You don’t need carrots to see in the dark – you simply need a Fujifilm X-Pro 1. Hopefully the photos and story show just how this camera performs in low light when using high ISO – no need for those carrots anymore!
The soles of my shoes were wearing thin. Darkness surrounded me, I was now in the back streets of Fremantle. Rain was softly falling wetting my brow as I clutched my Fujifilm X-Pro 1 protecting it from the unknown surrounds. My backpack felt light as I picked up my pace. The sound of crackling leaves burst into the air as I stepped along the long cobbled paved path. Winter still had a hold on the air as I grasped my jacket ensuring zips were closed. The engineered 35mm lens was fixed tight onto the camera and my ISO control was set to extremely high. As I gazed around me the leaves on the trees were hanging onto flexing branches desperate not to fall. Cracked limestone buildings towered over me. Lonely lights lit the street as a car alarm silenced itself in the distance. Travelling along I noticed a doorway open almost inviting me in to escape the dampness of the cold street. I had never seen an open door in this area before. Steadying myself as the tripod I applied pressure to the smooth round shutter button.
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 35mm – ISO 3200 – f1.4 – 1/25 second
Passing the building with a disconcerting look for a welcome invite I found myself in an adjacent alleyway. Thick narrow walls swarmed the scene before me opening up briefly to form a dirty makeshift parking zone. An old neglected car sat lonely against the backlight.
The smell of rotting food filled the air as bouncing light filled the dark alleyway striking shapes along its path. Highlights and shadows formed, black and white was the clear choice as the light disappeared into the engulfing darkness. I bumped up my ISO to capture the little amount of light present before me. As I had no tripod I concentrated my mind and body to be in sync with the shutter action. I counted one, two and click. Instantly the camera came alive. Focus locked in pitch black conditions and the sound of the camera finishing its digital take on the scene was music to my ears. With excitement abound I pressed the large preview button, the clear LCD lit the world like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Adjusting my eyes the result excelled my expectations.
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 35mm – ISO 6400 – f1.4 – 1/15 second
Passing a window with a fleeting glance a wall of words stood out. Instantly a warming fire coupled with a good read filled my mind. The colour scheme of the shelved text shouted out to the depressing street as I stood reading the titles before me. The thought of a good book and a fire was too good to pass. Lining the camera up to the cold plain window I composed my artistic angle and mashed my finger on the X-Pro 1’s retro shutter button.
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 35mm – ISO 3200 – f1.6 – 1/125 second
With Fremantle renowned for its small quaint stores I set out with a new stride turning my attention to closed doors or barred windows. I intended to capture the stillness of the earlier working day. Time passed on my quest, eventually I found myself looking through recessed windows and strong iron bars. The rear of a cafe was in full view. Feeling like a tidy criminal I cleaned the glass before me. Peeping through the camera’s hybrid viewfinder the scene hit my retina. The still scene suddenly jumped to life.
The old bicycle sign filled the empty cracked concrete floor. Couches sat unfulfilling their duties as respite for tired workers. The smell of freshly ground coffee brewed in my mind. Laughter and conversations emoted the scene; clatter of cutlery against white porcelain plates filled the air. The scene was alive. Without hesitating I continued to pursue my photographic journey.
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 35mm – ISO 4000 – f1.4 – 1/45 second
The high ISO/low light journey will be continued…
Until next time – Happy Shooting.
Please note all these photos were taken without a tripod to test the capability of high ISO’s on the Fujifilm X-Pro 1.
Published in The Sunday Times – Sunday, 29th June 2012
The article written by Emily Moulton on page 31 reads:
Power and the glory
THIS breathtaking shot of a female humpback having a whale of a time was taken off Albany.
The majestic creature entered King George Sound with her newborn calf a few weeks ago and was seen by whale watchers on board an Albany Ocean Adventures tour.
Fremantle photographer Leigh Diprose was one of those lucky passengers and captured this magical moment of the humpback breaching.
