Does anything ever hold you back from taking a photograph?
A woman waits at John Wayne (SNA) Airport last Friday before a flight to Denver. In the foreground are the busts of Angels greats Jim Fregosi (left) and Nolan Ryan (right). Sony a7SII, 35mm f2.8 FE Zeiss lens, Silent shooting mode, 1000 ISO 1/80th at f2.8.
I was at John Wayne Airport on Friday morning before the sun rose, heading to a training event in Colorado.
Whenever I travel by air and I’m waiting in the airport, my mind takes me back to an article that ran in a photography magazine in the early 1980s when I was a young photographer, still in school, and hoping to make a place for myself in this industry.
The article was about a professional photographer named Burk Uzzle. He is a photographer from North Carolina who was a member of the prestigious Magnum Photo Agency at the time and also did a lot of commercial and corporate work. He photographed Woodstock in 1969, started work at a newspaper at age 17 and was the youngest photographer hired by Life Magazine.
This particular photo magazine that profiled Uzzle was one of those magazines that I wish that I still had but unfortunately I don’t (I’ve been trying to track down the exact date with no luck yet. You can find some of Burk Uzzle’s work on the NY Times Lens Blog site re: a retrospective show of his work http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/06/15/burk-uzzles-american-puzzle/ . While these aren’t the photographs that were in the article you’ll get a sense of his unique view and very intimate and graphic style (in b & w).
The profile featured photographs that he made from the airport with a camera that he always carried with him, ready to go and loaded with black and white film. (During this period in his career he was doing annual report photography all with Leica cameras to travel light and lean as he traveled the globe doing the travel. Two Leica cameras were his color cameras and one Leica with black and white for his personal work).
The photographs were haunting in their composition and they were wide angle so they showed people within the landscape. Some close, some wide. The light was often early light or end of the day light captured in those off moments that happened when he was traveling from assignment to assignment.
The beauty of those Leica cameras is that they are so small and lightweight (not intimidating) as well as very quiet.
Since I’m now shooting with Sony digital cameras, I’ve tried to replicate that small form factor and low key photographer demeanor by using my cameras in a similar type of "rangefinder" way.
On this day my easy access travel camera was a Sony a7S II and a tiny 35mm f2.8 FE Zeiss lens. Very small and jewel like, it doesn’t look particularly intimidating.
And yet, despite this stealthy little camera in my possession, when I saw a scene that struck me as interesting and a scene that I simply had to photograph, I hesitated taking the photograph!
This is the small camera used to make the photograph above -- a Sony a7SII, 35mm f2.8 FE Zeiss.
Fighting “The Resistance"
The scene happened when I was in line to board and I casually glanced to my right and saw an older woman with a soft drink, seated on a bench. Her body language said “tired” which I totally understood (after all it was around 6:15 AM and we were waiting to board a plane).
So I noticed her body language, but what made it more interesting, and maybe a bit haunting was the fact that she was flanked by the sculpture busts of two great and former Angels baseball players from the late 60s and 70s — Jim Fregosi and Nolan Rolan.
They were housed in a display case where they appeared to float and the cases were angled, sending a diagonal line toward the camera.
This was a photograph that instantly brought me back to that article and also brought me back to why I love photography so much.
It’s that element of surprise — even for a photographer, who’s really expecting to see something at this godforsaken hour of the morning on a Friday at an airport? But it’s also a reward for being ready, even in a kind of casual, ready-for-a-photo way.
And still, I have to admit I turned and saw it and then I held off taking the photograph!
Would this woman see me? Would she mind? Would other passengers see me? Would they mind? Would anyone say anything? Can you do this kind of photography in a post 911 world?
Those ideas flashed through my mind in an instant and kept me frozen, not making a photograph.
I turned and looked again and the feeling gnawed at me.
That’s a photograph that I want to remember. I want to remember that feeling, I want to remember this moment in time, I want to honor that artistic instinct in me that sees something and then takes it — not in a big footing “I’m a photographer I have a right to take a photograph” jerk mentality but instead, the "Wow, that is amazing, it speaks about life, it’s real, it’s beautiful and I really want to remember it” kind of way.
