March 20th, 2026
I've recently become unemployed, and it's fine. I enjoy it, actually. It took a month-long trip
Mitchel Lensink
Photographer and writer working on long-term projects that uncover the overlooked beauty and quiet goodness in the world, shared in my monthly newsletter Dialogue.
How to tell stories online
For years I thought I was simply exploring and taking photos. Only later did I realize I was repeating a pattern: go out, collect, return, interpret, publish, repeat. This issue maps the loop that turns wandering into a creative practice.
Mexico, a retrospective
A look at a country I like a lot, but no longer love. And "it's not you, it's me" I want to tell it, if countries had ears to hear it. Because it really is me and who I am today. But, who knows, another 10 years might do wonders.
Playa del Carmen (yes, I am sorry)
Hey man, let's be real: Playa del Carmen is a tourist hub. It's fake in all
Mérida, Yucatán
Oh wonderfully interesting but, apparently, forgettable Mérida. Forgettable for me, specifically, I must say.
Puerto Escondido
Or Punta de Zicatela, more specifically. Because that's definitely the place you want to be right now if you come here.
Spanish
Just enough to keep us afloat. That's my level of Spanish. At least it was during our first few days in Mexico. Some skills acquired about ten years ago and slowly eroded since, now carefully getting its dust wiped off.
Monologues are back
The briefest of entries so far.
San Agustinillo and Mazunte
I cried tears of joy and relief when we decided to come here. The mere sight on the Pacific Ocean
Oaxaca de Juárez
So strange that I have so little memory of my previous visit, some ten year ago, other than not liking the mole at Mercado 20 de Noviembre as much as I hoped. I think I was wrong. I sincerely hope I was wrong. About the city as well as the mole.
Long lens, silly lens
It's day two of our Mexico trip and I already regret some of my choices. But there's nothing I can do about them now. Just gotta learn to make it work. And frankly, this is also kinda by design.
Mexico, 2026
After a ten-year hiatus, it's time to revisit. See how much the country has changed. Or rather, my perspective on it. But mostly, to see if I can find something I am looking for without properly knowing what that would be. A stream of consciousness to record the process.
Closing loops
For you won’t judge me for my honesty. And in it, you may find what’s truly yours. I hope you see me as I intend to.
How clear is your vision?
This month I reflect on clarity, the birth of 33punt, and why integrated creativity isn’t a luxury but a necessity. If you want to know what we’re building, and why it matters, this one’s for you.
It takes years, and that’s fine
Back to Berlin I go. For reasons unknown to me too. But, over the years, despite no apparent goals, a body of work is emerging. And that’s interesting.
Covering L'Estartit, an intermezzo
Learning more about my current project by doing a different project in between.
Photography in the Age of AI: Lessons From 25 Weeks of Experimentation
Over 25 weeks, I tested whether AI can match the emotion and imperfection of human photography. The results? AI is fast and functional but still sterile. Here’s what this experiment reveals about the future of photography in the age of AI.
Closer #024
The soul of an image can not and will not be generated by computers. Humans create human experiences. Humans connect to human experiences. Computers are mimicking that very closely, but you can always tell.