“It was on my bucket list,” Mr Diprose said. “The whale had a two-week-old calf with her and it was fantastic to have witnessed the calf trying to breach the water, then its mum came out of nowhere and started breaching. It was amazing.”
Paul Guest, from Albany Ocean Adventures, said the cow and calf stayed in King George Sound for about six days after this picture was taken – the first time a migrating humpback had done that in a long while.
“Normally they swim right on through,” he said. “It was a little unusual. You could also tell the calf was very young, less than two weeks old.
“Its dorsal fin was still bent over. It straightens up after 14 days.”
If you like the photo feel free to download it:
I release two free photos every month. The full resolution photo of the humpback whale is one of the images you can download for free.
Simply click on the below image to download the photo for FREE
Feel free to share this page with family and friends.
Fujifilm Cameras Australia have come up with a brilliant concept for any photographer to have the opportunity to hijack their Facebook cover photo making them Fujifilm Famous for one month! This months theme is Australian Landmarks. Have you been anywhere in Australia that stands out?
If so I challenge you to go to the Fujifilm Cameras Australia page hit LIKE to hear about how you can become Fujifilm Famous! There is only 13 days left before the comp has finished. So get to it! This was my entry I posted on the Fujifilm Cameras Page to become Fujifilm Famous! I took this photo of the Sydney Opera House from the Harbour.
As a photographer I have travelled around various places and seen some amazing sites…some of them I didn’t even have a camera with me! Oh No! One of my favourite places to visit here in Western Australia would have to be around Geraldton area also known as the Coral Coast. The rocky coastline and beautiful sunsets are beautiful on any day. Whenever I head to the ocean around that area I can always rely on capturing something special.
Taking about taking special photos, the last two Fujifilm Famous hijackers have had some really amazing photographs. This months photographer is Paul Pichugin who found some amazing water detail along the West Australian coastline. What an amazing photographer and an amazing image don’t you think? The clouds on the distant horizon seem tame compared with the swirling water in the foreground and I love the way the water trickles over the rocks creating a cascading waterfall. Simply beautiful.
The previous months Fujifilm Famous photographer, Sue-ann Tilby captured another beautiful sunset which rocked the community on the Fujifilm Cameras Australia Facebook page. The colour in this image is simply amazing! I would certainly have a big smile on my face if I captured this image. I’m sure Sue-ann did! Have you ever tried taking a photograph like this before? Why not get out this weekend and give it a go then share it with the world so everyone can see it….who knows you might be the next Fujifilm Famous photographer!
I am planning a beach shoot this weekend down at my local beach however I don’t think I can match these two photographers….however I will give it a go.
I’ll leave you with this question: If you could go anywhere in the world to take a photograph where would it be?
Wow! When I got a message from Paul Guest from Albany today I was excited. He told me my photograph had made it to the front cover of the local paper – The Great Southern Weekender. The Great Southern Weekender has a circulation of just over 20,000 homes and businesses. Thanks also to Shawn Haywood from Geraldton (one of my favourite places!) who ended up telling someone in Albany about the photo…who told someone else…and so on….
I would like to thank Albany Ocean Adventures for the true adventure photographing such an amazing animal – the Humpback Whale. Paul was so knowledgeable about the whales and put the boat in the perfect position to take the photo. If you ever get the chance to get to Albany be sure to book a trip whale watching aboard the Silver Star with Albany Ocean Adventures.
Paul Guest from Albany Ocean Adventures
Also I have made this photo FREE for everyone to use. Click on the image to download.
Wind swept through my hair as I left the car park. Keeping to the sandy path the sight of dune grasses dancing in the breeze caught my eye. I felt the cold gritty sand between my toes which instantly translated into a shiver throughout my body. My warm woollen jumper cut the air as the storm approached. I felt alive.
