Cool Camera, Bad Photos…

[@nxmrjake]

Petition to bring back a video or videos where James walks around talking to us and we get the go pro perspective of his exploration whilst he tries to find a scene and then we see the resulting image as he takes them. And make them 30-60 mins long 👌

[@jamtotoro9850]

Name a more iconic pairing than James Popsys and bins.

[@pettere8429]

James and sheep?

[@SpoopyWasTaken]

brutal

[@MaunoKoivistoOfficial]

Can't be done

[@kirstymcleod6647]

@@pettere8429 came here to say that!!

[@XIXXXVIVIII]

It's amazing how disrespectful this seems for anyone that doesn't know how many bins this man has photographed and made look beautiful ❤

[@EddyTheChump]

I think you're a bit harsh on the first photo. I don't find the clothes, ice cream van or anything else distracting, i think it adds to it. I live in a seaside town and this is exactly the visual majesty that made up my entire childhood in the winter. Yeah it's not 'clean' but it feels like a real place lived in by people who aren't in the frame. I think it's great tbh. It makes me feel some kinda way and that, surely, is effective as an image.

[@sevensorrows2595]

You saved me the trouble of typing something very similar. Surely photos should show what is actually there, and not a Soviet-style edit of reality? Just my opinion.

[@calebhearn1526]

Last year I took about 12,000 shots and only 130 of them ended up in the "favorites" folder. When I was starting out, your earlier videos taught me to appreciate the process just as much as I enjoy the result. I got hours outside, fun with a camera, 11,870 learning opportunities, and over 100 photos I was happy enough with to edit and save. I appreciate your approach to photography, which is why I follow your work so closely. The subjects we photograph are different, but your approach has influenced me greatly.

[@flowkes2707]

This might sound weird but for some reason listening to british people talk is one of the most relaxing things for me. You could be talking about anything really but then what you say is extremely entertaining, too. So lets just say im always happy seeing you upload new content. Thank you for the years of effort.

[@samuelsummers5342]

ngl, i think the " keep out" image was my favourite, the fact that is didnt have waves crashing and stormy clouds was what made it whatever the opposite of cliche is.

[@jmtubbs1639]

I've photographed it as well. I think it is a hilarious idea creating an entry and then closing it.

[@TheMegabam5]

The word you might be looking for is original

[@don7117]

It's helpful to see that good photographers struggle as well from time to time.

[@mikepanton]

except his struggle is still quite good...haha

[@don7117]

@@mikepanton agreed!

[@henryroberts7730]

I'd love a video on back-ups, storage, keeping RAW photos safe etc

[@jdavphoto]

I really appreciate (in all of your videos) the way you talk about what makes a photo good. I deeply understand the technical aspects of photography - understanding what makes one impactful is the area I need the most work on, so thank you! Trying my darnedest to adapt my brain to thinking about these things when I'm out shooting.

[@jocemclean]

Yes please James would love a video on storage and backups! That would be super helpful

[@Raykenn1]

I learned a lot from you self critique. Thanks for posting 👍

[@joshm9363]

These explanations of the ideas behind the photos and what would improve them are fantastic educational viewing. Thank you for having a bad day, James. I hope you can have some more for us!

[@RumoHasIt]

Ive been dying for more info on this camera AND another video from you. Best of both worlds!!!!

[@loiklangloisleclerc]

would be nice to have a video of how you handle your storage! might not be the most interesting but definitely necessary for all photographers. love your vids as always!

[@randygerber1565]

Wonderful video. I for one would really appreciate a video on your back-up set up and recommendations

[@JeevesTCW]

Enjoyed listening to why some photos didn’t work James. Did like the pier shots though. Enjoy your trip.

