Alf
Top Veteran
- Location
- Northeastern Tuscany
I've been seriously thinking of a new GX1, and as prices online seemed little better, I decided to enjoy a walk into town for the full shopping experience in a brick-and-mortar authentic camera shop - they are almost extinct, but there are a few, historical of course this being Tuscany.
So here I am, stepping out of the train into Florence and its art.
kitty in Florence di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL1 with 20/1.7 Lumix - snapseed edit
Florence is full of light, the sky is clean, and the town is in full Pitti mode: the beautiful people of the fashion sistem, tens of thousands of buyers from the whole planet, and an indeterminate amount of innocent bystanders all head to the Fortezza and the nearby squares, mixing with the constant stream of tourist and the crowd heading in for the sales. Impromptu events litter the streets and squares, usually together.
just in di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL1 with 20/1.7 Lumix - snapseed edit
Then I enter this little room full of Leicas new and old, marvel at old glass and at its prices looking like serial numbers, and get to play with many a camera. On to the GX1, play, touch, play again with my 20/1.7, hmm. It seems difficult to get the pics I like, more than with my E-PL1. Maybe it's the IBIS, maybe it's the different controls, and maybe it's me. Not so sure anymore.
While I think on this I spot a little black duck in the back of the display, and ask for a test. Again, on the 20mm, good. Kit lens, yes. And it's tiny but not so much, and damn fast.
And I exit the shop much poorer, and the proud owner of a matt black E-PL3 and Olympus 45mm and head to the street to play with my new toy.
Shoppers and protesters take a moment of rest and chat.
Politics. di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
Onlookers or plainclothes police taking notice of me.
Fashion,Politics di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
And the works. Love this highlights.
Firenze di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
You know where I'm heading, the famous black hole of world tourism, around which all orbits.
They all head there.
see di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
From the direction she is looking, she just spotted where the Chanel shop is.
over there di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
He is lost in the forms, drawing statues.
Drawing di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
He looks at a girl, at many naked statues together, and thinks. It shows.
what is he seeing? di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
Meanwhile I head on to the calm place over there, Santa Croce.
Santa Croce di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
Not alone, of course. Here's that fast autofocus they were talking about.
Running in Santa Croce di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
Then, an alley out. "Icché c'è c'è" is Tuscan for "you're getting what we have".
trattoria di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
After all that beauty, they walk and shop. Quite well dressed to be normal tourists, maybe they are here for Pitti. Or maybe they are just like this everyday.
Shopping di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
Meanwhile life in town goes on as usual, more or less. A wedding photo session I bumped into here and there. Meet Serious Wedding Photographer.
A Pro, wedding shooting di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
And the bride, just near the Duomo. Don't know if they flied half the world to get married here, or belong to the growing Chinese community in nearby Prato. But it seems they enjoy the place.
Wedding shoot di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
And he enjoys the sight too, +1 for cultural integration, it seems.
Very happy di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
Over there, someone is lost and asks his way out.
Crime never sleeps di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
Someone is on duty, as always.
on duty di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
They head to their afternoon out and a cup or two,
One, two, three di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
And I head home a happy duck.
Sit di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
So here I am, stepping out of the train into Florence and its art.
kitty in Florence di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL1 with 20/1.7 Lumix - snapseed edit
Florence is full of light, the sky is clean, and the town is in full Pitti mode: the beautiful people of the fashion sistem, tens of thousands of buyers from the whole planet, and an indeterminate amount of innocent bystanders all head to the Fortezza and the nearby squares, mixing with the constant stream of tourist and the crowd heading in for the sales. Impromptu events litter the streets and squares, usually together.
just in di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL1 with 20/1.7 Lumix - snapseed edit
Then I enter this little room full of Leicas new and old, marvel at old glass and at its prices looking like serial numbers, and get to play with many a camera. On to the GX1, play, touch, play again with my 20/1.7, hmm. It seems difficult to get the pics I like, more than with my E-PL1. Maybe it's the IBIS, maybe it's the different controls, and maybe it's me. Not so sure anymore.
While I think on this I spot a little black duck in the back of the display, and ask for a test. Again, on the 20mm, good. Kit lens, yes. And it's tiny but not so much, and damn fast.
And I exit the shop much poorer, and the proud owner of a matt black E-PL3 and Olympus 45mm and head to the street to play with my new toy.
Shoppers and protesters take a moment of rest and chat.
Politics. di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
Onlookers or plainclothes police taking notice of me.
Fashion,Politics di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
And the works. Love this highlights.
Firenze di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
You know where I'm heading, the famous black hole of world tourism, around which all orbits.
They all head there.
see di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
From the direction she is looking, she just spotted where the Chanel shop is.
over there di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
He is lost in the forms, drawing statues.
Drawing di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
He looks at a girl, at many naked statues together, and thinks. It shows.
what is he seeing? di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
Meanwhile I head on to the calm place over there, Santa Croce.
Santa Croce di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
Not alone, of course. Here's that fast autofocus they were talking about.
Running in Santa Croce di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
Then, an alley out. "Icché c'è c'è" is Tuscan for "you're getting what we have".
trattoria di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
After all that beauty, they walk and shop. Quite well dressed to be normal tourists, maybe they are here for Pitti. Or maybe they are just like this everyday.
Shopping di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
Meanwhile life in town goes on as usual, more or less. A wedding photo session I bumped into here and there. Meet Serious Wedding Photographer.
A Pro, wedding shooting di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
And the bride, just near the Duomo. Don't know if they flied half the world to get married here, or belong to the growing Chinese community in nearby Prato. But it seems they enjoy the place.
Wedding shoot di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
And he enjoys the sight too, +1 for cultural integration, it seems.
Very happy di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
Over there, someone is lost and asks his way out.
Crime never sleeps di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
Someone is on duty, as always.
on duty di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit
They head to their afternoon out and a cup or two,
One, two, three di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - OOC jpeg
And I head home a happy duck.
Sit di alfrjw, su Flickr
E-PL3 with 45/1,8 - snapseed edit