Sometimes the Journey Is the Reward We were between locations — hours into yet another drive across the volcanic desert of southwestern Bolivia. The kind of place where the road is barely a suggestion, and the landscape shifts from black rock to golden dunes without warning. We weren’t chasing a shot. We weren’t expecting anything. …
Salar de Uyuni
There’s light. And then there’s Bolivian light. I’ve had strobes accidentally popping off in my eyes, but I’ve never known light, bright light, until I was here. Photographing the salt flats of Bolivia — Salar de Uyuni — was one of the most disorienting and visually surreal experiences I’ve had behind a camera. …
Bolivian Flamingoes
These photos was taken in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve in the southwestern highlands of Bolivia, near the Altiplano region. I can’t remember specifically, which scene is from Laguna Hedionda or Laguna Colorada, both of which are known for their high-altitude salt lakes and large populations of Andean flamingoes (along with James’s and …
Cordillera del Paine with Fujifilm X-E3 and XC 50–230mm
I’m selling a bunch of gear, so I’ll be posting some of my fav images shot with that equipment, sort of as a farewell or a homage. This one is shot using the budget XC 50-230mm lens. It is a very underrated lens, doubly so because it suffers the ignominity of being the mk I …
A Portrait Does Not a Soul Capture
I love portraiture. It’s the kind of photography that I keep going back to, again and again — because people are endlessly fascinating. The flicker of emotion. The in-between moments. The quiet tension. The laughter right before it spills. But let’s get one thing straight: A portrait cannot capture someone’s soul. I know that’s the …
Squid Game and the Freelance Photographer: A Survival Story
Let’s be real: if you’ve ever tried to earn a living as a photographer, you’ve basically signed up for your own version of Squid Game. You may not be wearing a green tracksuit (although, hey, comfy), and there may not be a giant robot doll shouting “Red Light, Green Light!” — but emotionally? It’s basically …
The Fuji X-E3 is not a cat
Cameras are like pets — some are Labradors — loyal, helpful, but absolutely everywhere. Others are like cats — fussy, high-maintenance, and kind of judge you for existing. But the Fujifilm X-E3? It’s like a Schnoodle — small but sturdy, clever, quick and also very good looking. This little thing might just be my favorite …
Using GF50mm for Portraiture
Portrait of Mr. Phua: Making Space Where There Is None — with the GF 50mm Some portraits stay with you long after the shutter clicks. This one — of SK Phua, the master craftsman carpenter in his impossibly packed workshop — is one of them. The space was tight. Every inch of wall, floor, and …
Why GF 50mm is the Perfect GFX Lens
When people think of medium format photography, they usually imagine something big, heavy, and slow. A tripod kind of camera. A “set it up and wait” kind of experience. And sure — medium format can be all those things. (I have a Contax 645 that I love) But what if I told you there’s a …
The Quiet Romantic
Ode to the Pentax 645: The Quiet Romantic of Medium Format In the world of medium format photography, some names shout. Hasselblad — the status (or dare I say it, pretentious). Mamiya — the muscle, the dependable workhorse, all business. But then there’s Pentax. Humble, earnest, quietly brilliant. And among its creations, the Pentax 645 …