Fujifilm Australia

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Dale Rogers

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Josselin Cornou

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Chris Hopkins

Filed under Interviews X-Photographer

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Chris Hopkins

by Fujifilm Australia April 13, 2017 Comments10

Through a photographer’s eye is the first in a series of interviews featuring Australian photographers. In each interview, we learn about the person behind the camera and how they use Fujifilm X Series cameras to photograph the world around them. Our sixth interview is with Melbourne based photographer, Chris Hopkins.

*Portrait of Chris Hopkins. Photograph by Michael Coyne © 2016*

Chris, can you tell us how you got started in photography and what the visual medium means to you?

I travelled a lot in my twenties. I spent 6 years travelling around the world, but Africa got to me visually. I decided (prematurely!) that I wanted to be a wildlife photographer and upon returning home to Melbourne with no career my partner encouraged me to enrol in a photography course. I was then accepted into Melbourne’s Photography Studies College. I did studio classes and learned about the history of photography but it was seeing the work of the masters of photojournalism like; Sebastiao Salgado, Henri Cartier Bresson, James Nachtwey and Marcus Bleasdale that hooked me.

The visual impact these guys images had, particularly their composition and ability to tell a story within a single frame resonated in me and my passion grew from there. In a society that is oversaturated with images, I still feel that quality photojournalism is the most powerful tool to convey a message whilst documenting history. As visual storytellers, I feel it is our duty, to use our skills to tell the story of those that otherwise couldn’t. The ability of an image to change policy and make the world a better, safer place is why I love photojournalism.

Recently you photographed a series of portraits of Melbourne’s homeless, tell us why did you find it important to document this and how did you go about crafting this visual story?

I photographed the series ‘Streeties’ after a small batch of homeless set up a makeshift protest camp in Melbourne’s City Square. They set up the camp in response to the tabloid media’s misrepresentation of the homeless; painting them as violent, drug users and a danger to society. This witch hunt led to the police ‘cleaning up’ the streets, leaving the genuine homeless with nowhere to go. I am a stringer for Getty Images and Fairfax Media and around that time I was on shift for The Age newspaper and felt it right to try to portray these people as the people they are, not the objects of derision they had been touted as. Initially, I introduced myself to a few of the guys in the camp and listened to their stories and explained what I wanted to do. They were keen to be shown in a positive light.

Melbourne, Australia. From "Streeties' a series on Melbournes homeless. The series aims to present Melbournes homeless as dignified, 'real' people as opposed to the generalised view that they are a stain on society. Some have mental issues some have been successful business people who have fallen on hard times. Some also have drug dependancy issues but all are human beings and deserving of a 'fair go'. Murray, 52 has been on the street for 11 months. Well aware of the drug and alcohol problems associated with the homeless and the public perceptions he takes refuge with others as there is strength in numbers. "The most important thing for us is that the public are made aware of our situation." Photograph by Chris Hopkins — Melbourne, Australia. From “Streeties’ a series on Melbournes homeless. The series aims to present Melbournes homeless as dignified, ‘real’ people as opposed to the generalised view that they are a stain on society. Some have mental issues some have been successful business people who have fallen on hard times. Some also have drug dependency issues but all are human beings and deserving of a ‘fair go’. Murray, 52 has been on the street for 11 months. Well aware of the drug and alcohol problems associated with the homeless and the public perceptions he takes refuge with others as there is strength in numbers. “The most important thing for us is that the public are made aware of our situation.” Photograph by Chris Hopkins

The winter sun in Melbourne comes in very low in the late afternoon but it is golden and warm and I wanted to use this to contrast against the blacks that form in the shadows of the city. I only had a ten-minute window before the sun dropped behind the high-rises so I would find the pocket of light and move the subject into position then let them pose as they wanted. Some would stare at the camera, some would smile others looked away but they all have a certain dignity to them, even after all they have been through and that is ultimately what I wanted to show.

Did the size of the camera and lens combination put off your subjects at all? Were any shots arranged or did you take the portraits without any planning?

I think the size of the camera helps. In this situation, the homeless had long telephoto lens pointed at them from across the street, so immediately if I went into the camp with that sort of gear it would be met with apprehension. I know from experience that using a big press kit on intimate documentary work can have an adverse effect as the subject can feel objectified. The less myself and my camera compromise a situation the more ‘real’ the image will be. Obviously, it’s got a great deal to do with how you interact with the subject as to what picture you make but I feel the Fujifilm’s smaller, less conspicuous size helps put the subject at ease.

For the series of portraits published in Fairfax Media, as mentioned earlier, I basically had the guys, 2 or 3 at a time follow me into pockets of light as it slowly fell away. We would chat and interact and I would make pictures as the sun dropped. I would return the next day at the same time to do more and because of the initial work I did getting to know them it was easy for me to organise people to photograph.

Is there a reason why you decided to photograph in black and white and can you elaborate on the lighting setup you used?

I wanted the portraits to have an ageless feel like they could be from the States during the depression or under Thatcher in the backstreets of London but I also wanted to give the subject a sense of dignity, despite their situation. I feel that by making the images Black and White it was easier to achieve this goal. The lighting was all natural. I just found the smallest shard of light possible and by exposing for the light it meant that the shadows deepened and made for the contrast I was looking for.

When engaging with the people, did you form any emotional ties with any of them, and how has this project affected your outlook on life?

