GX GARNERINGS

(Ricoh GR) As surely as you are reading this, cameras come and go. Fact is, when you have adequately come a long way in this run of your life and are going nearer to the finish line, there will be increasingly less things capable of turning heads from your perspective. A new camera is set to have a better sensor and extra superfluous functions with a heftier price tag. A new car will give the driver more forceful torque and stronger horsepower at a higher cost. All things new are adorable until they become not new. C'est la vie, folks! You have been there, seen that, done that. Very boring! If you are into that mentality, you are worthy to be called an oldie. You should be cursed and rot on your sofa! So, the new Ricoh GR, the GRIII, has been announced and made quite a bit of a stir in the street photography community. While it is a mistake that it still doesn't come with a 21mm lens to be worthy of its GR namesake - I don't mind if that makes it physically bigg...

(Ricoh GR) I’ve found myself constantly slowing down among the daily busyness to enjoy more of everything around as I approach the slide-down section of the backslope from the timeline of age.  I’m taking everything more easy.  It’s the quality of life that matters after all.  It’s less about material stuff than the spiritual fulfillment.  Probably this newfound philosophy in me has found its way to the hobby part of my life.  Yes, it’s nice to have a new camera with functions that blow one’s mind.  One that allows the sharp images to ravish your eyes, when the elements are right and the there is good light.  But at the end of the day, it is still the image that matters.  It is still how the photographic eye interprets a scene all right that makes the image click. So it’s still me carrying my camera everyday to try my luck around each corner where a photo worthy opportunity may present itself.  My 5-year-old a55, 4-year-old Leica X1 and 2-y...

(Ricoh GR) Since the start of this blog back in 2008, Hong Kong has seen a sea of changes in its political reality and ruling system to the worst which, as matter stands, leads to a decline of logic and common sense by far among the cream of the society and their followers begging power.  To those who have grown in the city when governance was by reason, the de facto dead of the city it once was is probably a past tense.  The death knell has rung loud and clear.  It is sad to admit so.  These are the images through my sad eye to hopefully illustrate how empty the city seems to me now.

(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.

(Leica X1) Enjoy!

(Leica D-lux 5) Previously I wrote some ideas about using foreground.  Today’s shot may serve as another example to illustrate my thoughts.  A better foreground here would be the arm of another stevedore to echo the secondary subject crossing the road, giving viewers more information about these workers.

(Ricoh GRD4) A smile for today! It has recently dawned on me that adults on average smile just a few couples of time each day whereas babies do so by hundreds.  We adults are deprived of happiness and our shoulders laden with heavy responsibilities. There may be not a way to shed any of the latter but we can always smile our way through, can't we? Comrades, arise and smile!

(Ricoh GRD4) If you have photographed enough but never thought of using street furniture as lines to frame your subjects or do the composition, here is a humble example from me. Enjoy!

(Ricoh GRD4) Using the foreground to juice up an image, giving information to highlight the story or theme of the shot, is a very basic and commonly used photographic technique.  But doing it from a low angle requires efforts to be made to observe and visualise the final image in the mind.

(Ricoh GRD 4) Enjoy!

(Ricoh GRD 4) Good morning, go freely where you need to go! (Your workplace, where else?)

(Ricoh GRD IV) Finally I failed to restrain myself from the purchase of the GRD IV at a temptingly low price.  The best is that I got the sexy white edition which comes with the must-have cap to prevent the camera from accidentally powering on.  Early last year I had the chance to play with a sample IV for some time and would have bought one if I had not been just given the Leica X1 and D-Lux 5 won from a photo contest. The GR cameras produce images of a distinctive signature in terms of colour and a photojournalistic feel. For the latter, I suspect that it has something to do with the GR followers being like-minded persons somehow (with a relaxed temperament? Visually attentive to the details of a fleeting moment?). Today's shot done in hi-contrast black-and-white hopefully carries such a signature.

(Leica X1) Enjoy!

(Leica D-Lux 5) Murdered, cut into pieces and hung for public display... looks familiar huh?

(Ricoh GX200) This is Sunday. Find some time to sink in and reflect on your choices ahead. Have a nice day!

(Leica D-lux 5) Enjoy!

(Ricoh GX200) Seems that the road sign replies in the negative. I am going to be at the mercy of the specialist who will suggest if I need to do MRI and further intervention for my hurt foot. Again, mind your step, folks. Spraining one’s ankle can be a very frustrating experience and costly too. Have a nice day!

(Leica D-lux 5) For the record, I’d better state my Facebook personal particulars here --Interested in: women.

(Leica D-Lux 5) Another typhoon is coming along.