The film simulations on Fuji digital cameras can be fun — they feel less like cheesy filters and more like carefully crafted color science, from a company with a lot of film experience.

Funnily enough, when I do shoot with actual film I tend to go with Kodak. I figure if I want Fujifilm-brand film, I have the film simulations on the X-Pro2 to work with 😄.

This one is using the B&W Acros simulation. Cranked the ISO up to 5000 to get some nice grain, which seems ironic since Acros is a low-speed ISO 100 film known for its smoothness.

I think I’ve taken a photo from this spot tens of times now. There are always boats, but the conditions out on the bay, the clouds, the reflections, etc. are a little different each time.

I remember the first time I was in San Francisco: I got off the Caltrain, someone asked me for directions (I always get asked for directions, especially when I’m traveling and don’t know the way around either), walked down to Philz for a coffee, and then walked along the water, behind the ball park, to this very spot.

Now, walking to this spot and back is my quick 30-minute outdoor walk when I want to get some air, and of course check on the light and the reflections and add to the collection of photos.

Another one from the archives: March 2018.

An early chair photo and perhaps even the precursor to the #chairsofSF Instagram hashtag.

No water in the lake that day, but that makes for a much more interesting walk!

I was trying out a third-party ultra wide-angle 12mm lens. It flared like crazy and the stopped down aperture really highlighted all the sensor dust spots, but the colors that came out were amazing.

Going back through the archives: this photo is from October 2010.

I remember wanting to get a compact camera with a “big” sensor — most compact point and shoots had 1 ⁄ 2.33" size sensors and the S90 had a 1 ⁄ 1.7" (that’s a fraction, so bigger number on the bottom is a smaller sensor).

Anyway, this was sunset by Grenadier Pond in High Park back in Toronto. This was one of the first photos that started the trend of walks, golden hour, and patiently waiting for the light and the clouds to be just so.

Just another “stand in the middle of the street” shot.

I like the compression from the longer focal length here. I should go a few blocks further back with a bigger telephoto and see what happens.

There are officially ten lakes in Golden Gate Park.

But only one has the views, a waterfall, bridges, a hill, stairs, etc.

How many people have actually used a phone booth before, I wonder? Like to actually make a call.

Scanning film is a lot of work…and you don’t even get that hipster photography effect of including the sprocket holes!

I bought a “tracing pad” on Amazon for $10, basically a USB-powered light with some frosted plastic in front. Put film on that + use a steady hand with an iPhone camera ==> pretty good result!

Haven’t shot film in a long time, but am looking forward to getting into it again!

Slide film is a bit trickier, but I really like having the transparency to look at with its real colors.

Trying out a circular polarizing filter 🕶

It’s Polaroid brand, which seems appropriate. You really need a mirrorless or an SLR to use these as I couldn’t see any rhyme or reason to the different rotational positions on the filter.

Wildly color graded, for fun 🎨😄

I think I’ve seen this shot many times on Instagram and elsewhere so why not try it myself?

The closest this lens will focus is about a meter away, which can be a pain.

On the flip side, that means you can get close things blurred with further elemens all in focus.

So long to a great pair of boots. Didn’t survive the excitement that was WWDC 2019.

WWDC 2019

Luckily I’m right in the correct age range to appreciate WWDC bands 😄

The day before.

Lots of excitement for this one, which is also my first as an employee!

“Building a boat isn’t about weaving canvas, forging nails, or reading the sky. It’s about giving a shared taste for the sea”

Also featuring some serious sensor dust spots, some of which I edited out.

Also part of the “looking up” series.

Sidewalk closed