Since meeting these guys I now know most of them to say G’day too and have a chat about how their day is going. I am in the city for the paper or Getty most days so I get to see them reasonably often. I always have had an open view regarding people and their circumstances, by that I mean not to judge a book by its cover, but I wasn’t aware of the wide variety of people who are homeless. While many are drug dependent and some are violent, most that I know are quite gentle and polite, often with some form of mental illness, but a quick chat and asking how they are can mean the world of difference to their day. One gentleman Asha, I have formed a bond with and subsequently, I have been documenting his life on the street.

You mentioned you were documenting Asha’s life on the street after one of his family members got in contact after seeing him in published photos online. How has the story unfolded since?

I received a message via social media, six months after the series was published, from his grand-daughter saying that she saw the images and was certain Asha was her missing grandfather. Her family hadn’t had any contact in thirteen years and had presumed he was dead. She asked, if possible, could I contact him or somehow get a message to him for her.

Image of Asha Lang from long term project by Chris Hopkins. Photograph by Chris Hopkins

I wasn’t sure that he wanted to be found or have anything to do with his family as I was aware that his past, especially his family life, was quite chequered. After a couple of days searching I found him in a new camp that was set up on Flinders St and has since become infamous for its open visible drug use and recently disbanded by police. He was cleanly shaven unlike in his portrait where he sported a heavy beard.

When I told him about his granddaughter he was overcome with emotion and desperately wanted to make contact. I’m sure he rang from a payphone within 5 minutes of me giving him the number and I have been documenting his life on the street ever since. It has been an emotional and at times frustrating project, as it’s hard to find him as initially Asha didn’t carry a phone, but I guess knowing that because of my work he has made steps to reunite with his family and put plans in place to better his quality of life is rewarding personally. The full story, “Melbourne’s homeless: Photo tells the story of hope and renewal for Asha Lang” can be seen here.

Can you see yourself staying with Fujifilm X Series equipment for your future projects and how has the Fujifilm X-T1 helped you with your photography?

Oh definitely! I now use both the X-T1 and the X-T2 on all my projects. The nature of press photography is one of constant pressure and there is a great deal of emphasis on speed. Events happen quickly, you’ve got to be fast to get the shot and filing must be done so quickly that it seems the editor wants the pics before you make them! Using the Fujifilm gear allows me to get into a situation where I can dictate how long I need to make the shot. By giving myself that time I then can concentrate more effort on composition and really think about the story the image will portray. I am also in awe of the image quality that I get from the lens. I use the XF23mmF1.4 and the XF14mmF2.8 and the crispness of the image and focus speed are second to none in my mind.

Where can people find you online if they want to see more of your work and do you have any other projects coming up we should look out for?

My folio can be seen at http://www.chris-hopkins.com.au. My next project has already been shot, all with Fujifilm gear, and will be released as part of a documentary film release campaign in March. I spent time in the Mentawai, an archipelago off the coast of Sumatra, which is the home to a small indigenous tribe that is on the brink of extinction. A small band of natives led by their Sikerei (Shaman) are rebelling against the government’s forced assimilation program that strips them of their culture and traditional ways. It was an amazing experience and the images are particularly striking so I can’t wait for it to be published.

To view more of Chris’s work visit his Facebook Page or follow him on Instagram or Twitter.

Other interviews in this series

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Dale Rogers

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Josselin Cornou

Filed under Interviews X-Photographer

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Josselin Cornou

by Fujifilm Australia April 6, 2017 Comments4

Through a photographer’s eye is the first in a series of interviews featuring Australian photographers. In each interview, we learn about the person behind the camera and how they use Fujifilm X Series cameras to photograph the world around them. Our fifth interview is with Sydney based photographer, Josselin Cornou.

Josselin, your photography is extraordinary, can you tell us about yourself, what you do and why you enjoy taking photos?

Photography is simply more than just a hobby, it’s sometimes a way of life. Working in a highly competitive and technical environment, I see photography as a way to express my feelings and develop my artistic mindset. I also see a real opportunity to use photography to gain impact by campaigning, in order to help great causes, like the reduction of CO2 in the world.

Funny enough, I was lucky to follow the training “Search Inside Yourself”, the #1 most popular training program at Google, and I was stunned to see that photography is actually really similar to the process of meditating and journaling. Slowing down and appreciating without judging, in order to capture the moment at its fullest!

You recently ventured to the Rocky Creek Canyon in New South Wales to test out the new Fujifilm X100F. Tell us, how did you find the experience and did the X100F perform well?

The Fujifilm performed well, it felt like the previous X100S, just better. The top ISO dial was really useful in order to change settings on the fly. This is actually really useful, as you can’t always carry a tripod while venturing through canyons.

It is interesting to know that, while shooting in a long ‘technical’ Canyon, you need to be aware that time can be against you:

You spend typically at least a good 80-90% of your time swimming/abseiling/jumping around/throwing bags in the water. You need a camera that you can take quickly, and being able to change setting in a click of a button is a real advantage.
You will spend less than 20% of the time with a tripod. Time counts, and trust me – you don’t want to get stuck in the water (it’s freezing)

To add to the complexity of canyoning photography, you need to manage really wide dynamic range, and bracketing is sometimes the only option to capture the moment.

