Jumping In: Or How I learned to stop nitpicking and love Fuji. Guest Post by Jason Lee.
It is not an exaggeration when I say Fuji cameras have changed my life. But I have a confession to make. I was once a loyal Canon shooter. Before you dismiss this post as yet another Canon to Fuji success story, I feel I should explain a little bit of my back story.
Fuji X-T1 Graphite, 56mm f/1.2 at f/1.4
Numbers have always been important to me. As such, I was born in the year 1990, at 6:30 AM on August 15th. The era of 90s music, punk haircuts, and the dSLR. Good numbers right? Some numbers that didn’t sit well with me were: 3 months premature, 1.5 lbs., and 53 days in the intensive care unit. I had arrived too early and those numbers weren’t so good. Doctors diagnosed me with a condition known as cerebral palsy, essentially a form of brain damage. According to them, I would never walk and would probably show signs of mental retardation as I aged.
“Let him take it easy,” they told my parents. “He’s going to have a tough life.”
Needless to say, my parents were having none of that. Around age five or six, I managed to take my first steps and it’s been a roller coaster ever since. Growing up was a struggle, as I switched to 6 different schools before the 4th grade, trying to fit in while being mercilessly teased for the way I walked.
Fuji X-E2, 35mm f/1.4 at f/4.0
Enter photography. It changed my introverted demeanor and forced me to go outside my shell and interact with others. Despite the stigma from my gait, slowly but surely, I was able to express myself through art. I received my first dSLR at the age of 20, and from then on I was hooked. I would take pictures of everything and anything, from lawn chairs and coffee cups to random cats.
There was only one problem. I wasn’t happy with it. My Canon 7D was extremely bulky and difficult to carry around, and not only that, it was APS-C! Full Frame was where it was at!
You can’t take good pictures with APSC! I naively thought.
I pined for full frame and waited and waited for the opportunity to “upgrade.” When I eventually managed to get my hands of a 5D Mark III, I waited for the magic to happen. And waited. And waited. And waited.
Fuji X-T1 Graphite, 35mm f/1.4 at f/2
Why aren’t I happy with this? Why do I hate going outside and shooting? Why is that random car honking at me?
My photography had hit a rut, my 5D lay on the shelf gathering dust, and I contemplated quitting the art that gave me so much opportunity just a few years back.
Fujifilm to the rescue.
I knew the moment I picked up my first Fuji camera, the x100s, that I was experiencing something groundbreaking. The controls, the handling, the portability, just the sheer fun that occurred as I took pictures was a game changer for me. Not only was the handling of the Fuji easier for me, who had to shoot with one hand and a cane, I was also able to be nondescript and not draw (more) attention to myself. Each time I had thoughts of coming back to full frame, I would pull up my Fuji files in post and smile. After a temporary lapse dabbling with the Sony RX1-R, I sold it and committed to Fuji full time (currently own an X-T1 Graphite edition and the 56mm f/1.2 and 35mm f/1.4), and have never been happier.
Fuji X-E2, 35mm f/1.4 at f/2.2
There’s something about the Fuji system that speaks to me, over the more clinical and computerized Sony and Canon. It just has a heart that matches my shooting style. I like to shoot using primes so I can get into the midst of the action, and the Fuji’s portability, user friendliness, and non-invasive appearance really lends itself well to that. Sure, it may not have the ability for the shallowest depth of field, nor the highest megapixel count, but when it comes to delivering beautiful images, it has never let me down. Sometimes, the moment calls for putting the numbers aside and taking chances.
Fuji X-E2, 35mm f/1.4 at f/2.0
And with that said, I’m about to embark on a journey and take a chance of my own, essentially with just Fuji X camera. At the urging of some of my photographer friends and family in the Bay Area, I’ve decided to make a photobook documenting my time in San Francisco. It is to be a testament of man’s ability to overcome the obstacles in life, even with the help of the littlest things (or camera!) I’ve recently hit my minimum goal, but would love to blow it out of the park so I can add more pages and share more of my story to the well.
You can find the Kickstarter link here. There is a video as well (filmed right when I was in between Fuji and Canon that explains more of my journey (and you can see how I walk!). I’m grateful for all your support and encouragement.