So despite the hesitation (yep, even after doing this for decades, that resistance still wells up) I got the camera out and prepared to make a photograph.
In this case I would go into the quiet camera mode. Silent shooting on the a7SII and then I flipped the view screen down so I could see through the lens without bringing the camera to my eye. I framed, focused (using my thumb on the back button) and made several exposures. I checked the images by looking through the EVF. There was one in there that I really liked.
Another thing that I observed while working this way was that I wasn’t noticed. Well, not at least in a way that calls attention to itself.
In a way it was as I was invisible. I have found that holding the camera away from my eye and stretching it out a bit, makes it seem less intimidating. Old school medium format cameras are similar when they have a waist level finder so you are looking down to focus. Simply keeping the camera AWAY from my eye made it seem like I was an amateur or not even making a photograph.
And, the quite mode on the Sony meant that camera shutter is not even heard. Even quieter than a Leica when in this mode!
The lesson in this for me was to continue to be ready to make a photograph -- to continue to look and see and feel and be open to discovering a photograph.
How about you? Have you ever hesitated in taking a photograph? What held you back? Did you overcome any fears? What’s your story (please share it below in the comments).
What is your "Essential" Portrait Kit? Here is mine from my Sunday portrait (and why I chose it)....
This past Sunday I had a portrait session with a previous client and I have been trying to get my gear for a portrait down to the essentials.
It’s easy, especially when working with an assistant, to just throw everything at the job, but it means you end up carrying around gear that might not get used. If you’re hiking around a lot, it can be a burden and just a lot more stuff to carry.
It made me wonder: “What is the minimum amount of gear that I can bring and feel like I’ve got everything I need?
Different photographers will have different needs, that is for certain.
My friend Jonathan Canlas, a film shooter (and medium format shooter to boot), shoots virtually everything with a normal focal length.
If you watch a video of him doing a shoot, notice that he only shoots the entire session with ONE lens (the 105 f2.4 on his Pentax camera; the 80mm on his Rolleiflex -- both are "normal" lenses). Pretty darn cool. (Click the link)
While I LOVE to shoot a portrait with just one lens, I do like to have a bit of flexibility. (Notice that Jonathan shoots with primarily one lens he also has a backup camera and a b & w camera too -- so he's got things covered).
Much of what I shoot with is the 55 or normal lens for my Sony, but there are times when I need more.
At Sunday's shoot I was trying an experiment to see if I can pare my kit down to the most essential for me.
Here’s what I brought for cameras and lenses:
Sony a7R II (Full Frame)
Sony a6300 (APS-C sensor with a 1.5X crop)
35mm f1.4 FE Zeiss
55mm f1.8 FE Zeiss
50mm f1.4 ZE Zeiss (Canon EF mount with Fotodiox Pro adapter)
85mm f1.8 Zeiss Batis lens
Think Tank Retrospective 7 to carry the extra gear including CF cards and 4 extra batteries.
Normally I would bring one or all three of my zooms but today I wasn’t feeling them. If I had to bring just one for portraits, it would most likely be the 70-200.
Still, with the cameras I have, I knew it will be fine because the a6300 will give me about a 135mm focal length equivalent (actually 127.5mm) when I put the 85mm Batis on it…but then I’ve got the full frame which gives me a bit more variety.
Prior to converting to Sony mirrorless nearly two years ago, with my previous DSLR system I would often shoot a portrait session with a 50 and a 135 so I will start today’s session with the 55 and the 85 on the a6300 (about a 135mm) and change as needed.
Here’s what I brought for lighting (I brought it and did not even use it -- and that's ok):
Dyna-lite Baja B4 (400 w/s monobloc. Like a Profoto B1 without TTL and HSS and also about $1400 cheaper. Weight though is about 6.1 pounds so it's not light, but it is self contained (battery is in the head) and the big bare tube shaped flash creates a wonderful quality of light.
Pocket Wizard to trigger flash; Dynalite remote for Baja to adjust power from camera position.