I think the X100F is a nice camera to venture into incredible landscapes. While I am a big adept of ultra wide angle, it is good sometimes to keep yourself at a 35mm focal length (full frame equivalent). If I needed a wider field of view, I would simply create a stitched pano. The fact that the X100 series has a small lens is actually a big plus for panorama photography. You will unlikely see any parallax issues while composing your panorama.

Again, I have to say I do love the new top dial to change the ISO on the fly. Also, I like the compact size of the body.

The canyon was quite treacherous in some parts, can you let the readers know how you kept the Fujifilm X100F dry? Also, did the battery life perform for the day-long expedition?

My solution: Use a dry bag in a dry bag 🙂 Macpac do sell those small 5L dry bags for a couple of dollars, and that should cover you for most situations when venturing through the water. Using an underwater housing would be best, but those dry bags do the job just fine.

I only needed to use one battery. That was actually more than enough for a day shooting in a canyon (about 400 shots). I personally never wondered why battery life on mirrorless was an issue. Those batteries are much lighter than DSLR cameras.

How do you like to push the photographic boundaries from a technical imaging aspect and can you show us an example of your imaging process and explain how you formed the final shot?

Below are two examples on how I process my photos from start to finish.

Example One: My personal three-way incremental techniques. A technique to render photos within 5-10 minutes:

First, you have to think about the colour pattern that is going to be used for the photos (e.g. colour wheel). Start with the original image and edit it using Lightroom. I quickly work on the highlights, shadows, white and blacks in the photo. I also correct the hue/saturation of the different colour channels in order to follow my preferred colour wheel scheme. I finally correct distortion and the general aspect ratio in order to bring back the photo as close as I saw it with my own eyes.

2. I continue to the second step by opening the photo with Nik Software Color Efex Pro 4. I usually apply a custom version of the recipe named “Soft Landscape” and remove any vignetting but add some sharpness back to the photos. Also, I apply some of the filters to the selected part of the photo.

3. Then, I reiterate on step one and two until I am happy with the photo.

Before

After

Example Two: HDR (High Dynamic Range)

One of my best photography techniques is to bracket multiple exposures of the same shot. Why would you do this you might say?

Sometimes you need more dynamic range, and you don’t have time to manually change your settings. This is particularly useful if you go on a non-photography tour. This technique should give you way more flexibility to edit your photo.

Originals:

Here I am happy with the general colours of the photos so I will stick with the Analogous colour scheme (groups of three colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel) to portray the natural colour of the rock.
Following this, I will then create my HDR using Lightroom. This technique should work 99% percent of the time. If not, I would recommend using Photoshop to merge your HDR.

At this stage, I generally disable auto tone, because it sometimes gives an unrealistic (and ugly) result:

Instead of enabling this feature, I reset the auto tone, and play with HDR photos produced by Lightroom. My rule of thumb here is to only edit incrementally, slowly so that I don’t go over the top with any settings:

Settings:
In this image you can see the settings I used in Lightroom to achieve the overall look.

As seen in the photo, during our expedition, the sunlight was hitting the green fern and trees, adding a green ambient light. However, the rock colours remained with a warmer tonality. (It is also interesting to note that Bayer sensors are twice more sensitive to green). I decided to bring back the original colours of the rocks by using an elliptic tool. The end result gave me a nice gradient between the two colour tones. It was important to note that I had to make sure to keep the colours within the predefined Analogous colour scheme.

I then process two copies of the photo using a Lightroom Plugin called Color Efex Pro and Analog Efex Pro with two different tonalities:

left image – Analog Efex Pro, right image – Color Efex Pro.

Here you can see the final result of both photos. The Analog Efex Pro layer will be used for vignetting, while the Color Efex Pro layer(a warmer version of the original photo) will be used for the centre area to obtain the following rendition. Again changes are extremely subtle:

Finally, we can reprocess the image with Lightroom. The goal here is to slightly increase the exposure of the centre of this frame and slightly accentuate the contrast of the underexposed areas. This should create an all round better depth in the image.

This should give me a more natural, more realistic photo – depicting a better vision of what was seen during that moment.

Before

After

Something worth noting is that you can use the following programs to continually reprocess your image to recreate the scene. By making small incremental changes in Lightroom followed by Nik software and then Photoshop, you will be able to recreate the scene as you saw it with your own eyes. I personally used this processing workflow for some of my most popular shots, such as these: ‘Lonely Solitude‘, ‘Sunrise with the old Gods‘ and ‘Sakura, from the leaves to the sky‘.

If you have some advice for someone starting out in photography what would it be?

Buy a camera with a fixed manual lens. In a day of automation, it is easy to go into the classic auto mode. It works really well in most cases, but this also means that the user will hardly learn any photographic concept. Having a limited focal length will help the user reframe the shot, avoiding any bad practices like constantly zooming. My first camera was a Panasonic GH2 + Voigtlander 25mmF0.95. That setup really helped me step up my game.

If you want to do landscape, then get an ultra wide angled lens. These lenses are expensive, but they will help you frame those ultra wide shots – making it totally worth it.

You mentioned in a conversation you had a previous X Series model, what made you decide on Fujifilm X Series equipment in the first place and how do you see it’s future unfolding with the introduction of mirrorless medium format?

I love the compactness of the system. One camera that really interested me was the X70. I liked it because it provides a 28mm with an adapter to go to 21mm. I travel a lot for work and leisure, and I want to keep my gear light.

