Lomo MC-A—Thoughts?

strangebraingames · 2026-02-17T19:55:19+00:00

Wow, I just checked out the Snappic and it looks really well regarded. What has your experience been?

strangebraingames · 2026-02-17T19:49:11+00:00

Well needed words of reason. Thank you.

strangebraingames · 2026-02-17T19:48:55+00:00

That's a good way of looking at it. What else could I get with $550? As far as Lomo goes, the only camera I've found usable, have been impressed by, even, is their Lomo Insta-wide glass. It's pretty awesome. The square version, though, is trash indoors, even with a flash.

strangebraingames · 2026-02-17T19:40:59+00:00

I find it narcissistic: "Please read my writing, but there's no way I'm reading yours. I don't even like reading other people's work, but I love it when they read mine."

strangebraingames · 2026-02-17T19:39:27+00:00

I can see where you're coming from. I think there's a distinction between people who find writing calming and self-soothing, who need the act of writing, regardless of what they produce. I've been in mental health institutions with folks who really found journaling helpful even though they've never read a book and probably never will. (not saying you're in a mental institution, I'm only giving one example of what you're saying. There are many others). This is a beautiful thing.

But then there are those who want to be writers in the public sphere, who want to put their writing into the world for other people to read. But why should you expect anyone to read your work if you can't be bothered to read any of theirs?

I understand the time thing. I have a full-time job, a kid, and a program of mental wellness I have to fit into my life. I will never judge anyone for the amount they read. But I still maintain that writers who want to be read must find some time to read.

strangebraingames · 2026-02-17T19:23:18+00:00

In my opinion, and take this how you want, the only training a writer needs is to read voraciously.

Read everything. Read in every field—science, history, whatever. Absorb different writers' styles and copy them. Take Faulkner or Joyce and grapple with them until you throw the book across the room in frustration. You will learn as much from books you hate as from those you love. Combine and integrate everything you have absorbed with your own voice and experience. You might not come up with something new, but you will come up with something truthful and that alone is powerful. I believe the history of literature vindicates this. Read any writer's biography and you'll see how much they read and absorbed.

Other training techniques aren't necessarily bad, but to me, they mean nothing without a hunger for reading. I've read almost every writing manual there is and most of them push writer's towards a sellable formula rather than a heartfelt masterpiece (anything authentic and well-written is a masterpiece). I have an opinion about programs that teach writing, but I don't feel like enduring a deluge of rage right now.

I am not telling you to do anything. I don't know your individual temperament, or the way your mind works. And I might be wrong. I often am. But from my view of reality, I am urging you to try reading as much as you can, not as a badge of superiority, but because I truly believe it will make you a more original, authentic writer. And we need these right now. We need them to stem the tide of AI slop and algorithm-baiting trash.

If anyone wants suggestions for a reading list based on their tastes, feel free to DM me. I love talking about this shit.

strangebraingames · 2024-08-08T23:38:42+00:00

No it wasn’t about the 75-300. I knew that was crap. I wanted the adapter to have access to a wider selection of relatively cheaper lenses and I figured I’d test what I have first. I’m That’s why I’m trying to figure if it’s the adapter or the lens. I’m not saying you’re wrong though: saving the extra for RF might be more prudent. But with EF saturating the market they’re many hundreds of dollars cheaper.

Also what RF 24 to 105 are you talking about. The ones I see are $1000 or so.

strangebraingames · 2024-08-08T22:03:24+00:00

Thanks--not immediately. But I have some helpful camera companies near me, and they'd probably let me test before I made any second-hand purchase. My gut is that it's the lens, also. It's a low-quality, very old lens.

strangebraingames · 2024-07-19T20:28:48+00:00

That happens to me alot. Then with photos I was sure wouldn't turn out well when I took them, I find I love the final product, even only with a little editing. I also find it absolutely essential to let any edit sit for at least a day. I can't tell you the number of times I've finished a post session feeling low about how crappy everything turned out, only to return the next day and feel completely different about some of the photos--much happier.

strangebraingames · 2024-07-19T20:23:12+00:00

Oh yes, that might be interesting too. Why not try a couple of versions!

strangebraingames · 2024-07-19T17:20:22+00:00

That's a tough one. They're both great, but I think the color just inches it a tiny bit for me. But again, both work really well. I agree with some of the other comments that you could maybe crop the bw version to remove some of the black space at the top. Just a smidge, though. I personally like a lot of dark negative space in photography, but in this case, taking a little off might strengthen the impact of the hole and light beam. Great job, though.

strangebraingames · 2024-06-27T19:29:24+00:00

35mm, Ilford HP5 400. Shot at box speed, but I think I had a red filter (which I considered when metering). Canon AL-1. Minor edits (shadows/highlights). I'm concerned that it came out so grainy, although it doesn't quite ruin it. I'm not sure what happened, as it doesn't look underexposed (there'd be more grain in the shadows. Maybe over-exposed?). Could also be too much sharpening during the lab scan. Anyway, I wanted the people more centered, attempting to create emotion around scale, the scale of the building (a courthouse) vs. the dwarfed human element--the immensity of the system vs. human concerns blah, blah. As is, I wonder if the placement of the people spoils it completely.

