a few years back I was doing an ad campaign for a natural gas company
based in Oklahoma. One small part of the assignment was to photograph
a particular restaurant kitchen that, of course, used natural gas for cooking.
I did the "straight up" corporate shots of the cook and his kitchen but I also noticed
the words tattoo'ed on the cook's hands and wanted a shot of that for myself. The original is in
color. I've shown it here before. I made a conversion to black and white because...
well...because I wanted to. I don't remember which full frame
camera system I was using at the time but it worked out fine.
Taxes: Most of my current participation in the family's tax preparation is concerned with the Schedule C, profit and loss statement for my business. Mercifully, B. handles pretty much everything else. I bitch and whine (how did "whinge" become whine? Pronounced like: "wine.") about the time it takes but in all honesty it only takes me two days to access all the numbers from two checking accounts as well as the numbers from two credit card accounts and then to filter out all the charges that are not relevant to taxation from the ones that are. For example: Lunch with Ben (not deductible). Leica M240 M-E (nicely deductible). There's not a lot of "gray space" but since every cent I spend in a year is via a credit card there are a lot of lines to look through. Okay. That's not true. I did write 23 checks last year. So retro.
Yesterday, around two thirty in the afternoon, I put everything into the template that our CPA likes and sent it, along with some brokerage statements, to B. She'll incorporate the rest of the needed information and pass it along. Sadly, I can't just depend on the standard deduction. I have to itemize. Otherwise my CPA will give me a stern lecture. But yesterday, at around 2:45 pm, I tasted freedom. I immediately went out for celebratory coffee. How rich would I be if I could deduct the cost of all my coffee episodes??? More about coffee in the swim section...
In a couple of years it will probably all change but we've been doing accounting stuff this way, more or less for nearly 40 years. Most of them profitable. A few.... not so much. But at least my part in this year's math adventure is done.
When I hit the point of completion I usually make some bold statement to myself that I'll get much more organized in the current year. I'll become a master of Quickbooks Pro, or some other dorky accounting program. I'll parse out the categories as I go along. Right. But, at 68, I know I'm lying to myself and, in fact, I'll probably just go in the other direction, put all the printouts and stuff in a cardboard box and delivery it (without notations!) to Barry; my accountant. He'll complain and charge me a lot more but I probably won't care.
Work: It's been a slow but happy year so far. Most of the work has been portraits. Either in the studio or on location. I'm happy working either way. We've booked a four day event in San Antonio in April and I've got a sprinkling of portrait work until then. But it's interesting. All the panic about money from my early years is gone. If fun and challenging work comes in I'm more than happy to rise to the challenge. If we hit a dry spell (or year) I'm happy taking time off for more swimming, walking and goofy camera fun.
Most of the portraits I've been doing this year are kind of a throwback to my earlier work. I'm using huge modifiers like 7 foot diameter, soft white umbrellas and going a step further by adding a layer of diffusion to the front for an even softer effect. I'm getting a lot of use out of the medium format GFX camera. Funny (to me, at least) that I have so much fun buying Leicas but I use them less and less in the business side and use the GFX for just about anything where I have a modicum of control with the subject. Not sure this would be true with fast moving event stuff. But, I bought the GFX 50Sii and a few lenses in the middle of 2023 and haven't felt the urge to "flesh out" the system any further.
The GFX is a good, solid working tool, it's just not as much fun as the smaller, sleeker cameras.
My kid was telling me that he bought a new computer last week. It's a MacBook Pro, 14 inch with an M3 processor, 16GB of RAM and a 2 Terabyte hard drive. He used to edit video for me and he was telling me that I wouldn't believe how fast the new machine eats through video footage. Multiple streams of 4K edits in real time. He also mentioned that he was surprised by how good the display on the newest machine is.
Ben's first computer. A Blueberry iBook. He had a desk in my office...
I do need to take a laptop with me for the April event job. The client wants a quick turnaround on some shots from day to day. Yeah! That's a supporting rationale...
I'm finding that the idea of retiring is more or less miserable. I'm diving back in with a handful of clients. I like the challenge of photography. I hate volunteering for stuff. I know first hand that most non-profits would rather have cash donations than more hands to manage. Your mileage may vary. And I think mentoring someone would be cruel. For them. I'm too scattered.
Swimming. I was plainly being immature at swim practice today. We had a new coach for today. I approached her at the poolside and told her that this was my first time ever to try a masters swim and I hoped I'd be able to get through it. She was very kind. Until my usual lane mate corrected my story. Drat. I really had the coach going for a few minutes.
It was 60° when we hit the water at 8:00 am. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, the coach was coaching and the water was so clean you could have read fine point type at the other end of the 25 yard pool. If you had your goggles on. We had a challenging workout with lots of 100s on short intervals. In between sets of 100s we had a pyramid of 75s kicking. On the same intervals as the swimming 100s. That'll get your pulse up!
I'm trying a new swimming experiment. I've had the habit of drinking a cup of coffee upon rising each morning. That means I'm ingesting "healthy" dose of caffeine before practice. But in truth I have always been an anxious person and the caffeine sometimes exacerbates my performance anxiety in the pool. Get anxious in workout and your muscles get tighter and your brain makes breathing feel harder. Genius that I profess to be (sarcasm alert) I finally figured out after 63 years of competitive swimming, and 40+ years of caffeine-drenched morning swims, that I might be better served by skipping the coffee until AFTER workout and seeing if that affects my overall results.
Goodness gracious! So that's what it's like swimming relaxed!!!! I've been doing this experiment (no pre-workout coffee) for about three weeks now and the difference in workout is revelatory. No anxiety. Faster repeats. Less tired at the end of each set. Why didn't I do this say.....forty years ago? I guess I'm just a slow learner.
