Road Trip | FUJI X WEEKLY

Road Trip: Grand Canyon National Park, Part 2: Monochrome

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Canyon Cliffs – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

I’ve heard it said that at Grand Canyon National Park your widest lens isn’t wide enough and your longest lens isn’t long enough, no matter how wide-angle or telephoto those lenses might be. I’ve been to the Grand Canyon several times, and each time I’ve felt that way. The place is amazing, yet it seems difficult to do it justice with a camera.

The canyon is huge! The national park is almost 2,000 square miles. The Colorado River traverses 277 miles through it. At its deepest point (or, really, the highest part of the rim to the river) is 6,000′. The longest stretch across rim-to-rim is 18 miles. It’s hard to effectively portray this scale in a photograph.

The Grand Canyon is the most photographed landmark in Arizona and one of the most photographed places in America, with tens of thousands of images created within the park daily. The task of creating something that’s photographically unique is nearly impossible. I’m sure that there are hundreds of pictures that look almost identical to mine. One has to spend significant time within the park, as well as exercise the creative mind, in order to capture something different than what’s already been done before.

Watchtower Sky – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

I was attempting art with some of the photographs that I captured at the Grand Canyon. Other images were family snapshots meant simply for memories. There’s a difference between interpreting and documenting. Both are valid and serve different purposes, and they each take a different approach to accomplish. In this article you’ll find both.

I used my Fujifilm X100F for most of these pictures, which are all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs. The Acros Film Simulation makes for exceptional monochrome images, and I used my Acros and Acros Push-Process film simulations for these X100F images. I used my Fujifilm X-A3 with a Jupiter 21M lens for three of these pictures, which are also camera-made JPEGs. I used the Monochrome film simulation, which isn’t as good as Acros, but the X-A3 doesn’t have Acros so I couldn’t use it.

I love black-and-white photography, and Grand Canyon National Park is a wonderful place to create monochrome images. I look forward to returning. Grand Canyon is a special place, and it’s been much too long between visits. Maybe next time I can stay a little longer.

Kids Approaching The Rim – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Maricopa Point – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Canyon Juniper – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Boy Riding Backwards – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Strapped In Her Stroller – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Joy of Window Shopping – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

From Behind Glass – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Two Young Explorers – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Tree Over Arch – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Of Light & Shadow – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Canyon Grand – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Scraggly Tree At Grand Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Looking West From Desert View – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

The Watchtower – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Mary’s Watchtower – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Watchtower Sun – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Desert Watchtower – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Telescoping – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Canyon River – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Sky Above The Canyon Below – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

The Grand View – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Heavenly Sky – Valle, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Passed By – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Road Trip: Grand Canyon National Park, Part 1: Color

Posted on March 31, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Grand Canyon From Desert View – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

A couple of weeks ago my family and I jumped in the car and made the long drive to Grand Canyon National Park. From my house to the hotel we booked in Williams, Arizona, was nine hours of driving, not including stops. We left early and arrived late, weary from the road. Really, it was too many hours in the car for one day, but we only had a short time for this adventure, so we pushed through to our destination.

The next day we got back in the car and drove 45 minutes to Tusayan, the tiny town right outside the entrance of the national park, and had some breakfast. After our bellies were full, and with cups of hot coffee, we continued the short trek to Grand Canyon Village and to the south rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

I’ve been to the Grand Canyon several times before, and the reaction for first-time visitors, as well as those who haven’t been in awhile, is the same: “Whoa!” That first look is always awe-inspiring and breathtaking. It just appears so impossibly grand! Everything seems so small and insignificant in comparison. It really is the magic of this incredible place.

We walked along the Rim Trail for awhile, stepping into some of the historic lodges and buildings along the way. We encountered the Bright Angel Trail and headed down, but only to the tunnel, which is probably about a mile trek round-trip. Someday I’d like to hike all the way to the bottom, but this wasn’t the trip for that.

Grand Sight – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Lunch was at the Harvey House Cafe. Then we headed to the car to drive around and see more sights. Heading east on Highway 64, we made it to Desert View and saw the Watchtower, which is at the eastern end of the park. On the way back towards the village we stopped at a few overlooks. It was approaching dinner, so we said goodbye to Grand Canyon National Park and traveled back to Williams.

I cannot say enough how amazingly beautiful Grand Canyon National Park is! If I had more time I would have made sure to be there for sunrise and sunset. This was just a quick visit, so I missed both golden hours. Early the next morning we left for home, which is near Salt Lake City, Utah. We encountered some winter weather, so the drive back ended up being longer than the drive out. To say that we were happy to be home when we arrived close to midnight would be a huge understatement. It was two full days of being crammed in the car just to be at the Grand Canyon for one day, but it was completely worth it!

For these photographs I used a Fujifilm X100F and a Fujifilm X-A3 with a Jupiter 21M lens. The X100F was great because it fit into my jacket pocket and captured wonderful pictures with ease. The X-A3 with the Jupiter lens was bulky and heavy and became tiresome carrying around my neck, but it allowed me to capture some images that I simply couldn’t with the other camera. When you travel, smaller and lighter is almost always better, but sometimes something more is needed.

These are all straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, and I used Velvia, Classic Chrome, PRO Neg. Std, and PRO Neg. Hi film simulations. Not editing the pictures saved me tons of time, and both cameras did an excellent job thanks to Fujifilm’s fine JPEG engine, which I rely heavily on. If I had post-processed RAW files instead, the results wouldn’t be much different to what you see here, except that I’d still be sitting in front of the computer editing them. Instead, they were finished before I even got home, and you’re able to enjoy them today.

