A book

“Either way” is a collection of memories from Paris, and a peek into a box containing hundreds of pictures shot on film, between 2006 and 2013.

The time and distance between me and the moment these pictures were taken allowed me to work as someone external, selecting and curating pictures taken by a younger version of myself. I didn’t take a single “new” picture for this book, and I didn’t know any of these pictures would end up in a book.

If we know each other and if we lived there at the same time, you can take it as a photo album I put together for you, and remember a few memories you may or may not have forgotten. If we don’t, it won’t give you a perfectly accurate picture of what it was like to live in Paris in the mid 2000s, but you might get some visual clues, should you choose to approach this book as a documentary.

• Hardcover, 128 pages
• Self-published limited edition of 30 copies
• Each copy is numbered and signed

It is available to purchase at shop.fffred.com.

About this book

When I told people I was working on a book, they were all expecting me to do something related to this year I spent backpacking on my own. It would be the very obvious thing to assume, but that’s not the case. In fact, I’ve had this book in my mind for quite some time, but never dedicated any serious time to work on it until last year, very shortly after I came back.

I wrote another note about what I learned in the process of making this book, that I’ll post in a few days. For now, I’m just glad I decided to commit to this project, and seeing it out there.

What’s next

I would like to keep writing, and I’m curious about what you (yes, you 🫵) would be curious about. So here are some of the ideas I’m thinking about, with a poll at the end for you to vote, if you feel like it (thanks Jenna for the idea!).

About photography

Working on this book made me think a lot about what photography really means to me, and there are plenty of ideas I would love to develop in a somewhat long form. The next few posts will probably be on this topic.

A look back

I’ve returned from my travels long ago and I can now give a more structured reply to the second most frequent question I’ve heard: how did you do that?

Starting over

I’ve been mostly silent about that topic, but most of you already know that I decided to leave my career as a product designer behind, and start over with something else. I’m still figuring it out, but I’ve already learned a lot in this transition process.

My latest reads

In no particular order, here are the last five books I read:

• "Crying in H Mart" by Michelle Zauner: A poignant memoir exploring grief, identity, and the author's Korean heritage through food and family.
• "The Expected Goals Philosophy" by James Tippett: A comprehensive analysis of expected goals (xG) in soccer, delving into its statistical foundations and tactical implications.
• "Two Wheels Good" by Jody Rosen: A cultural history of bicycles and their impact on society, exploring themes of freedom, transportation, and leisure.
• "The Language of Cities" by Deyan Sudjic: An insightful examination of urban landscapes and architecture, revealing how cities communicate through their design and infrastructure.
• "The Social Photo" by Nathan Jurgenson: A critical exploration of how social media platforms shape our understanding of images, identity, and society in the digital age.

This list is a fairly accurate projection of my various hobbies right now. I could actually find something to write about, for any of these books.