My Favorite Lookouts | Stoke-Ness
Sunset Rollercoaster and the snow exploration machine you didn't know you needed.
This month
Start the year with the world’s best chocolate, a new habit to replace your phone scrolling and the most powerful photo editing technique I’ve ever found.
Be stoked,
Isaac
Watch
My newest video is my attempt to explain why Snowbiking is the best winter recreation and justify my newest obsession =) Even if you are not into motorsports I think you will like this one.
Photo Set
Recently a client, Terrazas De Los Andes, asked me to tell a story about my creative journey. I made a short video with my friend Etienne Surrette. The film featured a constant subject of my work, Lookouts. Here are some of those photos and the film.
Gear and Tools
Good Chocolate
This isn’t a piece of gear but it might as well be. A few years ago (I just looked and it was eight years ago, dang), I read a post by Seth Godin about why I should be interested in good chocolate. Besides having all of the hallmarks of a world-class experience, it was interesting and exploratory.
My friend Alex Strohl turned the experience into a ritual with tea or coffee and I copied him.
I buy my chocolate at Caputo's in Salt Lake City where they have a massive selection of the best chocolate. Meg gifted me an assortment from Caputos and surprisingly my favorite has been the black fig from Dick Taylor. I usually do not like other ingredients in my chocolate besides chocolate, but this one is perfect with an evening tea. I only wish I had several more bars.
Give good chocolate, a try and you might never go back.
Photo/Video Technique
I recently had a set of medium-format, film scans come back and they were not great. Of course, I called my favorite film expert, Forrest Mankins. Forrest said to give this technique a try and shared a YouTube video. The difference between the scans and what I was able to make them was incredible. Thanks, Forrest for saving the day.
Listen
Sunset Rollercoaster
This song will float you through at least a month of 2025. A gorgeous, lush, and full experience from a Taiwanese band I instantly fell in love with. Start the song at 2:30 your first time though and turn it up. Don’t miss this one.
Discovery credit to Gee Derick, who you should follow on IG.
Reads
Inside Then Out journal
Last year I completed a prompted journal from these folks and the clarity and focus it gave me was powerful. This year I am doing it again with the second version.
If you are to grow and detach from your phone, I believe we need to replace the phone habit with a new one. Journaling every morning with coffee is a powerful way to start.
Parting thought.
Questions from my Coach, Benji for the new year:
What did you learn, what do you want to take with you, what do you want to leave behind?
Be stoked and have a great month,
Isaac
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