Kids At The Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Amanda, Johanna & I – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F – captured by Joy Roesch

Kids On Bright Angel Trail – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Evergreen Tree & Red Canyon – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Canyon Behind The Pines – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Grand Canyon Railway – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Lamp In The Lodge – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Hopi Art – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Unforgiving Environment – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Colorado River of Green – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Red Canyon Walls – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Trees, Rocks & Cliffs – Grand Canyon NP, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Light Over A Barren Landscape – Valle, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Get Your Gifts On Route 66 – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Neon Gifts – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Cheap Room – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Neon Bistro – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Drink Coke – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Steaks & BBQ – Williams, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

BBQ & Coke – Williams, AZ – X100F

Fire In The Sky – Flagstaff, AZ – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Spiked Cactus – Kanab, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Kids At Moqui Cave – Kanab, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Anderson Mountain – Paragonah, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Part 2 – B&W

Travel: Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

Posted on March 25, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Endless Canyons – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

The day after visiting Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park in southern Utah, I checked out Dead Horse Point State Park. It is located very close to the Island In The Sky district of Canyonlands and offers stunning views of the national park. It’s essentially a smaller Island In The Sky with some good views of the Colorado River.

The story behind the name is tragic. Early settlers used these “sky islands” as natural pens for livestock and other animals. Even the local Native Americans did this to an extent. Some early American settlers trapped a group of wild horses on the mesa that’s now the state park. They picked the mustangs that they wanted to tame, then left the others on the mesa to die of thirst. That’s why it’s called Dead Horse Point. My 10-year-old daughter loves horses, and she was particularly appalled at the story. That, of course, is just a brief dark period for this land, but the name stuck, even though it is a little grim.

Dead Horse Point State Park is breathtakingly beautiful! The views are stunning. For the most part, what you see is Canyonlands National Park, just from a little different angle. You actually get better views of the Colorado River here than on Island In The Sky. It’s surprising to me that this section isn’t included in the national park system.

If you have the choice between the two, definitely go for Canyonlands. If you have time for a little more, visit Dead Horse Point. On the way out from Moab on the way home, my family and I detoured to see the state park. It took us, from the time we left U.S. 191 to the time we returned, a total of three hours. We could have stayed much longer, but we were a little strapped for time.

Lighting was terrible for photography when I was at the state park. There was a thin high overcast layer of clouds that did just enough to make the light ugly. Also, I was there mid-morning, well past the golden hour. I used a Fujifilm X100F and Fujifilm X-A3 with a Jupiter 21M lens attached to capture these images. I edited the camera-made JPEGs using Nik Color Efex and Nik Silver Efex software, with the exception of two, which are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs. I would have preferred to rely just on the JPEGs unedited, but the light was just so ugly for photography while I was there that they needed some work to make them look decent.

I didn’t capture any great photographs while at Dead Horse Point State Park, but I definitely saw the potential. At the right time under the right light, the opportunity to capture some portfolio worthy images certainly exists at this place. I hope to return sometime in the near future to capture better photographs.

The Dead Tree – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Erode Down – Dead Horse Point State Park, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

La Sal From Dead Horse Point – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

South Vista – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

The River Bend – Dead Horse SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Rock Temple – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

A River Runs Through It – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

River Island – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Cliff Above The Canyon – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Hanging On – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Long Ways – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

It’s Not Easy Being Green – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Desert West – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Red Desert Cliffs – Dead Horse Point SP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Travel: Canyonlands National Park, Part 2: Monochrome

Posted on March 24, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Subtlety – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Part 1

I surprised myself with how few images I captured in monochrome of Canyonlands National Park. During that visit I most often chose color, as the lighting made for wonderful color photographs, and I only went with black-and-white here and there. This is the opposite of what happened at Arches National Park earlier in the day, in which I chose monochrome more often because of the poor light. In general, I’m more drawn towards black-and-white photography, and so it was very unusual for me to focus so much on color.

Canyonlands was a joy to photograph and I felt like I came away with some print-worthy exposures. The pictures in this post were mostly captured using my Fujifilm X-A3 with a Jupiter 21M lens attached, which is a good telephoto combination. I used the Monochrome+R film simulation, which isn’t as good as Acros, but the X-A3 doesn’t have Acros and so I couldn’t use it (the lone Fujifilm X100F image was captured using Acros). All of these photographs are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, which I prefer because it saves me tons of time. A couple of them could have been slightly improved if I had edited the RAW exposure, but the JPEGs are certainly good enough in this case.

If I ever have the chance, I’d love to spend a week at Canyonlands National Park. I feel like I barely touched the surface of the potential photo opportunities there. It seems like a place that could provide plenty of portfolio material. It was just so breathtakingly beautiful and peaceful. I just can’t say enough about Canyonlands! If you ever have the chance to go, definitely go, you won’t be disappointed.

La Sal Moon – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fuji X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

La Sal From Island In The Sky – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Mountains Through Mesa Arch – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Tree at Grand View Overlook – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Oh, Deer – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Monochrome Mesas – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Travel: Canyonlands National Park, Part 1: Color

Posted on March 18, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Canyon Pinion – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

On the same day that I visited Arches National Park in Utah, I also made it to Canyonlands National Park, which is right around the corner. Even though these two national parks are quite close, they are very much different places. Arches is known for unusual and seemingly impossible rock formations, while Canyonlands, which also has some unusual rock formations, is more known for amazing vistas and seemingly endless canyons.

My visit to Arches was marked by poor midday light. On the other hand, since I arrived at the park entrance about 90 minutes before sunset, I managed to catch Canyonlands under much better late-evening light. Even though I spent twice as much time at Arches National Park, I felt that my best pictures on this trip were captured inside Canyonlands National Park.

