Well it is time for an annual review of 2021’s “best” posts. I mean the most popular posts of course. I don’t really care much about such metrics but I know people like lists and it is a fun exercise. Though I will not simply list the five most clicked posts because those will all be about vintages lenses as most people online are drawn to gear reviews. Instead I will pick my favorite top five from a list of 20 most viewed posts.
Top 5: Best and most popular posts of 2021
5. Vintage Lens Jeopardy #1: Porst Color Reflex 55mm F2.8
The first entry about my journey buying cheap and questionable vintage lenses. This post is not only about the lens itself but also contains some German photo history. It was an interesting experience writing this article as it did require quite some work and research compared to my other writings. I highly recommend reading more about the Porst company if you like business history.
2. My 12 most used film recipes for Fujifilm cameras
I wrote this post almost more for myself than anyone else. I was playing around with a lot of film simulations or jpeg recipes and felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of options and choices. I thought about collecting my most used recipes to see if there is a common theme in what I like. From there I went on to create my own recipes for a hopefully more consistent look in 2022. This post is obviously very popular as people are simply overwhelmed with the amount of recipes and search for a easily digestible list.
3. Against Masks – an argument in four pictures
Sadly the most important topic in 2021 was the ongoing Coronavirus crisis. Back in March ’21 I wrote a very short and concise argument against mask mandates. Not against mask themselves but the government ordering people to wear them under threat of sometimes quite hefty fines. I am quite proud of being able to really condense the many thoughts and points into only a few sentences really. Even more sad is that my country’s government is now seriously considering a vaccine mandate. The argument laid out against government mask mandates works very well for vaccine mandates too. So definitely worth another read.
2. Photopresso ☕ #15: “Gothic”
This series start out with the title “Single Shot” but I renamed it to “Photopresso” instead. Short, intense and full of energy. I like showcasing a single image with a few choice words. Mostly bad poems. Some topics are funny others like this more sober but always poignant. Check out the whole collection.
1. Babaluna Berlin
Finally a post that represents most of my writing and interests in photography. Were it not for the pandemic restrictions I would have liked to do more of them. It is about a small store in a (then) quickly gentrifying neighborhood. It is about change, urban life and our choices as consumers and citizens.
My personal favorite
All I really want
Even though this post did not get that many views it is my favorite of the year. It is a very personal one about one of the songs that keeps influencing me. Maybe you find out which one (alright it is very easy). A few of the things I “want” in this post actually came true this year. I am very happy and grateful for that.