While You Were Eating

While you were eating is a new project that aims to channel the inner photographer in me during chow-time. Title loosely based on a 1995 romantic comedy starring pre-Oscared Sandra Bullock. 

22 shots of inspiration last 2014

Summing Up 2014 with a shots from a point and shoot.

I know it’s a little late to do a reflection article on the past year (I missed it out by a month) but just to help get the ball rolling again at Photogrimoire, I decided to share some of my top 24 photos taken last 2014.

What makes 2014 any different?

Many of you might not have known this, but this was the year I shifted to a lighter camera a Fujifilm x20 to be exact. I sold my DSLR late 2013 and was itching to shoot again. This inadvertently brought me to an ad online on cameras. Figuring this was the perfect opportunity to start fresh, I began reading and researching what would be good tool to use.

I eventually decided on starting from the ground up with a point and shoot camera. No interchangeable lenses first, and just something I could bring with me everyday.

This may be a point and shoot, but trust me it wasn’t cheap (for Point and Shoot standards), which brought me to come up with a rationale for this purchase. Since photography was no longer part of my work (I moved jobs late 2013), justifying this purchase led me to create the blog POINT and SHOOT!

I’ve had a number of blogs before, ranging from poems to films to another photo blog, but this would be the first one with a clear mission— To justify my purchase of a new camera.

It was a difficult start but slowly but surely you get to churn out words that can describe the photos you take. I tried to take photos EVERY SINGLE DAY from going to work, to going back home (a lot of redundant pictures taken, but was still worth it to help you get back that rhythm.)

What did I get out of it?

The experience of shooting again. Plus the limit I imposes on myself with the Fuji x20 helped me think in a more creative way. Framing portraits from different angles, using silhouette shots and long exposures (I won a small something with a long exposure shot) to compensate hi ISO limitations and even using digital zoom to get that perfect frame.

All-in all, starting again with a point and shoot, brought back a hunger for creating portraits as opposed to upgrading gear.  

At POINT and SHOOT, we offer INSPIRATION through DIFFERENT FOCAL LENGTHS and here is my 24 rolls that inspired me through 2014. (shot with a Fuji x20).

Happy New Year everyone!

CHINAMAN IN CHINATOWN - Shot in Singapore's Chinatown. 

CONTEMPLATION - Heavy in thought shot with a sepia filter

SELFY - Every photographer should be entitled to at least one selfie per  shoot. This one was taken while at the front passenger seat of a Philippine Jeepney

SILLHOUETTE - Shot at around 5:30 going home from work

HEAD HUNTER - A man sits on his motorcycle helmet waiting for his significant other to arrive. Taken at the Bicol Bus Terminal. 

GOODNIGHT SLEEP - Man sleeps while waiting for his bus to arrive

DAILY MEALS -  This man eats at a local eatery. His daily diet of  rice soy sauce was upgraded to a full meal by a good samaritan. 

RIDE OF THE JASMINES

LAUNDRY DAY - Fun shot taken from my house that plays with timing and a little imagination

Pro Photographer Jun De Leon

HAPPY MAN BULACAN - Took this shot of  the man a pushing a trolley in Bulacan. The best part was his smile

SURFS UP - A well timed shot at Baler, Aurora province

BUILDING THROUGH SILHOUETTES

TWIST OF FAITHS - An Indian man in Singapore's Little India selling cards with different Hindu and Christian Faiths. A picture of Jesus found in one of his cards

THROUGH THE VIEWFINDER - Taking things into a new perspective

TRADITIONAL MEDIUM - A man reads a newspaper on his commute in Singapore

LAST SHOT - Took this picture of a guy in a bar, at that time he was alone

GHOST EYE - Taken with lights of and a long exposure. Counted a few seconds the moved my hand to my face to achieve this effect. It won Photo Challenge of the Week at Flickr's Fuji X20 groups 

MACRO CAM - Macro shot of a minature camera I have. This was one of my first shots using my point and shoot, which is why it is on the banner of this blog

18mm Prime in Greenbelt Makati

Finding inspiration on a daily basis is the most difficult thing to do. Probably why the average lifespan of a blog is only 6 months because there's only so much you can do until inspiration slowly begins to run dry.  Point and Shoot has been on a  hiatus for awhile, not because  of the lack of things to write or pictures to take. But primarily because of the writer's change in jobs recently. 