I think Fujifilm is going toward a good direction with the medium format:

The camera market is shrinking, it’s very evident with CIPA shipment hitting a new low this year. In the way I see things going, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the interchangeable camera market becoming a niche. To prevent this, camera manufacturers needs to innovate on a hardware and software point of view.
Full frame cameras are now proposing higher megapixel cameras. The problem is that effective resolution on full frame camera tops around ~50-70MP. Two solutions to increase those: scale up the size of the sensor, or change the design of the sensor (3 layers stacked one, etc.).

Now you have had some time with the X100F, were there any features you enjoyed using and what would you like to see improved in future X Series models?

Enjoyed using:

ISO dial, it was great!
Quick menu settings.
The small joystick that can be used to navigate and change focus points.
Backwards compatibility with X100 series lens and accessories.

Things to improve:

– ISO dial is great, I love it. It is sometimes hard to change it on the go.

– Please provide an app store where we could install apps for time-lapse, overlay with apps (e.g. predicting the position of the sun, etc), social media apps (snap, etc.). Transferring photo to a laptop is old. Sometimes we just want to share on the go.

Looking at your photos we noticed you love to travel. Are there any essential pieces of equipment you like to take with you before travelling and what’s the best way to conduct research on the places you are planning to visit?

I usually like to bring with me:

Drone (DJI Mavic Pro).
Camera with wide angle lens (15-30mm ~), 50mm lens and 70-200mm. And the kit lens of course (for my underwater housing). Oh and I always have a second old body, just in case one breaks.
Underwater housing, if I plan on bringing the camera underwater. I have a cheap one that does an excellent job (Meikon).
Solar panel to charge on the go + 10,000 mAh battery so that I can quickly charge my camera and equipment.
A phone camera, that is always good to have.
A small tripod, and sometimes a bigger one.

The best way to conduct research on places I am planning to visit: That’s a tough question – I usually look at travel guides, I also look at the weather, and the likelihood to see wildlife and scenery (that will dictate which lens I am taking). Also use an app like Photopills to know what I am going to shoot (night photography, etc.). In most cases, I wait only a few days before booking my hotel. The weather might change, and this may dictate your choice of location.

I don’t like to look at too many photos from other photographers of the place I’m going to, because it sometimes might spoil the feeling of that place, and it will also give me too much temptation to imitate them. It also gives the opportunity to look at a place differently.

To see more photos from Josselin follow him on Instagram or visit his website here.

Other interviews in this series

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Dale Rogers

Filed under Interviews X-Photographer

X-Thusiast Featured Photographer Tafa Ali

by Fujifilm Australia April 3, 2017 Comments3

The latest featured photographer in our X-Thusiast program is Tafa Ali. Tafa was born in Indonesia, and lives in Sydney. Keen on fashion photography, Tafa shoots at runways and enjoys attending photo exhibits at art galleries.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and where you are from?

My name is Tafa Ali. I was born in Indonesia and I am currently living in Sydney, Australia. I’m a freelance photographer and I work at Spectrum Camera House.

Tafa Ali

I was focused on music and drawing when suddenly photography had a massive impact on me after I picked up a film camera in high school. It has now been six years that I have been shooting and have exhibited my work overseas and in Australia.

“Blue and Gold” X-Pro2 + XF56mmF1.2 R APD

How did you develop an interest in photography using Fujifilm equipment?

I was a Canon shooter before, but with the new mirrorless technology and the amount of gigs I was going to be doing, Fujifilm was a better choice for me. When first picking up a X100S from a mate, I loved how sharp my photos were and how easy it was to change the settings in manual mode using the dials. It reminded me of when I was shooting film. This simplicity made me want to purchase only Fujifilm cameras going forward.

How would you describe your photography style and strategy?

My photography style is focused on fashion, portrait and event photography. Mostly I shoot with natural light or a direct flash for my portrait and fashion shots. Keep it simple and clean, unless the client wants a different setup.

“Oscar de la Renta Backstage” X100T

What inspires your photography?

People – everyone has their own unique characters. I love capturing their personality.

Where are your favourite places to take photos and do you prefer a certain type of light to photograph in?

I don’t have any favourite places to shoot because I mostly shoot indoor. When I shoot outdoor, I like to shoot on random streets in the city or Newtown and mainly beaches, too. I like shooting in the shade because the light is very soft and diffused, which really helps to bring out nice skin tones.

“Botanic Garden” X-Pro2 +XF56mmF1.2 R APD

What is your favourite memory from a photography session?

When I was shooting one of my favourite musicians, Steve Vai!

Can you tell us what is your favourite Fujifilm camera and why?

I used to have X-T1, but mostly I use the X100T because of the hybrid viewfinder. Now I prefer to use the X-Pro2 as my favourite camera to use. It has a much better autofocus – especially after the firmware update. And it’s super amazing in low light! I was photographing fireworks on New Year’s Eve at ISO 8000 and I barely saw any noise. Also, I can use all my vintage lenses from my film cameras on X-Pro2 with my adapters.

Which Fujinon lens or lenses do you prefer to use with your Fujifilm camera and why?

I shoot 99% portrait and fashion, so the Fujinon XF56mmF1.2 R APD is my favourite. It’s a super sharp lens at F1.2 and I just love the colours and the really nice soft bokeh!

“Sunday Morning in Bronte” X100T

What sort of workflow do you use in your photography? Do you shoot in RAW or Jpeg?

