Daily Challenge Day to Day ongoing discussion ...

Another thanks to Matt @MoonMind is in order now for moderating three challenges in a row. Having an incentive to come up with a photo each day certainly helped in me getting out to shoot. For those who continue with a daily challenge: all the best and just try to keep on shooting, no matter what. More than once I didn't feel like it at all, but still went out and invariably felt better after having done so.
Thanks, Ad, for the kind words - but just for the record, this challenge carries on ... :)

M.
 
Another month of shooting finished. Thanks, Matt, for this kind of relaxed challenge, I really enjoyed the variety and the very individual paths of some of the participants.

Although sometimes I didn't quite feel like "dragging myself out", I must say that on the whole I've enjoyed these photo outings. Somehow it made me see my surroundings much more consciously and mindfully while walking. And apart from holidays I've never taken so many pics a day.

Besides, it gave me some surprises, too, about what is possible with the "small package" (Lumix). And only because of having that one with me did I get the little encounters with the hare and the ducklings captured as a nice memory.
If the challenge goes on in July I'll be in. I hope to get the daily shot delivered again.
 
I have enjoyed working on this challenge since it made take a closer look at my immediate surroundings. More than that, I enjoyed, and often marveled at, the the work of all of the participants in this challenge. Thank you, Matt for setting this up. While I will not participate in the "Single in July", I look forward to see the participants work.
 
Even though I struggled with shooting today, of all possible days, we've made it to 100 consecutive days of shooting :)

This has become something of a routine now - the next step for me personally will be to go on the search of new subject matter ... which means either taking the bike or the car first (mostly the former if things work out).

M.
 
Today I took the opportunity to revisit an image I posted earlier (on day 9 of SiJy) with a more appropriate focal length ...

Shooting an 28mm-e made me appreciate what a real tele, a 135mm-e, should be able to do ... and I was not disappointed, even though I could have done better.

FXE36150.jpg
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I'm not yet perfectly at home with framing with the 135mm-e lens, the Fuji 90mm f/2 - but I'm already pretty good at pre-visualising, and that's very encouraging; I seem to be able enough to "see" in this FoV, even though I don't get the exact positioning of the subject right every time - but I'm getting there.

These challenges provide lots of learning opportunities - among everything else ...

M.
 
This challenge really has interesting side effects - for instance, I'm routinely testing stuff and am getting pretty proficient at assessing the findings ... Shooting daily really helps putting things into perspective.

I've been cycling through a lot of gear in the last 111 days, too, zeroing in on things I just seem to have no use for. You know, if, in all this time, I haven't found a good reason *not* to use something, I'm probably not using it anyway ... (you have to scan that sentence carefully - it's still true: If you don't use something because you don't have the chance, that's fine because it's reasonable; if you don't use something even though there'd be good opportunities, something may well be wrong ... possibly your idea that you needed it in the first place ...).

And for all the restrictions we have to live with, I'm by now also aware of the shooting scenarios I *do not* miss ...

M.
 
Please note: I'll be out of town for three days and have no idea what I can do from the place where I'll stay, so I'll set up the required daily threads in advance.

It's possible I'll not be able to post myself - I'll remedy that once I'm back.

Just take a little care when picking a thread to post in :)

M.

(Cross-posted to the "Single in" discussion thread.)
 
Today, I thought I needed to get shooting over with early because the weather forecast was bleak indeed. And I got some usable images in the rain, right enough (thanks to the E-M5 III, no problem at all). However, I am so glad I chose to go out again in the late afternoon - not only did the initial drizzle stop, the sun came out; the whole walk turned into a moving, almost cathardic experience of dazzling light and the impossibly warm, vibrant colours of a golden hour in autumn.

In all that glory, I became acutely aware of all the anguish that has dominated the last couple of months, and tears came - but that wasn't a bad thing because the wonderful atmosphere virtually broke at least some of the invisible chains that had allowed to weigh me down. I also truely felt my exhaustion (still do, in fact; it's a bit like taking off a heavy backpack after a long day's hike - it's liberating, but you don't stop aching for quite some time). But crucially, I also rediscovered my joy of living - and, more to the point, my will to live. It was one of those momentous moments you cannot plan for.

I'm now more determined than ever to get through all this. There's still so much to witness and marvel at ...

M.
 
Just for the record: This is the day when Switzerland officially declared itself a global hotspot of the pandemic. We're heading for the chasm now - and there's no telling how deep it'll turn out to be.

I'll keep going out to shoot as long as I judge it feasible, but it may become increasingly difficult in the next couple of weeks, if not months, to keep up any kind of routine. Stay safe, everyone.

M.
 
