Two weeks ago, I got my dream camera. When I was first thinking about going mirrorless, the camera I was most drawn to was the just-announced Fujifilm XT-5. There was no way I could justify that purchase at the time, so I went with Micro Four Thirds via Lumix and have generally been happy. However, a few weeks ago, I got the opportunity to get my hands on the XT-5, and I jumped at it. I’ve spent the last two weeks tweaking settings (which was surprisingly daunting) and setting up some recipes. Although I shoot RAW, I was excited at the possibility of shooting only JPEGs and relying on the camera’s 40MP sensor for casual outings. Although the menus and settings had me close to tears in frustration in the first couple of days, I’ve finally gotten the hang of it, and I think I’ve landed on a pretty good starting point.

First Impressions

I've been shooting with my GX9 for the better part of a year, and its small form factor is something that I've become accustomed to. The size of the XT-5, while not huge, still took some getting used to. However, this also means the camera can house a larger battery— something that I didn’t realize I’d been missing dearly. With MFT, I always had to keep 2-3 batteries on me if I was going to spend the day (or even just the afternoon) shooting. Although I haven’t been out for a full day with my XT-5 yet, I can already tell the difference. I’ve gone days without charging it, only to find the battery level hovering around 65% after regular, daily use. I’ll eventually get some spare batteries for the summer road trip we’re planning, but it’s nice knowing that the battery life isn’t going to be an issue.

And, of course, film simulations. I love the idea of film simulations. Even if I’m still planning on editing from RAW, getting a preview of what my shot will look like is something I didn’t realize would be so useful. I’ve a keener eye now that I’m getting a real-time preview. And while we’re on the subject of presets, I’ve also been spiraling down the recipe rabbit hole. Being able to zero in on adjustments in camera has made editing so much faster. Big shoutout to Fuji X Weekly for that. I get it now.

Finally, having 40MP is awesome. This sounds so vapid because I’m the last person to care about megapixel count, but I have to admit that knowing how much more I can get away with in post is such a sigh of relief. Also, it simply feels nice having something new. I have a soft spot for older gear, but man, having the current flagship model of something is nice.

I said he looks happy, but Andrew thinks he looks miserable lol

Shout out to Andrew for insisting on taking a photo of me before we left. (And for taking direction on how to take the photo.)

Since moving here and first visiting our shopping mall, I’ve felt the need to photograph the desolate, near liminal space. Something about the empty hallways interspersed with skylights and (real!) foliage brings on a certain type of melancholic nostalgia. I recently made a trip there for the purpose of shooting some of the areas that always seem to grab my attention. 

I decided to start slow. I thought exterior shots would be easier, considering there was no one else there, but it actually felt a lot more intimidating once I got out of my car. Although the mall is pretty empty, there was still security doing rounds and I was right next to a fairly busy street. I was relieved to see that security didn’t seem to mind my walking around and taking photos and I eventually got comfortable enough to really get into the swing of things.

The tattered paper on the inside of these doors unsettles me, yet I can never look away.

With the mall being as empty as it is, I was really self conscious on this outing— a lot more self conscious than I normally am when shooting in public. And because I was shooting film, the camera I was using wasn’t the most inconspicuous, either. In more crowded spaces I’m able to melt into the crowd. However, I was one of the few people walking around in that big, open space. I felt as if I was on display as I composed each shot. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. I suppose I just want you to know that I’m proud of myself for not skimping out and forcing myself to take my time in getting the photos I wanted to get. (Though I was really tempted to spray and pray and call it a day.) 

The mall may be dead, but these plants are not.

We’re always sure to grab a slice at the local pizza place inside our mall. It’s genuinely great pizza and it feels like an appropriate nod to my adolescence, hanging out at the food court with my friends or on family shopping trips.

I don’t remember why I chose to shoot black and white on this day, but I’m happy with how it turned out. There isn’t much color in our mall to begin with, and I knew that the angles and shadows were what I was aiming to capture. Although I’m happy with the photos overall, if I had to do this over I’d choose an orthochromatic film stock instead of panchromatic. 

These photos were taken on a Canon 35mm SLR with a Canon 50mm f/1.4 USM lens. My film stock of choice was, as the title suggests, Kentmere Pan 400. 

This batch of film was processed and scanned by State Film Lab. 

I have quite a few rolls of film that I’m in the middle of working on, and another batch about to be sent out, so look out for more regular posts on here in the near future!

I somehow managed to meet my reading goal of 52 books this year, despite being in a months long reading slump over the summer. Within those 52 books, there were a select few that stood out. I haven’t done a big reading wrap-up in a while, and it’s something I want to bring back next year. In any case, here’s a list of my favorite books I read in 2024.

