The Secret to Casey Niestat's Success | Stoke-Ness
There is a month left.
Or really 2 months of summer if you are not in Alaska. What are you going to do with it? I think chilling or pushing your limits outside are equally strong options. As long as we get outside then it’s a win.
In this month’s issue, I share why you should buy a slower bike, a real old school craftsman and a surefire way to re kindle your love of photography.
Be stoked,
Isaac
Photo/Video Technique
How to re ignite your love for photography (film)
No edits, element of surprise and excitement, no time in front of the computer, no choosing which similar photo is better, and a sweet roll off of highlights that makes everything feel dreamy.
These are a few of the reasons I’ve started shooting film consistently. It removes the barrier of 1,000 creative decisions before I have a useable image and instead front loads all of my creative energy into the moment I decided to take the photo.
It’s exciting. It’s addicting.
If you have been bored with your photography lately or just feeling burnt out, get you self a cheap film camera and some Portra 400 or Ektar 100 film. Shoot it, send it to State Film and wait for the joy of getting the email you have scans ready. I promise you will feel like a million bucks.
P.S. Lots of folks are afraid of getting the settings wrong and wasting film. That’s why I recommend using a camera with auto settings so you can focus on taking photos without worry.
Quick start options I recommend:
Olympus Stylus Epic point and shoot camera
Gear
Skip the Gravel Bike, Why you should buy a Hardtail Mountain Bike instead.
This is purely my opinion, but unless you are fast, getting a fast bike doesn’t make sense. Sure, a fast bike will make you faster, but it turns out that you will still be slower than your fast friends with fast bikes.
So with that riddle of a thought in my head I made the decision this year to get a fun bike instead.
And where I settled was on the Surly Karate Monkey. It’s a hardtail mtb with playful geometry that I can ride on gravel, trails, bikepacking, pavement and even jumps. I’ve never had so much fun on one bike.
With a 140mm fork on the front, it soaks up the washboard or rock drops. I can lock the fork for no loss of energy on the uphills then open it back up on the way down.
The “non aero” riding position means that I sit more upright when riding and it is much more comfortable. I may be as wind efficient as a Lego brick, but my hands, neck and back aren’t broken at the end of a ride like they were with drop bars.
As far as speed, riding my local route I’ve found that my Strava times have been slightly better. So maybe having fun is faster than going fast.
See the bike Here
Who I am Following
Anthony Esteves
Anthony is not a photographer, actually he is not much of a sharer on social media at all. What he does share is always intriguing and inspiring. He and his family have been slowly hand building a homestead in Maine using old world crafting techniques like Shou Sugi ban cedar and hand quarried granite foundations. What he builds is beautiful, ageless buildings that take shape with zen like process.
I give every post and story my attention and often re browse his IG feed.
Follow him on Instagram Here
Music I'm Diggin'
Phoenix by Big Red Machine (feat Fleet Foxes and Anias Mitchell)
It’s not often that a song comes along that has me playing it 10x a day and whistling it when its not playing. This song has done that.
It reminds me of early Bon Iver mixed with early Band of Horses in the best way. It will have you humming the chorus for weeks.
Listen to it on Spotify Here
Videos, Movies, and TV
Casey Niestat on what it took behind the scenes of his daily Vlog
It’s no secret that I was a huge fan of Casey’s YouTube channel. Always entertaining, always story based vlogs were the darling of the internet for 5 years. I’ve seen every video he has ever posted.
We all knew his success was no fluke and that the amount of work and stress behind the scenes must have been astronomical. Casey talks with Bert about the sacrifices he made, what he gained and what he regrets.
It’s a rare glimpse behind the curtain of a modern magician.
Reads
Lifespan, Why We Age and Why We Don’t Have To
I haven’t yet read this book. It’s in the hopper for my August reading and I am pre recommending it based off of this interview I heard David Sinclair give.
As someone who has not read many diet or health books at all, I am fascinated with the new DNA research presented in this book and what they mean for human life, longevity and quality of life. I’m betting you will be too.
Buy it Here
Or listen to it on Audible or the Libby app for free
Parting Thought:
If you find yourself in crowds of people when visiting your favorite mountain town this summer, you are not the only one.
A fun plan B is to pick an alternate location in the 635 million acres of public land (in the USA) that has nearly no visitors and spend your time there. You might not see the “hits” but having a chunk of forest service, BLM, or state land all to yourself is better than standing in line at the most beautiful national park. This is how I’ve been spending my summer and it’s been glorious.
Be stoked and have a great month,
Isaac
This newsletter, my photography and my videos are all free, but not cheap. If you want to help me continue to make things you can buy me virtual coffee.
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