[@stuartschaffner9744]

It's always useful to see a good professional photographer analyzing their own work. Even if you are against cropping for your portfolio, I would love to see some substantial crops of your "failed" photographs to make certain that it wasn't just a problem of using too wide-angle a lens. Consider the photograph at 3:13 where you wanted to contrast an "ordinary" alley with a "soaring" fun-ride. Suppose that you had used a 2-3x longer lens, a wider aperture, and had stood between the utility pole and the brick wall. Since the fun-ride is soaring, let it soar higher in the image. Focus on the front of the fun-ride to soften the detail in the brick wall. The pole on the left clashes with the soaring fun-ride, so avoid it. The hand-painted Hotel sign and the rusty parking barriers help make a contrast with the sharp and cleanly-painted fun ride. Enjoy your Antarctica trip!

[@louisburley1597]

The 100-400 stays in my bag because I don’t always use it but man when the scene supports it I’m very happy I have it. It’s paired with a 24-105 F4 so with two lenses I can cover a vast array of ideas. Cheers!

[@RyanHasvold]

Loved hearing your thoughts about why photos didn’t work and what could make them better, thanks for sharing! Also really interested in your backup strategy as I’m trying out figure out mine right now. Something tells me your dry sense of humor on such a dry topic would actually make for a brilliant video 😂

[@ThisIsJulianC]

I was in that very same spot, month or so ago with the same intentions. I used to live close to Blackpool, worked there for a couple of years, got nostalgic during a return to the UK at the beginning of this year and included Blackpool South Beach in the plan. Parked up by The Big One and walked up and down the vast, empty, concrete promenade. It was so depressing, I regret going, it has terminally damaged my nostalgic memories of the place. But hey, your photos from there are better than mine 😎 Great video

[@andybusard6694]

I would love to see how you back up your pictures!

[@enzoguet5690]

Yes! A video about back up!

[@rtr0spct210]

I’d appreciate a video on backups! I’d also appreciate a video on your importing and selection filtering workflow that would lead in to the backup topic. I haven’t found many good videos on this.

[@FedThePoopy]

I really enjoyed this video and you going through the process of why you thought each photo was bad. Learning about those little details takes what is for most of us just an intuition as to why a photo doesn't work and puts it into words. If you could make more videos like this I'd click in a heartbeat!

[@niels_1608]

Please do a backup-strategy and workflow video, it´s not boring at all.

[@joelowthianYT]

Really enjoy this video structure where you analyse each photo that you show on screen. Always interesting to see your thought process and what you do/don’t like about what you’ve shot. Also, I’d be keen to see a video on backups, even if it does sound like a dull topic haha

[@raindev_]

I find the photo at 6:09 really appealing. It’s quite detailed but not to the point of being messy, given the main elements are framed nicely.

[@sheilasherman7572]

I’ve just started watching your videos and really like them, and don’t take this the wrong way cause it’s a compliment but sometimes it’s the “dumbest” things you say that are the most useful. I’m a bird photographer and have a lot of beautiful “portraits” that I enjoy taking, like your photo of the seal, but then you pointed to your pic on the wall and said which one would you rather keep looking at, one sentence, that made me think, exactly!! all these perfect shots of portraits, but how much better it could be to make photos that make you feel something and that you want to keep looking at as opposed to the trophy shot. Thank you for your inspiration to get me out and try something new, can’t wait to make real art.

[@anthonyandrew6725]

Go around the back of the Pleasure Beach. The shots you’re looking for are there. Also the roller coasters there are the old wooden ones, much more photogenic.

[@chrisjwright_]

You've inspired me to go back to Blackpool! I've shot there in the past, but I was always looking for a grand landscape photo rather than keeping it simple.

[@aligrundy812]

Fairly new watcher but love your videos and style of photography. Your way of explaining your thought process and critique of photos is really useful for me to apply to my own shots

[@BP-xe7dw]

James, have you tried converting t BW some of your photos. Sometimes your eye see certain things and they become more obvious in BW. Love your work and honesty.

