Chasing Suki With The Ricoh GR

Been messin’ around with the Ricoh GR this week. Large APS-C chip, sharp 28mm equivalent optic, super small magnesium body. Good stuff.

One of my favorite features is the camera’s snap focus mode, which lets you easily preset a focus distance. Then you just stop it down, select a fast enough shutter speed, hang the camera low every now and then and jam on the shutter. Not a bad way to get a bunch of random photos of Suki running this way. And that way. And this way again.

Oops. Did I mention selecting a fast enough shutter speed? The GR’s handy TAv mode allows you set both shutter speed and aperture manually while the camera floats the ISO up and down automatically. You get the depth of field and motion-stopping control you want without having to worry about your exposure, which is pretty handy when you’re chasing a Shiba Inu though an intersection with the camera. Overall, I’m pretty impressed!

All Images: Ricoh GR | VSCO 04 Velvia 50

Wow. Suki Is Doge.

My last blog post of 2013 is dedicated to a photo I took of Suki back in 2010. This image became part of one of the biggest memes of the year, thanks in part to the comic sans someone graced it with before sending it off into viral internetlandia.

In fact, The Verge just ran this article today about the origin of the meme, which includes a touching story about Kabosu the Shiba Inu as well as excerpts from an interview with yours truly. Check it out!

Looking back on the night I took this photo, I remember how hilariously difficult it was to work with Suki. Think she was the perfect little model during my 52 Weeks Project? Think again:

Many pose. Such uncooperative. Wow.

One does not simply repeat a project like this year after year, but Suki still spent plenty of time in front of my cameras in 2013. This was the year of pack film adventures with my Land Camera and black and white photos with my old rangefinder, at least for my personal photography.

Big thanks to all who stopped by the blog this year. Stay tuned for more Suki adventures in 2014!

The Suki Face

Suki is a truly beautiful creature. I mean, just look at that face. Look at it!

Now that we’ve had her in the family for over 5 years, it’s clear she’s grown out of her little “teenage” phase. Much more chill and gentle, a little less playful, ever aloof (unless you’re coming through our front door for the first time), very self sufficient and content, yet intensely loyal and connected to the two of us.

Thankfully, she’s also very tolerant of my constant gushing over her =)

Leica M9 + 35mm f/2 Summicron ASPH

Tiny Glimpses

Between shooting pack film and and just being busier than ever, my 35mm gear has seen very little use these days. In fact, I’ve had the same roll of black and white in my Leica for like three months! After running through the last few frames this past week, I finally got the roll developed at my local lab.

When you leave a roll of film in the camera for this long, you tend to forget much of what you’ve shot. In a way that’s pretty cool, because when you finally have your first look at the developed film, it’s like rediscovering your very recent past. Tiny glimpses.

Or, just a lot of photos of my wife and my dog =)

Leica M3 + 50mm f/1.4 Summilux | Kodak T-MAX 100