Below is a copy of the press release circulated by Jude Savage, Chair, Foto Freo Inc about the closure of the iconic festival of photography known as FotoFreo.
Vale FotoFreo
The Board of FotoFreo Inc regrets to advise that FotoFreo, the festival of photography, will be discontinued.
The Board’s decision to not proceed with the event into the future is primarily because key funding was not renewed by one of the major sponsors and this in turn would make it more difficult to secure funding from other key partners.
FotoFreo has been going now for 10 years and there have been six festivals, and the event has grown with each successive Festival.
However, despite the success of the event, both nationally and internationally, recurrent funding (money committed to the event without having to apply for the funds each time) has not been secured from any of our major partners.
As an event FotoFreo relies substantially on the efforts of a large number of volunteers and a small number of paid employees.
However, a critical phase in the development of each Festival is the first 12 months after the last festival – the first year of the two year Festival cycle. It is during this time that most of the planning is done and where there is a continuity of effort required. This is probably the most critical period of the Festival cycle and where a component of core funding is now necessary.
In the earliest years of FotoFreo’s development this activity was undertaken by a small group of dedicated volunteers, in particular, Brad Rimmer, Graham Miller, David Dare Parker, Bob Hewitt, and later included Ben Walton, Seng Mah, Elizabeth McCaig, Lyle Branson and Brent Acie, but as the scope and scale of the Festival increased paid staff were necessary to undertake the work.
Another factor in the Board’s thinking was the decision by Bob Hewitt, who started the event in its current form in 2001 and has been associated with it ever since, to step aside to make way for a new Festival Director and his subsequent resignation from the Board. However, Bob did indicate that he would be happy to continue in a supportive role, particularly assisting a new Festival Director, if required.
FotoFreo was the first international photo festival in Australasia and one of the first if not the first in the South East Asian region. The pioneering nature of the event served as an inspiration for other festivals in the region.
FotoFreo successfully established its own identity amongst the growing ranks of photo festivals by the innovations and the risks it undertook. In particular, the commissioning of original work – Edward Burtynsky, Australian Minescapes (FotoFreo 2008), David Dare Parker, The Clubs (FotoFreo 2010), Martin Parr, No Worries and Bo Wong, Fremantle Markets Project (FotoFreo 2012). These exhibitions were funded without the help of government grants. Furthermore, books were published to accompany all of these commissions and exhibitions. These commissions all contributed to the cultural capital of Western Australia and indeed to Australia.
Another innovation was the focus given to photographers in the Asian region through group exhibitions from a number of countries, in particular China and most recently India. On each occasion a number of the photographers accompanied the exhibitions and spoke about the work during the Festival.
FotoFreo 2012 also saw the introduction of WA Life, a photographic competition that privileged WA photographers, and the highly successful FutureGen project that involved a partnership with the Pingyao Photography Festival in China and a cultural exchange between the two countries. These two events were set to become regular activities in future Festivals and for which ongoing sponsorship had been secured.
In recent years there was a growing awareness that the Festival was beginning to spread too widely and in the most recent evaluation of the event (of FotoFreo 2012) it was acknowledged that some consolidation was required and this was made clear to our sponsors.
In the end, however, the ongoing success of an event such as FotoFreo is determined initially by a small group of people and at least one ‘driver’, and at the scale of the current event such people must be appropriately remunerated. In addition, there are ongoing real costs of an administrative nature that need to be met.
On an optimistic note, I think it can be said that FotoFreo has played an important part in raising the awareness of photography amongst the wider public and made a positive contribution to the cultural landscape of Western Australia. The Board of FotoFreo are grateful to all our many volunteers, supporters and sponsors who have assisted us in realising the FotoFreo festival of photography over the past ten years and trust that they will continue to support many other photographic endeavours.
The only regret might be the loss of recognition that came with the event nationally and internationally over ten years or more of growth and development and for which there are few similar events in Western Australia, let alone Fremantle.
The imaging industry in Australia is on the decline restructure. Gone are the boom times of rocketing camera sales and profitability. Times are tough for most retailers and this has been reflected in a number of job losses across the wholesale imaging industry.
Today I found out Olympus made 9 positions redundant across Australia. To my knowledge most of the redundancies happened over in the east coast of Australia with no job losses in the State of Western Australia. The positions made redundant varied from business managers, administration and a position within the accounts department.
Recently I saw a similar situation happened with Sony Australia where service technicians and account managers (to name a few) were also given their pink slips .
But it’s not all bad news for Olympus. Industry figures (recently released) showed the Olympus OM-D held a whopping 43% of market share for Digital SLR cameras in the month of December 2013. Historically Olympus have been very strong in their compact range but over the last couple of years sales figures have been in a downward spiral. I’m sure this would have played a part in the redundancies as the rise of smart phones has clearly dominated this category. However saying this the OM-D is certainly making up for the lack of sales in compacts. To this day I have never seen a camera sell as well – so I think Canon and Nikon should take a leaf out of Olympus’s book to see what they are doing right!
On top of the OM-D’s success its rumoured Olympus will be releasing an updated Digital SLR to replace their flagship E-5 camera . I can confirm Olympus’s marketing department is heading on a plane to Japan for ‘meetings’ this week, where I’m sure this rumoured camera will be discussed and revealed. So stay tuned.
