Photography Road Trip with the GFX 50R and Vintage Mamiya Lenses

Talking about my thoughts photographing through Colorado, Arizona, and Utah on a short trip to Phoenix to see friends. Took the GFX 50R and a couple Mamiya lenses on the way and loved shooting with them, but ran into some photographic road blocks.
instagram: / joshpshanks
Hamza’s instagram: / shot.by.za
Music credits: • (free) brent faiyaz ty...
0:00 - 0:24 Intro
0:24 - 2:06 Silverton
2:06 - 2:49 Adapter and GFX
2:49 - 4:20 "Taking" Photos
4:20 - 5:37 "Making" Photos
5:37 - 7:13 Silverton Conclusion
7:13 - 7:29 Arizona Intro
7:29 - 8:54 Slowing Down, Unconscious Obsession
8:54 - 10:18 KZbinr Voice
10:18 - 12:36 Searching and Growing, Conclusion

[@ry1sfly]

I loved this video.. poetic. Beautiful images. Raw, self-aware. Hope to see more of these from you! If not, just keep shooting. Things become clearer in time. Thanks for posting

[@joshshanksphoto]

Thank you, I actually am finishing the script to a new video right now :)

[@TylerMcCool]

@10:00 keep it up - run your own race and you’ll be happy - you’re on the right track; no need to imitate, plenty more to life.. cheers.

[@aj-wn4ps]

WOWWW LOOKS LIKE SLIDE FILM!!

[@swagucanget]

MY FAVORITE KZbinR DROPPED

[@joshshanksphoto]

this is hardly anything, we going way up from here

[@117775EM]

Josh...I agree with so many of your points. After college in 1989 I did back pack around the world in 18 months. Totally life-changing experience but in a sober and realistic way and not the way so many YTubers go on about. There was nothing romantic about waiting 7 hrs in Nepal for a train that was supposed to arrive 8hrs prior. No Zen in that. I also agree that you don't have to travel to these far off places when beauty exists right here in America. Over the years I have acquired and used many cameras and the Canon EOS 100 was a film camera that I bought in London and shot over 7000 images. It was costly to develop so I did it at a trickle. At any rate, some of my favorite images were taken as you were trying to explain...controlling the scene and serendipity but heavily leaning towards spontaneous. A fellow traveler gave me good advice on this matter. He said...allow yourself to see as if you were sitting on a park bench in the middle of a city park and watch life go by and if something of interest passes by then capture an image of it. You will have it for ever. That is why I love photography so much. Because no one will ever see the same image the same. Keep taking photos and it is normal to be self-critical. In fact, its important.

[@joshshanksphoto]

Thank you for your insights and stories, I appreciate being given different perspectives on similar experiences

[@devlincook5741]

Just subbed! Slowly working my way through your brilliant videos. I’m new to the 50r and just wondering if you found a good bag to use with the camera? Thanks and looking forward to more!!

[@joshshanksphoto]

Hey, thanks! Honestly I just use this $10 messenger bag I found on eBay and then put a camera bag insert in it.

[@macbookdieter]

Which adapter are you using?

[@joshshanksphoto]

It's a fotodiox adapter

[@christianklintholm]

Hey man. Dunno if I am reading too much into this - if I do, I am sorry about this long ass comment - but I feel you are somewhat frustated with the direction you are going in and being on the edge of photo-fatigue. I know the feeling. If I can give any sort of advice, buy (or borrow from the library) some photography books. Like monographs from established photographers that went to art school, that went to documentary school, that worked at newspapers. Try stuff from different countries. Look up Alec Soth, sure, but also Sally Mann and Moyra Davey and Lars Tunbjørk and Daido Moriyama and JH Engstrøm. Or what about Pieter Hugo or Jamie Hawkesworth or someone else? In there, you will get inspired to do beautiful work that's not about "what cinebloom filter to buy next" or film grain and more about setting up a project and investigating some grander theme. ... or you know, get some inspiration from movies or the art museum, go watch some oil painters do their shit. This KZbin circlejerking of meta-photographing will wear you out. Hope this mess of a comment can be some sort of help :)

[@joshshanksphoto]

Thanks for this, I like that term "photo-fatigue" I think it does explain how I feel sometimes. I'll take you up on your recommendation and look at those names I don't recognize.

[@christianklintholm]

@@joshshanksphoto You are welcome! Best of luck out there. Also, another thought to keep in mind. Picasso was probably very picky about his gear, but he sure as hell wouldn't be talking about brushes all day. And when I read a book, I don't care if it was written on a typewriter or a macbook.