fujifilm x30
adjusting to a slower life out in the desert country. feeding the wild birds, putting water out for the coyotes, & peanuts for the ravens. hummingbirds circle my house all day, their wings a low buzz.
almost every night I sit out in the dirt circle that serves as my driveway to watch the sunset. the mountains of the san bernardino national forest swallow the sun every night, sometimes crowned in clouds glowing orange or pink.
one freezing saturday morning spent wandering along boston’s charles river esplanade.
a few weeks ago I went to boston for the weekend to check out the john singer sargent exhibition at the museum of fine arts. sargent is one of my favourite painters & I couldn’t pass up the chance to see so many of his works in one place. arriving in boston just before 7 am on a saturday morning meant I had a lot of time to wander. I layered on hiking clothes & windproof fleece in the logan airport bathroom before heading into the city to brave 27 degree temps.
it’s been quite a while since I’ve experienced “real” winter. the sharp cold air & ice gathering along the rivers edge fascinated me.
a walk around the neighbourhood to clear my head with the fuji x30.
I’ve always loved street photography but never made serious attempts to try it. on my trip to nyc this past winter I was inspired by ming smith (I saw her show at moma while I was in the city) to try some black & white street shots using a new technique for me. I set my fujifilm x30 to all auto settings using a monochrome film simulation & shot from the hip without looking through the viewfinder. this was really exhilarating & something I’d never tried before. excited to try this way of shooting more.
journal:
the heat hung in the air like a weight. when you step out into it a hush surrounds you. the creaking of ancient hills barely registering above the hot breeze brushing through desert shrub & cactus. the roads glisten with warmth & all the creatures slow down to linger in the shade.
the desert is teeming with life, but it is a slow life. a quiet one.
walking the bustling & narrow streets of cusco with my fujifilm x30. once the capital of the incan empire, now the main hub for peru’s tourism industry.
while playing with my new (to me) fujifilm x30 in nyc I fell in love with this monochrome film simulation & the winter light on the city’s buildings.
I loved being back in the city, even if only for a handful of days. I was surprised to realize that as much as I love new york I am very grateful to have made my home in california.