I’m 24 now, and four years after starting my photographic journey, I have to credit the Fuji system for pushing me out of my comfort zone and giving me the confidence to go out there and capture my dreams. It is not a perfect system by any means, but it’s MY system, and it’s one I have no regrets making the jump into.
Are you ready to take the plunge?
-Jason Lee
www.theleestudio.com
www.flickr.com/theleestudio
www.facebook.com/theleestudio
Fuji X-E2, 56mm f/1.2 at f/2
94 Responses
Good story. I enjoyed reading it. Best of luck to him.
Thank you!
I enjoyed writing it as well! 🙂
Jason, do not listen anybody, subject does NOT matter, composition does matter. Your photos are artistical, delicate and full of nuances, in particular female portraits. Keep on doing what you do and the way you do. Good luck!
But of course subject does not matter, only the composition. Here’s the simple experiment to prove your point: look at the first photograph in this post, the one below the slideshow. What do you feel looking at this photo?
Now, without changing anything, especially the composition (it’s most important!), replace girl’s face with mine. Nothing else changes, just a minor part of the photo, the face.
…Now what do you feel when looking at the photo?
I feel prickly.
Great story. Thank you for sharing it. I do believe photography can do amazing things for people on both sides of the lens. Best wishes to you Jason. I look forward to seeing more of your work – which is beautifully done by the way.
First off I congratulate you on trying to turn a passion into something more in your young life. And if folks on Kickstarter find value in your work then so be it. That said, taking photos in SF is something many photographers do and with what I would say is a deeper passion / dedication. Take the group from allcitysf.com or Citysnaps or myself who has been shooting for 30+ years now. There is also a very dedicated group from rangefinder.com too. I suggest seeking these folks out as they know the names of the homeless, the street performers, and the history of every crack in the streets of SF. They have become as much a part of the SF fabric as the glass and steel and people who live there. I hope this does not come across as mean; but helpful.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and images. I like reading well articulated stories where the author’s experiences differs from mine (i.e., I loved my 5D2 and 5D3 experiences). Helps me see other perspectives.
All the best in enjoying your photographic journey with your Fuji gear.
FWIW, I’m also thinking of shooting around the Bay Area with my Fuji gear as well — might as well enjoy the good weather this unfortunate drought has brought.
It’s not that the 5D3 was a bad camera; I think just in my circumstances, it wasn’t the ideal camera for me.
I was able to create great pictures with it, but it didn’t really excite me to go out each and every day to create something like the Fuji has. Maybe its a combination of me wielding a cane and a camera at the same time, but the 5D3 got obscenely heavy after a long day of street work, and that’s just with primes!
This weather is nice! I’m about to go out and shoot some more in about 30 minutes to take advantage of it!
Ah. I see what you mean. If I was running around doing street photography, I’d prefer the Fuji-X gear over the Canon due to weight, size, and the Fuji-X controls and OOC JPEG keeps photography fun. If I was shooting a wedding or doing bird photography, the Canon gear is what I’d use due to technical advantages (e.g., AF, TTL wireless flash).
Can’t disagree with you there! One Canon lens I really hope Fuji can top is the beautiful 135mm f/2. My hopes are pinned on the upcoming 90mm f/2 by Fuji!
I’m with you on that one. The 135/2 is my favorite Canon lens bar none. I never used it as much as some of my other lenses (it’s not a particularly flexible focal length), but when I did: instant magic. I keep coming back to the portraits I shot with this lens.
Jason, if I had to honestly appraise your photography I would say you’re still in a rut. There’s some nice empty street shots, but mostly you’re photographing women as objects. I find that really boring. I also think taking pictures of the homeless is a cheap shot at an emotional response: http://www.vice.com/read/stop-taking-pictures-of-homeless-people
Unless you’re doing an actual public works project to raise money or something, pictures of the homeless are really just exploitive, just like your pictures of women. Keep street shooting, but catch up on your ethics, and look up an article on “The Male Gaze”. Thanks.
What specifically is it that makes you feel like he’s “photographing women as objects”?
It’s called Projection. Kylem sees beautiful female subjects and objectifies them in his mind. He then projects those feelings onto the photographer and blames him instead of himself for objectifying women.