Now that things are smoothening out, we're trying to get back to writing and posting inthe hopes of providing  inspiration (with a little bit of humor) to you, our dear reader. 

For this post, we just want to sharing a few shots taken from an 18mm focal length 

Inspiration from different focal lengths

PROJECT: Finding the Soul of Ayala

Description: Armed with an 18mm prime lens on a Fuji X-E1, I pried inside and outside Greenbelt Makati, in search for the locations soul amidst all the brick and mortar.

Focal Length: 18mm 

Location: Greenbelt, Ayala Makati, Philippines 

Makeit Your State...ment

Looking at scenery from a different view. 

One of the great things with wide angle lenses is its ability to stretch lines 

Minimal but the patterns intrigued me

She must have been lost.

Envy 

Pro Photographer: Eric Kim - The Sociologist with a Camera

Street photography has grown in leaps and bounds within these past few years with digital technology breathing new life into to the genre by creating high resolution cameras packed in smaller bodies. Today, street photographers roam the streets with smaller yet very capable cameras, shooting to their hearts content, the candid life out there.

Close to half a century after Henri Cartier-Bresson brought street photography to the public, there have been a number of new photographers taking his ideology to the next level.

Eric Kim is one of the new wave of street photographers who adds his charm and passion to his  art. With innate verbal skills to match his photographic eye, he can talk you into getting into the wackiest of positions to take a shot. 

His camera setup is one that features a camera equipped with a pancake lens and a Go Pro mounted at the top to document his street photo adventures (and misadventures) ala-Doom, First-person-shooter style. 

Two personas arise in Eric when you meet him, which can be loosely described as Eric the photographer and Eric the person. 

As a person, his lighthearted attitude towards life shines with an innate talent towards striking up a conversation with that will make you chuckle. He talks straight through  your funny bone which is how he bridges whatever cultural divide you may have with one another.  

As a photographer, you can see Eric’s tenacity and commitment to his craft, willing to go up close and personal (we’re talking macro levels here) with his subject, to get that shot.  His ability to blend his photographer persona with his lighthearted charm allows him to get up close and personal with his subjects without the feeling them feeling invaded.  

In his visit here in the Philippines a few months back, I was able to have a short conversation/interview with the international street photographer, and here are some of his top lessons.

Don’t worry too much on the technicalities

In the digital age, we are presently bombarded with information from every corner of the globe, giving us insight on anything imaginable. For Eric, he shoots for the sake of taking photos first and the technicalities of everything as a second priority “Don’t worry too much about if it is a good photo or not”, he mentioned. To be a good photographer, you have to shoot from the heart. 

Develop your own personal style

“There is no one right way to doing things (in photography)”. This is the short summary of Eric’s idea on developing your own style. To him, developing one’s own style is one of the key facets to making it in the world of photography. 

Work the Scene

Street Photography is about taking pictures at the precise moment, but it doesn't mean that all you can do is pray for that moment to arrive. Eric shoots a scene by taking a number of shots before moving to the next and advices those who take’s just one picture to take their time in one scene before moving to the next.  Taking one shot and leaving the scene is like buying a lottery ticket, you might get that winning shot, but more shots give you more opportunities.

When in doubt, click

According to Eric, many photographers worry too much about the definition of photography, causing endless debates and opinions on what a "photo" should and should not be. To Eric, Photography is a religion, with each photographer following a different system of beliefs, from camera maker, to lens types, to techniques, but each ultimately leading  to what photography is. Instead of worrying about what photography (or what a good photo) is, press that shutter button and find out for yourself. In Eric's own words, "There is no ONE right way." 

Connect with your subject

Unlike many street photographers, Eric doesn't advice to shoot from the hip.  "Shooting from the hip is a little sneaky. When you talk to your subject, you get more emotion and the best photos are emotional". Looks like we all have to up our charm skills for this one then.   

QUICK QUESTIONS WITH ERIC KIM

What can you say about the Philippines?

"The Philippines reminds me of Korean food because of its  variety of colors and flavors. the country is filled with very friendly people and what differentiates them from the rest is they are a community that helps each other out."

If you weren't a photographer, what would you be?

"I studied sociology back in college, which is about studying people. I incorporate this into my craft I see myself as a sociologist with a camera."

You were featured in DigitalRev on Youtube, Can you tell us about the experience?

"I was surprised when I got the invite. When I got it, I thought to myself, “Yes! I made it!”