Another difference between Arches and Canyonlands is that one park had many tourists and the other had only a few. Canyonlands seemed more open and peaceful, and I felt a deeper connection with this place. I enjoyed Canyonlands immensely, and my biggest regret was not spending more time there.

Canyonlands National Park is huge, and I only did the Island In The Sky tour, which is a small portion of the park. Because my time was limited, I missed out on some great locations within the Island In The Sky quadrant. I imagine that one could spend a few weeks at Canyonlands and not see and experience everything.

My gear was a Fujifilm X100F and Fujifilm X-A3 with a Jupiter 21M lens attached. I used many different film simulations, including Velvia, PRO Neg. Std, PRO Neg. Hi, Astia, and Classic Chrome, but mostly Velvia. All of these are camera-made JPEGs. I think a few of them are worth printing.

I love America’s national parks, and one of my favorites is Canyonlands National Park. It has a peaceful yet draw-dropping beauty that begs you to explore and experience. I’ve never been to the north rim of the Grand Canyon, but I image it to be a similar experience. It’s a place where you can relax, reflect and restore. It’s a great place to photograph. I will return, camera in hand.

Rural Fork – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fuji X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

No – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Young Explorers – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Feeling Blue – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Green Tree – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Mesa Arch – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Family At Mesa Arch – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

La Sal Through Mesa Arch – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

La Sal Behind Mesa Arch – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Mesa Arch View – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Plateau & Mesa – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Canyonlands View – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Hoodoos – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Canyons – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Full Moon Over Grand View – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Juniper – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Orange Canyons – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Canyonlands Evening – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Canyonlands Sunset – Canyonlands NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Part 2 – Monochrome

Travel: Arches National Park – Part 2: Monochrome

Posted on March 17, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Arch & La Sal – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Part 1

As I mentioned in part one, the lighting for photography was pretty terrible during the few hours that I was at Arches National Park. Still, the place was nothing short of amazing! I wanted to capture it all, and found that black-and-white was often a better choice than color. I think if I had been there closer to sunrise or sunset, color would have been the way to go. Because I was up against the harsh midday sun, monochrome seemed to better express the abnormally stunning landscape.

On the X100F I used my Acros and Acros Push-Process film simulations, except that I had the dynamic range set to DR400. I often chose Acros+R to simulate the use of a red filter (making the blue sky darker), although the results are closer to what one would get with an orange filter in real black-and-white film photography and not a red filter. On the X-A3 I primarily used the B&W+R film simulation with the highlights and shadows set to +2, which seems to give the right amount of contrast in most situations.

All of the photographs in this article are camera-made JPEGs. If I had relied on RAW and used Lightroom or some other software on my computer, I’d probably still be editing the pictures. Instead, I saved a ton of time and relied on the camera’s great JPEG processor. I’m happy with the results. I didn’t capture any portfolio worthy pictures, but all things considered, I managed at least a few decent photographs that I’m proud to show here. I just hope for the opportunity to return and photograph Arches National Park in better light.

If you ever have the chance to go, I highly recommend this place. It’s so unusual, filled with seemingly impossible formations and brilliant colors. It’s a landscape photographer’s playground. Or just a great place to wander in the wonder of nature. I enjoyed my short visit to Arches National Park, and I cannot wait to return, hopefully sooner than later.

Park Avenue – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Queen Nefertiti – Arches NP, UT – Fuji X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Beanpole – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Mt. Peale In The Distance – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

La Sal Range – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Monochrome Rocks – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Gossip – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Balanced Rock – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Balance – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Graboid – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Monument – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Window Arch & La Sal – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Bird Flew – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Monochrome Arch – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Rock Window – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Mt Peale – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Tree In Rocky Terrain – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Window Arch In Monochrome – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Cairn & Arch – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

The Desert Is Unforgiving – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Three Stone Peaks – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Monochrome Layers – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Over The Desert Ridge – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Hidden Human Head – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Travel: Arches National Park – Part 1: Color

Posted on March 10, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

North Windows Arch – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

I moved from California to Utah almost two years ago. One reason that my wife and I chose Utah was its proximity to many great National Parks. So far we’ve made it to a few, but not nearly as many as I would like. Last week the opportunity came to take my family to Moab, Utah, to see Arches National Park, and so we went.

When I was a kid my family visited Arches National Park, but it had been nearly three decades since I was last there. In fact, I was near the age of my two oldest children. Even though it had been a long time, the park seemed familiar, and I was constantly saying, “Oh, I remember this!” It was really good to return, and to share the experience with my family.

The weather was quite pleasant. It was sunny with blue skies. The temperature was little cool but not cold, far from scorching hot like it gets in the summer and not freezing cold like it was that same day at my house near Salt Lake City. We were there midday, so the lighting was about as awful for photography as one could find. The shadows were deep and the light-colored rocks were reflecting the brilliant sunlight. Trying to balance the exposures was a tricky task, because it was easy to have blocked-up shadows or blown highlights or both.

Arches National Park is simply amazing! The odd red rock formations seem like something from another planet. The place looks fragile and even sometimes impossible. It’s a grand landscape in a harsh and barren desert. It’s worth seeing, if you ever find yourself in southern Utah. If you do go, make sure you download onto your phone the GyPSy automated tour guide app. It’s the best few dollars I’ve spent on an app ever.

I brought along a Fujifilm X100F, which is the camera I most enjoy using, and a Fujifilm X-A3 with a Jupiter 21M lens attached, which is my telephoto option. I used DR400 on both cameras because of the harsh light conditions. I used Velvia, PRO Neg. Hi, Classic Chrome and Eterna film simulations for these images. All of these pictures are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs.

