With a headshot / business portrait photo session in Manhattan with Yana, we spent most of the time outside, using the New York cityscape as an out of focus background. But then we also had access the library / lounge area of the apartment complex Yana lives in.
The outdoor session was mostly the ambient light outside, with some fill-flash from an off-camera flash. The B10 was more than powerful enough to work with the existing light like that.
Profoto B10X flash (B&H / Amazon)
Profoto OCF Beauty Dish Read more inside...
One of the limitations for me about the Sony A1 (Amazon / B&H), was that I couldn't select a smaller size RAW file than 50 megapixels ... until now. Sony changed that with the release of firmware 1.30 and now there are two further options than the 50 mpx full RAW file. You can now have Medium RAW (21 mpx) and Small RAW (12 mpx). There were immediate reports that the smaller RAW files, don't have as much leeway for recovering blown highlights. With this video, I wanted to get a clearer idea of what we are up Read more inside...
More intuitive composition with eye-focus of mirrorless cameras
Continuing on a topic we have discussed here before: a strong advantage that mirrorless cameras have over DSLRs – how Eye-focus makes Composition more intuitive. When I reviewed the sequence of images while photographing a wedding recently, where the bridesmaids were helping to lace up the bride's corset, the composition immediately stood out for me -- all the elements just came together. A bit of luck ... and being ready.
The composition really hangs together, because the bridesmaid in the center is framed by all the Read more inside...
Sony recently released the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM (B&H) lens, as a wider aperture companion to the highly regarded Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G (B&H) which has been available for a while now. While ultra-wide zooms in the 16-35mm range is common-place now, lens makers have been pushing the boundaries with even wider focal lengths. Ultra-wide lenses, and specifically ultra-wide zooms are of particular interest to landscape photographers and architectural photographers.
The rectilinear look creates optical distortion to Read more inside...
Advantages of mirrorless cameras - Eye-focus & Composition
The more I work with mirrorless cameras, and get familiar with the difference between using a DLSR and using a mirrorless camera, the more I appreciate the advantages of a mirrorless camera. And I feel like I'm struggling less with the quirks of the system. In a previous article I listed the main advantages of Mirrrorless cameras over DSLRs, but there is another advantage that I have found really valuable - how intuitive eye-focus can be in fluidly changing your image Composition.
Before the magic of eye-focus, when Read more inside...
Photographing events like weddings, and in this case, Bar / bat mitzvahs, I bring a big roller case - the Think Tank Logistics Manager 30 (B&H / Amazon) - with several cameras and lenses. At the moment I straddle Nikon and Sony. As much as I love the Sony A9's eye focus capabilities there are some situations where the Nikon D5 is the beast that I can rely on. It so rarely doesn't deliver with precision. I bring a range of lenses - a mix of f/2.8 zooms, and several fast primes. (I have a self-imposed rule that I Read more inside...
During a chance connection at WPPI photography convention in Vegas, Lupita and I struck up a conversation ... and later that evening we ventured out on the Las Vegas strip for a few late night portraits. With a fast prime lens - the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM lens (B&H / Amazon) - we were able to use just the light on the part of the Strip we explored. Here are a few of my favorite images.
It's always an adventure using random available light like this -- there is such a wide range of nuanced shades of colors Read more inside...
Electronic / silent shutter of the Sony A9 / A9ii vs Sony A7iii / A7Riii
Both the Sony A7iii and Sony A9 / A9ii offer a silent / electronic shutter. Just like the Nikon Z6 and Z7 and Canon EOS R. But there are specific differences which might affect your decision about which camera best suits your needs.
What sets the Sony A9 (B&H / Amazon) apart from any of the other cameras mentioned, is that it is very resistant to banding in some artificial lighting. The sensor readout is (as far as I can figure out) 1/160th of a second, while it is 1/40th for the Sony Read more inside...
The 135mm focal length is super for getting more reach than 85mm or 100mm would, but still keeping the lens to a smaller size. While the smaller size is nice, it was the fast aperture was what I really wanted. That the lens is super-sharp is an extra bonus. The Lens Rentals review has this as "This is the sharpest lens we’ve tested. Period." That says something!
The first thing to notice about this lens is the fast f1/.8 aperture. Even though I mostly use a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for events and headshot photography, there are times where I need that Read more inside...
Event photography where you are photographing speakers at the event, can be challenging in its own way. The problem with taking photos of presenters, especially if they are animated, is that you have to take a LOT of photos to get a few where they look good. You don't want to give your client any photos with awkward expressions. This means you have to take so many photos just to get a few keepers. But shooting a ton of photos with flash becomes intrusive after a very short while. I therefore prefer to do the majority of photos of speakers at events, Read more inside...