For those who are reading this who have been made redundant I certainly know what it is like. Over one year ago I found myself in the same situation. My role as an Area Business Manager for Fujifilm Australia was no longer required as the company was transitioning itself into more streamlined practices. Online services seemed to be the way of the future and since November 3rd 2011 (the day I was made redundant *on my birthday*) Fujifilm Australia is believed to have made a total of nearly 50 redundancies (unconfirmed). As I have been in the industry for some time this was no surprise. Online accounting services and cloud computing have replaced the expensive employee and at the time of my redundancy my thoughts were reflected in Dave Marshall’s CEO statement to the press (via current.com) –
“By creating clever internet systems that incorporate such initiatives as sophisticated reordering websites, centralised systems, Facebook applications and virtual photo books, Fujifilm aims to provide innovative platforms that will offer new business opportunities for all of its customers.
“Fujifilm Australia has already proved very successful in developing and delivering cutting edge network solutions for its customers within the consumer imaging segment.
“Advanced plans are now underway within Fujifilm Australia to extend its network connectivity capabilities to the Graphic Systems and Medical Imaging Divisions.
“New business models that maximise this trend to ensure customers are at the forefront of new technology is a key focus for our business moving forward.
“In order to reinvent our processes and technology, this represents an opportunity to create a range of new specialist positions within Fujifilm Australia to drive a seamless transition for both consumers and customers.
“Unfortunately, as part of this process, it has also meant some changes to positions that have become redundant in the back office administration area due to technological advancements.
“There has also been a small number of positions that have been rationalised at the front end of the business to accommodate the specialist roles that are being created as part of the transition.
“Our goal is to strengthen Fujifilm’s position and ensure it is suitably equipped to balance current market demands with future business investment.
“Advancements in technology coupled with changes in consumer behaviour, has resulted in a significant transformation in the way businesses such as Fujifilm need to operate.”
So do I have any advice for employees who find themselves out of a job? Certainly! My advice – stay positive and hold no grudges. Look at it this way, being let go is possibly the best thing that could happen to you. It’s a new start, a new you. So don’t be complacent, use this time to reinvent yourself and do what you love. Start your own business or even become a consultant within your industry. For me I followed my love of social media and although I am still working a 9 to 5 I do plan on making this my gig in the distant future.
So based on Fujifilm, Olympus, Sony and Panasonic’s (2011) redundancies the big question looms….what about the big players like Nikon and Canon? When will they be cutting back?
Over the last couple of days I have been doing a bit of research on the subject and have found two hypotheticals which could lead to redundancies (please take my findings as speculation and rumour, not fact):
I can see the move to Salesforce equating to job losses within Canon Australia in the next year. The reason I say this is because when I worked at Fujifilm I saw the same Salesforce rollout. It certainly is a powerful account management system and it does really replace the need to have extra account managers out in the field. Once the accounts are entered in the cloud they can be seen on any device from anywhere. Orders, leads, account history and delivery are all the vital information to an account manager. Salesforce easily combines a team of people reporting this information into a manageable feed which can be read by one person and acted upon. Need I say more?
2) The mirrorless camera situation for Canon and Nikon (Nikon especially) is serious.
Stock levels for the Nikon 1 J1 and Canon EOS M in their respective warehouses are said to be high. For Nikon this is quite alarming. The Nikon 1 J2 (announced August 9th 2012) and the anticipated Nikon V1 replacement (announced October 24th 2012) are simply premature for the market place. There is too much old stock (old models) sitting on retailers shelves. Something has got to give. Either the price has to be lowered and profits cut which in turn could affect jobs in the long-term.
Canon forecasters have anticipated their lack of sales by offering the slow-moving EOS M buyers a $150 cash back when they purchase their camera from an Australian retailer. I’m sure this will work in the short-term but it still early days. Over the next month you will see a huge marketing campaign from Canon to help their sell through across their range of products. I’m sure this is a one of their ways to cut their losses.
So in closing redundancies are never a nice thing. Unfortunately for industry they are a big part of life and for industry to evolve its a necessary thing. Over the next three years I can envision the imaging industry changing dramatically. The rise of connected smart phones and technology will certainly make the jobs within the imaging industry semi redundant if companies don’t act or embrace the technology.
I recently discussed the future of imaging over on F Stop Lounge which looks at some of the future technology and how it may play a part in the industry. No longer will industry be able to sit on their hands and wait for product to sell (fine example EOS M), employees and their associated marketing companies will have to be proactive in their marketing approach to reach a new audience that falls outside the traditional photographer. As the generations age and the technology evolves I see a new kind of photo being created and produced. One that will replace the photo industry and be more aligned with the Consumer Electronics Industry. I just hope that day doesn’t come too soon as I do like working in my industry…but hey we all have to live with change…good or bad.
My year in review. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the blog this year. Well done to the top 5 people who left comments and the numerous regulars who like and sometimes dislike my photos and stories. You are my inspiration. I have a massive year planned for 2013 and I can’t wait to share my ideas with you all in mid January. I’m off to photograph a wedding today so until next time have a safe a happy New Year!
Here’s an excerpt:
4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 53,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 12 Film Festivals
I have just launched a brand new photography community called Google+ Photographers Community which can be found over on Google+.
Google has only yesterday released a new platform called communities which combines the best of Google+, YouTube, Google Groups and Google Events all in the one place. A community is ideally based on a subject, within the subject users are able to post their content directly to a sub-category.
Since the launch there has been many communities formed however I did notice that there was no place which combined the things in photography that interested me. So I decided to create the Google+ Photographers Community (GPC).
Within GPC I have created the following categories:
Android Devices – Community members post photos and content related to Android Devices.