I don’t believe that I captured any great color images at Arches National Park, but I do think I got a few decent exposures. It just wasn’t a good lighting, and photography is about light perhaps more than anything else. I do hope to return sometime in the near future, and maybe I’ll be able to photograph the place under better conditions.

It’s very difficult to capture anything remotely unique when visiting a heavily photographed location. Thousands of pictures are made inside Arches National Park every day. I always attempt at unique, knowing full well that I will probably fail. Are these pictures art? Maybe a couple of them. Mostly they’re snapshots, simple memory aids for my family. I hope you appreciate what I captured and that you enjoy these pictures.

Close Knit Rock Family – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Cliff Dwelling – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Outdoor Kids – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Birds Allowed – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Green Tree, Red Rock – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Down The Steps – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Under The Arch – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Kids In The Window – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Looking Through Windows Arch – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Turret Arch – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Trail To Turret Arch – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

South Window Arch – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

A Harsh Dry Land – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

The Red Desert – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Reaching – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Hot & Cold – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Delicate Arch – Arches NP, UT – Fujifilm X-A3 & Jupiter 21M

Part 2: Arches National Park in Monochrome

Fujifilm X100F, The Chronicle Camera (At McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park)

Posted on February 11, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Train Ride Through The Christmas Tunnel – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

There are many reasons to photograph. It might be because someone is paying you money to do so. It could be because you want to hang a pretty picture on your wall. Perhaps you want to share what you ate for lunch with your social network followers. Maybe you have a message you want to photographically convey. Or it might be because you are compelled to create art. There are any number of reasons to take a picture.

Ever since I purchased my Fujifilm X100F, I have found myself much more than ever before using the camera to chronicle my family and the adventures we have. I’m documenting us, the Roesch family. This is something I’ve always done, but never to the extent that I’ve done over the last six months. I’ve captured a heck-of-a-lot of family snapshots lately.

There are several reasons why I’m photographing my family more, and it comes down to gear. The X100F is the perfect chronicle camera. It’s small and lightweight enough to fit in my pocket, so I carry it around with me and it’s never in the way. The image quality is nothing short of fantastic. Many of the different film simulations are great for people pictures. The leaf shutter and built-in fill-flash are great for portraits. It produces wonderful pictures right out of the camera that don’t require editing, so I’m not bogged down with post-processing.

That last point is an important one. I used to spend hours and hours and hours sitting in front of a computer screen editing RAW files. That’s time spent away from family. My workflow was constantly backlogged. I found myself purposefully not capturing images because I knew that meant editing them, which required time that I didn’t have. In fact, I still have thousands of RAW exposures sitting on hard drives that I never got around to post-processing.

Joyful Johanna – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

With the X100F, I not only have more time to capture pictures, but I’m also not worried about the time that I would have to spend with each image after exposure. I click the shutter and the image is done. It’s ready to be uploaded to the web (which is where I backup my pictures). I’ve saved so much time, and I believe that this more than anything accounts for why I’m now taking more family snapshots.

Years from now these pictures will be worth more to my family and I than any of the other ones. These will be the cherished photographs. I have an old box of slides that my grandparents captured, mostly in the 1950’s and 1960’s. There are images of Yosemite and Yellowstone and such in that box, but the pictures that are most interesting are the family snapshots. Pictures of my dad and his siblings as young kids, or my grandparents when they were young adults, are particularly fascinating.

The photographs in this post are from our family trip to Arizona last Christmas. There’s a really neat place in Scottsdale called the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, which is just an incredible place for any train enthusiast (and what kid isn’t a train enthusiast?). We spent an afternoon at the park, and these are the family snapshots that I captured. The kids had a blast! It was a really good couple of hours. Because I chronicled it with my camera–the adventure was documented–my kids and their future kids will have these treasured exposures. This will be meaningful to them.

The Fujifilm X100F is a great camera because, among other things, it makes family snapshots easy, producing excellent results without fuss. I’m so glad that I purchased it six months ago. I can’t wait to use it to chronicle the next family adventure, wherever and whenever that might be.

Looking Out The Bright Window – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Christmas Joy – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

What Time Does The Train Leave? – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Leaving The Station – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Learning Scale – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Joshua At The Train Museum – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Trolley Driver – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Bottle Time – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Happy Holiday Baby – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Happy Girls – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Joy On The Lighted Path – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Christmas Bulb Reflection – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F

Our Arizona Christmas – Scottsdale, AZ – Fujifilm X100F (captured by a stranger)

Photoessay: Kolob Canyon, Zion National Park

Posted on January 22, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Kolob Canyon Road – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

In late December, just a couple days after Christmas, I had a chance to visit Kolob Canyon in Zion National Park. Zion is the sixth most visited national park in America and is the most visited national park in Utah. Kolob Canyon is a lesser known section of the park that’s isolated from the rest. We found a little snow on the ground from a storm the week before.

Access to Kolob Canyon is easy because it’s right off of Interstate 15 between St. George and Cedar City. A quick five-mile dead-end road curves through the scenic canyon. Because those on the freeway are just passing through and it’s a bit out of the way for those visiting the main part of the park, it just gets overlooked. It really is a hidden gem!

Kolob Canyon is full of impressive red-orange cliffs, finger canyons and sweeping vistas. It’s higher in elevation than the more-visited sections of Zion, so the landscape is little more green and a little less desert. It’s easy to see why this area was included in the national park, it’s just chocked full of natural beauty!

My short visit to the park was not during ideal light conditions for photography. The sky was a deep blue, but the sun was harsh and nearly overhead. My family and I arrived at 12:40 in the afternoon and we left about an hour-and-a-half later. Undeterred by the problematic light, I used my Fujifilm X100F to capture the grand sights that were before me. I used my wide-angle conversion lens for many of the exposures.