“beautiful female subjects”. You’re so used to objectifying women you don’t even realize you’re doing it.
So a man can’t appreciate female beauty in your politically correct, Orwellian version of the world?
You owe your very existence to a man “objectifying” a woman.
So, let me get this straight… First I’m projecting my own objectification onto another person who’s not doing it, then you tell me its great to objectify women? Which is it? I think you’re confusing yourself.
No, you’re confused. Karmageddon and I are two separate people.
Are you, Anon? Doesn’t matter. You two chuckle heads are the same kind of clueless. It’s hard to tell you apart.
People like you always find something to be critical about. You would find offence in anything. Travel photography shooting street vendors in a third world country? Exploitative. Photographing beautiful people? Objectifying. Photographing ugly people? Exploitative. You’d probably see some patriarchal hidden agenda from photographing a bowl of fruit. There’s zero sexual content in any of those photos apart from maybe an iota in the one of the girl lying on her back. Teenage girls being photographed with their tits out by some old guy who promises to make them famous? That’s where you should focus your argument. Music videos using the female body to sell records and teach young guys how to treat women? Try there too. You really need to be able to separate nudity and aesthetics from sex and exploitation. Most people who have a clue about art manage it quite easily.
So arguing ad hominem now? Is that how you sum up your arguments?
Again projecting.
By your argument, anyone who looks at a photo of a cheetah running after its prey and says “What a gorgeous cheetah!” is objectifying an animal.
If your argument is that you’re not projecting your own objectification on others (which you obviously are since you would never have brought this up had the females in Lee’s photos been obese and ugly, hence proving the objectification came from your opinion of the subjects), but instead rightfully pointing out true cases of female objectification, then the only logical thing for you to do would be to also complain about how women objectify themselves by willingly modeling for photographers.
But then when you think of it that way, photography in its base form is the art of objectification, since we “objectify” all subjects and without a subject there is no photography.
I think your only option is to give up photography.
That or to stop objectifying female subjects in photography.
Are you really comparing women to other species of animal now?
Are you really claiming that humans are not a species of animal?
another example of “objectifying women”… btw, one of the most famous scenes in film history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEq4_9OupTA
That would explain his comment on the OP’s ethics.
Catch up on his ethics?!?!?!??! I am mindblown by your superficial, meanspirited comments.
Yeah man, gotta work on those ethics… and stop exploiting the homeless
While I agree with you that photographing the homeless is not a good idea, your criticism sounds unreasonably harsh. Having a bad day? Many people don’t understand the ethics (or the lack of) of photographing the less fortunate but once they understand, they will get it. It IS possible that he doesn’t get it, or maybe his picture will be used for some kind of public interest effort. YOU don’t know that, and the righteousness in your tone is totally unnecessary. A kinder reminder about ethics will be much more appreciated. Plus, you don’t know if the homeless actually WANTED to be photographed. What if they actually wanted it? Again, YOU don’t know that.
Also, if you think that these portraits are viewing “women as objects”, then we can safely say 99.9999999999999% of portrait photography of women are objectifying them. His photos are FAR from the worst in so-called objectification. Go to 500px, Flickr, or whatever, and see how many “male gazes” you can see. Brace yourself so you don’t faint in pain! I am a woman and I don’t feel offended by his photos at all.
I don’t know this guy. I don’t participate in his Kickstarter thing. I don’t do portraits (more of a landscape person). I don’t even comment a whole lot on this blog. But I find your comment completely uncalled for and incredibly offensive. Calm down!
agree, the work still needs, for lack of a better word, emotion. However the homeless are part of street photography. For me it is a very small percentage of shots but when interesting I do take the opportunity. I know many in my city as well and help out when I can.
Dear Kylem1701,
Thank you so much for your thoughts and criticism! One of the beautiful things about photography, and indeed, all art, is that once it leaves your hands, it’s subject to all sorts of interpretations, regardless of author’s intent.