The outdoors was smelling like a salt pan. The developing scene before me was a place where lifesavers swam and whales sang. Middleton beach was a special place for so many people. Stories unfolded as my camera pointed in different directions. I could see people engaging with others as mans best friend yapped at the approaching tide. Laughing children ran with excitement giving chase to unsuspecting seagulls which tumbled into mid-air. The beach was alive and entertaining.
Waves rode close to the ocean shoreline crashing with anger. The distant sounds of conversations were muffled by the developing gusts. Crashing waves echoed in my mind as I lined up the composition. The tripod was sturdy and heavy in my hand. Brushing sand from the lens I had to take the shot before the storm rolled in – rain was no friend to my camera. Flickering light caught my attention as it shone boldly through the passing clouds. Emu Point dotted on the horizon was disappearing due to the sand storms forming along the beach. As I adjusted my focus the light broke from the cotton wool blanket above me. The beach grasses shone with vibrance. The colour jumped out and was lifted from the white beach canvas. Shadows filled with an array of colour while the ocean danced with aquas and blues.. I was photographing mother nature at its grandest. The light show had begun.
This review is based solely on my own opinion about the camera. I have been using the X-Pro 1 since the beginning of May and have seen some amazing results.
All my photographs were taken as a RAW file and edited in some way using Adobe Lightroom 3/4 or Adobe Photoshop CS5.
I have spread my thoughts on this camera across different aspects that are important to me. If you are after a detailed spec review then this is not the site for you. This review is based on a user experience the highs and the lows….so lets get started!
To celebrate the camera’s ability to shoot in low light I put this video together. Enjoy.
DESIGN
Fujifilm have managed to design the X-Pro 1 with style, class and quality. The full metal body speaks highly of the cameras design. The X-Pro 1 fits like a glove. The sleek stylish curved body accentuates and oozes quality. Many say a poor man Leica? I say touch of class.
However there are a few things that I don’t like so much about the camera. I’ll get into those later on.
I have found the bold black magnesium alloy shapes aesthetically pleasing. The designer in my has ignited. I simply wanted to get my hands on one. Two months later and I am thankful I have one.
Having a history with professional DSLR cameras the physical size of the camera and lens combinations have been a pleasure to hold. Most compact pro cameras out there have simply been too small. The Olympus OM-D EM5, Nikon V1, Sony Nex 7 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 have all been in my hands before, all of which have lost their appeal due to their compact size (the closest thing to comfort out of these cameras would have to be the Olympus OMD with the grip on). Don’t get me wrong the other cameras out there take a great photo – what I am trying to say is coming from a Pro DSLR background, the Fujifilm X-Pro 1 simply feels better in my hands.
I think the Japanese do things well. For a camera to be in my kit it must be made in Japan or Germany. Quality is Japan and German – period. Luckily the X-Pro 1 was forged in Japan otherwise I wouldn’t even touch it!
CAMERA LAYOUT
All the buttons are ergonomically designed to fit the users hand. One of the main features I like about the design was the placement of the viewfinder. Too many cameras have the viewfinder in the middle. When you press your eye up against the viewfinder your nose becomes jammed up against the LCD which eventually smears the screen The X-Pro 1 has fixed that problem by moving the viewfinder to the side of the camera.
DIALS
The dials on the camera also reflect Fujifilm’s attention to detail. As you turn the on/off switch, the shutter speed dial or the exposure compensation dial you can be assured of the change as each movement is confirmed with a solid “click” as the dial moves into place. I have read a few reviews in my time and played with many cameras. One big issue for Fujifilm on the earlier X100 was the mode dial would move if you bumped it. This hasn’t been a problem on the X-Pro 1 as Fujifilm have added a much-needed lock on the shutter speed dial.
Coming from a Canon background I found when looking through the viewfinder navigating the button and dial configuration seemed second nature. When reviewing images on the 3 inch screen or through the 1,230,000 dot electronic viewfinder the colour and detail was very close to what I saw through my own eyes.
