Fuji X-T1 + 14mm f/2.8

Its interesting what time and distance does to memories and photos. I got to ski off the sub peak of Mt Adams with some good friends in 2014 and also took a rented Fuji X-T1+14mm along to document the day. Looking back, the camera performed most excellently and gave my DLSR a run for its money. 

Dieter Rams' influence

From Wikipedia: Good design:[3]

1. Is innovative – The possibilities for progression are not, by any means, exhausted. Technological development is always offering new opportunities for original designs. But imaginative design always develops in tandem with improving technology, and can never be an end in itself.
2. Makes a product useful – A product is bought to be used. It has to satisfy not only functional, but also psychological and aesthetic criteria. Good design emphasizes the usefulness of a product whilst disregarding anything that could detract from it.
3. Is aesthetic – The aesthetic quality of a product is integral to its usefulness because products are used every day and have an effect on people and their well-being. Only well-executed objects can be beautiful.
4. Makes a product understandable – It clarifies the product’s structure. Better still, it can make the product clearly express its function by making use of the user's intuition. At best, it is self-explanatory.
5. Is unobtrusive – Products fulfilling a purpose are like tools. They are neither decorative objects nor works of art. Their design should therefore be both neutral and restrained, to leave room for the user's self-expression.
6. Is honest – It does not make a product appear more innovative, powerful or valuable than it really is. It does not attempt to manipulate the consumer with promises that cannot be kept.
7. Is long-lasting – It avoids being fashionable and therefore never appears antiquated. Unlike fashionable design, it lasts many years – even in today's throwaway society.
8. Is thorough down to the last detail – Nothing must be arbitrary or left to chance. Care and accuracy in the design process show respect towards the consumer.
9. Is environmentally friendly – Design makes an important contribution to the preservation of the environment. It conserves resources and minimizes physical and visual pollution throughout the lifecycle of the product.
10. Is as little design as possible – Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity.

These have been a guidepost for me as an orthopedic design engineer. There is a Kickstarter campain to produce a documentary of his life and work here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1019019367/rams-the-first-feature-documentary-about-dieter-ra?token=4e7e9e89

#ThanksDieter 

Uintas skiing and a blog reset

The blog has moved to Squarespace hosting and after moving across town and a lot of house projects the skis came out again! 

Spencer got a photo of me crossing the knife ridge in proper “au cheval” style. Photo by Spencer. 

Suburbia Wall, Indian Creek, UT. 

The end of a good day. Indian Creek, UT. 

SolidWorks error as art. 

“Whatever that new project is. Begin. Don’t wait until you’ve got it all figured out – that’s what beginning is for. Just start. Now. Genius is overrated. So is inspiration. Inertia kills the muse.”

—

http://davidduchemin.com/2013/10/thoughts-on-done/

This applies to art, design or climbing all the same. 

Indian Creek climbing as a muse.

I’m excited to be heading back to Indian Creek this coming weekend but I’ve felt pretty flat photographically speaking for most of the summer and would like to break out of this rut of always second guessing what camera to bring, what I want to capture and why. I’m hoping that bringing the big, heavy cameras out again will shake things up.

Red Rocks weekend

“Most people find contentment living quietly within their own boundaries. Other personalities need to discover their breaking points. A climber takes this quest as his duty, and his pursuit of risk counterbalances the quiet lives of the majority.”

—

MOONLIGHT SONATA by YURI KOSHELENKO
THE AMERICAN ALPINE JOURNAL, 2004

http://c498469.r69.cf2.rackcdn.com/2004/24_koshelenko_nuptse_aaj2004.pdf

Glacier homes. 

Bryce Canyon at dawn. (From several years ago.) 

A snowy scramble. 

South Ridge of Mt Superior, on Saturday. 

My introduction to the Tetons as a 16-year-old (photo from the saddle between the Middle and South Teton) and one of my dad’s backpacking adventures as reference for why I like the mountains. 

Fuji X100 Test, a set on Flickr.

From a month ago, trying out the Fuji X100 as a climbing camera. Loved it. Went with a Panasonic GX1+14mm f/2.5 for cost reasons, but the X100 was a joy to shoot with.