A Fuji Wishlist

Fuji are one of the few camera makes who do just occasionally give the impression that they are prepared to react to customers' wishes. I thought I'd offer my wishlist in the full knowledge that it will have zero effect. It does however provide a context in which I can focus my own thoughts.  First please note the title is ‘Wishlist’ not ‘Which items should Fuji produce which will be the most successful and bring the most financial gain....’.

We’re clearly going to get another X camera soon, probably at about 28mp and placed to sit above the XT-2 which it will replace and the X-H1 alongside (but slightly above) which it will sit. What would I wish for in the new camera:

• Longer battery life - I hardly use the LCD and yet still carry 5 spares, this is a tad ridiculous. I could use a battery grip but part of the appeal of the system is the smaller size and I've never liked screw on battery grips as they introduce a second potential plane of movement between the sensor and a tripod head. Not only is there the possibility of movement between camera and grip but the grips themselves can distort and allow movement.

• Add 5:4 to the range of image sizes so I can preview accurately in viewfinder.

• Increase the maximum shutter speed to 1, 2, 4 or even 8 minutes (or longer , the OM2 did better than the XT-2 40 years ago…). Available though aperture priority. (manual greatfully received in firmware update.)

• Re-site connection points for cables esp cable release to make it easier to use when in portrait orientation on an L bracket.

• Give us a much lower base ISO, 64, 50 or even 25.

• Allow full menu and button configuration, let the user define and organise their own menus and buttons without restriction.

Lenses General

• Offer an Arca Swiss foot for those lenses with tripod collars

• Understand that some users will trade light gathering power for a smaller size but still want the highest optical standards. Modest apertures with high level performance.

Lenses Specific:

• Revamp the 14mm, 35mm f1.4, 18mm f2 and the 60mm f2.4 to give us WR and improved optical performance (in 18mm esp.)

• Something round about 16-55 f4 with the performance of the 2.8 but in a smaller lighter package.

• 50-140mm f4 as above

• Tilt and shift at about 16mm

That's it, not too much to wish for but probably an awful lot to hope for. What it does show, in my opinion, is quite how quickly the Fuji X System has matured into a fine photographic tool.

New Year Resolutions #2

Some resolutions are too personal to share but others relate to the professional side of life and may indeed be improved by sharing. This list will be added to or amended over the coming days as thoughts develop. It is not currently in order of importance or any other hierarchy.

1. Write Blog posts more frequently

2. Refresh website content more frequently

3. Raise 'quality bar' for website content

4. Create and maintain a sketchbook

5. Achieve an increased measure of competence with Nikkor 24mm f3.5 Pc-e lens

6. Build 'Classic Lakeland' content

7. Shoot more

8. Increase number of photo trips

9. Review backup system

Pictures at an Exhibition

My first full size solo exhibition opened this week at Farfield Mill Arts and Heritage Centre near Sedbergh. This has been a bit of a learning curve on the basis of it being solo and also over three times as big as anything I'd attempted before. It has made demands in terms of organisation, choice of images and an attempt to keep costs sensible. There was no question of sending lots of files off to be printed, mounted and framed for a seamless display. the content has been drawn from previous exhibition stock, new prints and a number off the walls of the house. The process has caused a number of bouts of introspection - purpose, outcomes, hopes, fears etc. After some thought a number of conclusions are obvious (not new however):

• Far from being a moneymaking venture, the exhibition will cost me money. I don't expect even to break even.

• There needed to be sufficient prints to make it worthwhile for those people making the effort to visit.

• There needed to be a balance in cost between the framing I would wish for and an affordable solution.

• I was not prepared to compromise on the quality of the prints however.

• In some ways the exhibition has come a little soon for me - however I suspect that might always be the case and regardless, such opportunities when offered should not be turned down.

• I have not chosen images based on social media popularity, I've chosen my own favourites. I'm proud of the photographs, whatever the public reaction.

• I have been moved and humbled by the level of support, encouragement and good wishes from the landscape photographic community.

Teacher or Sharer?