[@MrOzyLight]

I loved this video. Truly did. I think that seeing when a good photo could have been a great one is crucial and surely helps me to understand better the process

[@Grace707]

Yes - give us the vid on backups! Need to know about backup workflow and how to manage all your storage

[@AMDemon420]

I'd like to see a video on how you backup all your data at home, offsite, and in the cloud. I am at a place right now where I'm trying to figure out the best way to safeguard my data.

[@Chromatomic]

Somewhat similar, I upgraded to the GFX and trying to be more deliberate with my photos and seeing the shot you want and actually getting it is no small feat. And my 100-400 is fantastic and can take photos I can’t do with any other shorter lens but feels completely boring unless you’re in the exact right place for it.

[@francisco_tirado]

Video about back ups actually will be great.

[@Daniel_Scott89]

I get so happy when I see your uploads. As a photographer of many genres I take your tips and advice and apply them to my photos. Can’t wait to see Antarctica!!

[@gamebuster800]

4:20 just yesterday I brought my 200-600 to a familiar wildlife spot to me and they completely ruined a huge part of the area, basically destroying part of the forest. I'd love to have brought my 24mm prime or something. Ended up taking pictures with my phone to capture the level of destruction. Oh and i had some pictures of random ducks. That one time I was like "I don't need other lenses" I regret not bringing more lenses, hah.

[@danielhenzphotography]

I think the first few images in Blackpool with the roller coaster would have benefited from a longer focal length to get rid of the distractions.

[@Morio412]

Tbh for me there is no such thing as a bad photo, as all photos serve a purpose either for scouting, deciding the time of day to take a shot, weather, light levels until you get the shot for the gallery!

[@Rod-Ellis]

A photo serving a purpose for scouting and whatnot doesn't mean it's not a bad photo to be fair. I've done photography for a private investigation before, and some of the photos needed were by no means "good photos" artistically speaking. They served a purpose, but that purpose didn't turn them into good photos.

[@TheCruisinCrew]

Hah, I visited Blackpool for the first time last year and took a lot of photos too... I think a longer telephoto could work well for the first shot with streets and the rollercoaster in the background as it gives more options to reduce distractions in the composition. And speaking of longer tele lenses for travel... I'd suggest taking a (small) m43 camera with the appropriate lens as a secondary camera for those moments where you need to zoom far, without having a heavy setup (or having to change the lens on your main camera)...

[@seanmolincreative]

Always a pleasure to watch. I must say though that, while I also subscribe to getting as much right in-camera as possible, a few of these self-critiques would be easy editing adjustments without anything you couldn't easily do in a darkroom.

[@LimitedWard]

Definitely interested in hearing your storage setup! In particular, are you the type of person to keep all your shots or do you only store the keepers?

[@temporalpassage]

Try XPan crop with a few of those shots, especially the one with the Keep Out sign.

[@CrestlessWave]

Blackpool can't look good even with a Hasselblad. Proved.

[@Myshit41]

Insightful and I did pretty much agree with your thoughts on the images discussed …… possible video - put these out for viewers to edit and then review and discuss results? Definitely spotted some potential in a couple, especially the dogs on the beach.

[@bokgriessel1247]

Even though you say you dont like them, I get such inspiration from looking at your work. Please keep this coming

[@huette]

Helpful video, thank you! Since I have a synology NAS as well I'd be interested in a video about backups and your workflow regarding this.

[@AndrewWithey]

That bin looks massive

[@SebastianBevanPhotography]

The details in the shots when you were zooming in were gorgeous and crisp, I would sell a kidney for one I reckon.

[@davidskinner274]

Very useful, thank you, James

[@drqandil]

James. A good video, like always, I learnt from it. I meant to ask you about the source of your Sony camera strap! Would live to get one.

[@will.isnull]

I just want to add, you can make your NAS more redundant if you set it up in raid 5. Just adds another layer of data redundancy in case a drive fails- assuming it is using HDD’s

[@nicolasguillenc]

The one of the guy and the dog at the pier was so good though!!! many of them were but this one in particular I thought looked beautiful

[@ddsdss256]

I always take 12-800mm EFL as missing a shot because the right lens is at home gives me an uncomfortable feeling. Of course, shooting MFT makes that a lot easier (still have your 4x3 G9?)...

