Salt Lake City | FUJI X WEEKLY

5 Frames: Fujifilm X-H1 + Kodak Gold 200 + Downtown Salt Lake City

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Highrise, Reflection & Lamp* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Gold 200”

I took my Fujifilm X-H1 to downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, loaded with my Kodak Gold 200 film simulation recipe, to do some urban photography. Attached to the camera was a Fujinon 18mm f/2 lens, which I find to be a good focal-length for cityscape and street images.

Kodak Gold, which was introduced in the late-1980’s and is still around today, is a general purpose color negative film. It was originally called Kodacolor VR-G, then Kodacolor Gold, and finally Gold. It replaced Kodacolor VR. While the film has been improved a few times over the years, it still looks pretty much the same today as it did in the 1980’s. My film simulation recipe is an approximation of Kodak Gold for Fujifilm X-Trans III plus the X-T3 and X-T30 cameras.

For those following the SOOC video series, Kodak Gold 200 is the current recipe-of-the-month. Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I will be discussing this recipe, including showcasing your pictures captured with it, in the next episode. We’re taking January off, so the next video, which will be Episode 01 of Season 02, will be on February 10th. Be sure to mark your calendar! Since there’s extra time to shoot with this recipe, we’d like to show two of your pictures in the next episode, captured in different light situations and/or of different subjects. Upload your pictures here to be featured in the next video!

In the meantime, this article is a photoessay of five photographs captured in downtown Salt Lake City with a Fujifilm X-H1 using the Kodak Gold 200 film simulation recipe. Enjoy!

*100 South* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Gold 200”

*Vespa Mirror Reflection* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Gold 200”

*Reflected Center* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Gold 200”

*Zamboni* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1 – “Kodak Gold 200”

Find this film simulation recipe and 200 more on the Fuji X Weekly — Film Recipes App!

14 Frames: Cross Process in Salt Lake City

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Ritchie Roesch

*Follow the Bird to Salt Lake* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

I recently took my Fujifilm X-H1 camera to downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, loaded with my Cross Process film simulation recipe, to do some creative urban photography. Attached to the camera was a Fujinon 18mm f/2 lens, which I find to be a good focal-length for cityscapes and street images.

For those who don’t know, cross-process is an analog technique where film is developed in chemistry intended for a different emulsion type. Most commonly, it is E6 slide film developed in C41 color negative chemistry, although it is certainly not limited to that. The results of cross-processing can vary wildly, but usually there’s a strong color shift, and an increase in contrast and grain. It’s a fun way to get bold pictures!

My Cross Process recipe isn’t intended to model any specific film, but is more of a generic cross-processed aesthetic; however, there are some similarities to Velvia, Provia, Sensia, Elite Chrome, and others. Considering that Fujifilm doesn’t have a “cross process” film simulation, the fact that this look can be achieved in-camera without the need for editing is really quite amazing! It’s an enjoyable recipe for unusual results.

For those following the SOOC live YouTube video series, Cross Process is the current recipe-of-the-month. Fujifilm X-Photographer Nathalie Boucry and I will be discussing this recipe, including showcasing your pictures captured with it. Be sure to tune-in this Thursday, December 9, at 9am Pacific Time, 12 PM Eastern! I hope to see you then!

In the meantime, this article is a photoessay of 14 photographs captured in downtown Salt Lake City with a Fujifilm X-H1 camera using the Cross Process film simulation recipe. Enjoy!

*1. Know Where It Goes* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Hotel & Crane Reflected* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Contrail* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Last Light on the Lofty Building* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Leaning* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Yield on Flashing* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Wreath Behind Glass* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Crane Reflection* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Trees in the City* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*A Corner Downtown* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Lift* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Escalator Collecting Leaves* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

*Caution: Tree* – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-H1

Downtown SLC Street Photography with Fujifilm X-T30 & Vintage Super-Takumar Lenses

Posted on December 20, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Downtown Salt Lake City Street Photography

Walking Next To The Trax – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Earlier this week I was able to do some street and urban photography in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, with my Fujifilm X-T30. I had two vintage Asahi-Pentax lenses with me: a Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5 and a Super-Takumar 105mm f/2.8. I mostly used the 28mm lens, as its focal-length is more ideal for this type of photography. As you already know if you follow the Fuji X Weekly blog, I really love pairing vintage lenses with my Fujifilm cameras. They go together like peanut butter and jelly! I have so much fun with it, and for whatever reason using vintage lenses seems especially appropriate for street photography.

