Mere Being 019 - February - Plenty Huge Men Roam the Earth

Hello again – from San Francisco.

Not much writing lately. You can read more about why in yet another newsletter – dev notes from StoryTime.

Here: the personal relationship to software, cameras, and humongous men.

Writing a significant software application (mostly) solo is strange. A lot of ego. Normally I'm working on big legacy systems. The original developers are long gone, but their decisions are everywhere. It's easy for me not to take the work personally under those conditions – I'm working with what I've got.

When I've written every line of code, though – every bug is personal.

I actually think this is one of the big problems in the software industry. Most people are way too hung up on their code, on their work as an extension of themselves, of their worth. We treat code like a very personal, very creative activity, because it is – but unlike most creative fields, we don't train people on how to take criticism. I see people complain about jerks in PR review online sometimes but I've never encountered it. Usually I see people too hesitant to give me feedback. The amount of throat clearing, of fussy stepping around toes – man. We could really stand to take a page or two from the movie industry on notes.

Finally – finally! – replaced the Nikon Z6ii that mysteriously vanished around the time I moved into the city two years ago. Full frame RAW files – finally.

A photograph is fundamentally: a selection. Out of all the light that ever has been, here's a slice. A little rectangle in space and time. A RAW file contains many possible selections – and a RAW file from a full frame camera contains more. Where the files from an ASP-C sensor allow me to tinker, the files from the full frame sensor are almost like putty – they feel like they allow almost limitless manipulation.

A little bit ridiculous, because I don't do much of the kind of photography that really asks for editing. I try to spend as little time in Lightroom as possible! But I like night walks, and taking photographs of people indoors. The extra pixels help, when there isn't much light.

Of course – as soon as I get outside with this thing, I want a new lens. I have a 26mm prime – a tiny, flat thing that barely adds to the dimension of the camera – and a big 24-200mm zoom, but there is so much more gear to desire. Right now – the 105mm Z-series macro has my heart, but it'll have to wait.

This month I have been obsessed with American football. A longer essay on how and why is in the works but for now let's just start here.

And follow it up with this clip from the Get Loud podcast.

That's all I've got this month. Probably will have another short one next month, too – working towards a big deadline at the end of April.

More soon,

Nat