Manfrotto 12 foot light stand. I wish I could use something lighter but because the flash and the modifier can be close to 7.5 pounds, I need to have a pretty substantial light stand to hold it securely. Using a sandbag could be helpful but I sure don't want me or an assistant to carry it as we walk around the park. He was going to be "on the stand" so that alleviated some concerns. (TIP: Plus, I instructed my assistant to lower the flash and modifier on the stand to the lowest part and then loosen the top lever that would allow the flash head to spin if it were to catch a gust of wind.)
GoMo Box - 36" Octabox. My new favorite, go-to lighting modifiers. These are made by Godox and private labeled by Wisconsin portrait photographer Michael Mowbray. The one I used is priced at $149 plus shipping. A fantastic light that is solid and secure and creates a wonderful quality of light on the faces of subjects. Since I have had these lights I have not used my rectangular softboxes that used to be my go-to light sources. The mount on the box is Bowens which is the most ubiquitous of all light modifiers and what the Baja accepts. And, it's really easy to find softboxes, snoots, grid holders, etc. for very reasonable prices.
To save $20 on any GoMoBox use the code 20GOMOPG at checkout. This is an affiliate offer.
43” Neewer 5-in-1 triangular modifer. (Click here to see on Amazon)
At first I was going to only bring one (again the goal was *trying* to be lighter, but seeing how quickly the light was popping in and out (it had been very overcast most of the day (part of “May Gray” here in SoCal) but was starting to clear.
I know from previous experience that this can be problematic if you only have one modifier and it has to be changed (a PITA if you are trying to do it fast…So with a bit of a sigh I resigned myself to bringing the three reflectors and all was good.
Versaflex 36 inch padded bag. This is probably the most well-made “sling” bag that I have seen and is made by the good folks at Versaflex in Cleveland. This will hold everything -- lightstand, Baja 400, GoMox modifier.
In the Think Tank bag, I'll carry my extra lenses, batteries and cards and the triggers so they don't get damaged if bumped in the bag. (Click on Versaflex in bold to go to their site).
The results:
The portrait session went well. It was the first time using a new assistant, Hunter and he did well. He came to the studio about 45 minutes early and we went over the tools I was bringing, the why and then talked about some of the strategy and the way I work a portrait session.
He did very well and had a great personality with the subjects and their parents (THAT is HUGE).
On this shoot since the light was coming in and out, the only tools we used for all the portraits were the reflectors. I went from silver to white — not enough direct sun to use the diffusion — so it was strictly a reflector kind of day. And in retrospect I was VERY glad that I brought my usual three reflectors (one set for white, one set for silver and another for diffusion — as needed). No need to use the strobe, but we had it in case we needed it.
My goal is to make the light look great, look natural, make it easy for my subjects and the result is a better looking portrait and a more cinematic feel to it (using the natural light as the hair light, kicker or backlight — the reflector to add some fill and shape on the face in the foreground).
Portrait of Keegan and Logan | 2016. Sony a7R II, 85mm f1.8 Zeiss Batis lens, 400 ISO 1/2500th at f1.8.
The cameras and the lenses worked very well. Didn’t feel any need for anything longer. And, having the different sized sensors gave me a distinctly different look.
Portrait of Keegan | 2016. This portrait was made with the Sony a6300 and the 35mm f1.4 FE Zeiss lens. 1/2500th at f1.4, 250 ISO.
Portrait of Keegan | 2016. This portrait was made with the Sony a7RII and the 55mm f1.8 FE Zeiss lens. 1/2000th at f1.8, 400 ISO. While both of these are "normal lenses" for their respective sensor size there is a difference in the look and feel. One is not necessarily better or worse than the other, but it is a different look. A reflector was used off camera for fill for both.
There’s a difference to the look between aps-c and FF and that’s okay. I actually like the differences as it gives me choices. Filmmakers will probably be more at home with the framing on APS-C as it more closely approximates Super 35mm frame lines but us still shooters probably are more used to the FF look. Whatever works — they will both do the job.
Though I have to admit I still tend to prefer FF all that being said.