All of these photographs are camera-made JPEGs; however, I used Fujifilm’s X RAW Studio to process the RAW files (click the link if that statement is confusing to you). I used my Velvia Film Simulation recipe, but adjusted shadows to -1 and sometimes -2 because the shadows were harsh. I adjusted highlights to -2 in a few of the images, as well. In retrospect, I wonder if using DR400 would have worked better. Either way, I’m pretty happy with the results, all things considered.

Beatty Point – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Paria Point – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Paria & Beatty Points – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

The Zion Desert – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Timber Top Mountain – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Old Log In Zion – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Sunlight Over Shuntavi Butte – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Orange Cliffs – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Kolob Canyon In December – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Trees, Rocks, Canyons & Hanging Valleys – Zion NP, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Road Trip: Seattle With A Fujifilm X100F – Part 6, Goin’ Home (Day 6 & 7)

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Ritchie Roesch

Dock Remnants – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Before leaving town on our final day in Seattle, Washington, we visited one last beach, Picnic Point Park in Edmonds. This rocky beach had great views of Whidbey Island and the Puget Sound. It was a drizzly day, but for the most part the rain paused while we were there, and the sun briefly shined through the grey sky, exposing a beautiful but fleeting blue.

The kids combed the beach for seashells, unusual rocks and anything related to sea life. My wife and I took in the view, breathing in the moist Pacific air. This was going to be our last view of the ocean for awhile, and so we tried to make the moment last as long as we could. We had a great time at this spot.

It was bittersweet to leave, not just this beach but Seattle. The trip had been a lot of fun! It was great to relive old memories and make new ones. Washington is such a beautiful state. We wanted to stay longer, but it was time to go. We had a long day of driving ahead of us.

Umbrella Overpass – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Yellow Bush & Red Berries – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Driftwood – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Across Towards Whidbey Island – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Possession Point In The Distance – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Three Old Dock Posts – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Old Dock Post Remnants – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Kids Throwing Rocks – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Beach Combing – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seashell Hunter – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seashell Found – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Johanna’s Face – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Grey Day At The Beach – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Barnacle Heart – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

White Glove Art – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Coastal Tracks – Edmonds, WA – Fujifilm X100F

The drive across the state of Washington was long. It rained hard and then snowed crossing the mountain pass. It was mostly sunny on the west side of the state. We made good time by making minimal stops, only braking for gas, food and restrooms. The kids did surprisingly well, including the baby–they were all troopers. Our hotel was in Boise, Idaho, and we arrived very late, exhausted from the long trip.

Pumping Gas – Yakima, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Face On The Bathroom Wall – Pendleton, OR – Fujifilm X100F

We awoke the next day to wet weather in Idaho. We took our time leaving because we were no longer in a hurry. Some old friends of ours live in Boise, and we met up with them for a little while before beginning the last leg of our journey.

It was dark before we entered Utah and it was late when we got home. We appreciated that we took our time on this last day, and we didn’t feel so stressed upon arrival. It was good trip, but it was good to be home. It felt good to sleep in my own bed.

The photographs on these last two days were captured using a Fujifilm X100F, all camera-made JPEGs using my Acros Push-Process Film Simulation recipe and my Velvia Film Simulation recipe. I used my wide-angle conversion lens for some of the pictures. One fully charged battery lasted both days.

Three Leaves On Concrete – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X100F

Walk And Not Faint – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X100F

Corvair Corner – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X100F

Wet Parking Lot At Night – Twin Falls, ID – Fujifilm X100F

In the end, after seven days on the road, I captured 792 exposures, keeping 198 of them. That means I had a success rate of one in four, which is incredible! Many of those were personal family pictures, but still, I didn’t delete nearly as many pictures as with other cameras I’ve traveled with in the past. I shared 144 of those images with you in this series of posts. Perhaps I included too many photographs in each section, but I felt it was better to share too many than too few. I hope you enjoyed them!

The Fujifilm X100F proved to be a great travel camera, fitting into my pockets without a problem, never getting in the way, and always ready to capture in whatever environment I was in. The wet weather was no problem. The different light situations were no problem. I came home and had minimal post-processing–almost all of the images from this trip are straight-out-of-camera, no editing. A few needed some minor manipulation, but only a small handful of them.

Even better than the photography was the experience of the trip. People invest a lot of money in camera gear. I find it better to instead invest in experiences whenever possible. Don’t buy that new lens, but go someplace that you’ve never been and use what equipment you already have. Keep your gear simple and be content with it. You’ll be happier for it, I’m sure.

Road Trip: Seattle With Fujifilm X100F – Part 5, Bonney Lake & Tacoma (Day 5)

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Ritchie Roesch

Mount Rainier From Bonney Lake – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

For the third full day in the Seattle, Washington, area we planned to explore south of downtown, roughly around Tacoma. After experiencing mostly good weather on the trip, this day saw lots of rain, which is typical weather for the time of year. After breakfast and coffee we got in the car and headed south.

We drove around for awhile, seeing the different suburbs and such. It was wet outside so we didn’t stop much. We found ourselves in the town of Bonney Lake, which is a community situated in the trees with great views of Mount Rainier. The rain briefly stopped, so we got out of the car and relaxed outdoors, just taking it all in. We found a little park for the kids to play and sat by a fire to keep warm, which was very nice. We made our way down a trail through the woods. It really reminded me of the things about the Pacific Northwest that I loved as a kid.