Apple Devices – Community members post photos and content related to Apple Devices.
Canon – Community members post photos and content related to Canon gear.
Casio – Community members post photos and content related to Casio gear.
Fujifilm – Community members post photos and content related to Fujifilm gear.
GoPro – Community members post photos and content related to GoPro gear.
Kodak – Community members post photos and content related to Kodak gear.
Leica – Community members post photos and content related to Leica gear.
Nikon – Community members post photos and content related to Nikon gear.
Olympus – Community members post photos and content related to Olympus gear.
Panasonic – Community members post photos and content related to Panasonic gear.
Pentax Ricoh – Community members post photos and content related to Pentax or Ricoh gear.
Samsung – Community members post photos and content related to Samsung gear.
Sigma – Community members post photos and content related to Sigma gear.
Sony – Community members post photos and content related to Sony gear.
Events – +Leigh Diprose will run a weekly photo competition based on a photographic theme. Participants will be able to share their photos directly to the themed Event.
My future plan is to entangle my blog and Google community together with future events and google hangouts posted weekly to my YouTube channel and here on the blog.
The hangouts will talk about the latest in photographic gear as well as review some of the latest product. I can’t wait to see where this leads. In the first few hours almost 200 people have joined the community and the engagement between the users has been fantastic. ***Update*** 359 Members!
If you have any questions on the new community please let me know in the comments.
I have been busy over the last few days photographing some amazing sunsets with the Fujifilm X-Pro 1. I have also been given the Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC II Lens (Canon Mount) to test out.
Today I captured some storm photos with the Tamron lens and in the next few weeks you should see a review on the blog.
Fujifilm are also sending me the Fujifilm X-E1 with 18-55mm to test out. I expect to see the camera in the next few weeks so stay tuned to the blog by subscribing.
I have been part of the imaging industry since 1999 and since then I have seen some radical changes. Most of the changes have occurred in the last couple of years with the major collapse of one of the biggest imaging companies – Kodak. Social media has had a lot to do with that change.
I continually dream about the future…sometimes I even think I’m in the wrong career…maybe I should be an inventor, work in a technology R&D department or be a consultant to the imaging industry. What I’m thinking at the moment is writing a story on my predictions on the future of the imaging industry and how it will affect us. Three things were on my mind today so let me get started with those:
1) Cameras (mainly compact cameras to start with) will be replaced with smart camera technology.
This will only happen if camera companies wake up and smell the technology revolution. I see the imaging industry asleep when it comes to the development of new programs. I mean look at the phone industry. Before the word ‘smart phone’ was invented it was just called the phone but as soon as the big players in the telecommunications industry saw the potential of releasing the API (Application Programming Interface) and SDK (Software Development Kit) there was a huge influx of apps being written which only drew more and more people to the devices bringing much success. Eyebrows raise when someone doesn’t own a smart phone.
My biggest fear is seeing traditional camera companies like Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm and Olympus all sitting on their hands waiting for someone else to come up with the idea. All it would take is for a company to release the API or SDK to build apps for their cameras. The only company I see at the moment doing it successfully is Samsung with Android devices. Nikon have been the quickest as well to jump on the bandwagon releasing the Nikon Coolpix s800c. My only hope is they continue to grow this line of smart cameras. To be honest I only see the Andriod platform working on cameras as a newly developed system would only cause confusion in the market place. The time has passed to release a new version as it should have been done one year ago.
I find the biggest problem with the market place is that companies are relying on traditional advertising. The target market of 25-45 year olds are flooded with technology already. The only place left to grow in this area is life blogging and car technology. Most people in the traditional age bracket already own 1-2 cameras. Wouldn’t it be smarter to pitch the idea of smart cameras to a younger demographic around the ages of 18-24?
2) Wearable cameras offering life blogging will be the next big internet sensation
Life blogging is going to be huge. You may not think it but let me tell you some people thought digital cameras were a waste of time! These small cameras like Project Glass by Google will only need to be clipped on or worn to capture your life moments in an instant. I imagine as you record every second of your life you will have the opportunity to upload all of your moments directly to the cloud. Once your moments are online you will be able to edit your video sharing the stream via YouTube, broadcast it to your circles over a Google+ Hangout or even send it to family and friends via your favourite social media site like Facebook. Your photos and video would become the new cinema complex with fans following your every move!
I hear some of you saying that’s just weird I would never film myself and put my life online…..you are quite right in saying that….I’m not writing this for you, this article is intended for the younger generation in future years who will probably laugh at the ideas because they were so ‘old school’ in the year 2012. I do now something though….life blogging is going to be popular and I guarantee you will watch someone’s life moment on YouTube or the news one day.
3) Wireless power and wireless technology will replace traditional hardware plugs.
Wouldn’t it be great to walk outside on a holiday knowing that your smart phone had a full battery life from the previous night out? What if you were stuck at an airport due to a cancelled flight only to find that your laptop charger was in your suitcase which had already flown out of the country on another plane or what if you arrive on a planned holiday to your dream destination only to find you forgot to pack your camera charger? Unfortunately a lot of these hypotheticals are happen daily we reply on our wall plugs for so many things. What if I told you in the future this wouldn’t be a problem because in the future we will wireless power. A new type of power device generated on a wireless technology. Wouldn’t that be great? I can’t wait to see this technology spread across multiple devices. Finally I will be able to get rid of the rat’s nest of cables hanging from my computer desk!
If you have any questions on this article please let me know by emailing leighdiprosephotography@yahoo.com.au or submitting a comment below.