I’ve recently experienced a relatively dramatic upsurge in enquiries for workshops relating to either photographing or processing. Simultaneously there has been a noticeable increase in visitors to this website. Finally and in some ways most surprising of all has been the growing realisation that many of those visitors have been reading these blog posts. I plan and think in words and pictures. I use diagrams and text to organise my thoughts (usually with pencil and paper) and while the blog has always been open, it has served as a way of enabling thinking rather than of specifically sharing or pontificating. I’ve been a subscriber to the principle of Social Constructionism for many years now. The core of this for me is the belief that learning, rather than a competitive process where the ‘best learner’  wins, is an undertaking that is best performed by a group. This may be a small study group or scaled to the whole of society/humanity. Simply, work together, share and we all learn more. In writing the above I am trying to make a point. When I write about what I have learned, it is to share that learning and perhaps facilitate the learning of someone else. It is explicitly not to demonstrate my learning, knowledge nor to advertise some form of mastery. Last week I wrote about installing Jetpack on this website. I'm not a high skills tech guru and it wasn't intended to be an evaluation, justification or even a recommendation. I don't know enough about either the product or the underlying technology to do any of those things. The writing was simply to share an experience. The growth of Social Media and of self publishing (in its many forms) has made it very easy to become an ‘expert’. There seem to be an ever increasing number of people who on Monday buy their first DSLR, by Wednesday are Photographers (With a Facebook business page) and by Friday have their own YouTube channel to disseminate their week long experience and expertise.Some of this relates to a future post on the difference between response and judgment and some relates to the concept of mastery. However the key element is that when I write I am sharing my learning rather than seeking to teach. I’m offering a personal perspective rather than an expression of what I consider to be an absolute truth. There are different truths out there for different people, even science is not absolute and shown so elegantly by Heisenberg and Schroedinger et al.

JetPack

I've experienced a bit of an epiphany this week. Following a number of chance interactions it seems that people have been looking at my website and on at least a few occasions, actually reading it. Despite the substantial amount of work out in, it still comes as a bit of a surprise. Part of the reason for this surprise is that for the last two years, every single print sale or workshop has come from either Facebook or Twitter; buyers and clients have only gone to the website after their initial interest has been confirmed.The immediate consequence ( apart from a smidgeon of pride) is to encourage me to stop up my efforts a little as the provision has been a little thin over the last year or so. Over the previous month, I'd been updating galleries (hate that job....) and generally tidying leaving two major jobs to do. One was a renewed attention to the blog and the second was to organise a few bits of background stuff including site statistics. Having looked around for a number of plugins, I decided to fire away with a collection called JetPack. This bag of goodies is written by the same people who write the WP code and seems to offer a mixture of features I want now, those I might want, those I might want if I ever understand what they do and those unlikely to be required. The set is nicely written so that only the code for the activated plugins runs on the site.I could have used Google Analytics as I used to do on my old hand written site but to me the JetPack offering seems more elegant and more quickly gives me the information I want. I'm hoping ( based to be honest on what others have written rather than my own specific knowledge) that site security will be enhanced. I'll also compare the WP comments feature with the anti spam plug in that I'm currently using to se if there is any gain to be made.If any of this is of interest, do drop me a line. My intention is to add to this individual entry with updates as things bed in.

Sleeklens Photoshop Actions

Recently I was sent a set of PS Actions for evaluation. They were sent free on the basis that I would try them and write a review. I've had the opportunity to try most if not all of the many options that they offer. First I should point out that the use of actions does not sit particularly comfortably with my normal way of working; I don't even create my own presets and tend to process each image 'longhand' and from scratch. From the start, the install is straightforward as one might expect; I was even supplied with a YouTube video to assist though not required. Looking at the actions panel, the majority of the actions have short self explanatory names. I always appreciate such touches as I'm never at ease if I have to refer to the documentation to see what they contribute.The list of actions is extensive Exposure, Contrast, Temperature, Saturation, Toning, some special effects and actions for exporting to web at preset or custom sizes. In many instances a helpful tip box pops up to remind you that the effect can be modified by changes to the opacity of the layer. In truth all the actions work well and in both predictable and controllable fashion and would seem to be a useful set of tools for many photographers. For my own particular purposes I would have three reservations about their usefulness for me.

• In some instances, for example the web export, the same result can be achieved with the normal File ->Export and in a similar number of clicks.

• Many of the actions can be duplicated by the use of a conventional adjustment layer - I'm not sure why I might use an action to adjust exposure or contrast when I could use an adjustment layer as easily.

• Many of the more striking actions produce a look which doesn't really suit my style. Even though they can be moderated by adjusting opacity, some still lack subtlety and produce colours which I find odd.

On the positive side I found some of the actions to be of interest, notably the Dull day, Dark dreams and Sky enhancer were able to provide a measure of 'rescue' for less satisfactory images especially those made in flat lighting conditions. I did struggle with the suggestion that the sky enhancer could be brushed in - in my view a better result was achieved by using a gradient fill on the layer mask. The actions are well constructed and well presented and I'd be sure that they would offer useful tools for many photographers. I'd be surprised if I made use of more than a couple in my own workflow however. 

