The Ricoh GRIIIx Changed How I see the World
What’s poppin, people? It’s Dante. Welcome to the Centennial Arboretum.
Today I’m thinking about how the Ricoh GR is completely transforming the way I see the world.
A New Way of Seeing
This shift is so drastic, yet so critical for me to highlight.
The Ricoh GR forces you to look at life differently. Sure, you could say that about any camera—but there’s something unique about the camera that’s always with you. One that you can pull from your front right pocket and snapshot your way through life itself.
“There’s something about the way you can view the world differently through the back of an LCD screen, as opposed to holding the camera at eye level with a viewfinder.”
Ironically, the lack of a viewfinder liberates me. It allows me to:
- Make more photographs
- See differently
- Tinker with compositions
- Embrace imperfection
Because at the end of the day—life is imperfect. Maybe we should strive to make more imperfect photographs.
Bound by Gravity
One thought I always return to: we’re bound by gravity. We’re bound by the laws of physics.
“Maybe the best photographs are the ones that remind us this very fact—that we are bound by gravity.”
So I get low. I photograph the details. I photograph nature.
Using the macro feature on the Ricoh GR III and GR IIIx has been such a blast recently. It lets me:
- Get close
- Go slow
- Explore the tiny, hidden layers of reality
Portability = Flow
This camera is the best because of its portability. It’s not a burden. It doesn’t hang on my neck like a traditional camera. I enter a flow state throughout my day with the Ricoh in my pocket.
“Wherever I am in the world, no matter how mundane things may seem, I’m always trying to find a way for me to articulate the life in front of me—putting order to the chaos in a photograph.”
That’s the goal of the photographer:
- Make sense of the unknown
- Make something from nothing
- Stay ready to shoot at all times
The Wrist Strap Advantage
Practically, I keep the camera on a leather Ricoh GR wrist strap—tied to my wrist at all times. That changes everything.
It becomes an extension of my eye, of my hand, of my body.
I can:
- Hold the camera up high
- Drop it down low
- Tilt and move with nuance
- Create new compositions on the fly
“Once again—embracing imperfection.”
Change of Perspective
The Ricoh gives me something I haven’t gotten from other cameras: freedom.
Freedom to:
- Be haphazard
- Be spontaneous
- Be playful
“Now I see all of the complexities as potential photographs to make. All of the details around me. The mundane moments of my life—something worth photographing.”
Because the camera is simply in my front right pocket.
The Closest Thing to No Camera
What I love most is that the Ricoh is the closest thing to not having a camera. That’s the dream.
I want to live my everyday life and bring the camera for the ride. Be a flâneur in my hometown. A bystander. An observer. But also an active participant in the unfolding drama of life.
Whether it’s:
- A bustling market
- A quiet park
- The streets of Philly
There’s so much to photograph.
Eliminate the Noise
The Ricoh transforms photography for me because:
- It’s compact
- It has macro features
- It removes unnecessary decisions (like lens choices)
“I have one camera and one lens stuck to my camera at all times.”
That elimination of decision fatigue frees me. The lens is glued to the body. No second-guessing. Just shoot.
Slow Down, Look Around
Wow… what do we have here?
Cherry blossoms. The Japanese weeping fig. Absolutely stunning. The change of seasons in full effect.
“When I shot with other cameras, I don’t know what it was—I would never look at the life in front of me this way.”
But with the Ricoh:
- I slow down
- The moments come to me
- I’m ready because the camera is always with me
There are no excuses with the Ricoh. I can stay consistent and disciplined without forcing anything.
Renewed Again
The Ricoh is transforming the way I view the world—because I’m making photos I wouldn’t have made in the past.
“Opening myself up to photographs that lack people. Photographing nature. Landscapes. Still life. Macro details.”
Viewing the world through this lens renews me. I feel invigorated every single morning.
And I’ve found joy again.
A workflow that actually transforms the way I see life. And yeah, maybe it sounds dramatic—but I’m passionate about this.
Beauty All Around
So now I’m just enjoying my morning. Listening to the birds. Admiring the sculptures. Surrounded by nature’s beauty.
“Snapchatting my way through life with the Ricoh GR IIIx.”
When you always have a camera with you:
- It forces you to slow down
- It forces you to observe
- It changes the way you see
“Always scanning, always observing. Looking at everything around you as potential photographs to make. That’s the beauty of the Ricoh.”
Final Thought
For me personally—the Ricoh GR is transforming the way I view the world.
Every day is new.