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Photography

A Study in Composition

I figured I'd collect a few everyday carry items for a showcase photo. This is admittedly more ramble than gallery, but it was a productive, instructive, and divertive endeavor that let me exercise some pent-up creativity.

A Study in Composition

After taking some photos with the pens and notebook, I wanted to try composing a thematic photo - and also wanted to evaluate some new photography software. Also, my new aluminum and bronze pens showed up, so naturally they would need to be photographed from every angle. I like the result. I shot about 70 photos, trying different angles and placement of the subjects; the end result was a pair of HDR photos with some small tweaks to simulate film. All of these were shot on the X-Pro 2 with the XF35mmF2 WR lens.

As an aside, I absolutely love the bronze pen. It's hard to capture on camera the stately warmth that it gives off, and it writes quite nicely.

My first HDR experiment photo, using the autoexposure bracketing on the X-Pro 2. It was challenging getting the writing to show up consistently across the pens and I ended up having to tweak my lamp quite a bit to get them to show up.

For the curious: a Muji aluminum with fine nib (Pilot Iroshizuku Shin-ryoku deep green), a Kaweco Aluminum Sport with fine nib (Kaweco Ruby Red), a Kaweco Stainless Steel Sport with extra fine nib (Kaweco Royal Blue), a Kaweco Brass Sport with extra-fine nib (my previous EDC pen with Pilot Iroshizuku Take-sumi bamboo charcoal), a Kaweco Brass Sport with medium nib (Kaweco Pearly Black), a Kaweco Brass Sport with bold nib (Kaweco Pearly Black), and at the top, a Kaweco Bronze Sport with their gold-plated steel fine nib (Platinum Carbon). I blame Aaron and Irwin for getting me started down this dark path.

I figured I'd collect a few EDC items for a showcase photo. The Kaweco case is the one holding the pens above and the flashlight a replica of the brass flashlights carried by the Apollo astronauts; these typically live in my bag. I use the XF27 when out and about quite a bit because its portability enables me to take it more places. The coin is a reminder: temper fugit ("time flies") and memento mori ("remember your death").

A collection of EDC items.

This Traveler's notebook is set up with a single lined refill, and a folder. The folder has pockets that fit my virtues & rules card in the front, and a set of Analog cards in the back. It's just a quick note-taking system.

This is an older notebook, but the principle's the same. The other page and the cards are sanitized because I do use them for everyday things.

The other one has a lined notebook containing a condensed copy of the The Plan (a condensed notebook with my life's purpose, core virtues, goals, and some planning) and another notebook with poetry and other small bits of literature that I like to keep close at hand.

This has been admittedly more ramble than gallery, but it was a productive, instructive, and divertive endeavor that let me exercise some pent-up creativity.

—K

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