Day One 2013
Daughter #2 spent a long weekend with her mom and dad. Because of the state of the 1994 Volvo, she drove a one-way rental down to Orlando. Then her boyfriend came down from Tallahassee for New Years Eve. Today they packed up his car with her all her things and they drove back together. Before they left we all enjoyed a great brunch at First Watch on Sandlake Road. It was a great day and an enjoyable moment in time.
While my daughter was in town we went to a movie (The Hobbit) and grabbed a few moments here and there photographing the general area. As she gets older our dual photography sessions are more and more interesting. I look forward her showing me what she took while she was here.
One spot we stopped at was downtown at City Hall and the Dr. Phillips Art Center construction site. I grabbed a few photos and found the old grove beginning to come back.
The knee surgery was a time for me to just drop back and chill out, concentrating on physical and mental healing. As I come out of that period I find my mind is a lot clearer. Interesting ideas are beginning to bubble up. Although I know I'll be facing many challenges, I face them more calmly than I would have before November of last year. I have no idea what will happen in 2013, but whatever may come I will find a way over or around them.
Technical
All photos were taken with the Olympus E-PL2 and M.Zuiko 45mm. Everyone has their favorite lens in a given system. For ยต4:3rds it has grown to be the 45mm. I certainly like other lenses, such as the Leica 25mm and Lumix 14mm, but I keep reaching for the 45mm and it keeps defining the Olympus system for me. I've made the decision to get an OM-D E-M5 body (just the body) to add to my Pen collection. I stripped everything away that wasn't necessary for me, including the 12-50mm kit lens and the HLD-6 grips. If I need those (especially the HLD-6) then I'll get them later. I already have an excellent collection of lenses to compliment the E-M5 and ideas on how to use it all. We shall see what may come as the year unfolds.
Final Thoughts
Some people write long blog posts about what was good or bad about the prior year. Then they write another making predictions about the coming year, or talk about resolutions they want to make and plan to keep. I've done some of that on this blog already, but in the end I found both efforts a waste of time. All I can say is I spent 2012 in increasing pain because of my left knee, which makes what I remember about 2012 somewhat blurred and chaotic. Then eight weeks ago (2 November) I had the bit that was busted replaced, and spent the following time in physical therapy making it all begin to work again. I look to being more engaged in 2013, in part to make up for some of the problems that developed due to my systemic pain in 2012. All that, and Obama's second term with the increasingly rudderless Republicans, is going to make life interesting. I don't know why specifically but I have a feeling I'm going to have to really be on my toes.
One spot we stopped at was downtown at City Hall and the Dr. Phillips Art Center construction site. I grabbed a few photos and found the old grove beginning to come back.
Technical
All photos were taken with the Olympus E-PL2 and M.Zuiko 45mm. Everyone has their favorite lens in a given system. For ยต4:3rds it has grown to be the 45mm. I certainly like other lenses, such as the Leica 25mm and Lumix 14mm, but I keep reaching for the 45mm and it keeps defining the Olympus system for me. I've made the decision to get an OM-D E-M5 body (just the body) to add to my Pen collection. I stripped everything away that wasn't necessary for me, including the 12-50mm kit lens and the HLD-6 grips. If I need those (especially the HLD-6) then I'll get them later. I already have an excellent collection of lenses to compliment the E-M5 and ideas on how to use it all. We shall see what may come as the year unfolds.
Final Thoughts
Some people write long blog posts about what was good or bad about the prior year. Then they write another making predictions about the coming year, or talk about resolutions they want to make and plan to keep. I've done some of that on this blog already, but in the end I found both efforts a waste of time. All I can say is I spent 2012 in increasing pain because of my left knee, which makes what I remember about 2012 somewhat blurred and chaotic. Then eight weeks ago (2 November) I had the bit that was busted replaced, and spent the following time in physical therapy making it all begin to work again. I look to being more engaged in 2013, in part to make up for some of the problems that developed due to my systemic pain in 2012. All that, and Obama's second term with the increasingly rudderless Republicans, is going to make life interesting. I don't know why specifically but I have a feeling I'm going to have to really be on my toes.
Excellent choice Bill - I'm really looking forward to reading more about your experience with that OM-D. And I agree on the 45mm (and also on the 14mm, I don't have that 25mm (yet?)) - that's why I bought one more just for myself.
ReplyDeleteLove the images of your daughter (and boyfriend). Both are excellent.
Wishing you all the best,
Wolfgang
Thank you Wolfgang. I'm looking forward to the sensor quality of the E-M5, which, according to DxOMark, is supposed to match that in the NEX-5N, the camera that was used to create the photo of my daughter. Oddly enough the NEX has trained me a bit to get even more out of the Pen raw files, especially the mid-tones. Or maybe I just needed a different tool to see a bit differently, even with the Pens...
DeleteYour decision makes a lot of sense. Keep us up to date on how the E-M5 works out for you. It's a camera that has my interest. But it's been hard to pull the trigger when I still have a Pentax DSLR kit.
ReplyDeleteYes, this will all be interesting.
Delete