I think that variance is just fantastic. As for what I shoot; I originally got started doing portraits as a request from friends, and its slowly evolved into what it is today. Before I shoot anyone, model or otherwise, I try to spend some time getting to know them. As you can see in the video I posted, my style is to talk to people and get up close to them (by merits of shooting with primes). At the end of the shoot, everyone is a friend of mine! And of course, I try not to do anything my friends would find questionable or “exploit them” if you will (…except maybe on Taco Tuesdays…omnomnomnom 😉 ) And as to the disproportionate amount of women in my photos…well, all my male friends are cam shy! D:
I’m in total agreement with you about the homeless shots; they don’t take up much of my portfolio or my shooting preferences most of the time. However, I’m a big believer in shooting what moves you and sometimes that might be an empty street alley, and sometimes it is the cool drummer asking for spare change on the sidewalk. I don’t think that’s lazy at all, but of course, if I may quote the great Lebowski,
“Yeah, well, that’s just, like, your opinion, man!”
One of the ways I try to change things up is by using this new Fuji Instax printer in conjunction with my XT-1. Every time I take a street shot of someone, I always try to give them a print or something to remember the moment by if I find it in some way memorable.
That way I get to share the moment with them and they aren’t just the subjects for my creative whims.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my article. The response truly is humbling!
All the best,
Jason
It’s a taboo for photographers to say it out loud, but I will: subject matters. People who have seen places and things usually make much better subjects than, well, an average office John Doe. Among these people, hobos are much easier to find and photograph than veteran firefighters, jet pilots or sheriffs. Hobos are very accessible practice subjects to help you prepare for that golen Mcnally moment when you have to photograph a real life hero – and show to the world that he’s been places and seen things you people wouldn’t believe…
So don’t worry, photograph homeless people without any hesitation. As long as you don’t use these photos for silly causes, it’s a great practice.
That depends very much on where one lives.
Maybe their naming convention depends, but not their availability. In the Middle East they are often called فقیر, in Russia – бомжи, and in great many other parts of the world they’ll be posing as street performers. No worries, if you go looking for people living on the street, you’ll find them even in communist China.
In the big cities, I agree that they are abundant. I haven’t seen them in my small town in ages. I’m not saying they don’t exist here; I’m saying that they no longer haunt the paths I take (& there aren’t that many paths in a small town).
If you seriously cannot find hobos in your small town but would like to, I recommended learning the noble art of dumpster diving. Once you’re able to find the hottest dumpster in town, you’ll meet all sorts of interesting people there.
I do not want to find them, actually. As for “veteran firefighters” and “sheriffs” (your original claim) I have a fire station right down the road, and expect I will see the sheriff at the Mardi Gras parade coming up in a couple of weeks. But I honestly haven’t seen hobos hanging around the public library in about 6 years, nor the quality dumpsters I visit to fulfill my recycling obligations. I’ll grant that I may see one hanging near the interstate’s exit ramp from time to time, but it isn’t a regular thing. I see the black church collecting donations at an intersection far more often.
I will grant that hobos are likely much easier to find in big cities. I even had one try to blackmail me in an Italian church. (Not outside the church: in the church.)
All sorts of Cosa Nostra hobo jokes that never made it to this comment 🙂
Hope you’ll have an opportunity to photograph your decorated neighbors. Don’t forget to post some on FR timeline!
They say resistance is futile, but I am still not part of
the BorgFacebook.But of course you are! Tracking pixels are everywhere, especially here. All tinfoil in the world won’t protect you from the Matrix! I mean, Borg.
You’re not really telling us anything about these women. You’re posing them like objects. You’re taking pictures of them as if they were fruit. I don’t know a thing about them from looking at your pictures. All I see is typical intense, heavily made up faces and, in some cases, “provocative” poses. You’re just making cheese cake.
Another shortage of haloperidol in your neck of the woods?
Yaaaaaaawwwwwwwwn!
That’s a common side effect.
Of the drugs there aren’t enough of for me to take? Make up your mind.
Hope you do realise that you do come out as a pr*ck – not doing any good to the mission you attributed to yourself – defend all people/person/objects/subjects existing on the other side of the lens ? But may be that was the intention.
stop. feeding. da. troll.
“You’re posing them like objects.. All I see is typical intense, heavily made up faces and, in some cases, “provocative” poses”
While you can like or not the images, I don’t see anything strange in photographing beauties, also in provocative poses. It… is… a common subject of art.
I mean, nobody would say about a Klimt painting: “Pff… he just let’s women pose like objects in provocative poses!”
Don’t make it a “moral” issue, but just an artistic one
I think our friend has well documented issues.
https://www.reddit.com/user/kylem1701
You’re talking to the brick wall. Check out this critter’s Reddit profile, or just google its nickname.
Just did that – interesting (not)
I’ll post the link: http://www.reddit.com/user/kylem1701
You’re the real charmer. Let me guess, major in social studies or liberal arts?
No, I just give a shit about people who don’t necessarily look like me. You know, like women and “hobos”.
Don’t throw a strawman here, I already found your comment below:
Huge debt and no real qualification. Judging by your online attitude you must be working at some really unpleasant job… returns department at Wal-Mart?
Trenton, I wasn’t a major in social studies and liberal arts, but I did take those type of courses because we had some really good teachers, still keep in touch with them. Some of them had a very positive influence on me. Appreciation of art, all kinds, mostly literature. Now I’m working with artists mostly (musicians, dancers, etc.) – lots of strong, independent women, often with a wacky sense of humour. Love them, many are close friends. The last (black & white) shot here reminds me of that type.
Just can’t believe how unfair and misdirected this drivel is. This droid seriously misunderstood something if he or she was a social studies or liberal arts major. Or must be blind or something. I don’t particularly like the homeless shot, but the black and white photograph or the headshot of the model is great, with expression, posing and styling that is kinda the opposite of what kylem1701 “sees” here.
However, if she was a hired model, Jason Lee should give her credit. If she was a friend or family, it would be still nice unless she objects. Her expression, especially eyes and smile is a big part of what makes these photos good.
I would just like to jump into all this hubaloo here and say that none of the females I shoot are professional models. As I mentioned before, they are all friends of mine who have graciously volunteered their time to me.
I post these images with their blessing!
Also the true processing on the homeless shot seems to be lost due to downsizing. I’d advise people to check out my Flickr to see the true shot!
As always, thank you all for your words, both in criticism and favor of my work! I just go out to shoot; not with any agenda in mind.
That’s how I think it should be.
Appreciation of art is what unites even the most gearheaded GAS sufferers here.
LOL, sorry dude, I love your site, but “beauties”? Did you really just say that? Come on. And if you think Klimt just painted women like objects then you have a profound misunderstanding of his work. This isn’t a “moral issue”. Its a critique of the tiredness of his images. What is unique about them? Where is the skill of pointing a camera at a professional model with no context or meaning and clicking the trigger? Shouldn’t he know how passe that is?
Yep, I think that “beauty” is something worth to be captured… whether it’s a women, a kid, a landscape, whatever. All these beatuies are worth to be photographed, painted, filmed whatever.
Who said that Klimt painted womens as objects? I said the opposite…. did you even read my comment?
I copy and paste again:
” I mean, nobody would say about a Klimt painting: “Pff… he just let’s women pose like objects in provocative poses!”
Patrick, don’t worry – as Trenton said google for his/her Nickname, you’ll see that he/she always takes one word out of context to feed his/her self important Trollness. Better not be baited 🙂
You made the comparison of this guy to Klimt. I think the problem is that these photos and others, which you admit are common, are only taking into to consideration a very narrow definition of “beauty” and its purely physically based.
I didn’t say that we discovered the Klimt. All I wanted to say is that provocativ poses of women are nothing to be outraged (and moral) about.
If shot/painted/filmed in the right way, they will become art.
Of course “beauty” has a vast definition… The wrinkles in the face of and olm man can be as beautiful as a kid playong in the snow or whatever. But when you take a picture, you focus on one aspect of beauty. In this case a women.
“You’re taking pictures of them as if they were fruit. I don’t know a thing about them from looking at your pictures. All I see is typical intense, heavily made up faces and, in some cases, “provocative” poses. You’re just making cheese cake.”
I understand and sympathize with your political views. Gender studies was one of my favourite courses I took at university, I participate in many social initiatives in support of gender equality, I work with lots of independent artists, most of them are women (I a music and art photographer besides doing portraiture).
However, your criticism is way off the mark. I think you went hysteric seeing the first shot. It’s a fashion style shot that by its nature is more abstract, more distant, regardless of gender. You’ll see the same abstraction (or objectification) in the majority of fashion shots with male models.