Mostly I edit my photos using Lightroom and Photoshop. I shoot RAW and Jpeg on each individual SD card. For mobile editing, I can transfer and edit straight on my phone, for this I use snapseed and VSCO.

Do you have any technical tips you’d like to share? Perhaps suggestions on the best lighting, shutter speed, white balance, aperture, ISO, etc.? Other preferences?

Before I start shooting, I need to have a concept first. Planning ahead saves so much time on location later. I always set my ISO first, and then aperture; the last thing is shutter speed. If I need to change the exposure I just change the shutter speed dial. I always use auto white balance except when I shoot fashion runways. This is when you have to adjust your own white balance (saves a lot of editing time) because the lighting keeps changing every second.

“Newtown Chill” X100T

Do you have advice for new photographers or the next potential X-Thusiast?

Watch a lot of tutorials online but don’t spend too much time in front of your computer. Go outside and shoot, hang out and make friends with people who love photography too.

Attend photographic exhibitions, go to art galleries and join photo walks. I might see you there at the next People with Cameras by Fujifilm. Looking forward to the next one. 🙂

Are you interested in becoming our next featured X-Thusiast photographer? Check out our full X-Thusiast Gallery and submission details.

Filed under Interviews

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Dale Rogers

by Fujifilm Australia March 29, 2017 Comments6

Through a photographer’s eye is the first in a series of interviews featuring Australian photographers. In each interview, we learn about the person behind the camera and how they use Fujifilm X Series cameras to photograph the world around them. Our fourth interview is with Phillip Island based photographer, Dale Rogers.

Dale, having viewed your images via your website and Facebook page can you tell us more about yourself and why you started an adventure based photography business with your partner?

Cecilia, my wife, and I been using cameras since the old film days. I began when I was around 10 years old using my Dad’s Canon AE-1 Program camera. I have shot full frame digital until a couple of years ago when I bought my first Fujifilm as a ‘mirrorless experiment’. Since that time, I have sold all my full frame Canon gear and use the X-T1, X-T10 and X-T2 cameras and a wide selection of lenses.

We both work other jobs alongside Photo Rangers until the business model is more self-sustainable. Cecilia is an academic and teaches literature at Deacon University to students studying education and I manage a government human services program.

Fujifilm X-T1 – XF18mmF2 R – ISO 200 – F2.8 – 1/4000 second

We are passionate about photography, educating others and the environment. We decided our passion could be combined in a unique mix. With our adventure based workshop business Photo Rangers we thought we could teach photography skills in the natural environment and not only teach camera skills, composition and photography techniques but we could also teach about the unique ecosystem on Phillip Island/Wilson’s Prom – the geology, flora, fauna and the delicate balance of sustainability required.

We believe that a person takes a better photo when they clearly identify the subject and understand the ‘story’ around that subject. This serves two purposes for us – workshop participants learn to use their gear and take better photos and they have a better understanding of the environment and eco-system. We call our mix of adventure based workshops and environmental education eco-photography.

Finally, we do what we do because we love to have fun. On all of our workshops, we ensure a supportive and fun approach allowing participants to easily remember the lessons from the adventure.

What sort of feeling do you get when you find yourself outdoors photographing with Fujifilm X Series equipment?

Easy. The equipment is not a burden to carry the 9 or 10 kilometres we sometimes travel on a trail. So I feel less burdened, more free with my Fujifilm gear. I’m able to enjoy the hike, the sight, sounds, smells and the experience of being outdoors. It allows me to enjoy the hike and focus on seeing the light and compositions that appear as I walk.

Fujifilm X-T10 – XF10-24mmF4 R OIS – ISO 200 – F7.1 – 1/30 second

The Fujifilm viewfinder looks amazing and when I peer through the camera, I can quickly change my shutter speed or aperture to find just the right exposure instantly. That means I miss very few shots and I am not frequently chimping down on the back screen of the camera to see if I got it. I get more keepers with less effort with my Fujifilm cameras.

And finally, I know that the Fujifilm camera will take as good a shot as can be taken. I never worry about having a better camera because I am confident I have everything I need to get the perfect photo.

Fujifilm X-T10 – XF18mmF2 R – ISO 200 – F9 – 1/30 second

Can you elaborate on how you use Fujifilm equipment out in the field to connect with the rest of world?

Since moving to Fujifilm, I have slowly moved away from the epic, ND filtered landscapes. Epic landscapes put you out of the picture as if you are viewing from a window or viewing a painting. They are epic in scale and the viewer feels small in comparison to the scene portrayed. Epic landscape photos are taken in breathtaking beautiful places. Places where cars pull over, people stop and marvel at the view and are destinations to visit.

An intimate landscape is rarely noticed by a passerby. They are not marked on a map, hiked to, driven past, camped at or explored. They just exist. They exist right under our feet or right in front of our eyes. They are there for the finding if one slows down and really looks.

Fujifilm X-T2 – XC50-230mmF4.5-6.7 OIS – ISO 800 – F6.7 – 1/30 second

An intimate landscape encompasses the viewer and pulls them into a special secret moment of time, place and space. The viewer is not outside of, but rather, included within the intimate landscape. Using my Fujifilm equipment, I can slow down enough and find these intimate landscapes.

I push my gear pretty hard and frequently drop lenses, have tripods blow over, bang cameras along rocks or cliffsides and get the camera and myself very wet. My gear gets caked in salt grime, sand and mud regularly. I have not had any misfortune with the X Series so far!