I used my Kodachrome II recipe, with Color set to +2 on some images, for the color pictures in this series. The black-and-white photographs are my Acros Push-Process recipe, except I set Grain to Weak, Dynamic Range to DR400, and Highlight to +3 or +2, depending on the picture. I like to say that you can “season to taste” my different film simulation recipes; it’s something that I do. If a scene requires something to be adjusted a little different in order to create a stronger picture, I will not hesitate to do so. While my different film simulation recipes work well as-is in many circumstances, sometimes they need an adjustment to best fit the scene.

Downtown Salt Lake City is a great location for street and urban photography. It’s pretty safe. Parking is easy. Getting around is easy. It typically has just enough going on for interesting pictures, but not too much where it feels crowded. It’s large enough that you can’t do it justice in just one visit, but not too large where you might get lost. There’s interesting architecture and art. There are interesting people. Downtown Salt Lake City might not be the most idealistic street photography location, but it is nonetheless ideal in many ways.

Federal Traffic Signal – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Urban Sunshine – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

1st & 4th – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Man On Main – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

The Joy of Train Riding – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Rail Riders – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

35 Minute Parking – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

City Winter – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Urban Mailbox – SLC, UT – Fuji X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Every Style – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Table For One – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Old Business – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Urban American – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Planetarium Platform – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Climbing Aboard – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Electric City – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Tribune – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 28mm f/3.5

Gateway Living – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 105mm f/2.8

Gateway – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Asahi Super-Takumar 105mm f/2.8

Film Simulation Challenge –Roll 4: Classic Negative (with Ree Drummond)

Posted on November 14, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Back in August I introduced the Film Simulation Challenge, which is where you pick one film simulation recipe and shoot either 24 or 36 frames before changing settings. It’s kind of like loading your camera with a roll of film, and you are stuck with whatever film you loaded until that roll is completely exposed. This challenge is the digital equivalent of that analog issue. I thought it would be a fun experiment to encourage photographic vision while sharing the joy of Fujifilm X cameras.

The “film” that I loaded into my Fujifilm X-T30 was a 36 exposure “roll” of my new “Classic Negative” film simulation recipe. This recipe is the closest that I could come to matching the new film simulation of the same name that’s on the X-Pro3, but I have to admit, it’s not a complete match. The Classic Negative film simulation changes depending on the light and how you expose it, which is different than the other film simulations. I don’t think it’s possible to create an exact match, but hopefully my “Classic Negative” recipe is at least in the general ballpark. Or, if it isn’t, I hope that some of you appreciate it nonetheless.

My wife, Amanda, is a big fan of Ree Drummond (also known as The Pioneer Woman). She’s a famous blogger, author and television personality best known for her cooking recipes. She has a store, restaurant and bakery in Oklahoma, which my wife and I visited two summers ago. Ree has a new cookbook, and she’s been traveling the country doing book signings. Amanda insisted that we go so that we could meet her, and so we did! We stood in line for almost an hour in order to have a thirty second conversation with her. It was a very quick meet-and-greet that seemed like it was over before it even began. What you might not know is that Ree’s a pretty good photographer, and I was able to suggest that she create a photojournal book of her ranch that features her black-and-white photographs. She replied that she needs to get the pictures off her SD Card first.

I made 36 exposures using my “Classic Negative” film simulation, and most were of this event, especially while waiting in line. The lighting inside the bookstore was terrible, with some crazy mixed artificial lights, and this recipe wasn’t a good choice for it. I did reprocess in-camera the RAW image of Ree Drummond, and I’ve included that at the bottom of this article. I used a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens for these pictures. I hope that you enjoy!

