’m unequivocally proud.
What about you?
If you’ve got an end-of-year breakdown, let’s get some eyes on it. Leave a comment with a link and I promise I’ll take a look.
Portland in black and white Revisited
Light and shadows and walking around.
I took 3 extra batteries this time, but the first one never died. I intended to shoot more, but the line at Bard was long and the light nearly gone when I got back out on the street. There’s always next time.
Looking at these last two sets from outings in Portland, I’m realizing I quite enjoy a subgenre of street photography that minimizes the literal presence of humans in the frame, but still accentuates the presence of active humanity in the scene. Another version of that last sentence might even make sense.
A longer explanation is that I don’t mind humans in the frame, sometimes they’re necessary even, but I more so want to show the evidence of their activity. Not just what humans have built—buildings, statues, roads, yawn—but more intimate details highlighting specific current (or recent) human activity. In the photos below, that shows up as shadows and footprints, tape on a bus, dirty dishes, a drink being made, graffiti on what was an active bank the last time I saw it, a seasonal patio covered in snow before it could be put away, and plenty of cars and lights.
Everything straight out of the Fujifilm X100VI.
Merry Holidays
Take some photos but don’t forget to stop taking photos.
When my X100VI battery died the other day in Portland, I switched gears. I grabbed my GFX 50s ii with the kit 35-70mm lens and walked around the other main street in the Old Port. That included walking through Monument Square, past restaurants, and around a plethora of holiday lights. While not my favorite camera + lens combo for street photography, I felt I got enough keepers to put together a [insert your favorite end-of-year holiday] post.
Eagle-eyed locals will spot 3 photos that aren’t exactly from the location I just described. Keep it to yourself. They were from the same outing and I’m already on the second post from that outing.
I hope all of you are staying warm and enjoying time with the humans you love. Don’t forget to grab your camera once in a while—and don’t be afraid to put it away and enjoy your special moments. Merry Holidays.
Bagged Down
Details matter.
Clever Supply Co Sidekick Pro
Nice. No division between them, but The Sixes fit perfectly.
New bag day! My Clever Supply Co Sidekick Pro arrived today. Despite the number of bags I already own (including two from Clever Supply), this bag seemed to fill a size niche I’d hoped to find for a while. It looked like the bag that would allow me to carry two smaller cameras, notably The Sixes (my X100VI and my M6), at once, as a daily carry (with wallet, keys, extra battery, extra roll of film, etc.)—but without being so large as to look and feel like a camera sling when I’m walking through the grocery store. This could supplement my Long Weekend Monterey Sling, which I absolutely love, but which allows me to carry only the X100VI.
So I backed the bag on Kickstarter as soon as I saw the email about it and it arrived today. The cameras fit great, the bag itself is exactly what I’d hoped for. It fits the Leica M6 with Voigtländer 50mm f1.2, the Fujifilm X100VI, wallet, a pen, keys, extra battery, and an extra roll of film. Perfect.
However. The bag has a couple flaws that mean I won’t be able to use it.
I really blue it.
First, as soon as I put it over my shoulder, the back of the bag acted like sandpaper and instantly became covered in blue fuzz from my sweater. I’ve never seen a bag, including my other Clever bags, do that. A little lint over time here and there, sure. But this thing just grabbed all the fibers. Immediately. First time. As I tried it in different positions, it got more and more blue. And this isn’t a fluffy sweater. It’s slim, formfitting, and doesn’t shed on anything else. I even aggressively rubbed other bags against the sweater to see if they’d collect anything. Nothing. This is the first time I opted for the black version of a Clever bag, so it’s probable the tan version doesn’t have that problem.
It’s easier to access the back of the bag than the top. Maybe for cleaning off lint?
The worse problem is the strap. It is stitched directly into the bag, which is how the smaller size of this bag works, that doesn’t surprise me. Other bags—including the bigger Camera Sling from Clever—include a flap of some kind that lets the bag hang nicely against your body. But running the strap through the stitching at the back of the bag is probably okay on its own. The problem is that the strap is too low on the bag, which puts the center of gravity too low, and the bag tilts forward no matter how you wear it (possible exception, really tight around the waist might keep it from flopping forward). At its tightest shoulder slung position (which makes it difficult to get into the bag because it’s up under your armpit), it hangs at about a 45° angle. If you manage to get it loose enough to be able to get into, the top of the bag is nearly perpendicular to the ground.
Since none of the models wearing the bag in the Kickstarter campaign photos seem to be having this issue, I can only imagine that there was a quality control or testing problem somewhere in the process. The smaller Clever Supply Sidekick bag doesn’t do that. My Peak Design sling doesn’t do that. My Long Weekend sling doesn’t do that. My Bellroy sling doesn’t do that. My Patagonia Black Hole fanny pack doesn’t do that.
With padding like this, who needs cameras?
I have other gripes, like that the weirdly thick “Clever Camera Cube” completely blocks access to the inside pockets and takes up roughly half the interior space on its own. This aligns with the poorly designed, extra thick dividers in their Camera Sling, which feature leather flaps perfect for catching your camera on every time you put it in your bag (the flaps are meant for SD cards, but given how easy it is to catch your camera on the empty flaps, I imagine your cards would just snap in half.) And why does everything have to be so thick? Exterior padding, sure, but what is being protected inside the bag with so much padding? Interior dividers typically just need to prevent gear from rubbing on each other, not enforce geopolitical boundaries.
So now I have a useless but brand new bag (tag’s still on, hasn’t left the house) that looks like Cookie Monster’s snack sack. I would throw it on eBay, but I’m not sure I can sell it in good conscience, knowing its flaws.
The good news is this got me thinking about what would work well for a bag this size, so I did more research, pulled out the measuring tape, laid out the items the bag would need to hold, and identified a bag that should work brilliantly. My partner already has one, so I even tested it. More on that a different time.
I hope this doesn’t come off as Clever Supply hate. Their products have been a bit hit or miss for me, though I generally like the Camera Sling and use it often. Their leather strap was underwhelming (but did inspire me to make my own). Generally speaking, I think Todd is a good guy, their service tends to be top notch, and I appreciate the mission to create products that are a little different and visually beautiful. I can’t recommend the Sidekick Pro, but your mileage may vary. In fact, I know where you can get a black (and blue) one for a good price.