SiJ 2017 - musings on closing.

I enjoyed the experience and managed to post a photo each day. I did learn that having a project in mind for the whole month would have been better than simply submitting random shots each day. Even something as simple as photographing a single colour would have tied the project togethet.
 
Still, the 25 1.2 is a pretty big lens anyway so I think the 12-100 would have been a better choice.

For a travel reportage, I agree. For a month of SiJ I disagree. I like the work you have to put into shooting with a fixed focal length, and that helps me to get better thought out shots. I did use the 25 1.2 this month, on an even larger body (EM1), and although I thought I'd dislike that (the Pen-F is my preferred camera body, and I do prefer smaller lenses in general), it wasn't the case at all. 50eq is still a very versatile length: with some careful planning you can make your images have a short tele, a normal or even a slightly wide look. In the past years I went to favour 35eq over 50eq, but this month made me remember what fun it is to shoot with 50eq. If I'd have a SiF, I'd use the same gear.
 
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I dropped out - the first time I'd done so - and I put it down to poor choice of kit. The device I chose - the Panasonic CM1 - was just too limited for me and, frankly, uninspiring. I found it a real chore to shoot with and have decided that portable telephone photography is both immature in it's current execution and simply not for me. I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I picked up a "proper" camera again. I also found that my shots this year were not to the same standard as those of previous years, in terms of output but also creativity and "strength" of the images. I applaud those who completed and enjoyed the ride in terms of seeing what others shot. I'll never say never, but as I feel at the moment I'll spectate next time.
 
This is an interesting article on living with one lens and one body for a whole trip:
Ultimate travel kit - Thailand with Olympus' E-M1 II & 25mm prime lens
This guy chose an Olympus EM1 II and 25 1.2, a very nice and expensive kit. Still, make this any mirrorless ILC and the 50 mm equiv. and much of what he says applies. My teenage photography years were spent with a low end Spotmatic and a 50 and I think I still tend to think that way. Still, the 25 1.2 is a pretty big lens anyway so I think the 12-100 would have been a better choice.

I think I would struggle with just a 50mm equiv. prime lens. My optician just prescribed me varifocals so I might see the world differently! Hmmm so much so that I might even try it this month just to see how I get on. Going to Warsaw, will I dare try it? Nah I've no back bone, I'd need to pack a little more just in case! Still I can take it with me and see ... maybe! :cautious:
 
I'm finding that, free from all the self imposed constraints of SIJ and commitment placed upon myself with that S95, the photos taken with my current 'normal' gear have stepped up a bit, anyone else found that?
 
I did find the 50mm a bit limiting for SIJ, probably would have switched to the 35mm sometimes if I had not committed to the one lens for the month. But for years in my film days I only had one 35mm camera, a Nikkormat with a 50mm f1.4 Nikkor. You learn to do the best you can with the tools at hand.
 
Again, I really enjoyed the challenge however I sorta' kinda' doubt any of the images will make there way to my portfolio. For the fun of it I put together a small "Apple Book" of the thirty-one images. It arrived via FedEx today. 'Looks pretty cool! 'Thought I'd share. :)
. . . David
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I declared the post a winner, because I really think we should do more with our photographs. Printing them, or creating a book, is a good idea. From the beginning I intended to create a book of my efforts as well, but daily business crept up with me. So you post reminded me to put that higher on my to do list.
 
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