Frame 1: Pink Sleeve – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 2: Sunset 218 – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 3: Changing Nature – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 5: Sweetaly Gelato – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 7: King of Books – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 8: Waiting For The Bus – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 9: 15th Street – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 15: Brick Chimney – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 18: A Roof – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 19: Waiting In The Waning Sun – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 22: Rick – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 24: No Trucks – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 26: Salt Lake Neighborhood – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 28: Ree Drummond – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 30: Open – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 31: Happy Amanda – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 32: Bank On It – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Frame 33: Brews – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 “Classic Negative”

Reprocess of frame 28:

Ree Drummond – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – PRO Neg. Hi

Salt Lake City Street Photography with a Fujifilm X-T30

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Antithesis – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Last week I did a little photo walk in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. I’ve been itching lately to do more street and urban photography. Salt Lake City is a very nice and relatively safe downtown, making it an excellent location for this type of picture adventure. It’s not all that far from where I live, so I really need to get there with a camera more frequently.

The particular day and time of my visit turned out to be quiet. Sometimes downtown Salt Lake City is bustling and busy, and sometimes it is nearly dead. This was definitely one of those nearly dead times. On one hand it feels like you can take things at a slower pace and just absorb the atmosphere, but on the other hand there seems to be fewer photographic opportunities for street pictures. There are pluses and minuses.

Nearly Scraping – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

The number one subject that I encountered was the homeless. Like any urban area, there are homeless all over. It seems like Salt Lake City has more homeless than it should, but I think the generosity and compassion of folks in this region might make it seem favorable for those in that situation. I don’t want to dive too deeply into what could be a long rabbit hole regarding the homeless. I’ve talked with several. Had coffee with a couple. Given a car ride to one. It’s a sad problem with few, if any, good solutions. The status quo isn’t effective. There are people trying to help, and there is help for those who really want it. Some just don’t want help, even though they are clearly at rock bottom. I know that photographing the homeless is taboo for some. I would say that ignoring the plight isn’t helpful.

I used a Fujifilm X-T30 camera with a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens attached to the front for these pictures. I’ve heard many people say that the 50mm-equivalent focal length of the lens isn’t ideal for street photography, but it all depends on how you use it. I appreciate that this setup is fairly small and lightweight, which does make it useful for this genre of picture-taking.

I Suppose It All Depends – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Crossing Main – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Flowers On Main – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Dripping Fountain – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Co. – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Urban Bicycling – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Green – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Salt Lake City: Temple Square Spring Splendor

Posted on May 7, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Vibrant Flowerbed – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

It’s spring, and of course that means spring blossoms. Flowers are in full bloom. Vibrant colors can be found everywhere. One of the more impressive places to see the spring splendor is Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City. Temple Square is an icon of the city, and a tourist attraction, with visitors coming from across the globe. In the spring the grounds are covered with blossoming flowers.

At Temple Square you’ll find well-kept grounds and interesting architecture. It’s a religious site, and there’s a chance someone might approach you regarding that. I’ve had that happen a couple of times, but it was only slightly awkward and it only happened a small number of times compared to how often I have visited. In other words, most likely you’ll be left alone. This is the church’s property, so be respectful should someone speak with you. It’s usually somewhat crowded, so you’ll blend in with all the tourists snapping pictures.

When I captured these pictures last week, I used a Fujifilm X-T30 with a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens attached to the front. This is a good lightweight combination that’s great for walk-around photography. I spent about forty five minutes strolling the grounds. Temple Square is a great location for flower photography in the spring. Being an urban environment, it’s a bit unexpected. If you find yourself in Salt Lake City, it’s worth visiting.

Singular Red Flower – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Bright Red Blooms – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Red & Yellow Blooms – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

The Color of Spring – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Field of Flowers – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Touch of Purple – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Church Grounds – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Pink Bloom – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

Downtown Salt Lake City With A Fujifilm XF10

Posted on December 3, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Downtown Keyhole – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

A couple of weeks ago I found myself in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. I had my Fujifilm XF10 with me and hoped to do a little street photography. It was a cold Sunday morning, and downtown was basically a ghost town. I barely saw anybody! Undeterred, I proceeded to walk around and capture some photographs.

Did I mention that it was cold? The sun was just beginning to rise and it hadn’t warmed up at all yet. I wasn’t really dressed for the temperature, which was in the upper 20’s Fahrenheit. I kept moving, though, and survived a trip around the block. It reminded me of some photography advice, I believe from Richard Steinheimer, that I heard many years ago: for great photographs you often have to be at places others don’t want to be and at times when others don’t want to be there. After getting back to the car I was more than happy to jump in and warm up!