However, the rest of the photos here are graceful and expressive of strength and independence. Take for example, the first headshot – Peter Hurley would love the “squinch” in there. When I look in the models eyes I see confidence and strength. a deep, scrutinizing look. Somewhat distant, cold. What do you see? Do you really see an object here? Seriously?
When you look at the black & white shot at the end of the post – do you really see an object? That’s it? If so, I’m really sorry for you mate. I see the same strength and confidence as in the headshot, but there’s even more going on. It’s a lot more playful, the pose, the hands in the pocket, the smile hint at irony. Indeed, what makes this shot “provocative” is that it’s a “manly” shot, and I do hate using these terms. I love strong, independent women, with a wicked sense of humor, and that’s what I see in this shot. What do you see?
The male gaze?
Oh no. We have a social justice warrior here, folks!
Women are beautiful – and worthy of expressing one’s response to that beauty.
Homeless people — yes, an often overdone subject, but it provoked a response in Jason at that particular time, and he responded how he needed to — by capturing a moment that meant something to him.
Kylem, go back to getting life advice from Vice and your feminist agenda studies, and we’ll go back to shooting pics.
Jason, best of luck with your work. You have a great eye.
The “male gaze”. Jesus Christ.
Hello, Mr. President.
Personally I find human beings artistic, some humans just happen to be women. It’s like when you see the face of an old wise man, there’s so much character there, and there’s also beauty in women. I think you could make the same argument about photographs of the elderly, is that simply abusing their state for a nice photograph?
You’re asking me to take these pictures out of the context of the entire history of treatment of women in TV, movies, advertising, fashion, etc. It’s the same thing over and over again. How can you not be tired of it?
It’s subjectively boring or poor taste but I don’t think it’s harmful in this case at all, not like they’re half naked, most shots are above the chest. I’m not saying you’re wrong, there’s a ton of grey in this kinds of scenarios but good luck getting the world to stop thinking people are beautiful and artistic.
Are you suggesting that we need more men exploited to balance it out? I don’t see any other suggestions in there.
Except picture 1, I don’t see reification of women / homeless people at all…
And trully speaking, I see few examples on his flickr gallery but none of these women are nudes or explicit sex-appealing… and I also see musicians, males, food(porn?), streetphotography, boats, flowers, and even a pelican !
Maybe those shots are not very original, but they look quite good for me… and I don’t have the feeling this young boy is still in a rut… I feel him more like a kind of romantic guy playing with atmosphere to make those women look good.
(sorry for my non-native english speaking)
Great article and best of luck with your journey! I am recovering from a nasty neck injury and also found my canon gear bulky and cumbersome. Discovering the x100 and it’s capabilities rejuvenated my love for photography and motivates me to shoot every day.
Check out my instagram: benjamin_thomson if you have time.
Cheers.
I wish you luck in your journey. Having the ability to use photography to improve your life and find joy is a great thing. A friend of mine asked me a few months ago for a camera that he could use that had better picture quality than his smart phone. I recommended the x100s for him, because he wanted to learn photography and to carry something light weight. I saw him recently and he lost about 85 lbs or so in around 7-8 months. He enjoyed walking around with the camera so much that he would walk a few miles each day capturing photos. Losing weight gave him the confidence to go to the gym and not worry about being laughed at as te overweight guy.
Each person takes pictures of what they enjoy and what moves them. Keep shooting what you enjoy and don’t let the criticism that shooting women is exploitive. If it inspires you to go out and shoot that’s all that matters.
I’ve seen and enjoyed your postings on the various camera forums and wish you the best of luck!
Why do they have to be the worst for me to comment on them? Whether its nudes or portraits or tacky sexy outfits, when you take a picture of a person as an object of beauty you are reducing them to something to appreciate as an object. That, to me, is lazy photography. Considering you just wrote three paragraphs to me, some of which in CAPS, maybe it’s you who should calm down.
No, I think most of us can agree you should calm down. You’re a Photonazi. With your list of politically and ethically incorrect subjects of art, I’m sure art history classes would have made you hate life even more had you ever taken it.
