Sage advice regarding the Olympus OM-D E-M1

As you can probably tell this was written by AI as a test. I do think the camera does have viability for street work. Olympus is a pretty good workhorse.

Street photography is a genre of photography that requires a camera that is compact, lightweight, and capable of capturing high-quality images in a variety of lighting conditions. The Olympus OM-D E-M1 is a mirrorless camera that is well-suited for street photography, thanks to its advanced features and compact design.

One of the key features of the OM-D E-M1 is its autofocus system. The camera uses a hybrid autofocus system that combines both contrast detection and phase detection autofocus. This means that the camera can quickly and accurately focus on subjects, even in low light conditions.

Another advantage of the OM-D E-M1 is its compact size. The camera is smaller and lighter than most DSLRs, making it easier to carry around for long periods of time. This is essential for street photography, where being inconspicuous is often key to capturing candid moments.

The OM-D E-M1 also has a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) that allows you to preview your shot before you take it. This is especially useful when shooting in bright sunlight, where it can be difficult to see the LCD screen on the back of the camera. The EVF also allows you to see the effects of any exposure adjustments in real-time, which can help you create better images.

In terms of image quality, the OM-D E-M1 is capable of producing high-quality images with its 20.4-megapixel sensor. The camera also has a wide ISO range (up to 25,600), which means that you can shoot in low light conditions without having to worry about excessive noise in your images.

Finally, the OM-D E-M1 has a number of advanced features that are useful for street photography. These include a high-speed burst mode (up to 60 frames per second), built-in Wi-Fi for sharing images on the go, and a variety of creative shooting modes that allow you to experiment with different effects.

In conclusion, the Olympus OM-D E-M1 is an excellent camera for street photography. Its compact size, advanced autofocus system, and high-quality sensor make it a great choice for capturing candid moments on the streets. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced photographer, the OM-D E-M1 is definitely worth considering for your next street photography adventure.

Don’t let the punks be the only ones.

We are all looking for some kind of recognition whether we admit it or not. Not always aware of it, otherwise we wouldn’t put it out there.

Minimalism

I took this picture 13 years ago on a photo walk, looking for a clean background. The bike rack was a bonus but it would have been better if there was a bicycle and better still a person in the scene. Pictures of people tend to be the most interesting.

The picture however will serve to anchor this topic. Minimalism is a word that everyone has a definition for which usually doesn’t correspond to yours. It usually means a paring down to a few essentials. It’s a good concept because we all have a lot of stuff. The reason describes the way we shop. We don’t carefully select, it’s more spur of the moment buying. The result is we end up with trends, temporary or one time use things. To eliminate this habit is an explanation that comes with a personal commitment.

What I can say from experience is that minimalism requires a lot of work and discipline to achieve and maintain. Whether we take it as a challenge or continue to live with the Victorian clutter it’s good to understand where they come from and perhaps get a little closer to where we want to be.

Some say less is more and others say less is boring. Mies has been dead for some time now but we’re still talking about it.

On Walden pond

Henry David Thoreau

A brief essay

https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/where-i-lived-and-what-i-lived-for (for reference)

The pond is actually a 65 acre lake

It’s roughly 2 miles from the Cabin to the center of Concord Mass

His aim, among other things, was to drive life into a corner. He accomplished that but only kept it there for 2 years.

A number of people have set out to live alone, to escape the demands of city life but often overlooked are the reasons described by Thoreau himself. The discovery that comes from being self sufficient and in the process find out what he was capable of.

It wasn’t to isolate, after all he was only two miles from town. His goal being to confront the basics of living and I dare say there was much more discovered than what he wrote about.

On Walden Pond is often used as a springboard to various romantic notions of how to live. Each person will interpret these ideas in a different way. Adapting to a certain way of life is not an end but a foundation for carrying out one’s purpose.

History adds perspective, especially when viewed from a distance. The perception is often greater than the reality. We are fortunate in that regard.

Only 136 days till Christmas

Instead of rushing around at the last minute not knowing who, what or how much and then grabbing a gift card. Here is a little pre shopping strategy.

It’s a 136 days so hopefully there is time to figure it out. Although the times may be uncertain I have come up with a few ideas to mitigate my own stress.

We all have interests or hobbies that no one really knows about because we think no one will understand or maybe they will think you’re weird. Relax, we’re all weird anyway. There are 3 questions you have to answer first. Who, what and how much.

To have a remote possibility of getting something you like as opposed to the dreaded whatever. Here’s what I recommend, make a special wishlist that features the items that reflect your personality and interests. Most online outlets offer a chance to make a wishlist. You could call it something like Christmas (the current year).

