Best camera is one you have with you

Last night my best camera was one on older iPhone. I don't shoot stills anymore for any other reason than getting content to Instagram. Camera on iPhone has been enough for it most of the times. Last night I wanted to have proper camera with me. Weather was perfect for shooting. It wasn't raining but ground was wet enough to reflect lights. I could have even shot some video for future videos. But all I had with me was older iPhone. It wasn't because I don't own better camera I could easily take with me. That camera was at home.

I rarely shoot anything I haven't planned. I didn't plan to shoot anything last night. I didn't even plan to be where I shot these photos. I just felt like walking back home and saw potential good shots. That is why I didn't have camera with me. Maybe I should have it in future. I could take photos for this blog. Maybe I should get back to street photography. Will that be too much now when I do weekly videos with new music on each video and blog posts almost every day?

There will be more from where last two photos came from tomorrow. If you know the place second last photo might look bit strange.

Friday Evening at Kirsikkapuisto

I almost got lost when I tried to get to Kirsikkapuisto. I didn't know where it was. I relied on map application which took me almost kilometer from the actual place and made me walk few kilometers extra to get there. Luckily I went to right direction when I walk back and found what I was looking for. I planned to go there this year but couldn't for reasons I don't remember. There was party during weekend which I wanted to shoot. Maybe next year.

Today I would cut this shorter but maybe slower phase suits the mood of the time and place. I would change few thing when shooting also. It was my first time with new lens, camera and ND filters which shows. You could say the look was artistic choice but I didn't know what I was doing. Despite technical problems I like the shots I got here.

Modular, semi modular or something else

I spend way too much time planning what synths I should buy next rather than using ones I already have and I don't have much room for new gear. However every now and then I have feeling I have to get something new. Now is time of tax returns and bonuses. I have more money to spend but I am not sure where to spend it. I don't have money or room to get everything I want. So I have to plan what kind of synth arsenal I will build.

Thanks to Fun with Lifeforms videos I have learned how to record live performances with analog synths. Before those I haven't used my analog gear without midi cc that much. I like sound of them but it has been quite convenient to use midi cc to automate parameter changes inside daw. Using instruments knobs and sliders is more fun but daw automation is easier and more precise.

Now when I have feel for tweaking the sound on instrument and know how to record it like I want I have started to get interested in synths I have bypassed earlier because lack of midi cc. Eurorack is one of those. Korg Arp Odyssey is another. Everything not having digital control looks more interesting now. Having everything analog gives sound some sort of life. There is drifting everywhere and things like room temperature changes the sound. You have to record what you get because you might not get that ever again. That is the magic of analog gear without presets and digital controls.

The gear is expensive and takes lot of room. There are differences between different types of synths. Modular synths give most options but cost more and are harder to use. Standalone synths are cheaper but with less options. Semi modulars are somewhere in between. I have each and each has pros and cons. For modular con is I have to pay 5000 euros to get what I want. I don't have to pay that at once. I could build it module but module and get something new each time.

Sounds good but I still wouldn't get what I would get with Korg Arp Odyssey. Korg Arp Odyssey wouldn't connect with eurorack too well. Semimodular would connect and have price advantage of standalone synths. Getting many semi modulars take more room than modular. I have no idea which route I take. Probably mix of all because each have what others can't do and that is what I have done so far.

Spring Day by Sea

This video has few things I would have cut from if I edited it right now. 13th Doctor video is closer how I would do this today. It was shot same place and had almost same equipment. Not exactly the same but I could have done this similarly. It shows how much I have learned. I am not saying this isn't worth watching. This is just different and I would do this differently now.

This video was first shot using monopod and DJI Osmo. After this I had long break in using Osmo. I started to use it more later. I wasn't too happy with it on this video. Later I learned to use it and it became part of my standard set for a while until I started to use gimbals with proper cameras.

Return of Fun with Lifeforms: Double Helix Oscillator

I made another synth video. I will probably make more of these than I said in last video. These seem to get more views than other videos and they are quite easy to make.

This time I use other half of my Lifeforms modular. All sounds come from Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms Double Helix Oscillator. I use mixer of SV-1 to mix different waveforms of Double Helix

Winter Day by Sea

This is my video first shot using log profile. Log profiles are meant for professional. They look awful without color grading but they have more dynamic range which makes them better for color grading. I bought Sony RX10 II to be my first K4 camera. This video wasn't shot with 4K. I started to shoot 4K later.

Those trees you see at the beginning were cut down couple weeks ago. I didn't know they will be cut before they were cut. It was due tree disease which they try to prevent spreading to other parks. If I know they were to be cut I would have made before and after video. I have lot of before footage from Tokoinranta this video included. I might still do the video if I shoot after footage.