VIEWFINDER
Hybrid viewfinder. Now there’s an idea. I found myself using this feature all to often. I’ll give you an example. I was photographing some stars on a moonless night near Pemberton, Western Australia. I travelled there only to find there was no bright light source to set my focus on. I had two cameras with me the Canon EOS 1D MK IV and the Fujifilm X-Pro 1. After setting both up on tripods I attempted to gain focus on the Canon. Using only the optical viewfinder I set the focus point to the center point and half pressed the shutter button. The Canon 17-40mm f4 L lens whirred and hunted back and forth trying its best to focus on the brightest star in the sky. After five minutes of trying I had no luck. I’m sure if the Canon could talk it was saying “I think I can…I think I can…” My eyes were too bad to attempt to manually focus so the camera was useless on this occasion. The Fujifilm X-Pro had its chance.
I set the hybrid viewfinder to the electronic viewfinder. WOW! I was blown away. Not only could the camera focus in almost pitch black it was like I was looking through a window into clear daylight. The electronic viewfinder boasted amazing quality and only took less than a second to gain autofocus! To this day I am still amazed a camera can perform better than how I see in low light. Fujifilm clearly got something right!
X-PRO 1 – 18mm – ISO 400 – f2 – 30 secs
MENU
The camera’s menu took a bit of getting use to. Although after the first week I seem to have mastered it.
Conveniently placed the menu button sits nestled in-between the selector keys. Once pressed the shooting menu tab is the first out of eight tabs to be displayed – five of which are camera settings and the remaining are playback settings.
Previously on the Fujifilm X100 menu you had to fight your way through various functions to get to the next page of settings. The main menu on the X-Pro 1 has been laid out with some thought – thanks Fujifilm for listening! The X-Pro 1 menu allows you to bypass all the unwanted settings by selecting a tab on the left hand side. Navigating your way around the menu is simple. The selector keys scroll up, down, left and right while the command dial controls the function of the mode you have selected.
For changing settings on the fly the X-Pro 1 features a Q (Quick) button. 15 of the most common settings appear as symbols on the back LCD allowing you to bypass the main menu. I was able to control what settings appeared on the Quick menu as the camera allowed 7 different custom screens. Each custom screen allowed me to save my favourite camera settings to the quick menu. For example I set a custom quick menu for low light shooting which centred around ISO and bracketing controls; the other custom menu was set for landscape photography where I pre-saved my film simulation mode to Velvia.
I think without the Quick mode Fujifilm would have made a huge mistake. This button was designed to keep the user out of the menu so they could spend more time shooting and it certainly worked for me!
Check out the video from the Fuji Guys on how the new menu works.
Auto (400), Auto (800), Auto (1600), Auto (3200)….ok now that’s over….. I tended to use ISO 400 right through to ISO 2500.
The camera has really challenged me with my photography. I am so used to carrying my clunky tripod or flash to capture the dimly lit scenes in life. With the X-Pro 1 I didn’t have to worry about all the other photographic paraphernalia. I was able to go anywhere and photograph anything.
Setting the ISO control to 3200 my head was telling me ARRRGHHHH what are you doing???? I wanted to explore the camera…I mean if Fujifilm were going to put a setting on the camera it had to be good right? I had to test it – sort of like when you have to test if the paint is dry just after painting…I got that feeling! The question was at ISO 3200 was there going to be noise?
Really ISO 3200?
BOOM!
No noise.
The shutter had been pressed when shooting some low light urban scenes in Melbourne and Fremantle and look no noise! Crazy!
This would definitely be one of the very best features on the camera. High ISO with no noise. What more could I want?
Fujifilm X Pro 1 – ISO 2500 – 35mm – f1.4 – 1/170sec – Split Toning in Adobe Lightroom 4.
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 18mm – ISO 200 – f10 – 5 secs
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 18mm – ISO 200 – f10 – 30 sec
Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – 18mm – ISO 200 – f2 – 1/4 sec
MOVIE
HD Video on the X-Pro 1 is a feature I am still dabbling in. However if you want to see what the quality is like at 720p I found this video showcasing the video quality. Remember to change the YouTube video setting to 720P HD for better viewing quality.