Forest Trail – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Five Yellow Leaves – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Johanna & Mommy – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Keeping Warm By The Fire – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Kids By The Fire – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Road To Mt. Rainier – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

To Keep Us Warm – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Baby Lunchtime – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Salute Your Story – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Where The Fern Grows – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Mount Rainier Behind The Pines – Bonney Lake, WA – Fujifilm X100F

After awhile it was time to leave Bonney Lake and so we made our way to downtown Tacoma for lunch. As a kid I remember Tacoma being a bit of a rundown dump. We discovered that it’s not, but a delightful little city on the coast. I’m not sure if my memory was incorrect, or if they’ve really cleaned the place up. Whatever the case, Tacoma was a pleasant surprise.

We found a tasty restaurant in downtown Tacoma. We wanted to explore downtown, but the weather kept us from doing much. We did manage to walk around a little and see a few local stores.

We got back in the car and explored the area more. We motored across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (and back) and through the Point Defiance Park, but didn’t get out. It was just raining too much, and so we saw the sights by looking out the car’s windows.

The Harmon – Tacoma, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Bleach – Tacoma, WA – Fujifilm X100F

We hopped on a ferry boat and floated onto Vashon Island. I’d always heard great things about Vashon, that it was a beautiful place and a must-see for a visit to Seattle, and I’d never been. It was high on my agenda for this trip.

Unfortunately, the rain came down even harder and we didn’t get to see much. We found a country store and picked up some local jelly. We drove to the Point Robinson Lighthouse on Maury Island (which is connected to Vashon Island). Everyone kept dry in the car while I trudged down a muddy trail to get a picture.

It was beginning to get dark and dinnertime was approaching, so we floated on another ferry to Seattle. We had dinner at a restaurant that I ate at as a kid and remember liking. It tasted exactly as I remembered.

In retrospect, this day included too much driving and not enough fun. We should have explored less and maybe visited a museum. My wife and I agreed that this was the least enjoyable day of the three full days that we were there. Still, we did see some interesting things and there were some great moments. I came away with a few decent pictures.

All of these photographs are camera-made JPEGs from my Fujifilm X100F, using my Acros Push Process Film Simulation recipe, my Velvia Film Simulation recipe and my Classic Chrome Film Simulation recipe. One fully-charged battery lasted the whole day no problem. I left my wide-angle conversion lens at the hotel. Even though the X100F isn’t weather sealed, it got wet a number of times and survived just fine.

Point Robinson Lighthouse – Maury Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 6

Road Trip: Seattle With A Fujifilm X100F – Part 4, Downtown Seattle, 2nd Impression: Pike Place (Day 4b)

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Ritchie Roesch

Meet Farmers – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

After Seattle Center, the next stop on our agenda was Pike Place Farmers Market. This is another iconic Seattle site, best known for flying fish and the original Starbucks. It’s popular among locals and tourists alike, and so you can imagine that it’s very busy, packed with people.

Trying to find parking was a nightmare. With some patience and luck, we were fortunate to find a space that wasn’t too expensive and was within a reasonable walk. Once we were at the market, the crowds were so thick it was hard to get around, and it was a constant battle to not get separated from each other.

We had a list of places that we wanted to visit. We didn’t get to most of them because there were long lines just about everywhere. We did eat some delicious cheesecake. We saw some fish being thrown, which was a highlight (I really wanted to catch one, but I didn’t want to smell like fish the rest of the day). We bought some colorful local flowers.

Pike Place turned out to be both fun and disappointing. We had a good time at times, but it was overly crowded, and not a good place to take four young kids because of that. We didn’t get to experience everything we wanted, things that my wife and I had talked about for weeks leading up to this trip, but what we did get to experience was enjoyable.

As far as photography, this is a great place for street-type pictures. The biggest issue is that it’s been photographed so much, trying to capture something that hasn’t been done before by hundreds of other people is a near impossible task. Also, I noticed that many of the vendors have signs prohibiting photography, which brings up legal and ethical questions. Still, I enjoyed making exposures at Pike Place and the X100F was a great camera for this location.

Time For The Public Market – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Public Fish Market – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Pure Fish – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Silver Salmon – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Market Snack – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Exiting Entrance – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seattle From Inside Pike Place Market – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Public Parking – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Standin’ On A Corner – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Left Bar – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Quality Always – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Local Grown – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Fresh Crab – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Soiled Babies That Way – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seafood Stand – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Crab Toss – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Pike Place Farmers Market – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Next, we went to the Ballard Locks, which are also known as the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. This is where boats get lowered into the salty sea water from the fresh lake water or vice versa. The Puget Sound connects to Lake Union (which connects to Lake Washington) through Salmon Bay, which is where the Ballard Locks are located. The lake level is a little higher than the ocean, and the locks allow boats to go back and forth.

We arrived right at sunset, and the light for photography quickly disappeared. We didn’t stay very long, but we did get to see one boat go through the locks. It was the wrong time of year to watch the salmon (something this place is known for), but other sea life was active. It was an interesting stop and the kids had a good time.

Watch Your Lines – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Salmon Bay Boats – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

We ended our downtown Seattle adventure with dinner in the Ballard neighborhood. There’s a small-city-downtown area (that’s how I would describe it) with shops and restaurants. It was well after dark. Parking was terrible (had to circle the area a few times), but we found coffee and pizza that were both excellent. It was a good way to end a great day.

I exhausted the battery on the X100F for the first time, but I had a spare in my pocket. I was pretty much done taking pictures, so I only made a few exposures on the backup battery. I had my wide-angle conversion lens with me, but didn’t use it. All of these pictures are camera-made JPEGs using my Acros Push Process Film Simulation recipe, my Velvia Film Simulation recipe and my Classic Chrome Film Simulation recipe.