This thread has proved to be a very interesting read with some passionate and heartfelt comments made within it. Given my frame of mind at the time which caused me to not participate in the last "single in" challenge there was no way I would have been able to stick this one out. I'm having another sleepless night with the discomfort being caused by bladder stones for which I need an operation, the prospect of which is receding into the dim and unforeseeable future. Having accepted that fact I've recently returned to photography just at a time when the weather is appallingly wet and windy so I've spent a huge amount of time looking at setting up cameras to obtain decent jpeg images. However in the process I've learned better ways of manipulating RawTherapee to produce what I hope is improved output so am likely to be sticking with raw files, however I'm having to revisit older images to prove that point. Not withstanding that my foray into jpeg production has been an interesting and mind occupying one and all part of my way back into the pastime.

Getting back to this thread.
I have to defend my adopted son because of the evil lies being spewed .... about "Chinese" and Covid.
this post touched me deeply and illustrates the unintended consequences of thoughtless remarks and ill though out actions. William, I do so hope your adopted son has not suffered any problems due to the current situation as a result of crazy ideas planted in peoples minds and that he has made friends in school that are further able to help him through the bad times as I feel sure you're able to having already reached out to a child in need.

Barrie
 
Today was the most peculiar experience ... not exactly new, but in the light of current developments, decidedly schizophrenic.

First and foremost, I really had a blast shooting today - so much so that I'm almost embarrassed by the huge number of images I really wish to share. I hope you're not too unhappy with me because of this ... I'll just keep them coming ...

I also have decided that I'll rest all serious gear change/purge plans for the time being because in all honesty, I simply don't have a single piece of gear that's not worthy of being used at this point - I feel it'd be frivolous to just sell things off to swap them for others. Case in point as of today: the Sony A6000 with the lens I literally bought it for, the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 Contemporary. I want to be able to use that lens on APS-C - and the A6000 is still an amazingly capable platform for that (until the lens is available for Nikon Z mount - at which point I'll swap mounts). I'm frankly no longer favouring incremental changes and want to stop trying things just for the sake of it - either I can really do away with something (i.e. really don't run the risk of re-buying it later), or I'll keep it until I have a clear "upgrade" path - which means that I can replace it with a Z mount solution. That's not to say I'll not sell stuff or replace. But I'm not actively looking for opportunities to do so (so, for instance, no Sony A7C for me - the A7 II basically does what I need, and the rest is again a case of Sigma coming through ...). I'm lucky there ... finally, the dust seems to want to settle ...

Okay, now for the counterpoint and the really, really sombre stuff: Switzerland has one of the most terrifying surges of Corona cases in the world right now - but our politicians still try to get away with the least severe measures they can possibly take. Our national bank made billions of Swiss francs of profits this year - yet they say we cannot afford another lockdown; instead, they urge people to wear masks and keep their distance. Which - they don't, at least not the ones I saw outside today. As a matter of fact, most of them didn't take enough - if any - precautions; they don't seem to understand the latest restrictions and regulations at all - they still seem to think that when you're outside, Corona basically ceases to exist. I carried a mask and kept my distance; in populated areas, I wore it. But I was the only one doing that ... and not even I was cautious enough at all times: I was once caught out by an elderly gentleman wanting to talk to me and stepping closer much too quickly for me to get ready in time; I retreated instead and told him to keep away because getting closer might be dangerous for him. He didn't seem to mind ... This makes me feel utterly despondent ...

I have (not: want!) to make a prediction here: We're facing hundreds of deaths a day within the next couple of weeks in Switzerland - and it'll go on like that for at least a month after we reach that stage; which means tens of thousands of victims. Countless other people will suffer, grieve and be traumatised. If this outlook were still capable of depressing me, I'd probably break down right here and now. But I've had to accept all this as inevitable by now, so all that's left to do is brace myself - and I'll have to continue work as long as we're obliged to, so I have to persevere anyway. I so hope I'll be proven wrong in this matter - but so far, all worst case scenarios I've had to contemplate have actually played out ... It's really, really scary - and it's very, very stupid because it wouldn't have been too hard to avoid. But now these thoughts are just academical: What we can't change, we have to face.

M.
 
Matt, I know it’s hard but try not to let the dark nights in. Pandemics don’t last forever. Just carry on doing what you are doing to help keep you and those you care for safe as you can. This time will pass.

I am sending you a socially distant hug 🤗 - I feel you need it.

I’m glad you are finding some escape through your photography. Do share your images. It’s good to hear you are on a roll.

K
 
Here’s a big kiss Matt.

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Did that help?
It does, Steve - because it sure made me chuckle. I know how it must all sound to you in the States - I think I must appear like a right whiner, considering ... You've been in a way worse situation for months now.

@Briar Karen, thank you so much, and I think you are absolutely right; I'll keep trying to prevent myself from being swallowed up by this. In fact, I think that's what I'm doing when I'm using this thread as an outlet for my frustration. The images, meanwhile, are part of the remedy - proof of an alternative viewpoint, certainly. There are still things worth seeing and photographing ...

M.
 
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