Postcards From Portland
Looking for the “Portland look” in light, layers, and little details.
At the start of December, I had the chance to, well, give Portland, Oregon another shot. (ha ha, get it? shot? ha, okay, I’ll show myself out)
I’ve never had great experiences in Portland. And I’m not making this political. I just mean I don’t love the hills, the traffic, the rain, and some of the “weirdness” has always felt a bit try-hard to me. I’m also an avid desert fanboy, so all the green and rain (yes, I’m saying it twice) just doesn’t vibe with me.
I can absolutely see why people love Portland, but it’s never really appealed to me. After moving back to the U.S. following my time in Ukraine over the last three years, I wanted to give it another chance, especially since this time I had a local guide who could show me the best sides of the city.
Spoiler: I’m still not a fan. But I am happy with the photos I got out of the experience.
I shot the trip with a few different setups. The Ricoh GR III was my go-to for quick street stuff, and the Canon R6 with a vintage Super-Takumar 55mm handled the slower, more deliberate frames. A few of my favorite shots came from my old Epson RD-1s with the Voigtländer 21mm Color-Skopar.
Photos are grouped by camera type for the gear junkies to analyze.
Depressing place, isn’t it? I’ve lived there three times.