The goals of this session were to tighten things up, to simplify and it was successful and the photographs were fun and easy and was just a joy to work with these two (I hadn’t photographed them in a few years — they’ve grown up a ton since then).
So that's my story from my Sunday evening portrait. Please let me know in the comments what YOUR essential portrait kit is!
If You Could Only Select ONE lens...what would It be??
I made this portrait of Sparky the other day using the Sony a7R II and the 55 f1.8 Zeiss lens. This was made at f1.8 and if you look closely at the shape of the out of focus elements (or "bokeh") in the background you'll see the distinctive look of Zeiss lenses. I happen to be in love with that effect but also love that with this focal length -- the "normal" lens on a full frame sensor -- their is a hint of the background. Were I to shoot this on an 85mm focal length the background elements would render differently.
There are very few “musts” in this world but for me the must have lens is the 55mm (50mm) or the “normal” lens for my full frame Sony a7R II or a7S II cameras.
For many reasons — which include size, weight, speed and perspective — all make this the one lens I would want if I had to choose just one.
(If you are shooting with a camera that is an APS-C sized sensor, then I would revise that to be the 35mm focal length —which loosely translates to the “normal” focal length on that size sensor. For the purposes of this note when I refer to the 50, I’m referring to the normal lens).
This is a deceptively simple lens — often called the “nifty fifty” because it does so much and can be really inexpensive (the 50mm f1.8 for Sony, Canon and Nikon all have offerings that are in what I would classify as the very inexpensive range (around $300).
Back in the 70s and 80s the 50mm lens was the "kit lens" that has been replaced by the ubiquitous kit zoom lens (16-50, 18-55, etc.) over the past 15 years or so.
The Sony 55 f1.8 is a bit pricer because it is more robust and is badged with the Zeiss brand making it one of the most unique lenses that I have used in this range. Zeiss out of focus elements have a certain look that I’ve never seen in any other brand. I have a 50mm f1.4 manual focus lens in Canon EF mount that I now use on my Sony cameras with a Fotodiox adaptor and again those out of focus elements are a thing of beauty to me with these particular Zeiss branded lenses).
This portrait of Jorryn, made with a 50mm f1.4 Zeiss lens was shot at f2 and again shows the signature highlights or bokeh that I have come to love with the Zeiss branded lenses. And, because it's a 50mm focal length there's enough detail of the scene (here showing one of the historic Crystal Cove cottages where the family was vacationing).
More expensive and faster aperture lenses like the 50mm f1.2L from Canon push the price up but do offer a faster aperture and thus ability to keep ISO down and also get a more out of focus look at maximum aperture.
This lens is also usually quite lightweight (unless you opt for the f1.2L in Canon — but the 1.8 versions of all the big three brands are quite lightweight). The 55 1.8 Sony is heavier but is still significantly smaller and lighter than the 50 1.2L in Canon.
Having that fast aperture lens gives you a distinctive look — there’s even a dramatic difference from f2.8 to f1.8. The other day I was testing a new 50mm lens with a friend and we were amazed at just how much difference in sharpness and definition in the background elements there were from f4 to f1.5 (the maximum aperture for this lens— the Voightlander Nokton 50mm f1.5. This is a Leica M mount lens that can be adapted for Sony E mount cameras using, in his case, the Voightlander Close Focus adaptor).
But the real beauty in the focal length is perspective. All the techie things are cool but what the lens really gives you is the look. The 50/55 just gives you a perspective, especially when coupled with the large maximum aperture that can really draw in a viewer by how you place your subject in the frame and what you decide to include.
Stand back quite far from your subjects and they become an element in the landscape but aren’t so small that you can’t see them (as might be the case with wide angle lenses).
Move in close and you can get some interesting portraits (especially for more environmental type portraits) — interesting because they still allow for a bit of context in the background. Even at a large aperture there can often be enough tell-tale signs of where and what the background is but, because of the large aperture, doesn’t distract or detract from the subjects.
If you photograph the same scene with a short telephoto lens like the 85mm on a full frame sensor camera, those background elements are further softened and any context is taken away because of the narrower angle of view.