SWEEP PANORAMA
This sort of setting is not new for me. I have used this setting mainly on compact Fujifilm, Olympus, Canon and Sony cameras. The first series of cameras to bring this feature out were …how do I put it….crap.
The X-Pro 1 must have majored in sweep panoramas at production school! When it comes to sweeping the X-Pro 1 knows! The quality of the stitch is seamless if done correctly.
I pushed the camera to the limits by acting as a drunk and even portraying the smoker withdrawal shake. The pictures weren’t pretty….lets just say I found the limit. This mode is definitely not for the drunks. To be expected there were some problems with stitching due the rapid hand shake. My advice would be to use a tripod or monopod if you like your drink or smokes and suffer from withdrawals…this camera setting isn’t for you….but for everyone else all you need is a steady hand and you will be fine. This is the result in a high contrast scene. The outdoor light was pouring in and I don’t think I could have photographed this almost 180 degree view without the use of the sweep panorama mode.
Power consumption was probably one of my only dislikes on the camera (maybe because I used it so much!)
The CIPA (Camera and Imaging Products Association) standard is said to be 300 images from one charged battery. CIPA test under strict conditions. Each camera is turned on, the shutter button is pressed once taking a photo and the camera is then turned off. The process is repeated until the camera won’t turn on again. Fujifilm reached 300 cycles.
Fujifilm amped up the power from the previous X100’s NP-95 battery to the new Fujifilm NP-W126 battery. I would definitely recommend a spare as I found myself running out of power too often. The battery drain can really be likened to a car. Performance vehicles use a lot of fuel so really you should expect the X-Pro 1 to use a lot of battery.
LENSES
The XF lens system has produced some amazing results. No detail was spared when designing these lenses. The tow lenes I have been using are the Fujifilm XF 18mm F2 R and the Fujifilm XF 35mm f1.4 R. My favorite out of the two would have to be the 35mm as it gives a true representation to what I see. Recently Fujifilm announced the XF 14mm f2.8, 18-55mm f2.8-4, 56mm f1.4, 27mm f2.8, 55-200mm f3.5-f4.8 and the new 10-24 f4.
I just wish I had the 10-24mm as it would provide a nice wide-angle for shooting my landscapes. Currently I am stitching all my photographs which is quite time-consuming.
Pictured below is the road map of Fujifilm XF lenses which will be released shortly.
IMAGE DETAIL
Overall I think when it comes to reviewing a camera the image detail is one of the most important things. I won’t write too much more on this subject as the Jpeg images taken on the APS-C sized senor will show you . Take a look.
Full sized compact pro – fitted perfectly in my hands
High ISO with extremely low noise. I was able to shoot ISO 3200 with no problems at all.
Quick Menu allowed me to bypass the main menu for ease of operation
Hybrid Viewfinder worked well in low light situations.
Horizon tool on the rear LCD allowed me to get all my landscapes straight!
Magnesium alloy body meant I could take the camera anywhere without any problem.
XF lenses – clean, sharp and crisp – especially the 35mm f1.4
Amazing detail due to the removal of the low pass filter
Camera strap – the underside of the strap was rubberized and provided good grip. Never slid off my shoulder!
THUMBS DOWN:
Battery life – didn’t seem to last two days of shooting.
Diopter adjustment lens seemed to want to unscrew itself from the camera. I found it in my camera bag on one occasion.
Slow start-up time (compared with a Pro DSLR)
OVERALL
Overall I can recommend this camera to the keen enthusiast or professional photographer. The camera is light and perfect as a stand alone or second body. Shooting in low light stacks up against some of the bigger players like the Canon 5D MKIII and Nikon D800. I think the removal of the low pass filter to mimic film has paid off. Fujifilm have really developed a ground breaking camera adding to the overall success of the X series camera lineup. I look forward to seeing what other photographic boundaries can be pushed by Fujifilm in the coming year and I’m sure the X-Pro 1 will be just one of many X series cameras to wow the photographic world.
