Though there are some high-end noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones available, I found it hard justifying spending $200 - $400 on headphones that I wouldn’t use on a regular basis when working at home. I wondered whether there were some more reasonably priced headphones that might fit the bill.
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Olaf Sztaba & Ibaronex Discuss Their Upcoming Workshop
Olaf Sztaba & Ibarionex Perello discuss their upcoming collaboration in Vancouver, Canada. On August 23 - 25, Olaf & Ibarionex will share their mutual approaches to seeing and photographing on the streets. More than just a street photography workshop, it’s an opportunity to develop a new way of seeing and reigniting your passion for photography.
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Ibarionex's Appearance on Scott Kelby's The Grid
I was honored with the opportunity to appear as a guest on Scott Kelby’s The Grid to talk on the topic of street photography and my latest book, Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow. It was great fun and it was a pleasure to spend time with Scott who I first interviewed for TCF in Ep. 119.
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Understanding Buying Gray Market Camera Gear
Each year hundreds of millions of dollars are spent to make purchases online. That’s especially the case when it comes to camera equipment. Back in the day, you would peruse the back pages of a popular photo magazine and call a 1-800 number. Now, you can buy camera gear using nothing more than your smartphone.
The ease by which you can buy an item can be problematic if the only thing you’re reading is the sale price. It can be tempting to immediately click on that button when you see the promise of hundreds of dollars in savings. However price alone shouldn’t be the only determining factor for you hitting the buy button.
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The Price of Upgrading a Camera
For the past 5 years, I have been using the Fujifilm x100s as my preferred camera of choice. After borrowing a friend's camera for my first trip to Europe, I purchased my own and it's been hanging on my shoulder almost every day.
Fujifilm replaced the camera with the x100T and later the x100F each of which offered performance enhancements and new features which improved on an already fine camera. Yet despite these advancements, I delayed upgrading. And though those later versions addressed some of the issues that I and others had with my camera, I didn't make a beeline for my camera store with my credit card burning in my hand.
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Ibarionex
A Stupid But Valuable Self Assignment
Yesterday I spent the afternoon making photographs in Pasadena. I was getting familiar with the new Fujifilm X100F that I had purchased to replace the X100S I had been using as my primary camera for the past 5 years.
It was while walking through the streets that I spotted this shopping cart discarded in a parking lot. It reminded me of an assignment I had given myself years ago where I challenged myself to photograph nothing but shopping carts for the week.
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Returning to Downtown Los Angeles
In the spring of 1992, the city of Los Angeles erupted in civil unrest. Five Los Angeles police officers were acquitted of crimes related to the violent arrest of Rodney King. Captured on videotape, the beating was seen a visual confirmation of a history of brutality by the LAPD. Many believed that the recording provided incontrovertible evidence that would finally see justice served. Twelve jurors believed otherwise.
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Olaf & Ibarionex in Paris
While traveling in Paris recently, I had the pleasure of spending time with Canadian-based street photographer Olaf Sztaba. He was conducting a workshop in the City of Lights and luckily it coincided with our time there.
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40% OFF Making Photographs: Developing a Personal Visual Workflow
For many years, I was a writer for hire. I wrote countless magazine articles and books as the means by which I made a living. I loved writing and I loved photography and so I counted myself lucky that I could earn money from doing two things that I enjoyed and felt that I did well.
But about three years ago, I burned out. I was writing, but doing so for the sake of a paycheck. I had lost the joy and passion that had spurred me to make this my life’s work. That decision resulted in a big financial hit, but I just didn’t have it in me to keep pressing on.
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I Hate White Cars!
If you have ever attended a workshop of mine, there is one rant you will always here and will likely always remember. I hate white cars.
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Recovering from a Drought
The last two months have been incredibly busy. Along with a personal life change, we began a garage conversion to provide me with a dedicated working space. I completed work on a new book, which is going to be released very soon. And as usual, I spent many hours securing interviews and preparing for each conversation to ensure a great episode for The Candid Frame.
What was sacrificed was time for making photographs. I was so busy, that I began forgetting to tote my camera with me.
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Ibarionex Featured in Street Photography Magazine
I was recently interviewed for the cover article for the August issue of Street Photography Magazine. I'm both flattered and honored to be included in a magazine that has published stories and images on dozens of very talented photographers.
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Photo: Ibarionex
Every Day Seeing
I am one of those people who always has a camera with him. Some of my friends, who are not photographers, make fun of me. They wonder if I am like Linus from the Peanuts, who is always carrying his security blanket, except I am holding onto a camera. They probably are not too off the mark with that observation.
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Street Foto SF 2018
Next month, I will be flying up to San Francisco to participate in Street Foto SF, a week-long celebration of street photography running from June 4 - 10. Much like the event that inspired it, the Miami Street Photography Festival, this event provides a wide-range of events, many of them free to the public.
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Photo: Ibarionex
Street Photography with a 28mm Lens
I am in many ways a creature of habit. There are certain foods that I regularly order from my favorite restaurant. There is a particular route that I travel to get to and from home. And when it comes to photography, I have long favored the use of the 35mm lens.
Whether it was with my Nikon, Canon and now my Fujifilm X-series camera, a 35mm focal length has been at the heart of most of my picture making. I have trained my eye to see the world from that particular perspective and it has greatly influenced the way that I compose photographs. Seeing from a consistent field of view has allowed me to see what a picture might look like even before raising the camera to my eye.
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Photo: Jens Krauer
A Wonderful Conversation
I recently began subscribing to the YouTube Channel of the photographer, Olaf Sztaba. Olaf who describes himself as a visual poet is a photographer who not only has a wonderful visual aesthetic but possesses a philosophy of photography that is not shared often enough. In the YouTube world where there is no shortage of videos of street photographers working out in the street, Olaf brings along a sensibility that brings context to the process.
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