I have a BFA in both drawing and art education and a minor in art history.
and ? … you should carry on and take a major in either psychology or Art of communicating with fellow humans.
Just my 0.02
I could not agree more with what and how @Fujifan phrased her answer.
Now you could prove us all wrong by showing your
non-objectifying-people-and-especially-women portraiture skill instead
of attacking what was basically a testimony about photography and how it could translate at a very personal level into one’s life.
At another time, with another angle of attack your discussion about the relationship between model and artist might have been interesting, but in this instance you just come out as a self-professed prof. of righteousness writing down a series of cheap attack all copied out of a of a manual of standard phrases and does not show an inch of personal thinking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfUJRdHSukA
Ok, cool. Now you’re saying I’m censoring him. Criticism is not censorship.
No… just a bit of satire about this matter, in a great Simpson episode.
This really inspires me to be a better Fuji shooter. I love your work! Enjoy the ride 🙂
Awesome! Thank you!!!
Also, if anyone is interested; my Flickr page has the photos in high res. I find that looking at photos in low res can make a huge difference on how one ‘reads’ photos, especially if the key is in the nuances of the expression.
http://www.flickr.com/theleestudio
Thanks!
No doubt there are many better and more capable photographers in the city than I am. I don’t want anyone to get the wrong idea! This is more of me sharing my story to others rather than claiming to be any kind of world beater photographer (I’m not!)
I can’t speak for any one else’s passion and dedication other than my own. I will definitely continue to seek out new mentors and inspiration as I continue this journey. I’m just glad if my story managed to motivate or encourage anyone to pursue their passions and dreams.
Maybe I was harsh. My real trouble is the fact that so few long time enthusiasts get overlooked. To me you are a kid with just a few years under your belt. Excited and motivated to learn more. I hope your skills improve, its not the camera, its you, that is why the 5D did not work for you. It takes a lifetime really. I still learn tricks and get better even it I know I’m good at my craft.
I enjoyed the article and your pictures, best of luck with the project! And well done for responding with such dignity and class to the hilarious troll.
Mirroring the comments of many I must say: wonderful, wonderful imagery. Lovely light. Lovely eye for people, for character, for life. Thank you, Jason.
Nice photos and article.
Nitpickers? The camera fondlers are always looking for the next best thing that they hope will make them produce fantastic, iconic shots. Yes, modern tech can produce beautiful, eye popping images. But iconic pix? That is where the fondlers fail. For they lack what is needed inside to produce iconic pix unless it is by accident.
Fondlers can’t produce anything worthwhile, so they nitpick their gear and are always looking to upgrade, thinking their cams are the problem why they shoot what they do. But the nice thing is; photography is open to everyone…whether it be snapshot shooter, nitpicker or legend.
As far as nitpicking goes with me… I have no loyalty to Nikon, Canon, Fuji, Leica, Pentax or Oly. I shoot them all or have shot them all. They are just tools to get an image. But like any tool, when you have to fight the tool to get it to work…then the swearing and nitpicking starts.
Now the problem with Fuji is it is no Leica and the problem with Leica is it is no Fuji. Both cams have features that are lacking in the other. (Leica has perfected controls / Fuji has stupendous sensor.) I shoot both and it is a love hate relationship with them. Well, you know my opinion…Fuji should make an affordable Leica knockoff. I wont belabor it.
If the nitpickers want to start producing something better I suggest they stop fondling their gear and start pressing the button more. Take a lesson from Jay.
“If you are out there shooting, things will happen for you. If you’re not out there, you’ll only hear about it.” – Jay Maisel
These pictures objectivate lanterns! Unless you actively deencouragise yourself to prevent your taking these gratuitous photographs of lanterns, I will have to climb out of my ivory tower and onto my high horse.
Dats no food.
HELLS BELLS I’d not noticed the objectification of the lanterns before, that’s outrageous! Thanks for pointing this out Snooty:)
Sorry, well these pics are nice and all I have to laugh at the whole Kickstarter thing. Seriously, the idea of ‘a photo a day’ is as old as the camera itself, 2 secs on flickr will show you thousands of others who are already doing this…which begs the question….why should people give you money??
That said, I see you already exceeded your goal so good on you:) It’s a nice way to come up with some easy dough to buy some new gear:)