journal

Is printing your images still necessary?

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I don’t remember who said it, or the exact quote, but it went something like this: an image isn’t an image until it becomes a print, or that the print is the final step for an image.

This used to be the case a few decades ago, when the only way to create and see an image was in the darkroom in the form of a print.

But is it still true today? With all the ways that today’s technology offers to share our art?

I don’t believe this is longer the case. I don’t think the print is the (only) final step of an image today.

Don’t get me wrong, printing your images is awesome and something that every photographer should do (I myself print some of them) -but we don’t have to print an image for it to be considered art.

Most of my images aren’t going to be printed, ever. They’ll live as digital art here on my website, on Instagram or on YouTube. I don’t think less of them: they are still my work, my art, and they fulfill their purpose as such.

I feel very lucky to live in this day and age when I can use film cameras from decades ago and print my images in the darkroom, and use a completely digital workflow from beginning to end.

El Camino: a 130-mile solo winter adventure

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Last week I went on an adventure that I won't be forgetting any time soon. I walked 130 miles in 6 days, fighting not only my body and mind but also the elements: 3 big storms hit the region and I got plenty of rain, wind, snow and ice.

I wanted to document this journey and the moview "El Camino" is the result. Definitely my most ambitious (and longest) movie to date.

If you are thinking about doing El Camino in winter, don't miss my post How to do El Camino de Santiago in winter.

One adventure's end is a new adventure's beginning

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It feels like it was yesterday when I left for my fall trip. Back in Spain and still not entirely unpacked, it's time to grab my bags and hit the road yet again. This time, though, it's going to be a little bit different.

During the next 7 days I will be hiking between 15 and 18 miles a day, facing pouring rain and maybe even snow, as I follow the famous pilgrimage route to Santiago.

I'd never thought about doing the camino, and even less in winter, but something about it feels just right.

See you out there.

On Editing

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A few months ago, I decided to start calling myself an artist, instead of a photographer. After all, I create art. Or I try to.

Artists aren't trying to represent what I see in an accurate and truthfully way. We try to express ourselves.

Instead of capturing nature with proper exposure and focus so it resembles as much as possible the original, we try to use it to express an idea or emotion, to add our own character.

This approach to photography is less about what's in front of the lens, and more about who's behind it.

In order to make an image able to convey our message from a realistic representation, often times we have no choice but to edit, in software or the darkroom, our negatives, RAW files, whatever it is, so creation can happen.

Many dismiss this as unethical or unnecessary. I say, this is how art is done.

Best books I've read lately

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  • On Writing, by Stephen King. The guy knows how to write, I couldn't put it down.
  • On the shortness of life, by Seneca. 2,000 years later and the content of these three letters is still relevant. Beautiful written, too.
  • Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius. I read it as part of my study of Stoicism. Incredibly deep and humbling thoughts from the most powerful man of his time.
  • The obstacle is the way, by Ryan Holiday. A good introduction to Stoicism, and an easy read. I'm currently reading his The daily stoic.
  • Atomic Habits, by James Clear. Tips and tricks on how to build good habits and get rid of the bad ones. His is one of the very few newsletters I subscribe to and look forward to reading.
  • Buddha: a story of enlightenment, by Deepak Chopra. A book about spiritualism written by an alternative medicine advocate is probably the last thing I'd expect myself to fall in my hands. The story of Buddha is a beautiful one and this book does a terrific job. One of my favorite reads of the last few years, hands down.
  • Goodbye, things, by Fumio Sasaki. Minimalism is all the rage nowadays and I'm all on board. This was one of the first books I've read on the topic and it's still my favorite.
  • Come comida real, by Carlos Ríos. This one is in Spanish. Nutrition is another topic I've been exploring during the last few months and this book does a great job at explaining why most of the "food" you find in a grocery store isn't real food at all. It also shows the benefits of eating healthy and why you shouldn't be ashamed of it (I struggled with this!).
  • 10% Happier, by Dan Harris. How the author got into meditation and how it's helped improving his day-to-day life. Meditation and mental health is yet another topic I'm interested in, and this book is unique in that shows a person's experience with the practice, instead of a boring manual of things you should and should not do.
  • The art of creative thinking, by Rod Junkins. Stories and lessons from famous and not so famous artists. I think one should carve their own path and not necessarily repeat what others have done in the past, but I found plenty of inspiration in this book.

How camera companies are losing to smartphones

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How camera companies are losing to smartphones

I went to Venice yesterday. Even though I visited as a tourist and spent little time making images, I still brought my cameras and tripod with me. Just in case.

I also used my phone, of course.

Every time I use both systems for "image making" (not just snaps), I see how camera companies are losing to the increasingly more powerful smartphones. And I can't believe they aren't reacting.

The megapixel race has ended a while ago. Sensors are getting better and better, but it doesn't matter that much anymore. They are good enough, they have been for a while. Today, and in the foreseeable future, is the software that makes the difference.

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