Eric Kim and Kai Man Wong in an episode of DigitalRev

because they wanted me in their show."

"The guys in DigitalRev are all genuine. Lok is Lok, Alamby is always such a sweetheart and Kai is just a great person. On stage he is energetic and funny and off stage he is a humble person. We still keep in contact whenever I visit Hong Kong."

Favorite Philippine food

"Krispy Pata, Lechon, Pork Sisig!"

Camera Settings

"I do shoot in Raw in P mode, center point. The definition of a pro photographer is not whether he shoots in full manual of not.”

"I like to shoot manual with the 27mm. I love Fuji’s pancake lenses."

Worst Experience

"There was one time when I got in trouble shooting in a racetrack in Japan, I was brought in to this room and was interrogated by Japanese security thinking  that I may be a North Korean spy (laughs)."

More on Eric Kim at  http://erickimphotography.com/

Getting Over Gear Acquisition Syndrome

Gear Acquisition Syndrome can be a Photographer's Dream Turned Nightmare

Before getting into Gear Acquisition Syndrome, lets talk about the process of acquiring gear. To many of us, the art of acquiring camera gear is a balance between need, resources and proper justification. Some of us can easily justify the purchase of new gear because to them, it is their bread and butter. But to many enthusiasts whose photography isn't the deciding factor of whether they have a meal at the end of the day justification can be just a wee little bit harder to come by.

I've been approached by many hobbyists from stamp collectors to BMX enthusiasts who all mention that photography is an expensive hobby.  Expensive, of course  is a relative term. While I believe that sometimes, photography, (The gear especially), can sometimes cost an arm and a leg to obtain, truth be told, you don't have to purchase the newest camera in the market to get great shots anywhere you go. 

I am just one of a bajillion people stating this fact. Some will testify to this, while others will go on a violent rampage defending their newly purchased D800s and 5D Mark IIIs and whatsoever as the be all and end all, but to each, his own. 

Travelling is a good companion of any shutterbug. Nothing broadens ones horizon on opening more picture perfect moments than ones own legs (a car, a bus or a plane ride wouldn't hurt either). To many, travelling has become the quintessential  justification for many of us to purchase new gear. 

Purchasing new gear for a trip is beyond anything that you will call wrong so long as it is justifiable. I myself have justified getting gear because of upcoming trips, some faired well, and some were mere excuses to give in to gear lust. There is a thin line between investing for practicality and Gear Aquisition Syndrome. 

Gear Acquisition Syndrome or GAS, is a term used by musicians, artists and photographers to describe ones urge to acquire,  accumulate, or stock up on gear. a serious case of GAS can be damaging not only to photographers, but to their art in general.

Think Practical 

Dont let your photography get in the way of the experience. Personally, when going on a trip, the experience should be first priority, and the documentation the second. Yes, if budget permits, you can go along that said trip and buy all the lenses and cameras your unlimited credit limit can buy. But think of lugging all that gear around, and you may be too into taking the perfect shot of your trip, that you totally miss the event first hand. 

In one of my latest trips out of the country, I settled for bringing a decent point and shoot camera that provided me with a decent focal length, a fast enough lens and of course, portability. Had I gone with a bulky camera plus battery grip and a ton of lenses, it would have put more burden on the trip by making the photography get in the way of the experience.  

Below are a ways of getting over GAS.

Act Your Wage

There are a lot of high-end cameras that would have been a lot more ideal to my choice camera, but given the price factor, I just couldn't bring myself to justify the purchase. If I crapped out golden eggs after breakfast everyday this would be a different story. But in reality, I'm stuck on a budget driven from how much I can spend after working eight-to-five, five days a week. 

This budget, reflects my choice of gear. I have a decent camera to shoot with while still affording to eat three times a day as compared to being a hobo with a Leica.

Beware of Gear Envy

"Pride, envy, avarice - these are the sparks have set on fire the hearts of all men."    - Dante Alighier

Envy is one of the catholic church's seven deadly sins and is the main symptom leading to to Gear Acquisition Syndrome. You go out, bring your shiny new camera, proud of your investment and probably nearly breaking the bank for, only to see the guy on the other end sporting the same one but with with a slightly longer extension number on his camera's model name. 

How deep does envy go? According to Dante Alighieri, there is a circle of hell dedicated to these people, and Envy takes on the innermost one.  