Upstairs Clearance – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Strong Coffee – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 5 Part 6

Road Trip: Seattle With A Fujifilm X100F – Part 3, Downtown Seattle, 1st Impression: Seattle Center (Day 4a)

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Ritchie Roesch

Downtown Seattle – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 1 Part 2

The fourth day of our road trip was dedicated to downtown Seattle. After finishing breakfast at the hotel, we jumped into the car and drove to Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle, which is perhaps Seattle’s most iconic landmark.

We found parking and coffee and made the short walk to the tall, pointy tower, which we discovered is currently being remodeled. A glass floor is being added to the bottom. Thankfully the Space Needle’s observation deck was still open during construction and the elevator operational. We purchased tickets and had an hour to kill before our scheduled time.

Seattle Center, as it turns out, is home to a lot more than just the Space Needle. There are museums, restaurants, a monorail, a fountain and a park. This was the site of the 1962 World’s Fair, and Seattle has made it a destination. One could spend an entire day at Seattle Center and perhaps not see and do everything. It felt like this was the Pacific Northwest’s version of Disneyland’s Tomorrowland, just without the roller coaster and with some homeless loitering.

We didn’t visit any of the museums, although if I had planned the trip better I would have. Instead we walked around for awhile, just taking it all in. We found a guy making huge bubbles, and the kids (ours and stranger’s) were going nuts for this. Soon it was time to take the elevator to the top, and see Seattle from Space… er, I mean, see Seattle from the Space Needle’s observation deck.

Even though I lived a few different places in the Seattle area as a kid, I never once went to the Seattle Center. I had never been inside the Space Needle. I’m not sure why, but my parents never took me there. It was a first-time experience for me as well as my wife and kids.

My three-year-old son would later say that riding the Space Needle’s elevator was his favorite part of the trip. It was a quick and smooth trip up, and soon we were overlooking the Puget Sound area, with spectacular views of the ocean, islands, skyscrapers and even Mt. Rainier. It turned out to be a lovely day to take in the views, with partly sunny skies and tolerable temperatures.

Inside the Space Needle they had some virtual reality goggles set up where you can experience (sort of) skydiving off of the tall building. My two older kids enjoyed this, it was an extra treat for them, the icing on the cake, to this memorable experience.

The Space Needle was a highlight of our trip, and my kids talked about it for days after returning home. It’s an iconic site that’s a must-see for anyone visiting the city. It should come as no surprise that it’s a great place for capturing photographs. Some of my favorite pictures from the trip were photographed here.

I used a Fujifilm X100F to capture these images. I started out with my wide-angle conversion lens attached, then, while at the top of the Space Needle, took it off for a few exposures. These are camera-made JPEGs using my Velvia Film Simulation recipe and my Acros Push Process Film Simulation recipe.

Seattle Grind – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

POF – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seattle Center – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Up Towards Space – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Pointy – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Space Needle Remodel – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Way Up There – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seattle’s Space Needle – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

We Were Here – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Autumn At Seattle Center – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Bubbles In Seattle Center – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Bubble Play – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

The Key To Fun Is Bubbles – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Minimal Amusement – Seattle, Washington – Fujifilm X100F

Bubble Hazard – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Kids At The International Fountain – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Puget Sound Vista – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Looking Pacific Northwest – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seattle From Space – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Downtown Seattle Vista – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Seattle Skyline – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Monochrome Seattle – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Questioning Face – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Virtual Boy – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Vive – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Virtual Crowd – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Space Needle Monochrome – Seattle, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Road Trip: Seattle With A Fujifilm X100F – Part 2, Whidbey Island (Day 3)

Posted on December 3, 2017 by Ritchie Roesch

Deception Pass Beach – Whidbey Island, WA – Fuji X100F

Part 1

For our first full day in the Seattle area we drove to Mukilteo and floated on a ferry over to Whidbey Island. This was my family’s first ferry experience, and my eight-year-old son was especially excited. We enjoyed a smooth, quick ride across the Puget Sound. Soon we were on the island.

When I was a kid I lived in a small three-bedroom home near Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island for over five years, which is the longest I’ve ever lived in one place. I made a lot of great memories there. Right away my mind began recalling things left and right. I was able to point out different places that were significant to me and bring life to many of the stories I’ve told.

Puget Sound Ferry – Mukilteo, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Ferry Watching – Mukilteo, WA – Fujifilm X100F

On The Observation Deck – Mukilteo, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Watching The Water – Mukilteo, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Our first stop on the island was Fort Casey State Park. This was one of my absolute favorite places when I was a kid. I loved climbing all over the old military fort. The dark tunnels seemed endless, and it was always a surprise where exactly you’d pop out into the daylight. It’s a creepy and vast playground that’s seemingly made for boys. Plus it offers great ocean views.

My family loved it! My wife was a little reluctant at first, but as we explored more and more she had a change of heart, and it ended up being one of the highlights of the trip for her. The kids still haven’t stopped talking about it.

It was a fun place to photograph. I used to do a lot of abandonment/urban exploration type photography, and this was similar to that (except without the trespassing and much less dangerous). I like that genre of photography (although I rarely do “urbex” pictures anymore), and Fort Casey allowed me to include my family in an abandonment adventure that even young kids could enjoy.

We stayed awhile, touring a large area of the park, yet still left plenty unseen. All too soon it was time to go. After all, it was lunchtime and we were getting hungry.