Chrulaiste

 This is a view I've wanted to experience for many years now. I first saw a picture from here on Facebook 7 or 8 years ago and set about finding the location. Since that time, every visit to the glen has been associated with at least one reason why I couldn't make a visit to the viewpoint work. Finally in January this year I managed to bring all the necessary parts (including most importantly the weather) together and made the ascent early one morning with Garry Smith and Richard Hunter.

An X-T2 Wishlist

      More or less on time, Fuji announced the much anticipated X-Pro 2. While many were engaged with this event others of us noted that it was the hoped for stepping stone on the way to our hoped for X-T2 camera. Our own instinct, supplemented by the usual (Industry spnsored...) rumour mill is that the successor to the X-T1 will emerge later this year, we hope in June or thereabouts. Despite the praise lavished on the rangefinder versions, their 'Pro' designation and price point at the top of the range, I preferred my XT to the XPro. It felt a little like the impact that the OM1 and OM2 made on the full size pro bodies in the 70's. I'm pretty happy with the x-T1 but it does have a combination of niggles, annoyances and some limitations. What then is my own personal wishlist for the XT?Sensor: We have the 24MP sensor in the XPro, this is a given now I would say.Performace: If the XT matches the Pro the results should be perfectly acceptableBattery Life: I want greater battery life but it would seem that Fuji are guiding us to make choices on performance or long battery life. Not playing fair, I want both.Viewfinder: Even though this is exemplary on the XT, an uplift seems likely and positive.Buttons: Always amazed me that Fuji could make a weatherproof camera and then fail to see whether it could be easily operated wearing gloves. Many of us have enhanced the buttons with Sugru, this needs to be sorted as standard.Remote: I wont get this but the one change I'd like more than any other is to move the position of the remote cable socket. I always use an L bracket and if you use this camera on a tripod in the protrait orientation there is no way to attach a remote cable without adding an additional, messy spacer. PLEASE Fuji, just move this anywhere but on this end of the camera.I'd also like an optional lock on the Exposure Compensation dial, much too easily knocked it seems to me.I think I'll come back to this post, please do add any suggestions in the comments below. 

Gloves...

I am perhaps far too interested in gloves, I may seek treatment..... I own a lot of gloves and have owned a vast number of pairs over the last 40 years or so. Those of us who spend a lot of time in the mountains have lots of gloves. Photographers have lots of gloves. I'm not sure whether photographers who spend time in the mountains have those numbers added together or multiplied. I've owned gloves for walking, camping, scrambling, winter climbing, wet conditions, cold conditions, wet and cold conditions. I have windproof gloves and I have gloves that were advertised as waterproof, thick gloves, thin gloves. Andy Kirkpatrick wrote an excellent piece on gloves here. The vast majority is hard to argue with, especially his assertion that there is no such thing as a waterproof glove. I've tried all in one gloves, system gloves, layers and adjustable gloves. I've written about mitts that allow the end part to be removed, fingerless mitts and the ubiquitous Buffalo mitts. However after many years I have finally found a system that works for me. There is no implied suggestion that it will work for you but in case it helps, here goes.This my solution, just two pairs (with the caveat that somewhere in my bag there is ALWAYS a spare pair of some description). For 95% of the time I've been using the Macwet Climatec long cuff glove as my day to day glove. These are amazingly warm for their thickness, remarkably windproof and manage to grip better when they are slightly wet. They shrug off cold, wind and wet far in excess of their bulk. These allow the most delicate of camera operations to take place, buttons, dials, filters and lens changes. They might just be the only glove that do not impede removing a  Lee Polariser from the holder. Just prior to my most recent visit to Scotland I decided to try an alternative to the Buffalo mitts that I had been using. They are warm, long lasting and cheap but have absolutely no grip whatsoever. The replacements, after much deliberation were the Extreme Mitts from Montane. These are a lightweight pile and Primaloft mitt with a grippy palm. They slip easily over the Macwet gloves and allow some of less dexterous tasks such as changing lenses, moving filters and operating remote control cables. to be accomplished. As can be seen from the photo, I always add wrist loops to mitts as do most ex winter climbers and anyone who has the same propensity to drop important items into fast flowing water...I've spent much of the last three weeks in snow, ice, winds and temperatures between 0 and -10 degrees. Whenever my hands felt cold the mitts would restore warmth in no time, they could be easily popped off again for specific tasks.These mitts will certainly shed a shower, they are not advertised as waterproof but we need to remember what it is we seek from a glove and that is usually to keep our hands warm rather than dry.