But wait! I have too many to buy for and a limited budget. A couple of things that are budget friendly for your consideration. Most “big box” stores offer the printing of post cards. Or you can make your own. One of the nicest gifts I ever received was a hand painted card. Use one of your photos, or write a poem. A personal touch is always memorable.

Another great gift is a letter. The fact that you put your thoughts on paper and took the time to remember them, will bring a smile to their face. Everyone has a creative side and the giving of a letter is great way to express it. The gift of a letter is the title of a book I read many years ago. You can never go wrong with a gift of yourself.

The all new J pad

With mobility being all the rage, this new lightweight device is lighter and more affordable than anything on the market. Use it with any stylus you prefer and select the user movable clip of your choice. Requires no battery or internet connection and incorporates the one app to rule them all, paper. This ground breaking device is only limited by human imagination and can be had for a short trip to the dollar store or even things you have lying around. As they say, throw anything at it and it can handle it. Text, notes, images or even glue in the odd bits. The all new “J” pad, sometimes referred to as a Journal.

(Cut down clipboard, copy paper, grocery sack cover, binder clip, pen)

Art is a skill that shouldn’t be wasted and design is part of that genre. A deep rusty yellow is a good foil for black and white, whether it is a photo or pen and ink.

Social Media and Beyond

There are lots of reason people make social media posts or blog posts. Some of the reasons include, entertainment, influence, or broadcasting their personal opinions, not all of these things are well guided. Being “followed” on social media is not a guarantee of success. It could mean that a lot of followers indicates you have found the lowest common denominator of human nature.

I’ve been doing the social media thing for over 14 years, I’m old and the byproduct is a fair amount of experience. I attended my first computer conference in 1977. A designer for over 40 years, dealing with people from all walks of life.

The people who are doing things that you admire were going to do them anyway. It is not likely that you will see/read something that is going to change your direction, but it does happen from time to time. Wise people are teachable and are not particular about who they learn it from.

The experts and people of influence are those who are well connected. If there is any real benefit in what they say it is in the content, not their celebrity status. There are a lot of unknown folks who have much to offer but their ability to promote is not as important to them as others. If you have changed one life then the effort was worth it.

We are all unique and the reason you won’t be able to copy someone else’s success is that your skill set is not like theirs. What you do is different than what I do and when you shine I am ready to celebrate your contribution.

The preceding is flawed and incomplete but I hope you get the idea.

Journals, Sketchnotes, Zines - Oh My!

Journals, Sketchnotes, Zines - Oh My!

It dawned on me one day that I’ve spent nearly 40 years making marks on paper. We all jot things down from time to time but what if you took it a step further?

The first question that comes to mind is why? The answer can be as broad or as personal as you like. There are two main purposes to putting things on paper. One is to understand what you think and believe and the other is to distribute or leave some kind of legacy for others to read. The way to accomplish this is by using words and or pictures to convey your meaning. These can be done with whatever instrument you choose on whatever media you wish to select. The great thing is that there are no rules except those rules you choose. If you do decide to change the way you are doing things, you are free to make that choice. I have changed my methods a lot over the years.

This brief missive deals with three kinds of writing or sketching and the overlap that does frequently occur.

1. Journals - Usually bound and may contain daily entries or rambling free thinking whenever inspiration strikes. 2. Sketchnotes - Can be loose or bound but the idea is to capture what others are saying via words and pictures rather than trying to capture the whole presentation and it’s key points. 3. Zines (short for magazine) - These can be anything any size, and  are usually distributed. Hand made and created because the author is passionate about some subject. ( you can even make a zine into a personal letter )

These are very brief descriptions and also be overlapped into something of your own design. These can be hand written, typed or taken to the next level of Print on Demand. Blurb, Magcloud, Apple and a host of others provide these avenues.

If you make a physical object it’s more likely to read. Doesn’t require a battery or an operating system and with the papers available today will likely be around for a long time. Easier to consume than sifting through  the contents of a computer hard drive or a smartphone. Tell your story. It may seem unimportant at the moment but yours may be the only record of that idea or event that happened.

Buried treasure found?

Many people are aware of the History Channel show titled “The Curse of Oak Island”. If you watch the show and try to follow the clues it moves with the speed of soap opera. If one would try to fashion a theory as to what happened on that little island off the coast of Nova Scotia just by watching the show; you end up with more questions than answers. Artifacts listed and general locations mentioned but few definitive answers.

It is probably safe to say that something did happen there long ago and there will probably be some kind of resolution. It is doubtful that we will ever know beyond speculation what the history of deposits on Oak Island is unless some long lost manuscripts turn up with a written account of what went on.