Beware the Friends You Keep

Uhhmmm no...

GAS is an infectious disease and can be transmitted through word of mouth, eye-envy and even the chatter of the keyboard. Growing up in the 90s I had a particular fondness to Power Rangers action figures. I got all five of them, the red, blue, white, pink and yellow ranger. Suddenly, this kid shows up with the new green ranger and all I could think about was having that (To the point of trading all five of mine). When I finally for the green ranger, with his shiny, golden dragonball-esque armor, That same kid shows up with the new white ranger (They're the same guy)! And so the cycle continues. 

The same can be said with cameras. Hanging out with friends that worship gear will eventually lead you down the dark path of GAS. Your brand new camera and gear ages faster when you are with these people because all you talk about are the things you don't have instead of appreciating what you do. 

Weigh Alternatives

There is always a cheaper alternative. Lots of gear today have third party developers that offer a cheaper counterpart to the original manufacturer. (There is a difference between third party developers and say, something made in China). Of course, with a lower price, comes a few quirks, but if you can live with those quirks, or wont affect you too much, then it could be considered as a viable alternative.

Second Opinion

Like any diagnosis, sleep on it, and ask someone for their opinion on your decision to purchase something. (a girlfriend would be handy in this one).

Don't Surf for Justifications

“ [The] variety of opinions being aired [online] can be seen as helpful, but it also enables people to barricade themselves behind sources of information which only confirm their own wishes and ideas, or political and economic interests.”                                              

                                                                                                                                                            - Pope Francis

The internet is a marvellous invention that opened up a stream of information at the tip of our fingers. Many of you can no longer imagine a world not interwoven by information on anything from here to kingdom come (porn included). 

The problem though with this opened book of information is that we can now seek justification for our bias. This idea, came from no other than the Pope himself, warning against the effects of echo chambering. 

The Pope is surely right on on this one. I myself have been guilty of surfing the net to justify possible GAS. Not sure if you are echo chambering? check your search queries. If it starts with "Why I should buy xxx", you probably are. 

Make Due and Let Creativity Take Over

Instead of lusting for something that you don't have, why not try and appreciate what you do. Most of us don't take enough time and effort to appreciate the capabilities of the gear that we currently own. Get to know your gear, understand what it can do for you and what it cannot. From there, fill in the gap with with what you can afford. You'd be surprised at what creative means can spur out of ones head when given limitations. 

A physiology student once mentioned to me a study about people's intelligence correlating to their social status, in which he mentioned that people growing up in a lower status, tend to have a higher creativity than those growing up with a silver spoon in their mouth. The reason behind it was because given the limitations, these people had to find ways to make ends meet, as opposed to those who could just afford to by a bridge to close the gap. 

Making due with what you have doesn't hinder you as an artist, It challenges you to think outside the box.

Understand the Law of Obsolete 

Sad story

The law of obsolete is crucial to understanding your GAS. Pet lovers know that most animals (other then tortoises, their awesome) age at a significantly faster pace then us humans. Take dogs for instance. Most owners believe that one human year equals roughly seven dog years. 

Technology is developing at such a rapid pace that it surpasses even dog years in age. Technology and production have become so streamlined that companies churn out new "updated" products in the market faster than the Brady Bunch family. 

Its become so fast, that the newest camera gear, will be deemed old by a matter of months. 

Understanding this trend, and not giving in to what manufacturer's deem as "new" is crucial resisting GAS. Something is obsolete only if you see it as obsolete. Remember that film cameras are still being used to this very day.

Obsolete is a state of mind. Be mindful also that the camera you have with you now, has more capabilities than the camera they brought to the moon. 

You Dont Need Newer Gear to Produce Better Photos

GAS in a minicam

This is pretty much a staple to all articles about GAS so I just had to put this obligatory tip right here. Newer gear does not make better photos. 

Sure you get better capabilities, more features, more bells and whistles. But without the proper development of skill, your just a teenage kid carrying an AK 47, sprayin and prayin. 

Have a GAS Allowance

Gas... Literally

To many of us gear junkies, GAS may not always be avoidable. In these cases, stick to a budget called a GAS allowance. Set aside a portion of what you make for gear and stick to it. 

When you find something shiny and is within your allowance, feel free to buy it, knowing full well that you aren't breaking the bank. 

Practicality is key to maximize gear. But every once in the while, it doesn't hurt to buy an ice cream sunday.