Competitions

After what seemed a very long wait, I received my shortlist email. I have learned a few lessons over the past week and also spent some time reflecting more widely. I don't really do competitions but a combination of factors last month led to me entering the Scottish Landscape Photographer of the Year competition. As this is the first time I've entered a competition I can't generalise of course so only have this one experience to go on.I’ve always been sceptical about competitive art…..somehow art feels to me like it shouldn't be a competition. Two different images on two different days in two different places with two different sets of light and two completely different emotional experiences have little in common save for the fact that they might share a common length along one edge. How can or should they be compared? Secondly I think art should be more to do with what the artist thinks and judges about their work rather than how someone else measures it.Competition is also the enemy of cooperation. I despair at the number of photographers who resist giving information about locations or processing techniques. They are preserving their business of course in many cases, preserving their position in others but it seems a shame that a beginner seeking help is turned away or referred to one of their paid support streams. I believe Social Media is about sharing and not just advertising under the guise of sharing. Tricky, messy, uncomfortable but a position that needs sorting out I think.On the other hand competitions can be fun, I enjoy quizzes even though I have the most awful memory. I used to enjoy those team building games with ping pong balls and drain pipes particularly if there was an opportunity to employ a little lateral thinking and reach the prize by an unexpected route. As I think a little more about extending my workshops and print sales the bonus of some external validation is hard to ignore. I’m uncomfortable about the need for or power of an third party opinion; surely the work will stand for itself if it is good enough?There is of course the deep human need for security, approval or validation. We all want to be liked, there’s little getting away from that. Social media has brought an instantaneous feedback system for our work. I remain enthralled by the fact that within a second of publishing an image, a viewer on the other side of the world may see and comment or choose to ‘like’ it. I don't ‘think’ I am motivated by Facebook approval or by how many likes/ comments a picture gets. It is however a source of interest and even fascination. There are further aspects of human validation which are both hard to ignore and hard not to be pleased by. My print sales gradually creep up, bookings for workshops keep coming in and are increasing and an ever increasing number of people message or email me for my advice. These things are all rewarding, but not the end in themselves.This does however bring me to my most recent Facebook post in which I try to make the point that I am fortunate in having no masters to serve and can therefore make the photographs that I want and process them how I want and it doesn't have an effect if they are not ‘popular’. I am working towards a level of satisfaction with my pictures. I don't yet know if this is a boundary that continually moves beyond reach as I haven’t got there yet. The satisfaction or otherwise that I feel is entirely internal, it isn't governed by other views.I received my email indicating one picture had been shortlisted out of the seven that I submitted. Not a brilliant ratio but better than none. It will come as no surprise to learn that it wasn't my favourite nor what I would consider the ‘best’ of those I submitted. It is the sunniest (worryingly) and definitely an accessible image. Others were much more somber, and better represent how I see Scotland between the months of October and about April. Apart from a brief interlude into Winter if we are lucky, the days are short, mostly grey and have an inbuilt mood.Right now I’m comfortable with the outcome and will probably enter more images into next year’s OPOTY and LPOTY and perhaps be surprised at which are well received and which are not. Only surprised however, not thrilled or disappointed - I am only pleased when I produce work that I am satisfied with or proud of. I don't feel the need for anything external.

Horses for courses

There is no single answer to the question of which is the best camera nor of which camera should I pick up on the way out. Like cars, motorbikes, campervans etc. There is only the best choice for that occasion. As with tripods I tend to think initially in terms of small, medium and large. These are relevant in terms of other considerations such as distance being walked, height gained, other kit being carried and whether the focus of the day is predominantly photography or whether it is more  case of having a camera with you on the off chance.In recent years there has been a fabulous change in this process thanks to the advent of high quality camera in mobile phones. Now it is almost unthinkable to find one's self with out a camera.

Early days

In the house where I was a small child there were always family photograph albums. What made them slightly different was that I knew most of them had been taken, developed and printed by my father. At maybe 7 or 8 years old I knew what an enlarger was and I knew the essential steps in getting from camera to print. Some of the pictures had been taken on the ubiquitous Box Brownie but the first camera I remember my father owning was a Pentax S3. This was not only a cut above the rest in terms of brand but it even had a light meter that could be attached to the pentaprism. It was a beautiful thing and sadly the best camera he ever owned as he later part exchanged it for the first of succession of Prakticas in order the archive through the lens metering. As his eyesight failed he finally invested in a modest Canon autofocus SLR.

His interest spawned my interest and so a lifelong fascination began.

Big Move

 Its been a while but at last its time to move from the old hand crafted website to a more modern looking responsive site based on the ubiquitous Wordpress. Having 'grown up' writing my sites by hand it is a challenge to have to bend and stretch an existing product into shape.Having spent a great deal of time and effort evaluating the free themes and dipping a toe into the paid theme arena I finally took the plunge and bought a copy of Oyster by GT3 Themes. there has been a steep learning curve and while some aspects are simple, others are proving to be all but insurmountable.