The 1:1:1 Project
One camera, one lens, and one year. My journey using the Leica SL2-S and Summicron R 50mm to cultivate growth and perspective – and how I can advocate for a similar approach.
Sometimes, in order to go forward, you have to take a step back. Many have found themselves in a common situation in photography – The inevitable slide into the GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) fueled journey towards an unnecessarily complex multi-lens and camera body setup to haul along everywhere like a production assembly. I found myself in this exact situation at the beginning of 2024 - A backpack with two camera bodies and three lenses that I felt required to carry as a kit. Thankfully, a book, several YouTube videos and a carefully planned gear exchange resulted in what would become my one camera, one lens, one year project that changed my perspective while traveling .
The camera and lens I chose to carry for a full year are of equally significant and non-significant importance.
An undeniably critical piece of reading for any creative - Ralph Gibson’s Refractions 2.
The concept of this project is more important than the technical tools – the intent of sharing this project is to inspire similar projects and equally praise what has become one of my favorite lenses: The Leica Summicron R 50mm. Prior to this project, I avoided the 50mm focal length, instead preferring the 35mm focal length in my previous camera systems. 50mm never felt wide enough to match my intent while simultaneously having a sense that I could never get close enough.
The project was undeniably inspired by Ralph Gibson’s Refractions 2 – A book that opens the door to a different perspective and more importantly, the creative thought processes of one of the great American fine art photographers. One section in particular catalyzed this project: A simple mention of reducing the photographic process down to the use of a Leica rangefinder camera and 50mm lens in order to force the development of how to “see” in photography. After further research, several videos on the topics of the “one camera, one lens” and “self-assigned project” concepts from Ted Forbes, Daniel Milnor, and Kyle McDougal led me to plan and commit to the project. After a few months of planning and saving, I traded in my complete previous system and downsized to my setup for the next year: A Leica SL2-S and Summicron R 50mm.
I carried this combo for one year across the United States, Europe, and South America. Without a doubt, this project forced growth in several key areas.
Sight
The project forced a recalibration of intuitive sight. I have heard references to “seeing” the photo prior to taking a shot, but I had never experienced it. Removing the option of changing the lens forced visual muscle memory, and I finally began to really “see”. At a certain point, I was composing with my eyes without the viewfinder of the camera.
Intent
At around halfway through the project on a trip to Portugal, I began to have a revised internal process focused more on the intent of the photograph prior to executing it. This clearly became an extension of the learned perspective of the 50mm field of view. I naturally slowed the process down and felt more observant of the entire scene, using my newfound “sight” to lock in. What am I seeing? What draws my eye, and why? How do I perceive what is happening?
Extension
It was while I was exactly in the middle of a crowded city street during the Pase Del Niño Parade in Cuenca, Ecuador, that I experienced what this project’s purpose was – to develop yourself to a point where the tool feels like an extension of your eye and the act of photographing is merely a convergence of intent, perspective, and execution to freeze a specific frame. As the event progressed, I became fully immersed in the parade and as the procession moved by, I realized my part in the process with the natural interaction with the performers. At a certain point, some were performing for the photograph and I realized all that I needed to be was present. The camera and the lens were second nature, the racking of the focus of the 50mm Summicron was at this point muscle memory, and everything just clicked.
Going Forward
I completed my commitment to this project at the start of the summer of 2025, reluctantly and a bit relieved. I can finally capitalize on my urge to go vintage Leica lens hunting, but It is bittersweet. What I have now is a recalibration and a new perspective. The dopamine rush of Gear Acquisition Syndrome is a slippery slope we are all susceptible to, and at times, we all cave in to. But the lens is just a tool, and like any tool, it takes time to master it.
