NPC

A non playable character

noun, plural flâ·neurs  [flah-nœr]. French.
a person who lounges or strolls around in a seemingly aimless way; an idler or loafer:
the flâneur, that cool, aloof observer of urban society.

My theory is this: The X-Pro3 broke down on me because I put around 100,000 shutter accusations in the camera within just a few months. I shoot more than anybody I ever met in my life. I live and breathe this stuff. So maybe it only makes sense that my camera broke down so quickly? If your camera doesn’t break down on you, maybe you’re just not working hard enough? I put my skin in the game since 2013 and I am still going strong! Cheers to many more camera breakdowns to come!

The X-Pro3 is not just a “poor man’s Leica,” but is way better and more robust than a Leica. I learned photography on a Leica M3 and have loads of experience with all these major camera systems for street photography so the comparison is justified. The problem is the durability. I’ve had to return my X-Pro3 to Fujifilm for repair two separate times within one year! This is nonsense and not acceptable whatsoever. The selling point for this upgrade was supposed to be the new titanium top and bottom plates, but it’s a gimmick! I never dropped my camera or put it under any harsh conditions, but the entire battery, shutter, and internals were all replaced. The second repair was needed to replace the LCD screen as that went caput. It put a really bad taste in my mouth and forced me to go back to using Ricoh digital cameras now. I can’t believe I had to send the X-Pro3 in for repair twice in just one year… It really baffles me. They should be forced to discontinue this line of camera and make something entirely new along the lines of their X70 series camera. Street photographers do NOT need a viewfinder. Just make an ultra compact and durable camera that competes with Ricoh… Too bad the Fuji JPEGS are no match for Ricoh’s high contrast black and white…

Philadelphia as the city of LOVE.

As a street photographer, I like the idea of a “Street Gym.” Perhaps the world itself is the ultimate gym? Why use traditional equipment and techniques? You can use anything around you to get a pump in!

When I fast all day, I feel like I have the power of 1000 oxen. I have so much energy and strength ever since I cut out processed junk and started the carnivore diet. Why please your taste buds? It’s a means to what end? To get a quick dopamine hit? To feel good? If anything, when I now eat a “cheat meal” I feel like complete shit and want to crawl in bed and grovel. My idea is that most food in the city is poison… But meat? Intermittent fasting, one meal per day, and the carnivore diet has been the greatest blessing to my life and I am so happy and filled with energy!

My homage to the legend who made the first video ever on YouTube! Me at the zoo.

I want my videos to feel nonchalant. I am not interested in editing or making anything perfect. I am a street photographer after all. I desire keep going with curiosity and longevity as my goals. The purpose is to fulfill your life and cherish memories for what they are.

THE BEST RIBS IN PHILADELPHIA. I have never tasted anything better than this. These ribs from Glick’s Rib Shack in the Reading Terminal Market have become a weekly ritual for me. While I do love me some beef ribs, these pork ribs are superior to anything I have ever tasted in my life!

If you are not creating something, then what are you doing? Grab a camera, a paintbrush, a pen, anything. Just find your medium and run with it. The time for the artist is NOW.

The birthplace of humanity… I spent one year living in Zambia, Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer working with the Department of Fisheries on fish farming projects in rural villages. My host family presented me with a goat to slaughter when I arrived to my mud hut as a warm welcome. We feasted together, we prayed together, we farmed together, and life was truly beautiful.

The things I learned in the village are unlike anything that you can get from reading a book or living in an urban city. I seriously believe that the “simple life” is the goal. Farming, family, and prayer. The church is the center of the community that brings the people together. People need faith and to fear god. The families in the village were huge with up to ten children or more per household. The women would wake up early in the morning carrying firewood on their heads and babies on their backs. The children would sweep the floor and prepare the food with their brothers and sisters. The men tended the farms, built houses, churches, and taught their sons how to fish. Everybody had a role to play.

This was one of the most intense scenes that I ever photographed. At the border of Jericho, I found myself in the heat of battle. I photographed the conflict between the Palestinians and Israelis with my Fujifilm X-Pro2 and 23mm f2 lens in 2017. My heart was racing, but I managed to have the courage to get the shot!