Taking vs. Making
Hi friends,
It’s been about three weeks since I’ve written here. I’ll admit, I’ve fallen off the wagon a bit.
Since recently finishing my decade plus tenure at Bould Design, I’ve been on a much-needed long vacation in the UK. I’ve been visiting friends, spending time in London and seeing the beautiful country of Scotland for the first time.
I thought I’d have more downtime and quiet moments to maintain my weekly writing and posting cadence, but that was wishful thinking. Constantly moving around and being exposed to new environments and experiences, while fun and rewarding, can drain your energy very quickly.
Once a habit is broken, it can be hard to jump back in. This is certainly true for writing this newsletter. I’ll be honest, I’ve been putting it off since I’ve been home. The feelings of shame and failure from breaking a long streak can be hard to overcome. But the important thing is to shake it off and get back on track as soon as possible. So here I am, back in the saddle.
I’ve been thinking about one of my favorite objects that has never been far from my side on this trip - my Fujifilm X-T3 mirrorless camera.
As a photographer and camera person, I’ve had a lot of cameras. I unfortunately have what’s referred to in camera circles as RGAS: Rapid Gear Acquisition Syndrome. This describes an affliction where a photographer continuously acquires new cameras and lenses thinking it will improve their photography (it rarely does) or simply because they can’t resist the latest and greatest. Terrible, I know.
But since getting this camera, my first Fujifilm camera, over a year ago, my RGAS has been tamed. I’ve barely thought about getting another camera, and I’ve gotten a lot of joy out of using the X-T3. I wanted to try and articulate why this camera, and Fujifilm cameras in general, seem to feel special somehow.
If you ask photographers about Fujifilm cameras, they will tell you they either love them or hate them. But those who love them really love them. Those that hate them tend to see the camera as a means to an end, and it’s the end resulting photo that really matters. Plenty of talented professional and hobby photographers fall into this category. Those that love them tend to be those that value the experience of using the tool and the connection to the craft a bit more.
Given that almost all modern mirrorless cameras have excellent specifications that far exceed what you need to make a decent photo, most camera brands have become somewhat interchangeable. It’s interesting to me how Fujifilm have managed to stand out from the pack not based on specs, but largely based on design and the user experience.
So first, the design aesthetic. Fujifilm cameras have a certain look to them. They look like cameras of yesteryear, and definitely take retro design cues from film cameras. In fact, my X-T3 has often been mistaken for a film camera until people see the screen on the back. While retro design is sometimes seen as kitschy and backwards-looking, I think here it’s serving a real purpose.
Before Fujifilm made retro camera design popular (again), most cameras large and small had a much more consumer electronics-y look. The rise of digital and then smartphone photography had also started to make photos seem like cheap, throwaway things, to be observed for a moment then forgotten.
Fujifilm’s aesthetic makes a bold statement, visibly and viscerally connecting their hardware to a slower, more considered era of analog photography, but with all the benefits of modern digital technology. This serves the user in two ways - it’s a beautiful object to look at and adds a touch of romance to the act of taking a photo, and it almost signals to others that you are a different kind of photographer, an artist that values the craft.
The second and probably more important reason I think people love Fujifilm cameras is the unique experience of using them.
Many photographers don’t like to say “taking” a photo. It makes the act of photography seem like you are taking something away from the subject or the scene. It’s almost as if the photo was already there and you are just taking it away with a snap. Many prefer to say “making” a photo, which implies that you are working with the subject and scene to create something. It points to the much more active role a good photographer should have in making a good image.
Fujifilm’s cameras embody this taking vs. making distinction perfectly.
The first thing you’ll notice when looking at a Fujifilm camera are all the knobs and dials that control the key variables of photography. This is how cameras used to be made, but modern cameras have largely simplified the UI and rely on more multi-purpose dials and on-screen controls.
There are usability pros and cons to this bringing back this more tactile style of camera design. It puts all the important settings like aperture, shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation etc. right at your fingertips by making it part of the top-level physical UI. But it makes it much harder to adjust all these settings at once, or put everything into auto mode quickly.
In making this usability and layout decision, Fujifilm has embedded a point-of-view into their product: you should know what all these knobs do and how to use them in your photography and it should be hard to put the camera into auto mode because it’s a crutch that takes away from the act of consciously making photos.
These days, there isn’t really a need to think about photography settings when taking a photo. With the help of stellar miniaturized optics, auto-focus, and machine learning algorithms, your smartphones will take a technically competent photo without much input with one tap. You can then do a myriad of adjustments with editing software and filters in post.
By forcing the user to learn how to use these knobs and dials to manipulate the individual settings and get the results they want, Fujifilm is encouraging the user to have the experience of making a photo, rather than the point, tap, and walk away experience of taking a photo that most people are now used to. It may seem trivial, but for those interested in the craft of photography. it leads to a much more satisfying experience in the moment, and the resulting pictures also feel more meaningful.
I suspect it will be a long time before I get another camera. The Fujifilm X-T3 is an amazingly capable piece of hardware and I’ve made many great memories with it. This extended trip where it was slung around my neck or shoulder almost daily has given me a new appreciation for it as a designed object.
As a photographer, every time I take it out and use it it reminds me of the joy of making. As a designer, it reminds me how much value certain intangibles like design aesthetic and user experience can bring to a product.
Have a great week.
Anson