Few notes on technicalities… I use a digital camera with optical viewfinder. The optical
viewfinder has allowed for photos that would have otherwise been lucky shots. Fuji in this case
has done a fantastic job at blending digital info mapped onto the OVF. My small lens collection
consists of modern auto focus primes with weather-sealing, to cherished vintage primes with
beautiful character. As for focal length, collection ranges from 28mm to 210mm with my favourite
being 35mm (all 35mm equivalents). I always shoot in RAW format because that’s what the camera
should honestly give. Since I also always shoot in manual modes in situations with changing
environments, I don’t like missing exposure beyond repair. Hence shooting in this format is a
natural choice for a photographer like me. This way some exposure-compensation can be added
in post.
I edit colours experimentally and am in the middle of a learning curve. So results are very
mood-based at the time. I feel the need to edit colour mostly on photos taken with modern lenses
as they don’t tick my cinema box. It is not seldom that a favourite photo gets re-visited with new
colours and shades, another benefit of shooting RAW. I stick to FUJIFILM own colour solutions
during JPEG conversion as much as possible, and find the combination of these with vintage
lenses to be exceptionally tasty.
Shooting in manual mode with manual lenses, through OVF and all monitors turned off,
valuable battery life can be saved. This way I can have the camera on and ready for extended
periods when I expect a certain scene to unfold…this is on top of carrying extra batteries. Also, I
enjoy cranking up the ISO when night comes as I like the added grain and contrast. What else…
ah, use your phone-camera too! Great street-photos rarely depend on good gear.
Having spent so many hours thinking about and taking photos, I sometimes feel the need
to define what photography is…being an engineer, my answer is going to be something like a 2d
crop of time and space! What photographers decide to crop depends entirely on taste. Just like
our different taste in music or fashion choices, photographers press shutters at different times and
point lenses at different scenes.
What you see on this gallery is candid street photography mostly from the Swedish city
Gothenburg, where I currently live. It is the result of three years trial and error, constantly
challenging my comfort zone, failing, thinking and learning. Hope our tastes agree.