Now I'm wondering just how much that glass of wine with dinner affects my swim performance the following morning. Dropping another habit might just be a second interesting experiment. Guess I'll find out.
SXSW photo thoughts. It all starts on Friday. A great day NOT to be at the Austin airport. It's the start of SXSW. I love photographing there but I'm always trying to decide, right up until I walk out the front door, which cameras and lenses I should take to document the event over the eight days. This year I've had the recurring and strange idea of going really light. Now planning on taking two Leica CL cameras, the Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f2.8 zoom and the ultra-fabulous Sigma 58mm f1.4. Two cameras with the weight of one. Small and light lenses with lots of good performance. Those are today's front-runners but you know that, with me, it's always subject to change.
Is it wrong to still be having so much fun taking photographs? I'm guessing not.
See you out there?
the chef in color.
15 comments:
You asked about whether we were using MF cameras in our work. Yes, for most of what I produce I am using either a Fuji GFX 100s or GFX R. I love the 4:3 aspect ratio and routinely use the 65:24 aspect ratio. Lens most used is the 63/2.8 or the 50/3.5.
Thanks David, I also have the 50mm. What is your appraisal of the 63mm?
Kirk, thanks for asking. While the 63/2.8 is slow concerning AF, I love it. I use a 50mm when I work with FF and I am very comfortable with the perspective (I know you like a good 50 when using FF). I am not a pixel peeper, but I find it sharp and with nice contrast. The 50 for the GFX is much quicker to focus. Much of my work does not require quick AF, so I don't feel limited.
You didn't ask, but while I also own a 30, 45, 50, 63, and recently a 45-100, the 63 gets most of the use, and the 50 comes into play -- small, light weight, sharp, and in a sweet spot between what would be a 35 and 50 in FF when I am uncertain about whether needing something a bit wider than the 63. I plan to use the 45-100 (not a lightweight) when walking long distances isn't required or I am working close to my car and cannot easily use my feet to zoom. Hope this helps.
David, Very helpful. Thanks!
I'll be fully retired in three weeks+two days, from a 39 year career in photography. Personally, I can't wait. Like most of us, I got into photography as a job because I loved it, and I have had a terrific career, but I'm ready for the next phase where I make the photos that I want to make. If and when I want to make them. No clients, no paycheck, no worries.
I've been using a GFX100 and a pretty complete set of lenses at work, along with my own Fuji X system gear. I'm pretty sure I don't "need" a medium format system in retirement, but I do have some personal projects in mind that would benefit from it. So we'll see. I've been playing with my circa-1970 Canon 50mm f/1.4 FD SSC lens, along with the 80's vintage Tamron 90mm macro lens. They both work surprisingly well on the GFX. The 50 has some hard vignetting so I need to shoot square, but I just pretend it's my old Bronica SQ and it's fun. The Tamron 90 macro makes a great short portrait lens on the GFX. Neither of these lenses is very fast to shoot with but that's part of the joy of it. I do think if I get a GFX for personal use I'll get the 45-100 and otherwise use old lenses for fun.
The dealer thought I had lost my marbles when I traded in my Phase One for a SL-2 and a GFX100S. While I instantly loved the SL-2, I had wondered if I would regret giving up the Phase for the Fuji. I never really did find out since I did not use the FGFX100S much. When the Fuji GFX100ii came out I traded the GFX100S for it.
My only regret is that I didn't wait until you bought one, so I cannot put the blame on you for my GAS this time.
Seriously, the GFX100ii is vying for the top spot as my favourite camera. It feels just so right and the IQ is superb. It's worth getting for the viewfinder alone! I use it with a GF35-70 (prime lens quality level) and a GF110 (superb). Can't wait to get the GF30 T/S.
P.S. If all that's stopping one from getting into a Fuji medium format is missing the Hasselblad waist level shooting experience, the GFX100ii has that covered too.
No quite what you asked, but I often use my traditional Hasselblad 501CM with Panatomic-X and Acros film. I still love the traditional B&W film look, warts, grain, and everything.
Hi Kirk, semi tongue-in-cheek comment.
So is the plan to maintain a minimum level of work to support your purchases / explorations into photographic equipment and 50mm lenses, for the benefit of your loyal readership.
I imagine that any tax deductions that might also happen apply to said purchases are purely co-incidental and ancillary ;~)
Not THAT Ross Cameron, You nailed it. Almost exactly. SL3 now pre-ordered.
It is always such a relief when all the tax statements, scraps of paper, receipts get rounded up and taken to the tax guy.
Life then goes on. Until repeated the next year.
Enjoy your SL3, let us know what you think of it.
The SL3 has been pre-ordered?!?!?
I am in such trouble. I’m sure you don’t know it. But you are such a bad influence on my simmering GAS affliction. ;-). Which started with your entry into the M43 world, and comments about using cool cameras (like this question about MF) and lenses turns up the heat just a little.
I am looking forward to reading about what you think. Hopefully the impact to my home remodeling and retirement funds won’t be too much. Though, I know resistance is futile.
PaulB
Fun post! Interesting insights into MF—have not shot it since the film days. And, I’m down to one cup of coffee a day. It’s sublime.
@photogaard
i'm still hoping you travel and post some travel photos, you know that's what "other people" (TM) do when they are "retired" LOL. Whatevs I'm happy of course with you being you!
Give up the glass of wine for a while and see. The idea that wine has any benefits has been debunked, and the brain cells it costs us are more important as we get older.
Edward, I'm a month in on that. Swimming faster.
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