GX GARNERINGS

(Ricoh GR) I’ve no idea if they were feeling ten feet tall, but they were actually almost that tall.

(Ricoh GR) In between the time of slacking off a bit and spending much leisure time on photo contests, I went to Daido’s exhibition on its last day in town yesterday morning.  Not all the images on display are his best but they are invariably filled with the style and taste one will know distinctive about Daido’s works .  The one prominent thing about the master’s shots is that the image quality, hence the grade of camera or lens, is virtually irrelevant.  Not even the photographic skill.  The gem is in the idea and theory the creator has in every single recorded scene through his eye.  The coarseness, imperfection and split-moment impulse are conspicuously flowing in the mastery shots – we all know that Daido celebrates imperfect images, don’t we?

Here are the shots some minutes ago to prove that I'm still doing photography a lot.  All shots by GR. Enjoy!

(Ricoh GR) Life is full of directions, either directing or being directed, rightly or wrongly.  The gist is that there is more than one way to your goal. Enjoy!

(Ricoh GR) A lively sitting posture.  Enjoy!

(Ricoh GR) It seems that ages have passed since the last post on GXG. Some personal business has forbidden me to take as many photos and post as frequently. I have not quitted though, and even managed to win a humble prize in a local photography contest. An interesting thing is that the longer I stopped reading news about cameras and photography, the less I fancied new cameras, which was a good news for my wallet. While people are selling the GR in expectation of a new release soon, I still have to take full use of it. It is such a capable tool. Afterall, there are still three other cameras in the cabinet waiting to be used.

(Ricoh GR) The scene presented itself when I walked past this sitting out area around a corner.  How the light fell on the folk and his newspaper caught my eye and snap snap snap the camera shutter went.  I have been taking photos daily still, and am brewing an idea for a project to enter into a photo contest.  This Saturday I will be attending a prize presentation ceremony for finalists of a photo contest held by a local radio station.  It feels good to put some value in the efforts I’ve been making as a hobby. Don’t stop taking photos, mates.

(Ricoh GR) Will you manage to find the face? Tip: It is not in the shade.

(Ricoh GR) I am with a local photography group but I haven’t really taken part in its shootouts. Recently the members had a street photography meetup and there were some nice shots. What I found interesting was how some used intimidating, at least that’s what I think, big DSLRs for shooting on the street. Those cameras are the least ideal for shooting candid images. And the zoom lens mounted on them would do nothing but make the photographers feel little need to go into where the action happens for the images, which is the gist of making street shots tick. For that reason, if you do street photography, use a compact and a prime lens.

(Ricoh GR) One of the most common online images is of people walking in the street, which are so ubiquitous to the point of being monotonous. There is one dumb-proven technique in making one such shot that may stand out. It is shooting a scene where people are going in different directions. This always works. Enjoy!

(Ricoh GR) I have been slacking off a bit posting here but not for shooting. Bringing along my camera remains a daily must. This has become so built-in that I will feel very insecure without it when being away from home lest a previous photography opportunity will present itself around the next corner. My GR mounted with the converter gives me even greater stealth in making candid shots in the street coz the converter screens the protruded lens when turned on. The customisable slots are set with a variety of stylistic modes. I named them like Underground, Street, Light Painting, etc. What a fun camera!

(Ricoh GR) The locals are gradually returning to their normal lives after the Chinese New Year week. Since it is based on the lunar calender, the Chinese New Year day falls on different days between end January and end February each year. Besides the usual celebrations, lots of protesting have been going on during the week this year as the influx of Mainland Chinese buying out necessities has caused an outcry from the community.  They come over to Hong Kong to snap up items from staple food to dog food. Worst of all, their bad habits and manners like here and here are what frustrate the locals most. CNN has recently reported on the issue here . What do you think?

(Ricoh GR) I trust that you have read a lot about composition. After all, there is no lacking of self-confessed “experts” teaching photographic skills on the Internet.  But those teachings are mostly telling you how composition is done for composition’s sake. I honestly don’t buy that idea since there is a reason for a specific composition.  I seldom read any writing about interpreting composition in relation to the intent of the photographer, say, to complement the intended atmosphere.  Let me put it this way: Composition is a tool to use for a purpose, but not a tool to use for showing people that you know that tool.

(Ricoh GR) Enjoy!

(Ricoh GR) Enjoy!

(Ricoh GR) Sometimes, a blurry image suits the atmosphere better.

(Ricoh GR) Don’t smoke.

(Ricoh GR) Being in company, even with the best, is some wearisome and dissipating while solitude can be a friendly companion.  Solitude is not measured by the miles of space that intervene between a man and his fellow men.  No exertion of the legs can bring two minds much nearer to one another. So, is being in company or in solitude more wholesome?  The right question to ask is instead whether the companion is close to you in mind.  Minds think alike will stick together regardless of the physical distance apart or the loneliness in dire hardship.  With the right spark, we can find love in that relationship.

(Ricoh GR) Shot of the day. Enjoy!

(Ricoh GR) … of the GR’s lens and sensor. What were you thinking? The GR gives superb image, crisp and razor sharp.  There are lots of room to crop in the images. The above image was actually a cropped version of the much larger picture below. And the GR does this with an APS-C sensor only, not a full frame one.  IMHO it outperforms many APS-C cameras IQ-wise. No wonder the GR’s image is a benchmark of the APC-S sensor.

(Ricoh GR) Enjoy!

(Ricoh GR) I was interested by the shadows, shapes and patterns on the floor and, looking up the sky a few steps away, found the skyline echoing the scene. What a lucky day! Enjoy!

(Ricoh GR) The most common act of the world: taking selfies.

(Ricoh GR) DXO is offering a free full older version of its photo-processing software DXO Optics Pro for download before the end of this month. Take action now if you care, http://www.dxo.com/intl/dphotographer .

The battle of serious compacts have all along the years been developing. Since the start of this blog in mid-2008, it has evolved to a stage that virtually redefines the market. Those once considered serious compacts for enthusiasts – 1/1.7” sensor in a small body with relatively better optics – are “downgraded” to the lower segment, with enthusiasts chasing after a small body with at least 1” sensor. The niche market previously reigned by the GR is now an open battlefield, which is obviously eaten up by the arrival of Sony’s veraciously marketed A6000.  After all, the A6000 is cheap, fast and accepts interchangeable lenses. Why not? But a classic is not known as a classic for nothing. To users who have known a classic, every new arrival of the family brings with it a homey feeling. It was this feeling and the greatly reduced price that made me reconsider the choice of yet another camera to ply my regular appetite for one. I was considering an A7 something but the price tag had to b