[@BiggeDink]

The first couple of photos might be improved by cropping to 16x9 to eliminate some of the foreground.

[@ansgarbook712]

a suggestion: Buy a Leica M8.2. it has so many quirks, has almost no abillities concerning specs but delivers and delivers and delivers. and its slow and you will love it if you combine to ab 40mm Voigtländer 1,2 or a 35 Summilux

[@RS-Amsterdam]

Honesty is what we need more on YT 😂 Excellent video. Thanks for sharing

[@danielgoldberg2129]

I don’t know how far ahead you’re working, but I just got back from Antarctica and I did bring my 100-400mm, and I used it all the time for wildlife. 😊I can’t wait to see your photos!

[@brassybusiness]

Where did you get that colorful rope camera strap on your A7RV from? BTW love the videos. Super helpful and informative on the craft of photography.

[@bbgbear]

Not liking photos taken on the day and stressing about what gear to take makes it a very relatable video.

[@expeditionuk]

I actually prefer the home videos for some reason, but I particularly enjoyed most of this being shot in different rooms/angles - it just felt like it added a lot more

[@fjouper]

11:16 looks great. What did you shoot this with? iPhone? DJI?

[@1NebraskaPyro]

James, If I was a middle aged man from the UK, I think we would be best friends. Can you explain in a video how you make a living doing photography apart from KZbin? It's honestly a dream of mine, and I don't particularly fancy photographing seniors and weddings. My style is very similar to yours...actually mine has developed to be like yours because I have been following you forever, and I prefer travel/landscape like you

[@SMGJohn]

I am so thankful that I managed to rid myself of that perfectionist mindset when taking pictures, I really love pictures that has the real world in it, pictures of streets, people, landscape where I can see stuff, I find that very interesting, desolate places or pictures of a singular thing is boring AF, works for Windows background image, not so much something people would seek out to look through, thats not to say people should not take pictures like that, people should take pictures of whatever the f*ck they want to specially if they are professionals and there is paying customers they do not really have much of a choice what their subject is. Documentary photography has to be the most underrated class of photography out there, imo.

[@martinberry1540]

James - try the 2.7:1 (xpan style) crop on those images they will look even better

[@trevorsneath4665]

Once-upon-a-time the only back-up was a book full of negative strips. So there's that. 🙂

[@PulpDogg]

Still struggle with coming away from a shoot without any decent photos. But then again, its kind of a numbers game. Shoot often enough and eventually some decent pictures will emerge. Thanks for the video and have fun in Antarctica. Also - any chance you can talk a little about the photos on your office walls?

[@JACKnJESUS]

If you go Hasselblad...no point just getting a toe in the pool...you have to dive in. So a workable H system will run around 40-50k USD. Don't get hooked in by the digital back being on sale...that's the shank of the hook...the barb comes later on.

[@sorwerk]

Hi James, I was thinking it might be interesting to have an episode of shooting with an S5II, sometimes I feel your style was better suited to the Panasonic colors. Maybe I am wrong, but I feel it would be interesting if you could compare. Thank you for your work anyway, your channel is both educational and entertaining in a cool relaxed way. It's always a pleasure to watch your videos.

[@Mugwart1]

I wonder if you might try shifting to B&W to eliminate instances when prominent colors (like blotches of yellow that you mentioned at one point) are distracting. Just a thought.

[@PhilKnall]

Best square space adread I've seen in a while 😅

[@davidalexander-watts6630]

If I was going to Antartica I think I'd get one of those Hasselblads to take with me. Given the file sizes you'd only need one fairly wide lens.

[@carlb401]

I think the photo of the lone guy with the railing would have been better with the Xpan crop, that way you could have lost the tarmac from the image.

