Nothing Is Real

FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/40 sec, ISO200)

After the cars the next stop was the museum in Palm Springs. It’s small but beautiful and I love its architecture.

I love museums. Luckily I lived in and now just outside of Vienna so there are plenty museum within close proximity. I love museums but usually the old ones are really dark because of the small windows. This one in Palm Springs in different. Very light and beautiful yellow and orange tones.

Even though I shot mostly with the Sony A7R or the my Canon 6D on this vacation for museums and the evenings I relied on Fuji. Back than on the X-T1 and the XF 14/2.8 R which was my favourite Fuji lens back then and is still my favourite lens today. All images in this blog post were taken with the 14mm.

FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/30 sec, ISO800)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/30 sec, ISO320)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec, ISO2000)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec, ISO2500)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/30 sec, ISO250)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/30 sec, ISO250)

When in a museum I’m more and more focused on the rooms. The architecture, the light, the way the art is on display. The big art museums in Europe are different. The Louvre, the National Gallery or the Kunsthistorisches Museum, those are old, historic buildings with a clear focus on the old masters.

For me the most amazing exhibits in this museum were the hyper realistic people. I’m talking about the two tourist sitting on the bench in the image below or the truly outstanding naked woman. I had to look twice because first I thought there is a real naked woman laying on there. The realism was truly stunning. Small veins and skin imperfections this exhibit looked like it was alive. Very impressive!

FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/2.8, 1/40 sec, ISO200)
FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/3.2, 1/30 sec, ISO320)

And the deep shaft in the image above was impressive too. It was only half a meter high but it looked like a shaft that was extremely deep. Just a clever arrangement of mirrors and light. A great idea too but again the real star was the naked woman. It was just a perfect illusion.

So even though the big art is to be found elsewhere those museums in smaller towns are a lot of fun and they can offer some true surprises.

FUJIFILM X-T1 (14mm, f/4, 1/30 sec, ISO500)