The more I photograph and the more I learn to post process, the more I realize I have so much more to learn. Just when you think you’re getting there ( not that I was) or at least feeling a bit more comfortable because I have to perfectly honest – I am feeling more comfortable with my photography, boom, a wrench is thrown into the mix and a blinding flash of the obvious strikes, well at least that’s how I feel. Anyway, I’m enjoying the ride and continue to learn as I go. I get emails asking me how I did this or how I did that, setting, etc. and all of that is important to a certain extent but most of the time its not. Its one’s own style to determines the actual rhythm of your workflow and now I understand why togs are so hesitant to divulge their presets. Do I agree with those, well to each its own. If you want mine, I’ll reply back, its really not that out of this …

I write this introduction straight from the heart, no editing, no preformed thoughts, just pure heart felt words. Wouter Brandsma is one of the best things that have happened to my photography so it is with great pride and I feel lucky to call him a friend. Not only a friend but a teacher and a source of inspiration. As many of you know Wouter is a Stroll Photographer who documents his surrounding with an amazing eye which pierces through the lens and captures indelible images that leave us thinking, wanting more, asking questions, and in the end deeply enthralled in his view. Wouter Brandsma epitomizes what can be done with dedication, deep thought to one’s imagery, and off course a compact camera. So it is a great honor to have Wouter join the Togs Series. Ladies and gentlemen without further ado, I present you Wouter Brandsma, Stroll Photographer from the Netherlands. →

In observance of the man that changed generations ahead  — Martin Luther King, “I have a dream“. Although our American reality is far from reaching the eloquence of that righteous speech delivered on August 28, 1963.

Photography is all about having a tool you love with you as much as possible which lets you create the type of photography you want to do. Does it matter if its a small compact or a dslr? I dare to say it doesn’t. Everyone has a different style of shooting and a different sense of creativity. There are togs who love their dslrs and are quite creative with them and yet there are others who prefer to use small compacts to really explore their photography and creativity. The point is, find a tool you feel comfortable with, learn it, know its buttons, fine tune it to your needs, and let your creativity flourish. Don’t let yourself be in cased  into a specific category ie. street photography, abstract photography, et al. just go out there and practice. I’m sure in time you’ll become a better photographer. Sometimes we don’t need all those bells and whistles to be creative — simple is better.

I’ve always like small things. My favorite water glass is very small. It’s actually the glass/mug where beer is served in Spain, its called a caña. Cañas are drank into the early morning hours in places like Madrid and Barcelona. I suppose the attraction for small items made its way into my photographic gear as well after having had a slew of small compacts. As of this post, I’m no longer carrying my GF1/17mm in a bag. I removed the wrist strap and added the neck strap and it now lives happily across my chest. So now all of a sudden the GF1 is quite portable, not quite as small as the LX5, but now I have a renewed sense of freedom. Always available and always ready. Let’s see how it goes, I’m happy with it. Do you find yourself having any sort of similar revelations when it comes to having an ubiquitous photographic tool?

To all my readers old and new, I wish you a very Happy New Year filled with what I think is the most important thing — health. Everything else comes and goes, but our health and the health of our loved ones is something we always need. On the photography side of things keep experimenting with your photography, dare to be different, explore, re think old methods and make of 2012 truly a delightful year. If I have but one tip, I must say its to shorten your gear list and focus on that one or two cameras which you’ll use to create your images and take those through it paces and really know your gear. In the end, I’m sure it will yield outstanding results and will make a better photographer. See you next year and I hope you accompany me in my new photographic project inspired by my friend Wouter Brandsma — Weekly Project 2012. Keep shooting Togs, Jorge