Fujifilm X-T2 – XF10-24mmF4 R OIS – ISO 200 – F9 – 1/1000 second

When you are out by yourself photographing the landscapes of Phillip Island and surrounds what do you tend to take with you in terms of camera equipment? For someone starting out in this field, what Fujifilm gear would you recommend?

I always carry two cameras at hand. I clip the Fujifilm X-T10 with a XF10-24mmF4 lens to my backpack strap with a Peak Capture Plate. I carry the Fujifilm X-T2 with a XF50-140mmF2.8 lens. This gives me the ability to get the intimate landscape and wildlife shots with the X-T2 and the wide beautiful landscapes with the X-T10 without having to change lenses or dig around in my pack.

For astro photography, I use the X-T2 with the XF18mmF2 lens and set up the X-T10 with a XF14mmF2.8 lens some distance away. I use the X-T10’s built in intervalometer to take consecutive shots to build star trails or a time-lapse sequence.

Fujifilm X-T2 – XF14mmF2.8 R – ISO 320 – F2.8 – 25 seconds

For the beginning photographer, I recommend buying to your budget. If the budget fits the X-T2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 then I recommend that as the initial setup. However, often I see photographers just starting on their discovery of the craft and not able to invest in the top end gear. I recommend the X-T10/X-T20 with XF18-55mmF2.8-4 combo as a starting kit.

If you have some advice for someone starting out in photography what would it be?

If you are just starting out in photography, I recommend you follow and watch other photographers on social media especially those who are shooting similar things to yourself. By watching others, you see perspectives or ideas for shooting that you would not have thought of or you start analysing the images trying to determine how the shot was achieved.

Fujifilm X-T1 – XF10-24mmF4 R OIS – ISO 400 – F7.1 – 1/250 second

Have a look at some of the old masters (or current masters) of photography and see their images. My inspiration for intimate landscapes came from Eliot Porter, one of the first professionals to use colour film, and Jai Maisel who currently shoots street photography in New York City. Have a look at their work and see if you can see the connection I made between them.

I also encourage photographers to try one of the 52-week challenges that exist. On our Photo Rangers Community Facebook page, we host a 52-week challenge. This is a personal challenge and not a contest or competitive event. The purpose is to get photographers creating photos and shooting subjects they would not have done otherwise. If you want to join along in this supportive community, come on over to http://facebook.com/groups/photorangerscommunity

Do you have a favourite setting or film simulation you use when photographing in outdoor locations, and what about editing, does this form a part of your workflow?

I sometimes enjoy shooting with the Acros film simulation. By looking through the viewfinder at a black and white image, light is seen differently and my composition and exposure will be slightly different than if I were not using Acros.

I customise and change up my camera’s Q Menu to shoot in several different film simulations and styles on a regular basis.

Fujifilm X-T10 – XF10-24mmF4 R OIS – ISO 200 – F9 – 1/1000 second

I import both the JPG and RAW files into Lightroom CC. There are times where the JPG files look great and no real editing is required. But, if there are big differences in the dynamic range of light, I’ll do a thorough edit of the RAW file. The only time I will use Photoshop is to create star trails for multiple images.

I export completed images in a 2048px longest edge JPG with a water mark and a full resolution JPG without. The 2048px file is used for social media and the full resolution to be used for print.

What sort of wildlife do you photograph and is there a particular time of year when someone should visit Phillip Island?

There are seasonal changes to the wildlife on Phillip Island and I adjust my shooting based on what’s available as well as the position of the sun and Milky Way relevant to my favourite shooting locations.

Summer is my favourite time of year because, on the narrow Cape Woolamai Peninsula, wallabies move from the forested East side to the rugged cliffs of the West near sunset each day. I can always count on finding a few wallabies grazing on a cliff side with the ocean and setting sun as backgrounds creating a perfect shot.

Fujifilm X-T2 – XC50-230mmF4.5-6.7 OIS – ISO 200 – F4.5 – 1/125 second

Summer is also when Cape Woolamai is home to almost two million Short Tailed Shearwater birds. They venture out before sunrise each morning to feed on ocean krill and return just after sunset each night in a massive flock to their burrows. The return of the Shearwaters each evening is a magical experience and I’m out there on a regular basis with our adventure based workshops to see and photograph them.

The Shearwaters leave the island in the fall but we experience the migration of Humpback and Southern Right whales to warmer waters in the winter.

The Milky Way is also very prominent in the night sky during winter and conditions for astrophotography are perfect.

Fujifilm X-T2 – XF18mmF2 R – ISO 1600 – F2 – 20 seconds

Based on your experience, what advice can you give to someone thinking about upgrading their current digital SLR to a Fujifilm mirrorless system?

What are you waiting for? Having shot both full frame DSLR and Fujifilm mirrorless simultaneously, I saw no reason to maintain the heavy DSLRs and inferior lenses. Seriously, I recommend people to go hold the Fujifilm or try one out. That’s usually all it takes. Once a photographer spends a few minutes with the Fujifilm, they are hooked. Just the ability to shoot off the histogram makes getting the right shot much easier than you can ever do with the exposure meter on a DSLR.

