I took a recent trip with my partner for her birthday up to Hudson and Red Hook. Most of these are from there, but a few are from around where I was staying in New Jersey…
I’ve been to Hudson a handful of times now. There’s something about the place—this worn-down, slightly neglected feeling that I’m really drawn to. Old cars, aging houses, quiet buildings… just this kind of run-down absurdity to it all. I’m not entirely sure why it pulls me in the way it does, but it does. There’s something fulfilling about photographing what most people might overlook. Almost like making something out of nothing. Or maybe just recognizing something that was already there, waiting to be seen. I enjoy it just as much in the moment as I do later, going back through the images and processing them.
I think that’s part of the process of becoming an artist - you slowly grow into your own way of seeing, and at some point you realize that what you’re drawn to has value. Maybe that’s mine.
It was a quick trip - half a day, one night. I’ve grown used to moving like that. Years of touring, going city to city, have wired me to observe quickly. To take things in, trust the instinct, and move on. Not everything needs to be labored over. Sometimes it’s just about flowing with what’s in front of you… or even what isn’t.
When I decide to make a photograph, it’s not just about the subject - it’s the color and light. Over time, I’ve started to see more of the final image while I’m still shooting. Or at least I think I do. Post-processing can take things in a thousand different directions, but lately I’ve been trying to close that gap - seeing more clearly from the start.
But it never really settles. Every time I feel like I’m getting close, something shifts. I start seeing color differently, or noticing texture in a new way. It’s actually pretty fun - kind of like tone chasing as a guitarist. You’re always dialing something in, always adjusting, always just slightly off from where you think you want to land.
I look back at some of my older work and feel the urge to revisit it. Not everything, but certain images. Part of me thinks I should leave it alone, let it exist as it was. But there’s another part that wants to refine, to bring it closer to what I see now. It’s a constant push and pull.
One of my favorite spots from the trip was this old auto shop - at least that’s what it seemed like. Hard to tell exactly what it was, but it had all these rare, vintage cars just scattered across the lot. Bentleys, Ferraris, a few Volvos… just sitting there, not curated, not staged—just existing. There’s something about old cars in places like that that really gets me. I can’t fully explain it, but it feels right to photograph.
For these images, I’ve been using Raw Photo Processor (RPP) for the base, and Dehancer for finishing. I’ve used RPP before here and there, but recently I felt pulled back to it, and this time it’s clicking more. It feels more intuitive, even though there’s still a lot to learn.
The process itself feels different. More analog. More restrained. It’s not always obvious just by looking at the final image, but for me, it changes how I approach the work. The results feel softer, more subtle—while still holding deep blacks and enough brightness without pushing saturation too far. I’ve tried getting this look out of Adobe Lightroom alone, and it gets close—but not quite there for me.
Maybe I’m overthinking it. Probably, at times. But I can’t help it. I’m always looking for better tools, better processes - anything that gets me closer to the look I have in my head.
At the same time, I know there’s no single right way to do any of this. You could shoot JPEG and never touch an edit. You could go deep into post. It all works, depending on what you want. What I’ve come to appreciate is how much the small decisions matter. Subtle changes. Minor adjustments. Like ingredients in cooking - they build on each other to create something that feels unique. Something with texture. With emotion.
I feel like I’m getting closer to something in my work. But we’ll see.
It’s a long road, and I’m in no rush. Just going to keep going, keep refining, and enjoy it for what it is.
#photography #noicemag #leica
View quoted note →