Finally Canon have come to the mirrorless party and will be bringing out the new Canon EOS M camera.
Featured on the camera is the new EF-M 22mm f2 STM pancake lens. This lens will join the new STM range of EF lens – the 40mm STM and 18-135mm STM lenses. I assume there will be an adapter to take EF-M mount to EF mount lenses.
I can’t wait to see what picture quality this camera will provide. Due to the size of the camera I expect there will be an APS-C sized sensor (same size as the Canon EOS 650D).
The new Canon EOS M camera has a hot shoe to add an external flash. My guess is the Canon 320EX Speedlight will be best suited for this camera due to the newly developed sensor capable of recording full HD video (similar to the Canon EOS 650D) which will allow full time auto focus tracking. Something the Nikon DSLR’s have had for a while now.
This camera would be a great addition to any DSLR photography kit you may have already. Due to the small metal body the camera seems like it will be able to go anywhere and cover almost any photography project.
It will be very interesting to see the low light capabilities from the Canon EOS M compared with the Olympus OM-D EM5, Fujifilm X Pro 1, Panasonic GX1, Nikon V1 and Sony NEX 7 cameras. I imagine the performance will be on the ball with the camera manufactured in Japan.
Some of the standout features this camera may have are:
Full HD movie recording – 1920 x 1080 (30, 25, 24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 50 fps), 640 x 480 (60, 50 fps)
Phase detection pixels
APS-C CMOS sized sensor
1,040,000 dot 3 inch touch screen
6 white balance presets
Digic 5 processor
Scrolling mode dials on the touch screen (same as the Canon EOS 650D)
EyeFi – wirelessly send your photos to a mobile device or network for easy sharing (via the Canon app)
I estimate the availability of the new Canon EOS M camera to be very soon as Canon are in the process of celebrating their 75 year.
I received these cupcakes from Canon a few days ago to celebrate the occasion (the chocolate one was the best!)
Chaos surrounded me, the chorus of flapping was deafening. Each bird seemed to know the direction of the other as the flock took to wing. A moving dark cloud of beak, feet and squawks captivated me to hold the camera tightly and to compose this image.
I painted this photograph using Photoshop to portray a sense of scale. The movement of the birds frozen in time creates an awareness into how busy life can get. Slowing down our lives lets us look at scene in front of us. “Beauty lies before us we just have to stop every now and then to see it.” – Leigh Diprose.
The plan now is to print this artwork onto canvas (as soon as my printer is fixed) and display it in the entry. This photograph means quite a bit to me. I hope you enjoy it to.
I’m interested – what do you feel when you see this image?
The evolving storm clouds masked the last of the warming light. The sound of the ocean was threatening with wave after wave crashing against the battered landscape. Rock hopping with tripod in hand and camera bag on my tired shoulders I fought my way against the howling wind.
Quickly constructing my tripod I felt like a soldier assembling a weapon. Clouds swarmed above me blackening the sky. By now the ocean was tumbling and churning – the storm was rolling in. The reflection usually seen on the surface of the water was nowhere to be seen instead violent ripples formed by the wind accelerated across the water.
Taking in the scene for a few minutes I noticed a pattern was developing from the break as it left the shore. The streaming water quickly invaded the shoreline filling every gap, stopping briefly then retreating back into the ocean. I was inspired to capture the ocean rhythm playing around me.
Attaching the fish eye lens to the camera I changed the camera’s settings with solid clicks as my numbing fingers fought the bitter cold. Looking through the viewfinder I was presented with an almost ethereal scene. Light bounced about on the surface of the detailed rocks while water came from all directions filling the frame with a juxtaposing smooth finish.
Developing this image in Photoshop I am convinced there should be more photographs like this – dark and gloomy. Not every landscape scene should have golden light. Right?
In celebration of my new website (coming very soon) I’m putting my collection of African photographs together. I captured a series of images over two trips to the Kruger National Park.
