Noise as Narrative
My Coolpix P310 Travel Diaries
As many of you know, my heart belongs to old digital cameras, and I've added another quirky friend to my lineup—the Nikon Coolpix P310 from 2012, graciously gifted by my neighbor. It's delightfully compact and perfectly imperfect, just the kind of camera I can't resist.
Traveling frequently for work is both a privilege and a chore but I’ve found a way to make it feel more like vacation than labor. Carrying this little camera and setting it to a dedicated black and white mode gives me joy akin something like an instant camera. There is no real latitude given its jpeg only, 1/2.3” CMOS sensor, noise is all over its 16mp of resolution, but the body is small and stunning, and the fact that it has manual controls makes it a ton of fun to shoot with.
I am using it for the purposes of a visual diary on these trips, the way Casey Neistat used similar cameras for his early vlogs (I will never let go of my 2012 aesthetic), or Sophie Calle did in a more formal fashion with her controversial diary-like projects such as The Hotel.
These everyday captures often become the seeds of insight that lead to bigger projects, so despite being disposable, they can be quite valuable as well. I’ll be posting and sharing shots from my current trip taken with the Coolpix 310 when I’m back home this weekend. Until then, keep creating and keep finding inspiration in the unexpected.
I love this
Love that last shot at LAX.