I love photographing and capturing the special memories on a wedding day.
The bridal party, family and friends all enjoyed the celebration of Sam and Katherine’s wedding day, held at Mosmans Restaurant in Mosman Park. I can tell you now it was such a stunning day!
I will be uploading some more photographs to my Perth Wedding Photographer site – Brides Perth and here on the blog so stay tuned.
Nikon have officially announced the new Nikon D5200. Here is some information from Nikon about the camera:
Breath-taking image quality
The third camera in its series, following the D5000 and the D5100, the Nikon D5200 offers a massive leap in image-quality. In addition to the 24.1-megapixel DX-format CMOS sensor for finely detailed images, the new EXPEED 3 image processor provides high-speed operation and excellent, rich colour reproduction – as well as enhanced movie recording. The high ISO sensitivity (100-6400 which is extendable to 25600) delivers brilliant shots in dark or poorly lit environments as well as producing clear images of fast moving subjects.
The Nikon D5200 shares an AF system, metering sensor and scene recognition with the Nikon D7000 series, giving this camera a new level of performance and much enhanced image quality. The superior accuracy of the 39-point AF system and nine cross-type sensors delivers razor sharp images by focusing precisely on the subject you choose. Meanwhile, the 2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor provides precise data to the camera’s Scene Recognition System, which optimises exposure, autofocus and white balance immediately before the shutter is released.
Nikon D5200 Black with 18-55mm lens
Image creations from any angle
The Nikon D5200’s versatile 7.5cm (3-in) vari-angle LCD monitor provides the ultimate freedom and flexibility to take beautiful shots and movies from virtually any position. You can flip, tilt or turn the swivel monitor to get really creative with your angles. In addition, the Nikon D5200 is an intelligently designed lightweight camera, with clear menus and superior ergonomics, making it a pleasure to maneuver and shoot with.
Wireless connectivity to share your creations
Wirelessly transmitting images from your camera to an Apple™ or Android™ smart device is possible by using the optional WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter. This means you can share images that you are proud of with friends via social networks and email for instant reactions. It is even possible to control your camera remotely from your smart device to help you take beautiful shots without disturbing your subjects.
Distinctive HD movies
Effortlessly alternate between shooting stills and Full HD movies with smooth (up to 60i/50i) recording at the flick of a switch. The camera’s subject tracking of moving objects in three dimensions, with full time servo AF (AF-F), ensures focus of moving objects throughout filming. Adding to that, creating movies to be proud of can be achieved with in-movie editing and the camera’s built-in stereo microphone.
Inspirational Effect and Scene modes
Be even more original with the Nikon D5200 Effects mode. A range of seven special effects: Selective Colour, Miniature, High and Low Key, Silhouette, Colour Sketch and Night Vision can be applied in real time to images and movies through Live View so you can see what your final creation will look like before you shoot it. In addition, in-camera High Dynamic Range (HDR) and D-lighting capture detailed images of high-contrast scenes, increasing creative possibilities. You can also select from 16 different Scene modes – they optimise the camera settings, such as shutter speed, ISO and aperture – to the situation you are shooting. It is great for a quick shot or if you are still learning about D-SLR photography.
The Nikon D5200 Bronze with 18-55mm lens
Easy User Interface with Live View Feature as an option
Key features
– DX-format, 24.1 megapixel CMOS image sensor with EXPEED 3 for exceptional quality
– Vari-angle LCD monitor: View life at a unique angle with a high resolution, 7.5cm (3.0-in), 921k dot vari-angle screen
– Compatible with Wireless Mobile Adaptor WU-1a to transmit images from the camera to AppleTM or AndroidTM smart device and remote shooting¹
– High ISO (100-6400) extendable to 25600: keeps the detail with low noise in low-light situations
– Razor-sharp 39-point AF system with nine cross-type sensors in the center. Offers fast and precise autofocus coverage across the frame
– 2,016 pixel RGB metering sensor delivers highly accurate metering for exact exposures and provides precise data to the camera’s Scene Recognition System
– Scene Recognition System optimizes exposure, autofocus and white balance immediately before the shutter is released
– Continuous shooting at 5fps: so you do not miss that fast-moving action shot
– High dynamic range (HDR): Gives detailed shots of high-contrast scenes by combining two shots taken within a single shutter release
– Active D-Lighting: Retains details in highlights and shadows for well-balanced images, even if the subject is moving
– D-Movie: Full (1080p) HD movies with smooth (up to 60i/50i) recording and a built-in stereo microphone
– D-Movie AF modes: Live View autofocus works when shooting movie clips, keeping subjects in sharp focus
– In-built stereo-microphone for improved sound quality
– Updated new generation GUI Design
– 16 Scene modes: Automatically adjusts camera settings, including Picture Controls and Active D-Lighting, for optimal results
– Effects mode – seven effects including Selective Colour and Miniature, which can be applied in pre-shoot, for more creative movies and stills
– Compatible with WR-R10 Wireless Remote transceiver and WR-T10 Wireless Remotetransmitter that let you control key camera functions from a distance
– GPS compatible: Records the exact location of the camera when a picture is taken by using the optional GP-1 unit
– NIKKOR lenses:take advantage of Nikon’s legendary NIKKOR lenses and make the most of the camera’s 24-megapixel resolution.Capture photos with vivid colour and striking contrast. Shoot movies with crisp detail or experiment with cinematic effects
– Available in three colours: black, red and bronze
– Lightweight body (505g) with an intelligent design and superior ergonomics
¹ Compatible with iOS™ and Android™ smart devices. This feature requires use of a dedicated Wireless Mobile Utility application that can be downloaded for free from Google Play™ and the Apple App Store™.