In full disclosure, I did eventually cave in to my urge and I purchased my next Leica lens, a Summicron R 35mm Version II. But this was part of my plan all along once I fell in love with the Leica SL2-S. I've decided I’m taking what I have learned from the past year and will apply the same process with this new to me Summicron 35mm - This new lens lives on my SL2-S now for the most part. I did allow myself the pleasure to switch back to the 50mm Summicron during a recent trip, and it immediately felt like it was a Led Zeppelin reunion. The resulting image below of a barrel racer at the New York State Fair is a testament to everything I have learned from the project and what I really want to drive home – Trust the process of committing to learn the tools to extract everything from them. I can proudly say the Summicron 50mm will be with me for the rest of my life.
Pase Del Niño Parade
The Pase Del Niño parade in Cuenca, Ecuador, takes place every year on Christmas Eve. It is one of the largest celebrations of the year in Cuenca, with the culture of Ecuador on full display.
The Pase Del Niño parade in Cuenca, Ecuador, takes place every year on Christmas Eve. It is one of the largest celebrations of the year in Cuenca, with the culture of Ecuador on full display. I had the chance to witness 2024’s celebration while visiting my Fiancé’s family for Christmas. I capitalized on this opportunity and brought my Leica SL2-S and Summicron 50mm lens to document the parade as part of my one camera, one lens, one-year project of 2024. I hope you enjoy the series and my commentary.
With this being only my second trip to Ecuador, I did not know what to expect from the event. I was told it was a big parade, however that was an understatement. The parade started around 10:00 AM, and we were told it lasted until 5:00 PM, well past when we decided to leave. One thing that stood out to me was the energy of the participants. The dancing spilled into the streets as each group went by. At some point, I realized I became a participant vs a bystander, waiting for the right moment of eye contact or an interesting expression.
I felt very much right in the middle of the action, often spilling over into the street of the parade from the push of the crowd behind me. Often with my camera up to my eye, I felt the breeze of the dancer’s dresses rushing past my face. All of this added up to create a very interesting experience combining composing and taking photographs while feeling overwhelmed with the sounds and sensations.
All I could do was grin and live in the moment. Some of the photos demonstrate the performers catching my gaze and resulting in a smile back. Perfect moment. Click.
This series will always remind me of the beautiful culture that has welcomed me into their family. Muchas gracias, Ecuador.
Porto
Porto is a city that will turn you into a romantic and leave you wanting more. A truly one of a kind destination.
At the start of early fall this year I was called and asked, “Do you want to go to Portugal?”…
This is how one of the best trips I’ve taken started. Long story short, some of my fiancé’s family had decided to move to Porto earlier in 2024. Now settled in, we had an opportunity to visit and explore. I was given the choice of planning a trip to Porto or Istanbul. While both locations would be amazing, I don’t regret choosing to visit Portugal in the least. Portugal provided one of, if not the most beautiful sightseeing trips I have taken. Not a bad way to visit Europe for the first of hopefully many times. As I begin writing this blog a couple of months after our Porto trip, as I am sitting in Ecuador on our current journey, I can’t help but have a smile and a romantic sentiment thinking of Porto.
Porto is a city that is hard to describe, but I’ll give It a shot. There is an unmistakable energy to it, with lots of commuters coming into the city daily for work. Factor this in with the popularity it has gained as a tourist location, and there is always a thriving amount of people and traffic. Thankfully, this doesn’t mean that you are waiting in lines everywhere you go, I would describe it more like a steady fluid movement of locals and travelers flowing through the city with quieter spots all around. A good sign for the health of the city is the amount of construction and renovations under way around the city. Locals informed us that due to the influx of interest in the city, it has brought good investors to preserve the beautiful architecture yet modernize the city. A good thing, indeed.
Porto proved to be a multicultural melting pot of locals and immigrants from all over the world, each with an interesting story. I would highly recommend taking an Uber to help get across the city and experience some of this yourself. Nearly everyone spoke English and was overall very friendly. Nonetheless, I would advise downloading an app like Duolingo and learning a couple of basic phrases in Portuguese in preparation, as you never know if you will need it, but also out of respect to the locals. Remember, you are a patron of this beautiful city to ensure all of us can still visit.