Fujifilm X-T1 – XC50-230mmF4.5-6.7 OIS – ISO 200 – F7.1 – 1/2000 second

I do recommend that photographers seriously look at the X-T2, XF10-24mmF4, XF16-55mmF2.8 and XF50-140mmF2.8 as the basic starter kit covering most focal lengths. From there they can pick up a few primes to suit their shooting style or preference.

To see more photos from Dale follow him on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or visit the Photo Rangers website.

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Filed under Interviews X-Photographer

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Ian Tan

by Fujifilm Australia March 23, 2017 Comments3

Through a photographer’s eye is the first in a series of interviews featuring Australian photographers. In each interview, we learn about the person behind the camera and how they use Fujifilm X Series cameras to photograph the world around them. Our third interview is with Melbourne based photographer, Ian Tan.

Ian, can you tell us about yourself, how you became interested in photography and what sort of business you run?

I’m a semi-professional photographer with a growing interest in video also. I juggle a Monday to Thursday job as a systems accountant and I also run a corporate photography business with my wife Rena. I’ve been photographing for nearly 10 years, beginning with a Samsung i8510 8MP camera phone and then a Canon S90 point-and-shoot. I really started getting serious about photography around 6 years ago when I bought a Canon 600D. I didn’t use it much and the trusty iPhone was my main camera until I happened across the Fujifilm X100. Truth be told, it was initially the retro look of the camera that made me want to get one but after reading good reviews about it online I decided to take the plunge and bought one. I was totally blown away by how intuitive it was to use and the amazing image quality. It really made me want to take it everywhere and shoot with it.

Beauchamp Falls: X-T2 – XF10-24mmF4 – ISO 200 – F8 – 15 seconds

I was consistently getting comments on how lovely the colours were (straight out of camera JPEGs). I was shooting mainly street photography and family occasions but when I graduated to the X-Pro1 and X-T1, I began to shoot more travel and landscape shots which evolved into a real passion of mine.

Mountain & Fjord Reflections: X-T2 – XF23mmF1.4 – ISO 200 – F8 – 1/320 second (Acros+R filter)

I really enjoy being out and about, away from the crowds, where it’s early in the morning or late at night, and it’s just me and Rena with our cameras and God’s beautiful creation. I try not to restrict myself to any particular style of photography. I love Fujifilm’s vibrant punchy colours, but I also love their muted Classic Chrome and Acros black & white film simulations. Over the last couple of years, I’ve been running a corporate photography business with my wife, Rena, and shooting corporate headshots and business website photography, so portraiture has also become a big part of my photography.

After viewing your work online we noticed you are branching out into video, what are your thoughts on the Fujifilm X-T2 for video work? Have you found it easy to move into this field with this camera?

I’ve been shooting more video recently because it’s such a great communication medium, especially online. I find the X-T2 to be very capable of great video, able to shoot 4K and f-log. The Fujifilm image quality and colour is all there – sharp detail, punchy colours and good dynamic range. Having the whole lineup of Fujinon excellent lenses to choose from is also great. As I write this, I’ve just returned from a 3-week vacation in Malaysia videoing our family Chinese New Year celebrations and winter in Norway, using the X-T2 with the XF23mmF1.4 and the XF14mmF2.8 lenses. Everything went smoothly without a hitch.

From a photographer’s perspective, it’s really convenient to be able to shoot video with the same camera. Just flick the dial from stills to video and I’m good to go. The camera/lens combo is super-light, portable and easy to use and it suits a run-and-gun style of shooting. The X-T2’s EVF and tiltable LCD displays are also clear and sharp.

The X-T2 will record 4K, and the f-log picture profile maximises the dynamic range you can squeeze from your footage during post-processing. However, I still prefer working in HD (1080p) because it’s what my Macbook Pro can handle comfortably and all my footage ends up online anyway so 1080p is more than sufficient. Also, the higher frame rate (50 fps) is useful if you want to slow things down when editing.

With my recent shooting experiences with the X-T2, I know that I can get great results with minimal fussing around in post-processing which cuts down the time needed to get to a finished product. One minor quibble I do have is that I wish the X-T2 would allow me to record f-log direct to the SD card so that I have that ability to squeeze as much dynamic range from the footage as possible. Currently, it’s only possible recording f-log via HDMI out to an external recorder like an Atomos Shogun/Ninja which I don’t always bring along. I also do wish Fujifilm had some X-series cinema lenses with click-less aperture rings. The sound of the lens focusing and the clicks when changing apertures also gets captured in video as well which isn’t so good.

If you have some advice for someone starting out in photography what would it be?

Advice for new photographers? Don’t get hung up on the gear. I go a bit nuts about gear myself but at the end of the day, they are just tools. You use the right one for the job, and everyone has their preference for which tools they like to use. Cameras and lenses from any major brand these days are all very capable – heck, even the iPhone takes awesome images – provided you use them properly. So learning how to use your chosen camera (and editing software) well to translate the creative vision that you see in your mind into beautiful images is more important than staying up to date with the latest and greatest gear. Get out and shoot more. Learn to connect with others and draw inspiration from them, not intimidation. Having said that, I love Fujifilm, the way the cameras handle, the image quality, and the company’s philosophy in how they make cameras and support them through continuous firmware improvements (gotta love kaizen!).

Astrup Fearnley Museum, Oslo: Fujifilm X-T2, XF23mmF1.4 – ISO 200 – F11 – 1/400 second

In your experience, how do you find the Fujinon line up lenses? Do you have a favourite photo that demonstrates your experience when using this equipment?

