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"Warm Sun" Austin, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/10, 1/100 sec, ISO1000
“Warm Sun” Austin, 2018

こんばんは。How’s it going?

Today’s photo is of the notebooks that are on my work desk. I was chatting with a friend about journaling and writing in notebooks, and I thought about the barriers that prevent me from writing more. And by writing, I don’t mean writing stories or the great American novel. But just jotting down reminders, practicing kana, doodling, etc.

And I realize that one of the big barriers for me is just the proximity of the notebook and pen. For instance, when my notebook is in my bag on the floor, that’s too far. However, if I keep the notebook on my desk, opened to a blank page and a pen resting on top, then I write a lot more.

It’s kind of like photography for me. Since my X100T is so small and easy to carry around, I almost always have it with me, and therefore I take more photos. It’s readily available all the time.

So, making the pen and paper easily accessible has been key so far this year. My notebook might not be the prettiest, but it’s functional and I enjoy writing in it. It’s just another small thing that makes life a little more fun.

I hope you had a nice day!

おやすみ

Enjoy Shooting

"Cold Front" Leander, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/16, 1/1250 sec, ISO200
“Cold Front” Leander, 2018

こんばんは。How’s it going?

I watched a great video by Kevin Mullins in which he talks about simplifying the photographic process. I agree with a lot of what he says and his idea of letting the camera do most of the work, and you just concentrate on seeing the scene. He also talks about simplifying your gear and amount of kit you carry. I think once you stop thinking about gear, the photographic process gets simpler and purer, and also more enjoyable.

It’s kind of where I am at (and have been for a while) with my photography hobby. I’ve gone through the evolution of buying lots of gear and maximizing specs, lusting after the latest and greatest cameras and lenses, and collecting many different camera formats (and spending a fair bit of money). Then I started gravitating to smaller cameras, ditching gear, and eventually landed with my X100T, which doesn’t even have interchangeable lenses. And I love it! It’s been my go-to camera for the past few years. I don’t need anything more than this. When I travel, I take this one camera, a couple batteries, and I am all set. It makes traveling much more enjoyable!

"Trusty" Cedar Park, 2017
“Trusty” Cedar Park, 2017

I am on a journey to simplify my life, and simplifying my main hobby of photography is a great step in the right direction.

Today’s photo is of the sky as a cold front arrived in Texas. The temperature will drop about 40 degrees in just 12 hours! Brrrr….

Keep warm!

おやすみ

Sketch and Kanji

"Work at Home Sketch" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.5, 1/60 sec, ISO1250
“Work at Home Sketch” Cedar Park, 2018

こんばんは。How’s it going?

Today I did a quick sketch for the first time a long while, and I think it turned out ok. I only spent maybe 10 minutes on it, so there needs to be a lot more work to make it better. The lines are very stiff IMO but I still don’t know what style I prefer to do. Maybe simplify things even more?

During my lunch break, I also did some hiragana practice and worked on writing my name. The kanji is somewhat difficult (18 strokes for the first character) but it all came back to me quickly. I still think it looks really clumsy. But it’s a signature, so I don’t know if I should try to write it as nice as I can, or just go with the flow. Probably the latter.

Anyways, it was fun to just doodle and write kana for a while. Every little bit helps! “A line drawn is never wasted”, right?

To see all the sketches I’ve been working on, you can check out the Flickr album “My Sketching Journey”, or my Instagram account barron.sketches which I created just for posting sketches, watercolors, and stationery items.

I hope you had a nice Wednesday!

またね~

Indian-Style Dinner

"Indian-Style Meal" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.5, 1/125 sec, ISO1250
“Indian-Style Meal” Cedar Park, 2018

こんばんは。How’s it going?

The delicious homemade meals just keep coming! Tonight we had an Indian-style chicken tikka masala, homemade naan, pickled onion, and cabbage salad. Whenever Mariko says she is making Indian food, the dinner-anticipation rises dramatically.

For things like curry, or basically anything that goes on rice, Koa always likes to mix it up before eating. We call it “Koa-style” now. It doesn’t look so appetizing, but I’m sure it still tastes good. 😀

"Koa-style" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.5, 1/125 sec, ISO1250
“Koa-style” Cedar Park, 2018

I hope you had a nice Tuesday!

またね~