… or simply put, an ode to camera

It's 2025… everyone carries around a capable camera. It's in their pockets, bags, purses, or they might be staring at it as you pass by. Some even stare at them when they're behind the wheels. A**holes.

Making it convenient to take photos did not magically make better photos, or spawned more great photographers. Just as – presumably, – LLMs aren't gonna make more programmers, but they will empower those who'd be writing software even if there were no AI helping them.

It's 2025 and I wanted to start making photos, not just taking them.

… so I bought a new old camera.

The difference isn't merely in picking up a different gear. It's how these tools make you act. It's how you feel them and how they make you feel.

• When I walk the streets with a camera in my hand, I slow down.
• … and after I press the shutter button, I stop and observe my results.


• When I reach for the phone in my pocket, I'm reaching for distractions.
• … and after I press the button on my phone, I also check for notifications (not me consciously – this is already baked into my muscle memory).

When I walk the streets with a camera in my hand, I look for things that previously went unnoticed. Now I wander around, wondering what's behind the building I passed by on those morning commutes when I was busily rushing to the office.

Of course, I also have the luxury of walking with a 4-year old (thanks Ada) who's slowing my pace and teaching me joys of mindless strolls. She — and the camera — made me appreciate the everyday mundane rather than label it as boring. Whenever people hear the sound of railway barriers coming down, they rush to beat the train. We rush to observe it drive by. It's a subtle joy of being present in the moment.

That's it – my ode to cameras.

Since you've made it this far, here's a couple of my recent photos you might enjoy.

Ljubljana

Other random photos

I'm also publishing on Instagram or Threads, if you'd like to tag along. Speaking of the two… I'm not entirely happy with either for photography, but the only other platform I know is Flickr, which seems a bit dated. So if you know any better alternatives, I'd be keen to hear from you.👇