For me, Fujinon lenses are the best lenses for the Fujifilm camera system. The image quality (sharpness, bokeh, distortion, etc) is superb. The lenses are also well built, not too heavy, and very affordable, compared to lenses from full-frame systems. The native lenses also allow autofocus to work and pass on EXIF data which is also important. I have dabbled with a Lensbaby and a couple of Samyang/Rokinon lenses (and they’re mostly good) but I keep coming back to the Fujinon glass. They are consistently good and they get the job done well. One of my favourite lenses is the XF14mmF2.8 which is a tiny lens, around AUD $700-$800, and for me, is the perfect landscape lens.

Norwegian Harpoon: X-T2 – XF14mmF2.8 – ISO 200 – F2.8 – 1/1250 second

I’ve shot with it in all sorts of conditions – ocean spray along Melbourne’s coastline, tropical Malaysia and Fiji, and sub-zero temperatures of the Alaskan winter shooting the aurora. One thing I’ve discovered that not many people may know is that the XF14mmF2.8 has a very close minimum focusing distance. I think the specs on the Fujifilm website says it’s 18cm but in reality, it’s a bit closer than that. I managed to capture a very close up shot of the patterns in the ice while I was in Norway and I was literally on my hands and knees with the camera right up to the ground as I took that shot.

Ice Patterns: X-T2, XF14mmF2.8 – ISO 500 – F4 – 1/125 second

When photographing portraits what sort of lens and lighting do you use?

When photographing portraits, my go-to lens is the XF56mmF1.2 R APD. For something wider (environmental portraits) I’ll usually use the XF35mmF1.4 or the XF23mmF1.4. The XF56mm, in particular, is tack sharp with delicious bokeh. I use the Profoto B1 and B2 OCF system for lighting. They run on batteries so they are ‘wireless’ and portable. I love their colour consistency from shot to shot. While Profoto only has the standard Air Remote wireless trigger (no TTL and HSS), I usually manually dial in my settings anyway and once I lock that in for a studio shoot, it hardly ever changes for the shoot, except for the occasional tweak. I think there are 3rd party triggers that will work but I haven’t tried them out yet. However, I recently acquired the new Fujifilm EF-X500 flash which has TTL and HSS and I’m really keen to try that out on a studio shoot.

Your partner Rena Tan also photographs using Fujifilm X Series – how do you find working with your partner in the same portrait business? Do you have a different creative approach and a different way of seeing things even if the gear is the same?

I love it that we both share the same passion for photography! We discuss and plan everything together – our ideas, locations, gear, etc. It’s a real blessing. Rena and I have slightly different approaches to photography. We shot a wedding together once, and she seems to gravitate towards the wide-angle shots while I prefer to shoot closer in to capture details. Just a general observation of course. In the studio, she’ll take the time to nail down something that works and runs with that. I prefer to shoot from the hip a little more which can lead to some really great shots, but also some pretty bad ones!

Can you tell us the story behind your favourite photo you have captured using Fujifilm X Series equipment?

Apart from photography, I’m also a huge geek, and I’m into anime, sci-fi, fantasy, comics, etc. Recently I hooked up with some really hardcore cosplayers from the Geelong Cosplay Society who go to extreme amounts of effort and expense to pull together their outfits. The guy who leads the group has the most awesome Deathstroke outfit and we did a shoot on a carpark rooftop one evening and came away with some really awesome images. One image of him kneeling down looking for his next target did the rounds on Instagram and has been picked up to be featured on the cover of the March issue of Cosplayzine. Pretty stoked about that! I shot that with the X-T2 and the XF16-55mmF2.8 lens.

Deathstroke: X-T2, XF16-55mmF2.8 – ISO 200 – F4 – 1/160 second (Model: Samm Williams)

The colours and the detail that the X-Trans sensors and X Series glass are able to produce never ceases to amaze me! There was also another image taken during the same shoot of another cosplayer in a Superman outfit. Again, punchy vibrant colours and tack-sharp detail.

Superman: X-T2 – XF16-55mmF2.8 – ISO 200 – F2.8 – 1/800 second (Model: Sam Schubert)

Are there any creative people you know of who inspire you to experiment with your photography and take it to the next level?

Ah yes, my photography heroes… how much time do we have again? For landscape, I love the photography work of Varina Patel, Elia Locardi and Tony Hewitt (strongly artistic and compositional) all of whom I had the pleasure of meeting at the F Stop Lounge Fiji Workshop back in 2015. I also met Emily Lian Ji Wong there and her travel landscape images are also amazing. For street, I love Zack Arias’ work. Love his gritty style and he also shoots Fujifilm! For portrait work, I like Hope Taylor’s photography (bright and happy) and also Antonio Ramos, a relative of my sister-in-law, who takes the most awesome photos of his kids (perfect moments in perfect light). He’s not a pro, but he should be.

Norwegian Sunset: X-T2 – XF23mmF1.4 – ISO 400 – F5.6 – 20 seconds

For video work, I’m really inspired by the work of Michael Fletcher and Lee Herbert. Their videos all have a real cinematic quality to them. Their colour grading is excellent and compositionally their videos are like watching exquisite photographs in motion (which is what video really is!).

To see more of Ian’s work visit his personal Instagram account @guitarpug, corporate headshots website or general photography and video site.

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