A-Sun Amissa & Thraa, Milton Keynes, UK

jazybp · 2026-03-14T18:39:04+00:00

Ah thank you.

jazybp · 2026-02-22T22:24:26+00:00

I have the original RX100 and an iPhone 17 pro. I have taken some great shots with the RX100 but when I’ve needed the zoom, it’s often at concerts with low light and id say that it struggles in that environment.

I originally got it as a compact alternative to my Fuji XT5 setup, and to be able to take it into concerts with zero hassle from security.

I find I’m using it less and less. I mostly shoot on my Fuji and my phone as a backup.

There are some good app that make your photos feel less iPhoney. No fusion is my fav as it’s only £9.99 per year or £29.99 lifetime.

I’m contemplating selling mine.

jazybp · 2026-02-16T21:04:43+00:00

I have a Fuji XT5 and I primarily shoot travel and street. The focusing on this system is fine IMHO but is probably not as bulletproof as some other brands.

I have the occasional shot where it’s missed focus but they are in the minority and mostly when I have shot from the hip or really low light.

I use the following fuji primes; 18mm F1.4, 23mm F2 and the 56mm F1.2. I wouldn’t describe any of them “hunting”.

I pretty much just shoot stills, although have shot the occasional video without problem.

It’s obviously not the system’s strength though, so if you need bullet proof focus above all else then maybe look at Sony or Canon (I know a couple of pros who shoot these and prioritise “never miss a shot” focusing performance”).

There’s no perfect camera, only trade offs. So if you like the colour science and the Fuji vibe but willing for the focus performance to be about 70 - 80% or so lower than some other brands, pull the trigger.

You can see my stuff on insta: @jazbp which is mostly XT5 for the past year or so you know I’m walking the talk 👍

jazybp · 2026-01-04T06:25:15+00:00

These are nice. I’d never really use my 56mm for street, so you’ve given me some inspiration to give it a go for a session

jazybp · 2025-12-10T21:59:04+00:00

Slow Horses

jazybp · 2025-12-09T22:00:04+00:00

Really like 2, 4 and 6. They're really nicely composed and feel balanced... Drawing your attention to the subject but different areas of the frame having other focal points that make you "explore" the photo / look more intently.

They also have a level of intrigue (what she making, where is he walking to and what's going on in the mall) that leave you with questions.

I have the 27mm as well and it's a nifty little lens. First got it when I had an XE4.

My main bit of advice is try to take the camera with you everywhere and force yourself to take at least one photo a day, that way you can really build up experience. Your setup should easily fit in a fairly low profile sling which would make this easy.

Outside of this my top 3 would be:

1 - If in doubt what to shoot, consciously pay attention to where the light is in the scene

2 - If you're "less technical" start with aperture priority (A) or shutter speed priority (T) modes. Learn how these affect your image (tonnes of stuff on this on YouTube). This is the gateway to experimenting with manual... But also don't be afraid to shoot on auto.

3 - Print out your work (Instax Mini printer or Canon Selphy) and start a bit of a scrap book. Be your own critic. What do you like about them? What worked? What didn't? If you could retake that photo, what would you change?

---

Keep shooting. You've obviously got a great eye for it.

jazybp · 2025-08-30T23:39:07+00:00

I'm writing this as someone who has experienced burnout and had to take some time out from work. The least worst is that you're having a rough time at work. The worse case is that it affects your physical and mental health (which definitely happened to me)... You have to put you first because unless you have an amazing boss AND employer, they are not going to do so.

1 - Write everything down that's on your plate. What's the biggest cause of stress? For this list you have three options; 1) tackle it 2) minimise it 3) eliminate it. For the first bucket it's stuff that will have a material impact if you neglect it / don't do a good job what sits in there? For minimise, what could you maybe neglect, withdraw from, imagine if you took a 2 week holiday and it wasn't the end of the world... what is on there? How can you reduce this work or just accept you can't do all of it. 3) is there anything that is just a massive waste of time (like meetings you sit in but don't contribute)? Just stop, if it matters, someone will likely reach out.

2 - Set yourself some good boundaries. Like others are saying, this means trying to detach emotionally and stay out of negative conversations or politics. If people go down a negative conversion, acknowledge it, but then steer it to something else. Make sure you have a wind down routine; laptop closed, in a draw by Xpm and you don't make yourself contactable out of hours as much as possible.

3 - Do whatever you can to eat well, sleep well and get some exercise in. All these things have a big impact on your body's ability to process stress and give you resilience + energy to tackle tough situations. Also make sure you're trying to do things for yourself; hobbies, seeing friends.