[@frankinblackpool]

I am more than happy to show/guide you round my home town, if you ever come back. Please do not take this the wrong way, however I have no desire to do a co-lab or appear in your episode if you came to visit again. I just enjoy your channel and think that I could point you in the right direction of vantage points. One example being going to Cleveleys which is about 5 miles north of Blackpool and use a 400mm lens to get good compression of the Tower, three piers and the Pleasure Beach all in the one shot. Or take you to a few streets that have a good vantage point of the Pleasure Beach.

[@FTRek]

May be a bit odd request but could you make a video of how to print and what to use to print efficiently while not going bankrupt? Is it even worth it owning printer if you aren't printing much? Are inks a scam?

[@c.augustin]

This was indeed quite interesting - having your musings why a shot doesn't work is quite "educational", and puts one's own duds into perspective … 😉

[@DanaPushie]

Is this, perhaps, an example where the camera does not make a good photographer? Or were the conditions and the environment more the issue? We know you're a great photographer. I can relate to taking shots and later thinking, Why did I think that was a good shot? Very reassuring James. Hope you have a great trip. Stay safe and warm. Cheers.

[@RustyNotesTV]

Idea.. use the Hassey as your main camera, and then use something like the DJI Pocket 2 (or 3) or your phone for the videos. Phones and the DJI cameras are good enough. The audio quality is more important anyway, and you can still use your mics. Works for folks like Gavin (Fototripper, or whatever his youtube is).

[@paristo]

For decades I have not been so admirable for the camera body as this one. This is what made the Hasselblad so great. The camera design, the technical purpose, the modularity and all. The camera can be made small, you can have proper good waist level finder that so many people don't understand that any side swiveling screen is not good for anything! And you get to use anything from decades ago in that one system. And it can be use don studio use amazingly well. I would say that camera missed one major feature. And it is not really the IBIS, but what that is made to be done.But it is really the pixel shifting technology. I wouldn't care about IBIS on that body, but having a pixel shifting, even if 1 frame per second speed, it would have made it amazing for studio, architecture, still life etc photography. And what comes to backup, get a two NAS drives, and sync them across network periodically at night. In fact, the NAS as in the enclosures that people buy is good for a normal people backup purposes, as long you have two drives in it. Set it and leave it. RAID 1 (mirroring A and B drives) is enough for most people. Buy a three drives on the moment you buy the NAS and you have three options: 1) have two drives in NAS and one in storage, IF one drive fails in NAS, replace it instantly with one in storage (your second will likely fail too but you are not at risk on that moment). 2) buy a external HDD case for the third drive and mount it via USB on the drive, set it to be synced with the NAS itself. And every month connect the drive to NAS and let it mirror NAS -> USB over night, and then move it other place that drive, like a friend home (and they do same to you, so you cross the drives). Or if you have the data encrypted (better be) then keep it in the car. But what people should really do, and get more cheaply, is buy a cheap PC case. Have a montherboard with a 8-12 SATA ports, and set all the drives in there. They can be as well over USB if required no matter. But have all drives in your control, two of each and in RAID 1 mode (mirroring). You can set the drives in 2x2 or 2x4 or even 2x6 modes. Where you sync the two mirrored drive sets. Over 14 years ago 2010 I purchased simple two drive NAS for general purpose with 3 TB drives upgrade in it in 2012. The drives has functioned to this far 24/7. I have third drive to sync that is off-site. In 2014 (10 years ago) I added 4 TB drives but over USB in external docking, so I can swap the drives out easily, but I can as well clone any drive with it from A to B. As what I decided to do was simple 3 docking stations over USB, each having a 4 TB drive in them in pairs, I clone once a month at most the A to B, and I move the B off-site. I don't need to run 2 drives all the time in RAID mode, it is enough that I can just sync the data. When the drive gets full, it doesn't anymore get any writing but only reading. So I don't need to sync it anymore. I only keep the A unit in the dock with another A unit, and both have their B cloned copies off-site in the shelf, not in use. When I need the data, I read it and I copy it elsewhere for the use. That is where the RAID mode happens then, only in the data that is modified. So I can have NAS with a two A drives, and their B's are off-site. With a three docks, each having two A's in them and their B's off-site. That is 8 drives of 4 Terabytes of each for read-only mode, in total of 32 Terabytes. If a drive fails, the risk that their B copy is unrecoverable is negligent. If I lose in fire all the A or B drives, I don't have a backup but original, so I need to then clone those drives ASAP to create backup. I just yesterday set up a new NAS computer to home, a cheap small PC that consumes 5.5-6 W of power and has 6 USB ports, two internal SATA drives, and wireless + wired. That thing forms the new media server for me at home. It is built on OpenMediaVault (Linux, Debian) that gives me all the required connections on the go over VPN, or at the home via SMB/SSH/NFS/RSYNC. It is mainly for the smartphone backup and just throwing stuff that I save from the web. Data goes primarily to the internal 480 GB RAID, from where it is moved once a week to external drives for long term storage, main data is on the SSD but the external ones will be on HDD. To keep power consumption down (mainly the noise) the HDD isn't spinning than required (risk compared to constantly keep spinning). For the photography material, I use HDD docks in the computer, behind the USB. So I can at any given situation move the drive with cable on desktop to laptop etc as needed. But it is as well accessible via network in LAN/WLAN if needed.