Fort Casey – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

William Worth – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

The Big Gun – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

No. 26 – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Web of Deterioration – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Wall Ring – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Girl At Fort Casey – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Ladder Climb – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Pinnacle – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Rusted Pulley – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Dark & Forgotten – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Into The Unknown – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Concrete Steps – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Fort Casey Canopy – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

On Top of Fort Casey – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Every Which Way – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Distant Ship – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Wind Swept – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Returning – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Next stop, Coupeville. This quaint island town sits right on Penn Cove. The small downtown is full of historic buildings from the 1800’s and early 1900’s. Coupeville is one of Washington’s oldest settlements (some claim it is the second oldest town in the state, although apparently it depends on how one defines “town”). It’s a quintessential Pacific Northwest coastal community, and a must-stop on the island.

We only stayed long enough to eat lunch. We noticed that the town has a lot of cats (a fact noticed by my eight-year-old son who loves cats). It seemed like a place we could have spent some time, looking through the different shops and such, but we had more on the agenda. We wanted to save some daylight for Oak Harbor, the town on Whidbey Island that I used to live near.

Downtown Coupeville – Coupeville, WA – Fujifilm X100F

White Fence – Coupeville, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Kneed & Feed Cafe – Coupeville, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Whidbey Coffee – Oak Harbor, WA – Fujifilm X100F

As we approached the town of Oak Harbor on Highway 20, many buildings and landmarks became familiar. Some things had obviously changed in the decades that had passed since I was last on the island, but plenty had not. A lot of memories flooded my mind.

After a pit stop and a quick tour of downtown, we found the little yellow house where I lived for several years as a child. We drove around the neighborhood. I pointed out where different stories took place that I’d told my family. We got out of the car and walked down a path that I used to traverse, finding some blackberries that were surprisingly still ripe.

I never had a hometown growing up because we moved all of the time. When people would ask, “Where’s home?” I never had a good answer. Oak Harbor is the closest place to that “home” that I ever experienced, but I hadn’t seen it in over 25 years. I cannot tell you how good it was to go back. My family appreciated this journey, as well.

The Motorcross – Oak Harbor, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Don’t Go Down That Road – Oak Harbor, WA – Fujifilm X100F

The final stop on our Whidbey Island tour was Deception Pass State Park. This is such a beautiful spot on the island! We walked the rocky beach. The kids looked for seashells and sea life, and found two dead crabs. They chased the waves in and out. We breathed in the salty and moist ocean air. We had a great time! We were reminded just how much we love the coast.

The sun was getting low. Soon the short November daylight would be gone. We got back in the car and crossed the well-photographed Deception Pass Bridge. I wished that we could have visited longer, but the time we did have was wonderful. I suppose it means that we’ll have to come back.

I used my Fujifilm X100F to capture all of these photographs, which are camera-made JPEGs using my Acros Push-Process Film Simulation recipe and my Velvia Film Simulation recipe. I brought two batteries but only used one. I left the wide-angle conversion lens at the hotel.

Birds On A Rock – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Deception Pass Beach – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Deception Pass – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Big & Small Islands – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Running To The Water – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Boys At The Beach – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Kids Playing On The Shore – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Towards The Waves – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Away From The Waves – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Pacific Coast Selfie – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Mother & Daughter At The Beach – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Crabby Joy – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Deception Pass Bridge – Whidbey Island, WA – Fujifilm X100F

Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Road Trip: Seattle With A Fujifilm X100F – Part 1, Getting There (Day 1 & 2)

Posted on November 28, 2017 by Ritchie Roesch

Starbucks Coffee – Riverdale, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Just before the Thanksgiving holiday I had the opportunity to take a good ol’ American family road trip from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Seattle, Washington. The drive time to get there is 12 hours from my house, and since my wife and I have four young kids we decided to break it up into two days. We began our trip with a quick stop at Starbucks for coffee, which seemed like an appropriate thing to do considering our destination.

My dad was in the Navy, and as a kid I moved frequently. Perhaps this is why I have also moved around from place to place as an adult, living in Arizona, Texas, California and now Utah. The Puget Sound area of Washington was my home a few different times as a child, and I was 12-years-old the last time that I lived there.

I was eager to see the region again and to show my family where I spent time as a kid. The longest I ever lived in one house (as a child or adult) was there, and I wanted to see what had changed and what was still the same. I felt like it would be therapeutic in a way to return. This was going to be a good trip.

On the first day we made the long drive to Richland, Washington. This was supposed to be eight hours on the road, but it took us 11 hours to get there with the all stops we made. We saw a giant “potato” being pulled behind a big rig near Burley, Idaho, and the “Niagara of the west” in Twin Falls, Idaho (which is where my camera strap broke). We arrived at our hotel well after dark and in the pouring rain. It was good to sleep.

Oversize Potato – Burley, Idaho – Fujifilm X100F

Shoshone Falls – Twin Falls, ID – Fujifilm X100F

Roesch Family At Shoshone Falls – Twin Falls, ID – Fujifilm X100F

The next day began with beautiful sunny skies and a much shorter drive. It snowed on us a little crossing the Cascade mountain range. We made good time, only stopping for gas, and arrived in Seattle early in the afternoon. It was raining off-and-on in Seattle, which is typical weather for that area this time of year. Thankfully we came prepared with umbrellas.

After checking into our hotel and settling in, we headed out for a local beach while there was still some daylight. We combed the shore for seashells and interesting rocks. The kids walked along the driftwood that’s prevalent along the rocky Pacific Northwest beaches. I love the ocean and it felt good to breath in the salty air!

I used a Fujifilm X100F to capture our adventure. This camera is excellent for travel photography because it is small and lightweight, yet produces excellent images. I attached my wide angle conversion lens on the front of the camera for the first two days. These are all camera-made JPEGs, and I used my Acros Push-Process Film Simulation recipe for all the black-and-white exposures, and my Velvia Film Simulation recipe and my Classic Chrome Film Simulation recipe for the color images. I had a spare battery with me but didn’t use it as one fully-charged battery lasted both days.