These Traces—Mostly instant

Camera: FUJIFILM X100F
Exposure: 1/400
F-Number: 2.8
ISO: 200

I was scanning the morning news on the web when I caught a sound byte from the previous day: ”COVID-19...I said what’s the 19?...some people can’t explain the 19...”

Some people. Sure.

Héloïse was standing next to me— Héloïse, our youngest daughter who will be eleven soon but is still totally rocking ten. And she furrowed her brow, looked at me with that puzzled expression she’s mastered and said “err...it’s the year”.

Yes sweetie, it’s the year.
Not much else to say is there?

That’s her in the picture of course, on our very first visit to grandma’s since March. Being careful still, but reconnected at last.

Today is June 24th, our Fête Nationale here in Quebec—so I’ll be brief and skip the editorial. Let’s jump to links and a blog recap...


PHOTOGRAPHERS IN FOCUS \| WIM WENDERS A very short film featuring Wenders discussing his relationship to Polaroid images. Leading us to…


LOOKING AT THE WORLD THROUGH WIM WENDERS’ POLAROID CAMERA This is actually the first page I found (there’s a link to that doc at the end of it). I remain mesmerized by instant film images. So…

Ok it doesn’t look like much. But I revisited my Instax Wide camera and shot a film pack I still had lying around. Made a craft project out of it for our new TV room. It looks pretty cool in person.

I need to say this again: I love the format. I hate the camera. When I look at those Polaroids from Wenders (or from Tarkovsky) it is abundantly clear how superior the cameras are. There’s a control of the image’s depth of field, a control of the shutter speed. A plastic lens at f22 will only get you so much.

I seriously wish Fujifilm produced a camera body worthy of Instax Wide.


KAGE COLLECTIVE DEFINITION 023 \| THE HAPPY PLACE An absolutely lovely essay from Dominique Shaw this week. Some much needed beauty and respite.

HORSE MACHINES | LOOKED AWAY IN ABANDON

There’s a link below to the post announcing this but: I’ve released an album. Music, I mean. Yes, I believe we call this a shameless plug…;)

If you’re in the streaming game it’s available on Apple Music, Spotify etc. If you’re still into downloads it’s in the iTunes Store as well. No vinyl plans though, sorry.
Unless I top the charts.
And become a rock god.
…
…
Yeah ok, fine…no vinyl plans.

If you know anyone who’d enjoy THESE TRACES, feel perfectly free to forward this email. If you’re on the receiving end and would like to sign up for more, just click here.

Talk soon,
Patrick

AND NOW, FROM THE BLOG

Wed, Jun 24

Quick thoughts on a keynote

I watched Apple’s WWDC virtual keynote this week and I have to admit the event left me quite impressed. In fact, I found the pre-recorded format—which could’ve been stale and artificial— refreshing.

Tue, Jun 23

Looked Away in Abandon

There have been many side effects to the pandemic, one of which (for me) is a deliberate return to music…

Fri, Jun 19

Like Constellations

I need an anchor. In last week’s newsletter I wrote about an increasing descent into abstraction and the probable reasons behind this. Some of it creative, some of it contextual.

Wed, Jun 17

A Greenhouse

We were supposed to do a quick hop in/hop out at a nearby store to pick-up bags of gardening soil. Turns out there weren't any left—with most folks staying home, 2020 is a gardening bonanza…