After working on a recent wedding most of the night I decided to take a break and enter a photography competition. I found myself catching up on emails after being distracted from a photo competition search on google. To my surprise I opened an email from Photojojoand found a link to a Jen Bekman Project called Hey, Hot Shot.
With a competition name like Hey, Hot Shot I knew that this photography challenge was going to be a little different.
I had a quick read of the main page and was surprised to hear that this was more than an ordinary photography competition – “Hey, Hot Shot! provides an ongoing platform for photographers at all stages of their career by providing unrivaled exposure, support and recognition through Bekman Projects (which also includes Jen Bekman Gallery and 20×200).” I continued reading…”Each year, one talented image maker will receive a $10,000 honorarium, in addition to the hallmark awards Bekman Projects offers.”
I was sold. I had to enter! I decided to visit the archives for this competition. Below are the five photos which formed one entry into the competition.The competition closes the 14th November 2012. For more information check out the Hey, Hot Shot website.
“Hudor Calme”
“Chroma”
“Kinesis”
“Aurum”
“Sumarlina”
Parts of this text forming this post were taken from Hey, Hot Shots! website.
I must say this was the first photography competition which I have conducted and what a success! A huge thank you to all the photographers for getting behind this free competition by submitting their motion themed entry! There certainly is some very talented photographers out there! We had over 144 entries which were accepted across the month-long competition.
This competition would not have happened if it wasn’t for the amazing judges who put in a huge effort to get this competition launched. Thanks to André Appel, Suzanne Clements, Andy Gray, Kev Isabeth, Paul Pichugin, Jack Salzke and Helen Sotiriadis for donating your time and photographic insight. Also a huge shout out for Don Noll for administrating the entire event. You all are truly amazing photographers, judges and wonderful people so from the bottom of my heart I thank you for all your help.
Below you can see the photos which made the finals as well as the top three photos. Congratulations to Nicola Davidson for the amazing photo which took out first place.
For your information this is how the judging was conducted:
Each of the 8 judges chose their favourite three entries from all the entered photographs. These selected entries formed the finalists.
From the selected finalists the photographs were judged individually and were scored out of 100 on the following criteria –
1. How well the photo fits the theme of motion.
2. How creative the photograph is.
3. How original the photograph is.
4. What the technical photographic quality is like.
Once an image had been individually scored the judges scores for that image were combined to give a final score. The finalist that received the highest overall score was selected as the winner.
PayPal is currently reviewing my business account so at this time gift certificates purchased through the Leigh Diprose Gallery can’t be purchased online. Donations have also been affected.
PayPal have assured me for a quick turnaround with the review of my account. I expect the outage to last around 1 or 2 weeks.
In the meantime if you wish to purchase a gift certificate or contribute a donation please contact me directly through email (leighdiprosephotography@yahoo.com.au) and I can offer an alternative solution whilst my account is being reviewed.
Thank you to everyone who has offered financial support so far either by purchasing a gift certificate, providing a donation or purchasing a photograph. It truly helps me provide more free photos for you all. In case you missed the news any wildlife or landscape photo I take next year I plan on providing the photo free to the public. All of these photographs will be Royalty Free with no copyright attached so you can download and use the photos for whatever you like. Currently I am providing two free photos a month however next year I plan to release at least 300 free fine art images for you all.
If you would like to find out why I am doing this then please follow the link to the previous post – “The Meaning Of Free”
I have been quite busy over the last week setting up a photo competition for you all.
I’m giving away a free Nikon D3100 Twin VR Kit!
The photo competition starts soon. Click on the image below for more details. A big thanks to all the team at F Stop Lounge for helping me set things up – you know who you are!
The competition runs from the 10th September 2012 – 7th October 2012.
Photography can be a challenge at the best of times however being a colour blind photographer can sometimes make it a bit harder.
Colour blindness is a term used to describe a persons inability to see colour. The term colour blindness is really a misconception as people can see colours however they may not be able to distinguish between colours. In most cases it is referred to as being colour deficient not colour blindness. If you are unable to see colour you would be an achromatopsia sufferer. Fortunately for me I can still tell if a traffic light is green or red (thank goodness) but when it comes to identifying colours it becomes more difficult. This can affect my photography in a number of ways.
I found a video that might help explain the subject more clearly than I can:
There are three basic kinds of colour deficiency.
Completely monochromatic vision, where two or three of the photo pigments in your eyes cones are missing.
Dichromacy occurs when you’re missing a pigment: red (protanopia), green (deuteranopia) or blue (tritanopia).
Anomalies occur where one of your cone pigments isn’t quite right and doesn’t have the right spectral sensitivity, resulting in a reduction of your ability to discriminate colours. The red and green pigments are the most similar so it is easier for differences in them to impact the ability to distinguish colors. Protanomaly occurs when you have a slightly shifted red sensitivity, deuteranomaly occurs when your green sensitivity isn’t quite right. Tritanomaly is uncommon (as is tritanopia) and this occurs when your blue pigment isn’t right. This makes blue-yellow discrimination difficult.