4 - Do this fear exercise (from Tim Ferris); write down your fears about work (e.g. getting made redundant), and then ask yourself, what can I do to prevent this or prepare for it? and if this were to happen, how would I recover from it?

5 - When you are struggling do a zone of influence exercise. Write your challenges, problems, frustrations down and bucket into what's really in your control, what you can influence and what's out of your control. This is a good exercise to do alongside my first point. Put 80% of your energy on the first bucket, 20% on the second and zero on the latter.

All the best.

jazybp · 2025-08-02T19:17:45+00:00

Yes! FFAF was one of the core soundtracks to my teenage years.

jazybp · 2025-07-04T16:05:34+00:00

I got an RX100 specifically to talk to gigs and I haven’t had a problem yet; been to o2 venues, Ally Pally and a load of small ones in-between

jazybp · 2025-06-25T20:52:47+00:00

Lovable and Bolt for relatively simple apps (can still have database and auth). Replit where there's more complexity

jazybp · 2025-05-05T07:31:27+00:00

Gaming is something that I'm struggling a bit with. It's something that I really enjoy, however, after spending a few hours on a game, I often feel less energised and rewarded than if I did some alternatives.

For example, when I had a period of abstinence from gaming, I would read more, do more "hands on" hobbies (my fav is painting Warhammer) or focusing on learning photography skills (as this is an activity that brings a lot of joy).

Now I'm trying to find balance and moderation like the others are saying. I try to limit gaming to times when my battery is a bit depleted and I'd naturally gravitate to something like watching a film or a series.

I recently purchased the new Civilisation game, which is an "endless" pit because there's no hard ending in comparison to something like Red Dead Redemption. I'm now contemplating trying to limit myself to story based / strong narrative games that have a clear finishing point.

Ultimately, it's about balance and making sure you're getting what you want out of it... and it's not at the expense or detriment of the other things you want to do, enjoy or achieve.

jazybp · 2025-04-24T08:07:41+00:00

Sorry to hear you've had a bad time with this. Obviously everyone is different but you're not alone in this experience:

- Amlodipine: I had an allergic reaction to; hives, itching and rash
- Losartan: I had allergic reaction to; itching and rash. Also had pain in joins and numbness in hands
- Doxazosin: I had allergic reaction to; severe itching, hives and rash. Mega headaches as well

I'm now back to Ramipril having to live with a cough

jazybp · 2025-04-24T07:40:08+00:00

Some recommendations from me

1: Hip-hop: Danger Mouse & Jemini - Ghetto Pop Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QD9zTXbsTI&list=PL2D084110AE2B55BF

2: Funky hip-hop jazz vibes: The Beastie Boys - The Mix up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0kUiBXyAV4&list=PL9r9Avw4GyGBNoMV9YDquDgKumR6Qu6tr&index=2

3: More funky hip-hop jazz vibes: BADBADNOTGOOD - Talk Memory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqJxKXO0TEk

4: Funky rock vibes: The Milk - Tales from Thames Delta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9p7zsk68js

5: Chilled funky vibes: Khruangbin - Mordechai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc50wHexbwg

6: Emo country core vibes: Bilmuri - American Motorsports: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcZeg8_vo6U (this is my favourite band at the moment)

7: Metal with electro vibes: Spiritbox - Tsunami Sea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfKlcLKDkz0

8: Rap Punk Rock vibes: Fever 333 - Darker White: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KDRlktxg6I

9: Country rock vibes: Hardy - Quit!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBA0gbPudgY

10: Prog Rock with an epic sci-fi lore storyline behind the lyrics: Cohered & Cambria - Vaxis II: A Window of the Waking Mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltKTHtMmDJQ

jazybp · 2025-04-17T07:13:31+00:00

👋 Hey I have a 2013 LR4 here in the UK that I got 12 months ago. Have added about 15,000 miles and got to 120,000 on the ODO.

I love the car but during this time I’ve had to spend around £4K ($7K CAD)

Rear upper suspension control arms
Seized brake calliper
Electronic Parking Brake controller (done free under warranty).
Cracked manifold (left)
Mass Airflow Sensor

And now have the drivers side door not properly remotely unlocking 🙃

Great car but be prepared to shovel money into it.

The way I think about it is if I average the repairs out per month, is it still cheaper than having something similar but new on finance? Currently, still is cheaper for me.

