April — A Year in Photographs — Minimalism

Traffic Cones — Day 110

Minimalism is both my favorite and most challenging photography subject—perhaps people are too. I spend my time wondering to find something that fits the description, which is a challenge to define as is.

Is ‘minimalism’ in photography few items in the frame? No color? High contrast and removing significant details? As with most subjects in photography, there are rules, but most rules I find to be an excuse to be lazy.

Walking down a city street, passing trash cans, cars, people, lights, windows, and sometimes it being cold, warm, sunny, or raining, perhaps minimalism is the act of finding less in a place where there is abundance.

A Year in Photographs 2023 — A Journey's End

A Year in Photographs

365 Days, 12 Themes, 1 Creative Journey

Museo Soumaya — Day 98

I started writing this entry with some grand idea that there was a lot to say, stories to tell, and great insight I learned. While I do have many stories, evolved creatively, pushed myself hard to achieve this tremendous goal, and want to share so much of my journey, I didn’t find that I could completely convey what #AYearinPhotographs has meant to me nor engage it all in just a few paragraphs.

Instead, I intend to keep this short because, perhaps, minimalism is a certain type of valor. A photograph every day for a year is an undertaking. One sets out, like every journey, with the first footstep and from there, the Universe leads one on. Simply put, it is a lot of work. Sometimes hours spent crafting one photo—it is easy, and it is hard. One is excited to do it and one will be tired.

Then it is all over and there is pride, sadness, love, and even bewilderment. And it is absolutely something that I recommend everyone should do—whether it be photography, writing, music, art, cooking, fitness, or whatever your passion may be. Do it. Journal it. Blog it. Share it.

It is a wave that washes over you and you’ll either ride it great distances or it will stay your feet, and you will be left behind. It is a commitment that if you hesitate for merely a day, you can never draw level. But when you reach the end of every day, every week, month, and the year, you have an accomplishment that only those who have traveled this path can truly appreciate.

Over 11,000 photos, 365 days, 12 themes, thousands of kilometers, two continents, four countries, and one singularly fantastic camera later, #AYearinPhotographs comes to close.

Here’s to the journey’s beginning, the path, the light, the shadow, and to the journey’s end.

Until next time.

A Year in Photographs 2023

“Go out and shoot!”

— Adrian’s Life Rule #56

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Shot on FujiFilm X-T5

Bee House Teapot in Noble Black

I’m not much of a coffee person. In fact, I think I can count how many cups of coffee I’ve ever drunk. But I am a tea person. I drink a lot of tea and have many types. At any given time, I usually have more than a dozen loose leaf teas: green, oolong, black, some flavored. As one might also expect, I also have an affinity toward a nice teapot.

Bee House is made by Zero Japan, a Japanese company, and it is one on fine teapot. Little do many people know, it is possible to be excited about a teapot. This really falls under my love of design. Bee House's minimalistic teapots are made out of high grade ceramic and come in many wonderful colors. Being the minimalist I am, I went with the 26oz noble black—a matte black finish that reminds me of carbon fiber than pottery.

Smooth to the touch, it not only looks fantastic, it feels great too. While functionally a teapot can do it job really well, part of good design, especially when it is something one will touch, the tactility of said object is very important. It not only adds comfort to an already ergonomic design but also one wants to use it—keep it clean, functional, and share it with others. And, tea, after all, is meant to be shared so should the experience of tea serving.

The top is metal and clips on. Easy to remove, one can clean it and the pot itself separately. Inside, a metal, mesh basket allows steeping of loose leaf teas.

I have found that this particular ceramic holds heat very well. My old tea pot, also ceramic, would cool much more quickly. One tip, due tot he heat capacity of the pot itself, I tend to steep tea far less time. I use to keep tea in the old pot for hours and never had my tea get too strong. In my Bee House, black teas I rarely steep for more than three minutes, and green or oolong, for five minutes if the water is at the proper temperature. 

It has become a favorite kitchen item of mine. It is not only beautiful and functional but part of my daily life. There are thousands of teapots out there but ever since I saw these round globes at Argo Tea, I’ve loved them. And seeing the noble black in person, I loved them even more. One knows something is great when opening the box and softly saying, “wow.”

Price: $35