If you’re interested in when and why to crop, you may want to read this scroll.

Here, I’ll share the philosophy behind my approach to cropping.

Composition and certain constraints are the only aspects I am governed by when facing the dilemma of cropping.

In the world of photography, few names evoke as much nostalgia and admiration as Rolleiflex and Rolleicord cameras. The Rolleicord series, in particular, stands out not just as a collection of photographic equipment, but as symbols of an era where craftsmanship and quality were paramount. The first model, Rolleicord I Art Deco, also known as ‘Tapeten-Rolleicord’ (Wallpaper Rolleicord), was produced by the German camera maker Franke and Heidecke from 1933 to 1936.

Once upon a time, while developing my films, it occurred to me that the 120 film, which typically takes 12 6x6 shots, is actually long enough to take 13 shots (not Foma or Lomo Metropolis though). That day, the 120 film threw down the gauntlet, and I didn't hesitate for a second before picking it up.

I started experimenting with my Hasselblad 500CM and Rolleicord Va II.

Keep Creating.
In an ideal world the answer is simple: Keep Creating.
OK. We are not leaving in an ideal world. This is why you’d say, wait, man. What do you mean by ‘keep creating’? The art block is about NOT being able to create!
Yep… But still, the answer is — keep creating.

When more and more people started talking about experiencing art block, it caught my interest. I decided to get to the root of it.

In this ‘scroll’ I want to quickly show you my cameras. This isn't a review or a guide, but rather a glimpse into the tools I love and use. Some I use regularly, and others occasionally, depending on what I'm aiming to achieve. If I had to draw an analogy, I'd say this is more like a quick, vivid sketch rather than a labor-intensive oil painting.

I'm sure you can find a gazillion videos on YouTube covering gear. Any gear. Half of them argue that gear does matter, and the other half claims it doesn’t. I'm not here to add another brick to the enormous wall of time-wasting with this article. I just want to share my personal approach to the 'gear' topic and the goals that guide my choices. My approach is very personal and subjective, and I’m not claiming it's the only right one. I don't believe in a 'one-size-fits-all' solution.

I confirm, this device can be fixed with a spanner acting as a hammer, a bit of brute force, three or four (better five) F-words (no, ‘F’ doesn’t stand for focal length here) and a few sips of really good Irish whiskey I got my hands on recently.