[@leimleim]

6:56 this is by far the best

[@chrisjames1924]

What are those orange drives?

[@daviddaw999]

James, I think that you are being really hard on yourself with your views on the Blackpool shots. I though the one with the woman in the pink coat, bench, sloping railings, and gull atop one of the lamps was superb.

[@tomguder]

thank You!

[@leemoody9247]

Hi James - I love your photo style and colours. Can you reveal your secret formula?

[@LelleKidd]

Is it the 50MP or the 100MP version? Btw. you can mount an optical viewfinder on it…

[@jimmason8502]

I think you shot too wide in Blackpool. There are a lot of very interesting compositions within your compositions. Sooo..I would not hesitate to take the 100-400 on your trip. BTW the shot at 9:25 with the gull on the light pole and the red coat is my fave of the lot. Great shot.

[@titusstanding5993]

Few other KZbinrs go through their process on video like you do

[@RememberTheTrees]

Hey James! What shoes were you wearing in the beginning of the video? They look like they have good grip. Edit: Also, I love the photo at 5:55. I don't think it needs golden light for the mood it gives, it's a chill vibe and all the interesting subjects are neatly framed, it feels like a cool album cover to me. Makes me wonder how many hidden gems are in your stash. But, you curating the photos you take is part of what makes your photography yours. The one at 8:15, if the ground was wet, I don't think the sand colour would match the coat so well anymore, but I understand the desire for more contrast there.

[@RememberTheTrees]

(Oh, they were Vivobarefoots.)

[@Timothy_othy]

How about a quick list of your portable storage devices please?

[@RealBesty]

Is there not a bridge camera that you could take when long reach might be required - an RX10, for instance? Won’t be big/heavy for your case :)

[@vletrmx21]

xpan crop could have added something to those flat horizontal shots

[@angelasinclair5152]

Hi James, I for one would be interested in a video about backing up photos 😂

[@sanikki3877]

I think some of the photos would have been real winners if cropped to a wider aspect ratio like 16:9 or 2.40:1

[@zigatretjak75]

For a HASSELBLAD I think I would chaange my genre

[@thejacksons3019]

If you were thinking of using a polariser if that road was wet, I think you’re allowed to ‘Photoshop’ that piece of tarmac a bit darker…..

[@christopherhume8896]

"I have been inspired to come to Blackpool by my trip to New York". Clearly been on the gin a bit early. 🤣

[@RenelFrazer]

How do you use google street view to find places with a particular shot? I like that idea

[@richardvlcko9697]

I've dreamt about photographing gatsby style party with this beast last night for some reason (i certainly did not watch anything hasselblad related last month) so it's only natural im going to watch this video from beginning till the end 😂