The Ribeira district viewed from one of the many river boat tours. Taken with the Leica SL2-S and 50mm Summicron.
The Ribeira district is going to take your breath away with the architecture and color. There is nothing like it in the United States that I have seen to date. For the sunset lovers, nearly every evening there will be a local gathering at the park across the Dom Luis I bridge to watch the sunset over the beautiful cityscape of the old architecture. There will usually be live music, some vendors and a laid-back environment. Trust me, it will not disappoint you unless it is an overcast day.
Porto is a very walkable city, however, sometimes it will be better to take an Uber, especially if you have a considerable distance to get to the historic part. Good walking shoes are a must in Portugal for travelers, as Porto and Lisbon will give your legs a workout if you are not used to climbing hills. But don’t worry, you will have more of an excuse to keep eating all of the amazing food and pastel de natas as you walk by the small shops.
The Douro wine valley tour should be at the top of your list of things to do in Porto.
I normally avoid touristy things like the plague, as I prefer to wander and people-watch with my Leica camera hanging on my shoulder. However, I stand corrected in the instance of traveling to Portugal. My Fiancé and I took a tour of the Douro wine valley, which would provide some of the best landscape views of the entire trip. We signed up for the Douro Valley tour with Living Tours Porto, which I would highly recommend. Our tour lasted the full day, arriving at 7 A.M. and returning to the city around 5-6 P.M. We were well fed and were able to sample some very good wines. One of the nicer things about the tour was the multiple stops in smaller villages and the time to have a quick tour, get a snack, and take some photos at good viewpoints. The last leg of the tour involved a river cruise to tour the Douro Valley and offer breathtaking views of the landscape that has been transformed solely for the production of wine. The terraced hillsides and the color of the grapevines provided a unique combination of light, texture and color. Deemed a UNESCO World Heritage site, I can’t recommend the experience of the Douro Valley enough, and if capable, I would look into staying a day or two there to fully soak it in.
Maybe it was the wine, but it’s hard to top the scenery of the Douro Valley.
I can’t say enough good things about the food in Portugal. Everything we tried was delicious, and more importantly, didn’t leave you with the saturated feeling like many American restaurants. It may sound weird, but trust me. There is something to be said about food quality, and there is plenty of it in Porto. Thankfully, we had some good pointers from our extended family that had been living there, but I doubt you will find a bad meal unless you deliberately set out to do so.
A couple of restaurants I can recommend:
Sabores D’ Fininha – This restaurant has fantastic seafood. It is located along the Avenue de Diego leite. Sitting outside gives you a great view of the historic Ribeira buildings across the river.
Empanadas Malvón – This was our favorite place to stop and get a quick bite to eat. In fact, we went there at least 3-4 times while walking around the city. The staff was very friendly and spoke English as well. I recommend trying as many of the different empanadas as you can. My personal favorites were the spicy chicken and pork.
The Ribeira district at night. Taken with the Leica SL2-S and 50mm Summicron.
Porto is an experience that I hope to never forget. I would happily return again, preferably in the summer months to experience a different season than our first visit. For a midwestern American who has never been to Europe, I don’t think I chose poorly on my first destination. Knowing that this would be a near once in a lifetime trip, I made sure to bring along my Leica SL2-S and Summicron R 50mm lens to document the trip. This was my first trip with this camera system as well, and I can say I was not disappointed with the results. I made sure to take this opportunity to work on my current photography project, or personal challenge, which is to commit myself to one camera/one lens for an entire year. This project was inspired by reading Ralph Gibson’s Refractions 2, amongst other voices I admire in the photographic community, to commit to limiting yourself to grow as a photographer. I will delve into this project in more detail at a future date.
One of the best lessons Porto taught me though was this: Don’t be afraid to travel. In fact, I think it stirred something up inside of me. Despite my general travel anxiety, the experience of going to a new and beautiful destination and fully immersing yourself in it is an exhilarating experience when it all goes well, and truly feeds the creative spirit. Don’t hesitate, do it.