When editing photos on my computer I don’t seem to have too much difficulty adjusting colour. Over time I have learned where the colour sliders should be to best represt colour. Something that also helps a great deal is the camera’s RAW files. I am able to change the white balance setting in post production which automatically corrects the colour within the scene. My problems start to occur when I play around with photos using Photoshop or Lightroom. For instance I may edit the colours within a seascape making the sunset more vivid. If I make a wrong move the rocks may turn a pink hue when all I wanted them to be was a natural colour. I have no way of distinguishing if the colour is correct so I rely on users comments and my memory of colour tools in Photoshop as my best guidance. Most of the time in my photographs I get away with correct colour. On the odd occasion you may see some horrid colour present in my photographs. If you do please tell me as I can’t see it!
When it comes to printing I leave it to the professionals. I have no clue what to do if a photo looks like it has too much magenta because I don’t know if it has too much magenta. Sounds a bit confusing I know but I can tell you now it is more frustrating than anything else.
I have had a search on the internet to find a similar test to ones I have done in the past. In the following video I could only see 3 of the numbers in the patterns. How many could you see? (some advice before watching the video….mute the music!)
Thanks to Kev Isabeth for the suggestion to write on this subject and to The Colour Blind Photographer for your descriptions on colour blindness.
Google has just released their latest video – John Butterill’s Virtual Photo Walks. I am quite proud to have been involved in Virtual Photo Walks by conducting a few walks in Fremantle, Western Australia with Paul Pichugin. I was really pleased to see myself and my name mentioned briefly in the video (0.39 seconds into the video and a bit later with my name). Interacting with like minded people is what I love about Google+. So if you haven’t joined Google+ be sure to jump on board.
Below is a brief explanation taken from the Virtual Photo Walks About page on Google+
+Virtual Photo Walks is a project to allow people using Google+ to be interactive citizens again. Utilizing the hangout feature and smart phones, people are able to visit and interact with smart phone enabled photographers to see places and people they use to, see things that they might not have had the chance to see.
It is a not just a service for those who are hospitalized or cannot go out into the community, but also for the many who just need a break in their day. It is a way to lend a helping hand by providing a window to places and things most of us take for granted. A truly interactive experience.
Check out the video below and be sure to walk the walk for those who can’t.
The following are my thoughts I have learned over the past 5 years of photographing weddings. I hope you find my insights helpful for when you next shoot someone’s special day.
I typically meet with all my clients at least two or three times before the proposed date to plan a photography shoot around their desired needs. The first step for me is to establish what type of wedding the couple will host . Country, beach, church, backyard or is it going to be something completely out of the square?
I then proceed to ask one of the most important questions – what sort of feel would you like portrayed in your photographs? Would you like the photographs to looked relaxed, hipster, documentary or traditional? Most couples would have previously looked at your website or portfolio of images so I also ask if there any wedding photos that they enjoyed looking at. I find asking these simple questions really gives you a great foundation to plan their wedding photography.
A wedding is one of the biggest events you will ever photograph in your lifetime. Most brides have been dreaming of this day their entire life. From the moment a young girl styles her favourite doll in white cloth forming the most elegant of gowns, the slow steps begin down the confetti filled isle. The unsuspecting brothers toy, typically a dreamy Tuxedo Ken nervously awaits the hand of his beautiful bride as the ceremony unfolds.
The Fat Controller announces the famous words – “You may kiss the bride” and the perfectly timed monumental occasion rises to a new level, Elmo and the other stuffed congregation of misfits (family or friends) celebrate with cheers of joy. The makeshift shoebox comes alive as the bride and groom skip back down the aisle.
So now lets look back at this scene. Where is the photographer in this dreamed scenario?
The photographer is actually the child directing every move of the day as the preparation, ceremony and reception unfold. Knowing this fact it well worth your while to find out what the developed child’s mind is visualising for her wedding day. It’s your job to develop a shooting schedule that will show off her dreamed vision of the day. You will have to use all your creative, negotiation and leaderships skills to pull off the best wedding photography shoot ever.
I would say photography is a small part of photographing weddings. Firstly you have to be a people person, secondly a business mind and thirdly you need to have the creative genus to create amazing memories. Be sure to learn some good editing techniques, learn how to use your camera gear and if possible try to encourage an assistant to come along for the ride. I have used an assistant on all my wedding jobs and the difference is clear.
I pay my assistants well as they work just as hard as me! I have had a few assistants work with me over my time and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all (you know who you are) for the wonderful photographs you helped create. I would especially like to thank Caroline for giving me my first film SLR to explore this amazing world with. Without my first SLR camera I wouldn’t be where I am now. So thank you.
Getting back to discussing some wedding preparation – next on the list would have to be discussing the timeline of the day. As a general rule I normally arrive an hour before I need to be there. The extra time allows me to interact with the everyone involved and set up any gear. If you arrive too close to leaving for the ceremony the rush will last the rest of the day and the photos you capture will certainly suffer.
I really don’t want to make this post into a long boring wedding speech so I will keep it short.
Be sure to practise your photography craft at friends weddings, learn from others and practice some more. Wedding photography isn’t for everyone so if you aren’t up to the task then certainly leave it to a professional.
Weddings are truly one of my favourite things to photograph so I do hope you have enjoyed some of my thoughts and tips on the subject.
Remember to enjoy what you do and you will always succeed – Leigh Diprose.
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.
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.
I was challenged after seeing a Facebook post from ABC 1 TV program “Photo Finish”. The brief was simple – “Submit the most creative and imaginative photograph you can – it can capture or depict anything you like! There is a trick to it though, every photo must include a camera lens somewhere in the shot. The lens can appear anywhere in the photo, but it must be there!”
