Zen and the Fujifilm 56mm F1.2

 I don't shoot weddings. I don't take portraits. In fact, my photography is generally in pursuit of avoiding humans. So why would I buy what is considered the top portraiture and people lens in the Fuji lineup? 

I use this lens for subject and self-isolation. 

Leaving the house alone with a camera single prime lens, fixed at one focal length, puts me in a creatively constrained mindset. There is something very zen-like when walking alone in the woods with this lens, being attuned to my surroundings, stopping, and seeing the world fall away through the camera's viewfinder. Within the focused view of the 56 is an image that seamlessly blends razer sharpness with the soft and dreamy. While it is minimal in use, it is luxurious in how it renders light and color and bokeh. 

To me using the Fujinon 56mm is to capture and experience quiet and isolation. 

I took these pictures along the Pawtuxet River Trail in Cranston, Rhode Island. It had just rained and I needed to step away from the project I was working on. I spent an hour walking with my X-T3 with only the 56mm lens enjoying the peace and quiet of the woods and river. These images were shot in JPG with a home-brew Classic Neg film simulation recipe. 

I bought the Fujifilm 56mm f1.2 lens from Amazon