May 25, 2011.

Revisiting Kitsilano

The Fuji X100 is the most frustrating camera I've ever owned. And the only one I've used recently with rare exception. It makes me want to buy a 35mm fixed focal length lens for my main camera since, despite the notoriety of the "standard" 50mm lens, it's a nearly perfect all around focal length. If not for the fact that it's out of stock I might strain my credit card a bit more and mail order it tonight. And I might be tempted by a Leica X1 if not for the fact that I don't think it would be any better than the Fuji despite costing a fair bit more.

Someone will make the perfect camera one day. I just wish they would hurry up and do it.

Long Beach, BC

I hadn't been to Long Beach in maybe 14 years. It's been a long time but I remembered it being one of the most incredible places on the planet.

Whimsical. And gesturing. And this tree, plucked from the ground and transported to this tabla where it could be examined without hindrances. With artifacts fleetingly placed in a morphing landscape. And monuments more demonstrative than anything man made.

It shouldn't be 14 years again.

film...

I got 4 rolls of film back from the lab today. Some hundred or so shots. I'm amazed at how dusty that shit is. A quick swipe of the negatives and the scanner bed before each cycle of scanning seems completely ineffective. And there's a weight upon film that may or may not be justified but at the very least makes most of my photographs overthought, overwrought, mediocre at best.

But interestingly there's a whole section of photographs where my daughter must have picked up my camera and pointed it rather randomly at blurry things, or things made blurry if I'm going to be accurate about this. That was good. And this photo of Sophie-Monster makes me happy. Not a bad way to spend $20.

More photos to come. I'm pretty sure I can rationalize the artistic intent of at least two more photos. Warranted or otherwise...

Somewhat related, both pictures were taken around the same area and both speak of a lost tradition. There are still delivery trucks but not in the quantity and regularity they used to exist in. And this sign, hand painted. Yes, laser cut vinyl or bubble jet printing, awesomely slick, but I can be a romantic. Hand painted signs are slowly disappearing. I think that's unfortunate.

Wrapped

There's something comical about wrapping a building in tarps. For all the technologies and innovations made in building envelope design it comes wrapping big sheets of plastic around it. I'm sure it's a metaphor for something, at least in my mind it is, but I'll let you explore your own.