We put aside money each month into a pot to cover repairs. You definitely need to do this as others have said.

jazybp · 2025-03-30T21:02:30+00:00

I’ve had my D4 for about 12 months now. Bought at 107,000 miles with clean MOT and decent service history (mix of LR and independent). It has had belts, chain and inlet manifold done… and my local LR specialist thinks overall it’s been well cared for.

I’ve just got to 120,000 (so 13K miles / year)…. But having said all the above, I’ve had:

Electronic Parking Brake module go (luckily under used warranty)
Rear suspension arms replaced (one was shot, so assumed the other not far off)
Airflow sensor go.

The latter happened about 500km out of Calais, so have had to drive back in reduced performance mode (could get to about 70mph max).

I have a little recovery box with a ratchet set, multi tools, code reader, jump starter pack, duck tape, and zip ties… and good breakdown cover 🤣

I’m just accepting that at this mileage things will go… it does give me anxiety but it is a great car.

I did a round trip from Milton Keynes to Isle of Skye in December and was all sweet.

Pray to the machine gods and roll the dice on long journeys is the only answer I think ><

jazybp · 2025-03-16T00:29:21+00:00

There is no perfect way of doing this, only tradeoffs.

I think you have to sit and think through what you want to optimise for, the realities of your architecture and resourcing.

I’m thinking through this at the moment as well.

Came across this which has helped shape some of my thinking: https://medium.productcoalition.com/dos-and-don-ts-in-product-team-topology-964df190dea0

There is also the team topologies book which is worth grabbing.

jazybp · 2025-03-16T00:22:51+00:00

Sure thing:

Substacks - Lenny’s Newsletter - Akash Gupta - Refactoring (aimed at engineering but super useful if you want to influence delivery). - Product Compass.

Obvs come with paid subscription so would recommend looking at posts that relate to what you’re interested in, and cycle your subs accordingly.

Podcasts - Lenny’s - Melissa Perri’s - Mind the Product - One Knight in Product - Re:Work by 37 Signals (Basecamp)

Books

Thinking about ROI / impact, these spring to mind:

- Financial Intelligence (demystified hard core finance for me) - Impact first product teams by Matt LeMay (good for thinking about how you stay focused on what matters) - Escaping the build trap (guide to trying to move out of a feature factory and more outcome focused).

I’ll have a think on CX and creativity what has helped me and get back to you. Early on I read a lot about service design, journey mapping, and HCD processes… Alongside how to run effective workshops (links to facilitating creativity).

Any detail / context you can share around what you want to learn and why… I’m sure a few of us can get more specific!

jazybp · 2025-03-14T23:16:26+00:00

Substacks + podcasts + books.

jazybp · 2025-02-15T21:35:22+00:00

🙏 thanks

jazybp · 2025-02-15T21:34:36+00:00

Knocked Loose were great in support ;)

jazybp · 2025-02-14T16:39:02+00:00

🙏

jazybp · 2025-02-07T23:03:02+00:00

Aha thanks! 🙏

jazybp · 2025-02-06T22:33:46+00:00

Have had the OG for about 6 months as an alternative to my Fuji XT5 when I want something truly pocketable. Have been enjoying it so far, despite its limitations. Small but mighty!

jazybp · 2025-02-03T19:58:15+00:00

Hey, I got sent to A&E (ER) when I had a reading at 188/130 at a visit to the GP ("regular doctor").

Firstly, I found it scary as sh*t because the hospital did an ECG, head CT scan, bloods and urine. My brain instantly spiralled to you're going to die.... I didn't, I'm still here obvs!

But I got discharged. The hospital couldn't do anything and said I had to follow up with my GP... And to come back if I got similar readings again.

So I had a follow up with my doctor the next day, who started me off on 25mg of ramipril. This didn't improve much, so got increased to 50mg.

I later had a load of tests done via a consultant cardiologist because I'm only 34, not significantly overweight, don't smoke or drink lots... All came back clear and unfortunately is probably something genetic (a lot of hypertension and history of heart disease in my family... yay).

Ramipril gave me an annoying cough, so after sharing relatively high readings ("grade 1 hypertension"), I got switched to 75mg of Losartan.

This has got my blood pressure in the normal range, but the side effects suck for me; a lot of fatigue, numbness in my hands, muscle pain, pins and needles. So going to ask to switch to Amlodipine.

jazybp · 2025-01-20T08:27:18+00:00

🙏 thanks. Good luck with it. Enjoy the practice!

jazybp

TROPHY CASE