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...
Tips for posing your subject during a photo session
Too often, when I am being photographed, I notice one major flaw in how the other photographer interacts with me during the photo session -- they lose connection. They will take a shot, and then spend too long checking the image. Then after that, every other shot is interrupted by looking at the playback screen. Not only is it annoying to the person being photographed - the continuity is lost.
Using this photo of Rozalinda as an example - while she looks magnificent, and is supremely easy to pose and interact with, it depends on Read more inside...
Direction of light - Using available light in the studio
This striking portrait of Rozalinda was lit by big window light in the studio. In using light - whether studio lighting or available light - you need to consider the direction of the light. You need to figure out how you want to place yourself and your subject in relation to where the light is coming from. Your own position in relation to the light and your subject, will significantly change the way the light appears on your subject. Check this article for an example: Change your position, change the direction of light.
With Read more inside...
Lens review: sharpness - Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM vs Sony 85mm f/1.8
Which is the better choice -- the Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM (affiliate) or the Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 (affiliate) -- it's a question that comes up regularly in the Sony discussion groups and FB groups. The short answer - you would be very happy with either option. In this review though, we are going to consider the sharpness of both lenses. There is also a link where you can download the RAW files shot of a lens test chart, if you want to have a closer look.
I took photos of the lens test chart in my studio, Read more inside...
review: Sony 16mm Fisheye Conversion Lens for FE 28mm f/2 Lens
I don't use a fisheye lens too often - it tends to look gimmicky very quickly. But man, is it fun to pull it out on occasion. Expanding my range of Sony lenses, I noticed this little gem from Sony - the Sony 16mm fisheye conversion lens (B&H / Amazon) which converts the Sony 28mm f/2 lens into a 16mm fisheye. Best of all, it is inexpensive. The big question of course is, how easy is it to use, and how sharp is it? And that's what we'll have a look at in this review of the Sony 16mm fisheye Read more inside...
If you are new to processing RAW files, you might be slightly disappointed that the images look more flat than what you saw on the back of your camera. This is because the original default in how the RAW file is views in Lightroom (or Bridge), is "flat". No adjustments applied. If you want your images to have more pop to them when you first view then in LR or Bridge, you need to apply different defaults for your RAW files.
Here is how I set up my new baseline for RAW images, so that for a volume workflow, I start off with an image which Read more inside...
A night-to-day time-lapse shot from our apartment window when we recently visited Toronto. I wanted to travel lightly on this trip, so I took my Sony A7 iii camera (B&H / Amazon) and the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 (B&H / Amazon). And just in case, I also packed the lightweight Siriu 1004X traveler tripod with E-10 ball-head (B&H), since I anticipated doing some low-light photography, and perhaps even some time-lapse photography. Sony, in their infinite wisdom, somehow doesn't have an intervalometer built into Read more inside...
