Urban | FUJI X WEEKLY

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

[Not] My Fujifilm X Urban Vintage Chrome Film Simulation Recipe

Posted on August 24, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Refine – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 90mm f/2 – “Urban Vintage Chrome”

Fuji X Weekly reader Thomas Schwab recently shared with me a film simulation recipe that he created. He calls it “Urban Vintage Chrome” because it has a classic analog aesthetic, it’s based on the Classic Chrome film simulation, and it pairs especially well with urban scenes. I tried it out and was highly impressed with the results. Thomas agreed to let me share it on this blog, and even allowed me to use some of his pictures in the article.

What the Urban Vintage Chrome recipe reminds me of is Bleach Bypass, which is a technique where, during development, you fully or partially skip the bleach. It increases contrast and grain and decreases saturation. The results can vary depending on the film used and how exactly it’s developed, but generally speaking this recipe produces a look that is similar to it, or at least the closest straight-out-of-camera that I’ve seen. It’s compatible with all Fujifilm X-Trans III and IV cameras.

Hazy Rural Sunset – Woods Cross, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm – “Urban Vintage Chrome”

Classic Chrome
Dynamic Range: DR200
Highlight: 0
Shadow: +2
Color: -4
Sharpening: 0
Noise Reduction: -4
Grain: Weak
Color Chrome Effect: Off
White Balance: 4300K, -1 Red & -3 Blue
ISO: Auto, up to ISO 3200
Exposure Compensation: +1/3 to +2/3 (typically)

I want to give big “thank you” to Thomas for sharing this recipe and allowing me to use some of his photographs in this article. I really appreciate it! Be sure to show your appreciation in the comments!

Example photographs using this film simulation recipe:

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany – Fujifilm X100F – Photo by Thomas Schwab

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany – Fujifilm X-T2 & Fujinon 35mm f/2 – Photo by Thomas Schwab

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany – Fujifilm X100F – Photo by Thomas Schwab

Creek Ducks – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Green Locomotive – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Oil Toil – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Tracks By The Refinery – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Gate Arm Nut – North Salt Lake, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

CF Trailer – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

Hidden Wall Street – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & 90mm

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Street & Urban Photography – Downtown Boise, ID, with a Fujifilm X-T30

Posted on May 30, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Bicycles Exempt – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

I found myself last week in Boise, Idaho. I’d passed through Boise a couple of times before, staying overnight in a hotel traveling between Salt Lake City and Seattle. I’d seen very little of the city. This visit to Boise included a little longer stay and a chance to actually see the place, at least a little.

One thing I discovered is that downtown Boise is a very nice place! I had no idea. It’s colorful, clean and lively. It’s not as large as Salt Lake City’s downtown, which is no surprise as Boise is a smaller city, yet it feels large enough. There are interesting structures, green spaces, restaurants and local stores. It has plenty of character. It feels a little like a miniature Portland, minus some of the weirdness. It’s probably safer than Portland, too. This is to say that downtown Boise is much more interesting than I expected, and it was a pleasant visit.

Principal Property Pinnacle – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Unfortunately, I only had the opportunity to walk around a few blocks. I wanted to explore more, but I just didn’t have the time. Downtown Boise seems like a place where one could come to over and over for street and urban photographs. There seems to be plenty of photographic opportunities. Who would have thought? Not me. Even though it was a short visit, I’m glad that I discovered this unexpected gem. I hope to return soon for more photography.

I used a Fujifilm X-T30 and Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens for these photographs. Some people might say that the 50mm-equivalent focal length of the 35mm lens is not good for this type of photography, that a wide-angle lens is a much better choice. While I do like wide-angle lenses for street photography, the nifty-fifty can still be used effectively. Use what you have to the best of your abilities and you’ll be surprised at what you create.

B&W:

We Recycle – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Steunenburg Statue – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

The Hart of Downtown – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Divergent Textures – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Aloft Windows – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Color:

Hidden Dome – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Capital Dome – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Colorful Alley – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Alley Trash – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Strolling Alone – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

Boise Idaho – Boise, ID – Fujifilm X-T30 & 35mm

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:

No Overnight – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 & Meike 35mm

Time To Come Home – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

West – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

US Alone – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Fountain of Youth – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

B&W:

Walker Center At Night – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X100F

KeyBank – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

City Sun Monochrome – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Afternoon Coffee Walk – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

Lines In Monochrome – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 16mm

First Street Photography Images With Fujifilm X-Pro2

Posted on May 14, 2018 by Ritchie Roesch

Slow – Park City, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 & 23mm

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 is a popular camera for street photography. It looks cool. It has a silent shutter (the electronic one, not the mechanical shutter). It’s weather sealed. It makes wonderful images. What’s not to love? So when my X-Pro2 arrived in the mail less than two weeks ago, one of the very first things that I did with it was shoot some street photography.

I’ve had the chance to take the camera to Ogden, Park City and the Salt Lake International Airport (all in Utah), and capture some street images. I used a Fujinon XF 23mm f/2 R WR lens, a Fujinon XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR lens, and a Meike 35mm f/1.7 lens, all three of which are great lenses for this genre of photography. All three of them pair well with the X-Pro2. I’ll be discussing each in more detail in the coming weeks.

All of these images are straight-out-of-camera JPEGs. The color photographs are Classic Chrome (a mix of my X100F Classic Chrome recipe and a new more punchy recipe that I’ll be sharing soon). The black-and-white images are Acros. Those are both great film simulations for street photography. I use these two film simulations the most, followed by Velvia, Astia and PRO Neg. Std., although I rarely use anything but Classic Chrome and Acros for this type of photography.

I look forward to even more street photography with the X-Pro2 (and X100F) in the coming months. I’ll be sure to post the images here on Fuji X Weekly, so I invite you to follow this blog if you aren’t already.

Take care!