The 50 was a lens that I originally didn’t use. I thought it too ordinary. But when you look at all the great work shot over the decades with that normal lens by greats such as Henri Cartier-Bresson among others, you begin to respect the power of this focal length.
When coupled with vision and skill and a commitment to make that lens work, the images that you can produce from it are magical.
So how about you? What lens would be YOUR one lens?
Still one of my favorite portraits of my daughter Kate made to date (even though she is WAY beyond the "Princess stage". Shot in Africa (while visiting family) we were at a game reserve and those are giraffes in the distance. Shot with the Zeiss 50mm f1.4 again at f2 there's the right amount of sharpness and out of focus elements to give the photograph an interesting look. I call this one "Beauty and the Beasts" and it's even more special because her Granny Moira handmade the Belle dress for her.
Think Tank Releases a New Roller & Adds to Their Retrospective Line of Bags
Our friends at Think Tank Photo just released the largest photo lighting rolling bag ever and have added a new size and color to their popular Retrospective shoulder bag series.
The Production Manager 50 is a monster, designed to hold C-stands, multiple flash heads, power packs, monoblocks, softboxes, and light-stands. What it used to take two people to transport, you can now do by yourself.
And, they’ve added a new color—Sandstone—to their Retrospective line, and the new Retrospective 6, which holds Mirrorless systems or a gripped DSLR. Don’t forget, that by using these web links to order you will receive free gear and free shipping.
You can order the Production Manager 50 here:
Production Manager 50
https://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/production-manager-50?rfsn=140905.1cb641
You can order the Retrospective 6 Bag Here:
Retrospective 6 Shoulder Bag
https://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/retrospective-6?variant=15022588291&rfsn=140905.1cb641
(please note that these are affiliate links. They add nothing to your cost and by using these web links you receive free gear and free shipping)
Think Tank just announced their larger roller case to date which will allow for heavy duty flash units, and even C stands. It's called the Production Manager 50.
The Think Tank Photo Retrospective Line of Bags now adds Sandstone to their color palette.
Could the Sony a6300 change the way you think about an APS-C sensor camera??
The new Sony a6300 might be the camera that changes the way you think about small form-factor, APS-C sensor cameras. I know it has me falling back in love again with the APS-C format.
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I’ll admit it, I’ve always been a bit of a “full frame” camera snob (24 x 36 mm sized sensor). I learned on that format (35mm film) and shot for a LONG time with those focal lengths from prime lenses burned firmly into my brain and my muscle memory. Change can be difficult (but not impossible).
When I first got into digital capture in the late 90s, those cameras had something like a 2.5X crop (if I remember correctly) and it was merely a black line placed within the actual optical viewfinder.
Not terribly precise and that crop factor really altered how lenses worked on your cameras!
My first assignment with a digital camera was photographing a U2 concert in 1997 and using the 70-200 lens it was a wee bit tight, but it worked.
But my appreciation for cropped sensor and especially APS-C began to change when I got into mirrorless cameras in 2012 (what you see is what you get with the built in EVF) and when I switched to Sony with the a6000 the camera became my “go-to” camera when I needed a bit of reach and if I needed AF focus performance (plus speed). At 11 fps it was a scary little camera beast when you considered how little it cost and how tiny it was.
So when Sony announced the a6300 earlier this year (Feb. 3, 2016) I let out an audible yalp (the release of the 3 new lenses didn’t hurt either) but I had been waiting for this little camera for quite a while. It was worth the wait.
Recently I got 6300 camera and I have to tell you, it might very well be the best camera I’ve ever used when you consider size, features and price.
The size is small — under 1 lb. (14.25 oz with a card and a battery), the features include 11 frame per second with over 400 Phase Detect AF sensors, 8 fps in continuous Live View (making the experience more like an optical viewfinder), Face Detect, Eye AF in AF-C mode, Silent Shooting mode (and I mean SILENT), an electronic level, 4K video with no pixel binning in Super 35m size video, Slog2, Slog3 and Gamma Assist and comes in at a price of just under $1k.
It is, I firmly believe, the kind of camera that could be at the core of a six figure wedding and portrait (and maybe even a video business?), it’s simply that good of a camera.
And as much as I love my a7R II cameras and the a7S II cameras (which are full frame) that a6300 has made me SERIOUSLY rethink some of the lens choices I might be making in the coming year.
I’ve always felt that one should get the full frame FE mount lenses for Sony because they’ll work on both the full frame cameras and the APS-C sensor cameras but now with this camera I am totally thinking I might be investing in lenses that are specifically for E mount or APS-C sensors (and the added bonus with Sony is that they can STILL be used on full frame cameras like the a7R II in cropped, APS-C mode. How cool is that?)
One of the reasons is that the size of the camera makes taking it out and about a serious joy. It’s a fraction of the weight of a full sized or even cropped sensor DSLR and depending on the lenses you select, they can be smaller and lighter too. It’s a camera that won’t tear down your body and when you consider the longevity of a career in photography, that is an important consideration.
I had the chance to use two of the a6300 cameras recently when shooting an assignment for Hail Varsity magazine on the University of Nebraska women’s beach volleyball team playing in Southern California and the camera performed like a camera six times the size and six times the cost. It was that good.
(I’ll have a separate report on that shoot very soon — the magazine is finalizing the edit on the photos and I can’t wait to share it!)
If you stick with the Sony glass you have the ability to have a small package in camera and lenses: the 10-18, the 16-70 and the 70-200 f4 G OSS lenses are all relatively small, and allow you to cover a range basically from 15mm to 300mm with 3 lenses.
And there are two Sigma (yes Sigma) zooms that are made specifically for APS-C sensors and when you couple them with the soon-to-be-released Sigma adapter to mount their EF mount lenses on Sony E mount (MC-11, for about $250, coming in April) you’ve got an incredible range of optics and speed options — options that were unheard of or unimagined even as little as two years ago.
The two lenses that I am thinking of specifically for the a6300 are the 18-35 f1.8 zoom and the 50-100 f1.8 zoom. When you consider the crop, they are basically a 27-52.5 f1.8 and a 75-150 f1.8 lens. Where were these lenses back in the day when we didn’t even have decent high ISO sensors? I sure could have used the f1.8 aperture. Plus Sigma just announced a 30 f1.4 lens for $339 which should be an awfully great “normal” focal length (like a 50mm focal length on a full frame camera). For weddings, portraits and for videographers those three lenses alone could be the making of a complete kit and then supplemented
with perhaps a 70-200 f4 FE G OSS or the soon-to-be-released 70-200 f2.8 G Master with the 1.4X and 2X tele extenders. If you need anything wider, then the 10-18 f4 Sony lens with OSS would complete the set.
The cost of the kit with the Sony lenses would be:
a6300 $998
a6300 $998
Sony 10-18 f4 OSS lens$848
Sony 16-70 f4 Zeiss$998
Sony 70-200 f4G OSS $1499
Total: $5341
The cost of the kit with the fast Sigma lenses and adapters would be:
a6300 $998
a6300 $998
Sigma 18-35 f1.8 $799 (Canon EF mount)
Sigma 50-100 f1.8 $1099 (Canon EF mount)
Sigma 30mm f1.4 $339 (Sony E mount)
Sigma MC-11 adapter $249 (Canon EF to Sony E mount — Sigma lenses only)
Sigma MC-11 adapter $249 (Canon EF to Sony E mount — Sigma lenses only)
Total: $4731
For that kit built around the Sigma lenses, you might add the 10-18 and the 70-200 f4 G OSS (or even the soon-to-be-released 70-200 f2.8 G Master lens).
Sony 70-200 f4 G OSS $1499
Sony 70-200 f2.8 G Master ($?)
Sony 10-18 f4 OSS $848
Sony 16-70 f4 Zeiss $998
Talk about some amazing options for photographers with gear that doesn’t break the bank or the back.
Sony continues to raise the bar and change the game and I only expect that to continue.
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