I quickly got to work and compiled three images that were going to tell a story. The photos were taken using the Fujifilm X Pro 1 and Canon 1D MK IV.
Image 1 – The old fire place to ignite the photo
Image 2 – Some ghostly clouds to add some atmosphere
and lastly a photo of my old Canon 400mm f/5.6L USM lens
The next step was to combine the photos in Photoshop to meet the competition brief
I found myself standing in front of billions of grains of sand forming a monumental mountain. The dirt danced in the air as short breaths of wind thrust the sand about. The wind howled, choreographing its own sandy air show. Sand clouds appeared before me – rising and falling in unison as they laid to rest upon the great dune. The sand was forever forming and changing.
I had a small window of opportunity to capture the magnificent wonder. My time was short and my lips were becoming parched from the windy conditions. I felt the threat of rain steadily approaching as the blackening gang of clouds rolled over toward me.
The camera strap felt secure around me neck as the cold wind tried to flatten me. My heels buried into the forgiving sand as I lined up for the shot. With a short steadying breath and cold metal pressed to cheek, I clicked the shutter button forging my first photo. The light and dark tones seemed to jump from the rear screen as I deciphered the small details of the dune. Upon noticing the detail it struck me the entire dune simply did not fit onto the small screen on the back of the camera – the dune was simply too big. Thinking about my options I decided to return the camera to a vertical shooting position and attempt a multi row panoramic.
My excitement to capture the perfect formation was child like. From left to right, overlapping RAW photos fired off one after another to replicate the scene in front of me. Full of energy and a spring in my step I proceeded to the car after the files saved quickly to the memory card. My thoughts of marrying the photos together and applying an artistic touch were unfathomable. I simply couldn’t wait to get home and put the photographs together.
I have included the original RAW photos below and additionally captured my screen as I turned the merged photos into a fine art photograph.
The above photos were stitched together using PTGui Pro
Everything has a beginning right?….it can only grow and get better from here!
Join me for the first official cameraED YouTube video as I travel out to Port Gregory located in Western Australia to photograph a landscape scene.
cameraED will be growing every day into a site that will be available for every budding photographer out there, professional or beginner. So sit back and enjoy the weekly videos all about photography!
Below is the final image I managed to capture before the battery died again!
Canon EOS 1D MK IV – ISO 50 – 40mm – f5.6 – 0.5 sec
The perfect opportunity arose when I was fortunate to find myself with a rarity of four days off. I had been wanting to exercise my camera’s shutter at a unique West Australian landscape setting – a pink lake located in the small town of Port Gregory. My fascination to photograph this bizarre landscape arose when I peered out from my window in a very small plane heading to Karratha from Perth. Even though I am extremely colour blind I was clearly able to see the pink hues from the air. Amazingly the pinkness comes from a bacteria – Dunaliella salina which finds itself trapped within the salt crystal of the lake. The psychedelic colour is most vibrant around sunrise and sunset. That was my goal – to photograph two sunrises and one sunset.
Pen went to paper as my visual ideas for a great shot consumed me. I felt a bit like Gollum from Lord of the Rings, I was simply pursing one of my dreams to capture the ‘precious’ shot. The days drew nearer toward the 6 hour Skoda drive that would see me at my destination. My thought train was rumbling and steaming as I debated what photographic gear I would take. The usual suspects were there the tent, clothes, sleeping bag and the like but the burning question on my mind was which camera and lens combination should I use?
Pondering the question over a beer some sense came to mind – I thought “I’m travelling all that way I should just take it all.” So I did:
Fujifilm X Pro 1, Fujinon 18mm f2; Fujinon 35mm f1.4, Canon 1D MK IV, Canon 17-40mm, Canon 85mm f1.2, Sigma 120-300mm f2.8, Canon MP-E65 f2.8, Canon MT-24EX Flash, 3x Lee Filters and a stack of memory cards all stuffed into my Lowepro Nature Trekker Case…oh and don’t forget the Manfrotto 190XBPRO tripod!
The night had arrived when I found myself standing in front of the seemly quite and eerie destination. The scene before me was pitch black with an encompassing blanket of stars reflecting on the gigantic lakes’ every ripple. Delirious from the trip I managed to take one photo on the X Pro 1 before I set an alarm to wake my fading Red Bull and coffee filled mind up from its unnatural state.
The developed photograph intrigued me as it revealed a dull glow from a salt refinery on the distant horizon. The aura produced by the man-made structure seemed to interact with the greater constellations. There was something else to the photograph – it was a bit of a surprise – at first I thought I had captured some sort of military plane or an object you would see in documentaries over the famous Area 51 – I took a second photograph to confirm my belief…but alas the UFO was classic lens flare. Just quietly before I took the second photograph I couldn’t contain my excitement – I thought I had made contact!
Morning arrived with rain filled clouds and disappointment written all over my face. I wasn’t going to get the sunrise I had been dreaming of – the clouds were simply way to cumulus for any light to penetrate. Picking myself up I reached for the Fujifilm X Pro 1 to test its high ISO abilities. During my oscar winning sad-sack performance the heavens had a break and decided to have a sneak peek of a light show as the sun played hide and seek with the clouds. During the intensely short game I managed to pick off a few which made me bounce right back into being Leigh Diprose – the happy traveller.
The rest of the trip I experienced downpours, sand blasting winds and extreme chills (youtube videos to come). I opted to leave the X Pro 1 in the car due to the intensely bad weather. The only advance I saw in using the Canon in the horrible weather was it’s weather proofing – other than that the X Pro 1’s image quality was on par with the Canons. All of these images were photographed in RAW on the Fujifilm X Pro 1 with adjustments made in Lightroom 4.
