Here’s a picture of Mango. This little guy is pretty cute. This was shot with the 24mm f1.4, wide open. It’s such a good lens for making animals look super cute.
Photography in the Family
My dad always talked about his father handing down a large format camera. I never saw it until recently, and it’s a really incredible piece.
What you see here is a Zeiss Ikon, 120mm large format camera. It’s in excellent condition, and it’s just so compact. What’s amazing is that it feels smaller than my Nikon D610.
Here’s a photo of my dad’s Nikon F2 next to his dad’s camera. There’s a part of me that wants to upgrade my camera body at some point and get some Leica lenses. Maybe at some point, I’ll pick up that Sony A7RII in the future and snag a f.95 noctilux on there. #GOALS
What’s crazy is that I learned photography on my dad’s camera. It’s bonkers that I’m actually still using his lenses.
Oooh… I’d like this to be a part of the trio of cameras in our family. I love my D600, but it’s bulky, and acts up every once and a while.
Oh man, Sony really got it right with this one.
The Temptation of a Mirrorless Camera Body
As you know, I’ve been getting back into photography recently. I believe I’ve been drawn to it more since I’ve been using ephemeral photo/video apps like Flare and Snapchat. There are just some things that I want to capture and keep forever.
Right now, I have this little itch to upgrade my gear. There’s a serious allure to the new mirrorless camera bodies out there. Even the cropped sensors are getting pretty darn good. In particular, I’d love to get my hands on a Sony A7II or A7RII. They’re just so well designed… they’re so compact, and I really like the retro design combined with all the new high tech features.
There are a ton mirrorless bodies being released, and each one is getting better and better with every new iteration. The problem is that if I upgrade, I’d probably have to get new glass.
And I’m not sure if I’m ready to sell everything off. And truth be told, I don’t think a new camera body will really affect the quality of my images, nor will it make my photography any better.
One could argue that the iPhone is all you really need… but I definitely prefer using my DSLR. I tried doing the whole minimal photography with the iPhone, but it was really limited.
There’s just something nice about looking through a viewfinder and composing a shot. Currently, I’m using a Nikon D600 with a couple of lenses, and it seems to be working for me.
Anyway, I think the point I’m making is that I don’t need to get a new body right now. It’s probably more important to focus on developing my eye and investing into more glass. I’m not sure how long I’ll commit to this statement, but I’d like to think that I can use my gear for several more years.
Lunch at Northern Neck Burgers Co
My parents took us out to a restaurant in Kilmarnock to try out a burger they were raving about.
It’s a small little place, and their burgers were legit.
I would have to say, only order one and split it with a friend. There’s no way you can eat the entire burger yourself.
And they have these fries/chips that were freshly cut. They’re pretty damn delicious when you add a little extra oldbay seasoning on them.
Overall, it was awesome.
Portraits of Mom and Dad
My dad wanted to take us to a brunch at a country club near Kilmarnock. While we were there, I took a moment to snap a couple of photos.
This was probably one of my favorite pictures. Sure, the light was a little to harsh, the wind was blowing their hair everywhere, but there’s something about the photo that I love. It’s hard to express with words.
Heres the same photo, but a few steps back to give a little more context. I’m not sure which one I like better, but I’m really digging the 35mm lens I got. It’s able to create enough separation between the foreground and background to make things a little more interesting.
Personally, this is one of my favorite photos of my dad. He’s really enjoying the view and the weather.
And here’s mom. Her hair’s blowing everywhere, but she’s awesome. I love her. She’s not big into photos, but she’s patient enough to let me snap a couple before we left the club.
Just to give you a little context, here’s the view. It’s a really lovely place.
Oh yeh, and here’s a bonus photo of my parents with Annie on a dock. They look great.
And one more with me and Annie. My dad insisted on taking a photo. You know, he’s got a pretty good eye.
Xmas at the Wong’s
I’m just getting caught up on blogging. I’ve posted most of these photos on other social media, but I figure I might as well document them here too. Better late than never. Heh.
This christmas, my mom made a delicious turkey with stuffing.
I’m not sure how she does it, but it gets better and better every year.
And my dad does the honors of carving it up.
Jack waits patiently, as usual. I love this little guy, but he’s become a food monster.
I’m not supposed to drink, but I will make exceptions for this occasion.
I’ve been saving this bottle of Moet for a special occasion that Jim gave me as a farewell gift from AddThis.
Thanks Jim. Cheers!
Everyone prepping for dinner.
Thankfully, I had an old tripod my dad gave me from years ago. As much as I wanted to sell this one off and get a new one, it still came in handy!
Last but not least, my mom made a delicious home made pecan pie. This was made with love, and tasted delicious! What a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas.