If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, which you totally should, you’ll know that I have a new camera. I wanted a great travel camera that was easy to carry on my person when I was in the mood for street photography or creating fine art photographs in any condition. Two conditions, it had to be a film camera and it had to have stellar image quality. One camera that filled both of those prerequisites is the new Fuji GF670 Rangefinder 6×6/6×7 120 camera. I learned about the GF when Fuji first decided to release it at a tradeshow overseas several months ago and I had the chance to lay hands on one at the WPPI tradeshow in Las Vegas, NV. I was convinced that this was the right camera for me.
The image quality is absolutely amazing. I love being able to photograph in 6×6 or 6×7 with the same camera, simply by switching a lever in between loading rolls (although I’m really trying to express myself in 6×6 right now). Being a true rangefinder, there is no mirror/prism to slap around during the opening/closing of the shutter therefore the camera is virtually silent during actuation. Not only that, but I feel comfortable photographing down to 1/8th of a second, hand held. This camera is simply amazing and the artisan feel of fine art photography is more apparent in this camera than any other I’ve held (other than large format). I think my friend Jonathan Canlas and I are the only people I really know using this camera a this time, but that will probably be changing really soon. Enough about the camera, here is one photograph from Philadelphia, PA straight out of the camera. Details below, enjoy.

Fuji GF670
f3.5 1/160th
Ilford HP5+ 400
Downtown Philadelphia, PA

San Francisco, CA
Holga 120
Fuji Pro160s

It was late February when I drove in the traffic and rain of the San Francisco Bay Area towards my escape, err, flight to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. There is something awesome that happens when you look from the airplane and you see yourself flying over the border of a country. It is almost as if an adventure begins and the excitement truly captivated me.
I was hired by a couple form San Francisco, CA to photograph their destination wedding in Punta de Mita, Mexico
and I’m glad that they had me there for a few extra days as I was able to explore the city and really capture the essence of this sleepy fishing town in the Riviera Nayarit.
From a “non-conformist tourist” perspective, Punta de Mita is a great escape from the highly commercialized tourist destinations in Mexico. By the end of your stay, you’ll feel more like a local than a gringo. There are several excellent surf breaks in the vicinity and Sayulita (famous for it’s surfing) is just up the road. The fishing, I’ve heard, is awesome and boats/gear can be chartered for a reasonable rate. The restaurants on the beachfront are typical of Mexico, some good and some awesome. I highly recommend the Blue Water Grill (try the seared ahi and mahi mahi plate) and Margaritas (mango margaritas and lobster/shrimp combo).
There are quite a few condos for rent on the beach, a few luxury penthouses and several upscale hotels. The Hotel des Artistes was a personal favorite and the views from the rooms here are spectacular. There is also a St. Regis and a Four Seasons up the beach for the luxury minded.
My personal recommendations for your stay would be such: stroll down the beach towards PV (southeast) and check out the beautiful beachfront homes and coral formations. Take a morning to go to Villa Ananda Ayurveda Spa for a relaxing massage or yoga, this place is truly amazing. Make sure and spend some time walking through the “heart” of the town. The people are friendly, the children love having their photo taken and you’ll walk away with a better feeling than the average tourist who avoids such places.
Be warned, this sleepy surf town will steal your heart. You will truly find a place to relax and enjoy yourself when you travel to Punta de Mita. Here are some photographs from a roll that I had forgotten about. This is the real Punta de Mita, Mexico. Enjoy.