The collection will feature animals like lion, elephant, giraffe, wildebeest, impala, white rhinoceros and wild dog to name a just a few!
I can’t wait to share my African wildlife passion with you all. I am always dreaming of my next trip to Africa and have a few ideas in store for the next trip. Maybe I should run a few wildlife workshops over there or do you think the market is a bit saturated? Anyway just thoughts at the moment.
Below is the very first lioness I photographed in the wild.
I can remember my heart pounding so hard I had to put the camera down frequently as I was shaking so much with excitement. The large warming sun was setting and the beautiful last light was fading fast. I watched the big cat walk care free through the golden African grasses almost like a scene out of the Lion King. Stopping suddenly to raise her head she spotted a lone zebra camouflaged within the scrub ahead.
Seeing an opportunity, crouching and crawling low to the ground she covertly stalked the unsuspecting victim. Minutes passed and the lioness ended up within striking distance from the Zebra happily grazing the edge of an open plain. Holding my breath to control my breathing my finger mashed the shutter button. A sweet smile rose upon my face as I watched the preview appear on the back screen. The shot was taken. My first wild lioness photograph. I was proud as punch!
Retiring the camera and heavy lens to my lap I watched the lioness waiting patiently, hidden from the view of the unsuspecting Zebra. I don’t know what the lioness was thinking but her anticipation to launch into a chase was nail biting. I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next.
Over the next 10 minutes or so the zebra grazed without a worry and the lioness stayed hidden amongst the grasses. At this point the light had faded and I was wishing I had a camera with better noise reduction. Still with a smile on my face I headed back to camp. I couldn’t resist stopping multiple times on the way back to look at the photo I had just taken – after all I had just successfully photographed one of the animals on my bucket list.
Olympus have done very well to put amazing specifications into such a small camera body. Holding the OM-D with the new Olympus 75mm f1.8 lens attached simply made photography enjoyable. Shooting in low light hand held wasn’t a problem.
This is a quick portrait photo I took of Sean Standen – aka “Stakky” in Northbridge, Western Australia. Check out the meta data below the image. Hand held at what???? Crazy!
(Just so you know the lighting was poor and outside it was freezing – I was shaking when I took this image so it may be a little bit burry)
I will be doing a review on this camera in the future so stay tuned to see the photo quality stack up against the Canon 1D MK IV and the amazing Fujifilm X-Pro 1.
Dimly lit street signs guided my way as I left the bright city lights behind me. The fog filled roads lay in my path as my vehicle turned and climbed in the darkness. Small towns came and went, my journey to Pemberton was drawing to a close. I could almost smell the decaying forest as I opened the vent to let in some outside air. My eyes were alert and the smell of coffee was fading. Pemberton was fast approaching.
My imagination was running. I started to recall countless customer’s photographs of tall trees I had printed in my working life. Picturing light as it broke through the blanketing canopy and fell upon glorious fern beds or capturing the morning calls of the local wildlife waking up to the day – these were the pictures I wanted to capture. I was so excited. With hands gripped to the steering wheel I navigated the fallen logs hindering the road to arrive at my destination around midnight. Eager to capture the forest I had ended up in the car park at the Big Brook Dam just outside of Pemberton town.
Stretching my legs from my long journey I witnessed tree trunks silhouetted against the starry sky. Rolling my head back and looking toward the sky the trees seemed to reach endlessly into the night sky. The giant trees clustered together to form a thick forest surrounding the car park making me feel dwarf like. The stars only had brief shining moments as the leaves rustled about covering their shine.
Too excited for sleep I decided capture my surrounds.
Fumbling about the boot I quickly packed my camera bag and with head torch leading the way I set off for the path. The still night air was interrupted from the sound of my footsteps as they crunched the undergrowth beneath me. The smell of damp wood rose from the ground bringing a smile to my face. Stumbling along, hands thawing within my jacket pockets I reached a clearing.