Cameras and technology have changed so much in the past 12 months not to mention the last decade. I have been involved within the imaging industry now for over 13 years and have seen many advances from the first 1.3MP Kodak Easyshare camera to the ground breaking 36MP Nikon D800E. Throughout my time in the photography world one thing has always remained – the chase for the best camera design whilst still delivering perfect image quality – enter the Nikon 1 series.
You see at first I was sceptical when I first saw this camera. I thought to myself can such a small sensor produce sharp images; and the look of the camera…was this even a camera?…was Nikon serious? A day out with the camera was going to change my mind.
I jumped in the car with the small white camera in my hand and the spare lens nestled in my pocket. The sun was out and the streets were busy. I decided to head to the local markets – the famous Fremantle Markets.
I noticed a crowd had gathered near the entrance to the markets and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to photograph some candid portraits. In the past I hadn’t had much success with street photograph due to my big Canon DSLR – most of the time I was discouraged by local authorities – this didn’t even present as a problem with the Nikon V1. I was encouraged to join in the fun as the crowd encouraged the local entertainer to perform insane stunts. I found myself in awe of the talented busker. He had the myself and the crowd engrossed in the performance. I anticipated a perfect moment was about to present itself so I switched the camera to video mode and set the quality to Full HD. The busker didn’t disappoint, he proceeded to perform for the crowd thrusting whips in the air filling the busy street with deaf defining cracks as the two whips danced about above his head. The Queensland Crossover was in full swing and I wasn’t missing a beat thanks to the amazing video feature on the V1. This experience had summed up my day. The camera was amazing especially the video. Later on that day I played back the video on the high res screen and chucked to myself as I relived the moment.
I put together a small video showcasing some of the standout features I experience when using the camera. All the sample images are shown below most of which were photographed at ISO 1600 due to the low light in the undercover markets.
If I could pass on one piece of advice when thinking about buying a new camera it would be – you wouldn’t judge a book by its cover…so in turn you should never judge a camera by its cover until you delve into the features and experience the image quality for yourself.
You may not know one of my favourite subjects to photograph are people. Don’t get me wrong…wildlife and landscapes are certainly up there…but theres something about photographing people that creates an emotional connection you just can’t get from a landscape or animal.
Some people are cringing right now at the thought of portrait photography. Unpacking the camera bag and pointing the lens in the general direction of their loved one to capture “the shot” may make them want to head for the hills (or Northam…sorry Merv)…not to mention weddings as the ultimate hill runner.
Personally I see the pursuit of the classic portrait as a challenge. Simply pointing the lens at a person and taking a photo is certainly the easy part anyone can do….for me the skill in portrait photography is capturing the emotion of an individual in a single frame. If you can manage to do that then portrait photography might be for you.
Thinking back, since I was a small boy (when I was young…. – ha!) I have always had a fascination with people. I would watch people and learn their idiosyncrasies by building up a mind map of their vastly different personalities in my head. To this day I still practice this by listening and engaging with as many people as I can possible talk to. Over the years my little mind map of humans has been an expansive blueprint into the emotions of an individual, so when it comes to connecting with the shutter on my camera I have a fair idea what I am wanting to portray emotionally within the final photograph.
Being able to read people and capture someone at their emotional peak is what I strive to achieve in my portrait photography. I’ll give you an example… if I am wanting to capture some candid shots at a wedding I simply listen to the conversations around me. A picture develops in my mind and I build up a profile of the people in the conversation. Then, having listened to the conversation I am able to anticipate a laugh or a smile and at that point my fingerprint is left of the shutter button. For me anticipating the emotional reaction of someone always leads to a great picture. I see way too may photographers running around chasing after a photo when the picture is actually painted right in front of them. They simply don’t listen…they are too busy looking for the photograph.
I would like to challenge all the photographers out there to find some emotional connection in the photographs they are capturing. If you aren’t looking to portray emotion within your art then you should really put the tools down and climb a tree. I’m sure Leonardo da Vinci thought about the emotions of his masterpieces before he picked up his paintbrush – so as artists we should do the same.
I want to share some recent photographs each day with you for the remainder of the month. The technical details and sharpness are not my main priority in photography anymore….for me capturing the emotion is my main focus and always has been. So sit back and enjoy the abundance of emotions coming your way.
So you don’t miss out on the emotional journey I will be posting five times daily for the rest of the month. Enjoy.
Do you want to be part of the LARGEST Photowalk in the world?
Then sign up for the free event I will be hosting in Fremantle, Western Australia.
To let me know you are coming please sign up at the following link – Get me involved!
The Details:
When: Saturday, June 30, 2012, 7:00am
Where: Fremantle Fishing Harbour
The Event: Sunrise is at 7.17am. The main photography shoot will be around Fremantle Boat Harbour at sunrise followed by a walk into the City of Fremantle capturing some of the old buildings. We will then finish at 9am for breakfast at the Attic in Fremantle (upstairs) were we can sort through photos, mingle and enjoy great food and coffee.
Over the next few weeks I will be posting some portraits from a recent wedding I photographed at Maitraya Luxury Retreat near Albany, Western Australia. The ceremony was held on beautiful Nanarup beach and the reception at Maitraya Luxury Retreat.
Thanks again to Megan and Damien, the wonderful bridal party and and the staff at Maitraya Luxury Retreat for an amazing day.
LEIGH DIPROSE 