There are plenty of unanswered questions and I am sure that the concerns of the searchers and those who produce the television show are not always aligned. Although I have no idea of the contractural arrangements it would seem that those who have found the most treasure are those who collect the advertising dollars; not a criticism, simply an observation.

If you venture beyond the borders of the television show to other publications there is an extensive history of those who have sought some kind of treasure that may be on Oak Island. To be fair, a television show can only offer a glimpse of the process and keep it entertaining.

There have been a variety of books, articles and theories put forth to establish what might have happened on Oak Island. It helps to fill in some gaps and gives plenty of food for thought. Probably most compelling of all is why do we search for such things? I think we are curious about what we don’t know and delight in solving riddles and puzzles. That might be a greater reward than some treasure. To know is the challenge.

Answers, real answers are hard to come by and there will always be those who disagree with our conclusions. It is said that there are Live Oak trees on Oak Island and they are not native to anywhere north of Virginia. To establish that as fact requires documented evidence and so if we have not the means we must rely on the testimony of others.

Knowing is not confined to the search for buried treasure. Knowledge can be a powerful thing and the search for truth is not for the fainthearted.

Have you read some of this stuff?

Yeah, scares me and I’m fearless.

Grandma’s Cooking

I recently wrote an article called “Start with Food”. The premise is, when you think about what to have on hand where do you begin. Because we all get hungry I put food at the top of the list. Although it might not always be the first thing you have to address, in fairly short order you will be thinking about what to eat. What food and what to keep on hand is another topic. Today I’m thinking about Grandma. She and my grandfather were in those grand years, having raised their children and retired to a small cottage that my grandfather built with his own sweat. Nothing fancy but everything was well kept, from the alley to the street. 

Many people have glowing stories about some dish their grandmother made that was the request of everyone for whatever festivity was at hand. My grandmother’s favorite was a Pepsi Cola in the afternoon. Usually these were delivered by me from the local grocery. No fancy deserts just a little sweet beverage in the afternoon. The meal I remember her making most often was very simple. Rice with a little butter, salt and pepper, a poached egg some toast and few strips of bacon. That’s it. Would she have preferred something else? I have no idea. She never complained. Food can be a very complicated thing if we allow it. Having simple fare can free our mind to pursue grander vistas and usually won’t cost very much.

Endless Possibilities

Before we get to the “possibilities” I should point out that I don’t follow the usual social media, blogging recommendations. They say, just post about one thing and hashtag the heck out of it so you can get more followers. That is an errand I don’t care to run.

You may have heard the marketing speak that says just look at, follow or whatever this new thing; the possibilities are endless. Endless possibilities might not be what you need. Too many choices can lead to paralysis. Deciding the “which” of anything is a daunting task. Endless possibilities only compound the problem of deciding. As a designer I would rather be given a few limitations, which ultimately makes my job easier. Working within our limitations should be embraced. There will always be options outside our grasp but we should dismiss those quickly so that we can solve the problem at hand.

The problem that each of us face is sifting through more access to information than has ever existed. The internet and the recording of everything that happens is sometimes helpful and sometimes a curse. 

The “media”, whoever they may be are having a field day right now thanks to the abundance of controversy on several fronts. Not helping the average thinking person. Still some things are worth note and that includes, what does it take to keep body and soul together. The general idea is what does it take to keep ones life together in the midst of calamity. And I should point out that you don’t have to have a hurricane to have calamity. Life itself can throw plenty at us. 

I recently wrote a post called “Start With Food”. Once you figure out how you are going to feed yourself then all the other issues will fall into place. One thing that is not a possibility; four hours from your last meal you will be hungry. 

The secret shortcut

There are no shortcuts. Sorry.

It’s really not that bad. If you want to just make money, there are schemes that work but the gratification is short lived. You might have to violate your conscience in the process. A step I would not advise.

Gratification comes when we do what we were meant to do. Those to whom we ascribe greatness were compelled to do only what they could do. It may well be that the person you are looking for is found in the mirror but that is only part of the story.

No man is an island as the saying goes. To achieve something you must ignore the din of those pounding at the door who do not know or care about your purpose. Not easy when so many are try to sell you something. The lure of quick solutions are always present and make it difficult to stick with the task. Your value is never greater than it is right now even if the goal is yet to be reached.

The photo is called Alien man.

Chances are your brilliance involves a lot more than some generic description of who you are. We are told to have an elevator pitch which is good for marketing and sometimes useful in other situations but it doesn’t describe the full extent of your experience.