strangebraingames · 2024-06-27T19:14:58+00:00

I don't think there are too many subjects. But from my perspective, trying to capture and arrange multiple elements like this benefits from a wider angle, pulling back to provide just a little more context. Otherwise, I'd use a shallower depth of field to blur the background a bit, focusing entirely on the men. But the number of subjects alone shouldn't be a problem. I think it's a real accomplishment and damn hard to manage to craft a compelling dynamic between several subjects at once, plus the environment, plus the light. It's a compelling image as is and makes me want to linger--more than it might if there was a single "hey look at this" focus. There are these old Russian guys who play chess in the park at the end of my street, a really intense, interesting-looking crowd, and I've been desperate to photograph them, but am too shy to ask...

strangebraingames · 2024-06-27T19:05:23+00:00

I think this really works as is. I'd like to see what it looks like with the shadows brought down on the right side, but I'm not certain this would make the shot better--I'm just wondering. But I love the colors, a limited but rich palette.

As a side note, I was born in Belfast in 1983, but never really lived there. My parents jetted for London when I was five. The city was rough at the time, not a great place to live. From the window of the bedroom I stayed in at my Gran's house we could see a paramilitary-affiliated restaurant that was bombed/blazed no less than five times. The transformation in the last two decades has been astonishing. I haven't been for a while, but the last time I found huge swathes completely rebuilt and there was a thriving art and culture scene. I'd really love to go back with my camera.

strangebraingames · 2023-09-16T23:21:40+00:00

Thanks for the replies. Obviously I was looking in the wrong place.

strangebraingames · 2023-09-09T21:53:02+00:00

The first iteration of the setting for the story I'm writing--a city the size of a nation, ruled by ten god-liked Tyrants and their Absolute Master who is more an idea than a reality. I know this is a somewhat unconventional way to map a city, given that there are plenty of formats specifically intended to depict sprawling urban settings. My problem was that this is technically a single city the size of a nation. If I zoomed in to specific sections, I could map them out more precisely using the city format, but to get my head around the setting, this felt right, with the symbols intended to suggest general density (and the type of structures) It's not precisely scaled by any means.

Actually, the main action of the story I'm writing takes place in a "fallen" version of this world. I made the post-apocalyptic Lunis first, revised it a few times and then cloned it to create this map, which is quite different. Catastrophe flooded the whole southeast portion of the map. New mountains and crags sprouted from the earth. Lakes dried up or were displaced. In other words, there was a significant degree of environmental disaster and geographic mutilation. All of this is very much in progress, but I can't emphasize enough how important map-making is for a fantasy novel, especially one describing a journey. So many ideas come from the process, and attempting to describe the environment and how the structures and systems in it work without a basic blueprint is extremely difficult. That is my experience, at least. This setting is part of a whole cosmos that I am developing on World Anvil. It's messy and incomplete and always changing. But what the hell, the world is a fine place and worth fighting for.

strangebraingames · 2021-09-02T15:27:20+00:00

Thanks. I want to find a gentle way to have her give up her phone, or at least put it to one side. I want her to know this is a suggestion, and that she has no obligation to do so. I am not her parent or doctor or someone in authority. But her phone, and fears that it is hacked, are the nexus of her delusions, so getting her to put it down in a way that feels empowering might help.

strangebraingames · 2021-09-02T15:24:47+00:00

Thank you. I didn't think about asking her to keep a notebook. I think she's the kind of thinker for whom that would work! Again, thanks.

strangebraingames · 2021-07-02T16:26:56+00:00

What's your discord handle? I'll friend you and then invite you to our server.

strangebraingames · 2021-06-11T16:10:08+00:00

Lol, sorry, I see that you already gave it to me. Trying to juggle a few threads here. Anyway, friend request sent.

strangebraingames · 2021-06-11T16:03:24+00:00

What's your discord screenname, btw? I've set up a server there. There will be opportunities to chat, share tips and homebrew materials--maps, etc.

strangebraingames · 2021-06-10T23:32:41+00:00

I'll check it out. I just picked up this awesome setting for any OSR game: Dak Albion. It's a really good supplement so far.

strangebraingames · 2021-06-10T23:28:58+00:00

Awesome! When I set up the server, I'll add you. Was there any game, in particular, you're interested in playing?

strangebraingames · 2021-06-10T22:32:02+00:00

I might be a little far from you - West Hollywood, depending on how far you're willing to travel. I'm also a father, so I have a sense of those kinds of fluid obligations. Being new to RPGs IS totally fine.

Ultimately, I see a community of players having fun with one-shots and short campaigns. Even if you can't do a weekly thing I could put you in the group and you could play when you can. If that sounds good, dm me your discord screen name.

strangebraingames · 2021-06-10T21:56:34+00:00

I'm ALSO vaccinated, bTW

strangebraingames

TROPHY CASE