Hellbent (Alex Stern #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Ninth House is one of my favorite books of all time, and Hellbent did not disappoint. Although I waited nearly a year after its release, the events of Ninth House stayed fresh in my mind and I picked up right where I left off. Like Ninth House, Hellbent was executed extremely well. I wish I could say more, but even the synopsis of this book would be a spoiler to Ninth House.

Ask for Andrea by Noelle W. Ihli

I don’t read many thrillers or contemporary mysteries nowadays, but this was one that I’m glad I picked up. I read this back at the beginning of the year and I still find myself thinking back to this book often. This novel takes a different approach to typical mysteries and thrillers and follows the spirits of the victims of a serial killer. They keep up with their own murder investigations, following the killer from place to place as he moves his wife and children (who are unaware of his actions) around the country all while doing everything they can to prevent the same fate befalling anyone else. This book was suspenseful, but it was also a moving and devastating story. I got tired of many thrillers being formulaic and this one really shattered that mold.

The Final Empire (Mistborn #1) by Brandon Sanderson

I knew this was going to be an all-time favorite from the moment I picked this book up in February. I had extremely high expectations for this book given how often I hear its title thrown around. I fell in love with everything about this book. I grew a near immediate attachment to Kelsier and Lin, the magic system was imaginative, and the entire book was playing out like a movie in my mind. I’m going to stop myself here because I can talk about Mistborn all day.

The Shepherd King duology by Rachel Gillig

One Dark Window, Two Twisted Crowns

This was the first year that I really tried to implement a new rule about finishing series instead of leaving months or years between reading each installment. The Shepherd King duology was the first one that I read back to back and so it feels like I read one big story instead of two separate books— and I consider this a good thing. I really enjoyed so, so many elements about this book. I found the playing card-based magic system fascinating. I loved the foggy, misty setting, and I was completely taken by the relationship between Elspeth and the Monster that quite literally lives in her head. The way she grows as a person, finds love, and the way she learns to accept the parts of herself that she never wanted to acknowledge were perfectly executed. I read these when I had Kindle Unlimited, but I think I’ll eventually give in and buy some special editions so they have a home on my shelf.

If We Were Villains by ML Rio

This is by far one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read, and the theatre setting felt very familiar (I did theatre growing up and well into university). I love the subtleties in the story, but also the way the mystery unwound itself through the story. I don’t have the desire to reread too many books, but this is one that I cannot wait to reread.

In the Company of Witches (Evenfall Witches B&B #1) by Auralee Wallace

I have really, really wanted to love a lot of the cozy fantasy that I’ve read thus far, but many of them have fallen flat. Although this book is witchy and not the swords and sorcery that most of us associate with fantasy, the execution of this book was exactly what I’d been craving from a cozy fantasy/mystery. While this book has that cozy, small town atmosphere, it didn’t feel like it was trying too hard to fit the mold of a trendy buzzword. It was a touching story about love, loss, and moving on. It had a good story, a fun mystery, and it left me misty eyed. I cannot wait to read the second installment, When the Crow’s Away.

Once Upon a Broken Heart Trilogy by Stephanie Garber

Once Upon a Broken Heart, the Ballad of Never After, A Curse for True Love

Stephanie Garber is able to weave these incredibly whimsical and fantastical worlds like no one else. I loved the Caraval trilogy and I think I may have fallen in love with the Once Upon A Broken Heart trilogy even harder. Like the Shepherd King duology, I read these back to back to back, so they all run together to create one big story in my mind. While there were minor flaws interspersed throughout the trilogy, I can’t ignore the enjoyment I took in reading these. They transported me to a magical world that I wasn’t at all ready to leave. I cannot wait to read more from Stephanie Garber because very few other books are able to transport me like hers can.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

I love gothic literature, and I especially love when it has genuinely tense and scary moments. The book was beautifully written with evocative depictions of a dilapidated manor and a slightly off-kilter world complete with its own religions and histories. The mystery that permeates the book is suspenseful and left me clinging to every word and revelation as they happened. I really couldn’t put this book down.

Crooked Kingdom (Six of Crows #2) by Leigh Bardugo

Though I enjoyed Six of Crows back in January, Crooked Kingdom was really the one that did it for me. The sheer scope of the story, the intricacies, and the character work that Leigh Bardugo seamlessly wove into the story made me feel like I knew the characters on a much more intimate level and made the plot that much more impactful. By the time the book concluded I’d felt the full range of emotions I’m capable of and it left me with a bittersweet feeling in my heart.

…

I’m actually quite surprised at the variety of the books that have made it into this final list. I think this list is quite representative of what I enjoy overall: a lot of fantasy, dark academia, bleak settings, with an occasional break in the clouds for something cozy or whimsical.

I’m going to hold myself to my promise to share some more reading lists in 2025, so I’ll be back soon with my winter reading wrap-up!

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