I was in amazement at the scene that lay before me. The stillness of the night has produced a perfect mirror across the body of water. Surrounding the water were tall trees that stood trunk to trunk, their shadows simply blackened voids on the surface of the water. My head torch was no match for the light that was energizing the night. The stars shone with brilliance reflecting their glow on the watery mirror in front of me. This was truly an amazing moment. I had to capture this scene!
Navigating my way along the muddy bank I located the southern cross above me and aimed the wide angled lens toward the constellations. With freezing fingers bouncing about the back of the camera I set the camera’s mode to Bulb and attached the cable release. Nestled on the tripod the focus was locked and aperture set…all I had to do now was wait 20 minutes. 10 minutes for the exposure followed by a 10 minutes walk back to the car (which was enough time for the camera to process noise reduction to the capture).
Arriving back at the car the heater was set to full blast as I waited for the red light to disappear from the back of the camera. Finally the moment arrived, noise reduction was complete.
The back LCD of the camera lit up producing the shot. AMAZING – I thought to myself. I had captured a night scene I was finally happy with!
All I needed to do was to get to sleep as I was getting up in 2 hours for the sunrise!
I feel an amazing sense of joy when I am asked to photograph a couple’s wedding day. Portraying emotions through photographs is truly a rewarding experience for my myself and my team.
The love shown between the couple on the day is truly the one element that rises over all other aspects in my wedding photography. I never want to stage a photo I simply want to capture the moment as it happens. What makes wedding photography so emotional rewarding for me is the sense of capturing timeless moments and sharing them with the couples family and friends.
Over the last month (June) I have set myself the challenge to share some photographs from a recent wedding I photographed in the south west of Western Australia. These final five images complete the wedding photograph. I do hope you have enjoyed sharing in the many emotions of this recent wedding.
If you would like to learn more about wedding photography by Leigh Diprose Photography you can visit one of my many sites like – Brides Perth
Towards the end of the year there will be a brand new site combining all of my websites. So stayed tuned.
The air was cold as I turned over at the sound of the annoying alarm. The swag I had called home for the night was filled with an alarming rush of cold air, my body was engaged into action. With a flying jump I was out of bed – the adrenaline rushed through my body as I thrust clothes onto my body and camera gear on my back. The pins and needles in my foot had long disappeared as tyres warmed the road – headlights lighting my way. I was on a mission to capture the morning light as it bounced off the cumulus sky.
As I arrived to my destination the air was filled with a hum and the smell of a salty breeze. Walking along the empty car park I looked up at the dawn sky to see a ginormous propeller almost hit me as it rotated toward the ground at a speeding rate. Standing over me were a mass of monumental structures all turning to their own beats. A marching set of wind turbines filled the landscape, the wind was energising their blades. The air was filled with a chorus of hums so rising above the sound I trekked to the highest point in the landscape.
Clenching hands warmed in my jacket pockets. The shutter had been pressed and a time-lapse capture was in full swing. I stood in awe of the mighty machines and waited as the first light stuck the long vertical poles.. The warming natural glow seemed to give the wind farm a brighter energy as it creeped from the ground toward the top of the turbines. I was expecting the reflecting light to broadcast over the cumulus clouds. To my disbelief the light faded as quickly as it started. Disappointment was kicking in. This wasn’t going to be the shot after all.
A time lapse video of the Albany Windfarm with disappointing light.
Optimistically with tripod and camera over my shoulder I headed for a new location. The view I had chosen this time wasn’t going to disappoint.
A rolling rain cloud filled the vista, dark charcoal clouds loomed and the confined ocean swell battered against the cliffs. A photo was brewing. With anticipation my camera was set to manual; the 85mm lens was connected and my glasses were firmly pressed against the viewfinder. Swinging the camera from left to right I aimed to capture the light as it danced about the scene before me… after all this is why I had left the comfort of the swag.
The end result of the distant storm photographed from the Albany Wind Farm (14 image stitch)
LEIGH DIPROSE 