The XF10 did a great job of capturing pictures. It’s small, lightweight and inconspicuous. It can be easily shoved into a pocket, which I did many times on that morning while trying to keep my fingers from freezing. I didn’t stay long. All things considered I’m pretty happy with the pictures that I came away with, even if I didn’t capture exactly what I was hoping for.

Parking – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Waiting Alone For The Train – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Blue Line – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Downtown Buildings – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Lights & Reflections – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Ever Reaching – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Diamond In The Sky – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Morning Reflections – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Keyhole Monochrome – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Abstract Reflection – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Falcon Bird Watch – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Jungle Gym – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Salt Lake City Street Photography with Fujifilm X100F & XF10

Posted on October 28, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Salt Lake City Workday – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

I had an adventure in Salt Lake City a couple of days ago. My family and I rode the FrontRunner commuter train into the city and then hopped on the TRAX light rail train to traverse downtown. I captured it all on my Fujifilm X100F and XF10 cameras. These two cameras are both great for this type of trip because they’re small and lightweight and yet are capable of fantastic image quality.

Street photography is something that I enjoy, but it’s only been over the last few years that I’ve really gotten into it. Urban landscape photography is something that I’ve done off and on for two decades. While they are two different genres, they’re very closely related and it’s not uncommon to do both simultaneously, which is what you see in this article. If time allowed I’d certainly find myself wandering urban areas more, camera in hand.

Downtown Salt Lake City is one of the nicer urban centers in America. It’s clean, safe, pedestrian friendly and full of shopping, dining, entertainment and educational opportunities. It’s a great place to spend a day! It’s a great place to walk around with a camera or two, capturing the urban life and urban sights. It seems that I always come away with at least a couple of great images. There are a few photographs in this article that I’m particularly happy with. I hope that you enjoy them! Oh, and be sure to check out the video at the end.

B&W:

Upside-Down Frown – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Urbanhood – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Boarding Anonymous – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

White Shirt Train Riders – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Blue Line – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Joy Rider – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Uncompromising Photographer – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Library Basement Stairs – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Library Interior From Basement – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Bike By The Fountain – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Staircase Down – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Curve Down – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Salt Lake Urbanscape – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Light On The Floor – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Color

M12 M2 – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Light Rail Curve – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

That I Can’t? – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Sisters On A Train – SLC, UT – X100F

Coming & Going Passengers – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Stop, Look & Listen – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Where The Train Bends – Fujifilm X100F

Overhead Wire – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Green To The Airport – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Evening Commuter Train – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

Autumn Downtown – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Autumn At City-County Building – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Caution – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Look Both Ways – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Dressed In Red – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

Passerby Strangers – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

FrontRunner Station – SLC, UT – Fujifilm XF10

I’m not a video guy, but I wanted to try out the video features of the XF10, so I recorded some footage and made a short video of this adventure:

Recent Salt Lake City Urban Photographs

Posted on July 20, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Urban Crescent – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

I was going over the photographs that I’ve captured lately but haven’t shared yet on Fuji X Weekly, trying to group them into categories, and I realized that I have a number of urban photographs captured in Salt Lake City, Utah. I live about 30 minutes outside of Salt Lake City in one of the suburbs, and occasionally find myself venturing into the urban landscape.

These photographs were captured using an X-Pro2, X100F and X-E1. I’ve previously shared some other photographs from these outings in different articles, but the specific images seen here have never before been included in any article on this blog. They are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, with the exception of one which received some minor cropping.

I enjoy photographing the urban environment because there is so much diversity. There are a lot of different things that you could focus on all around you, including architecture, street, colors, abstract, etc. Ten photographers could walk along the same road downtown and come away with vastly different images.

The first time that I attempted urban photography was in downtown Dallas, Texas, back when I was in college two decades ago. It was for a project in Photography 102, and I just loved it. If I could (and maybe I can) I would spend a lot more time capturing the urban environment. It is a heavily saturated genre, though, so capturing it in a unique or meaningful way is difficult. But, perhaps, the reward is found in the challenge.

Color: