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Shoot with a Zoom Lens in These 7 Photography Instances

by Fujifilm Australia August 26, 2017 Comments2

Some photographers decry use of the zoom lens and insist that you work with a prime whenever possible. There is no replacement for getting close to your subject for a sharper angle and a frame-filling view, this contingent will argue, and they are partly right. Yet there are many instances when it is appropriate, and even ideal, to shoot with a zoom.

 

Here are just seven of the photography moments that will give you reason to turn to your zoom lens.

 

Fill the frame from far away.

 

The first and most obvious use for your zoom is to fill your frame in moments when you do not have access to physically approach your subject. If you are attending an arts performance or sporting event and lack access to the stage or field, your zoom helps you obtain a shot focused on your person of interest.

Image by Pete Bridgwood

 

Pack light, especially on the road, with your zoom.

 

If you are traveling, then you cannot be bogged down with all of the prime lenses needed for various shots. Carry a zoom instead of multiple primes and enjoy the ease of flying and touring with your lightweight kit.

Image by Patricia Davidson

 

Capture the quick-moving subject.

 

Do you want to take action shots of sprinting athletes or charging animals? These subjects are usually distant from you and are moving fast through your frame. Your zoom lens lets you set up a shot from several metres away and establish your composition by anticipating when the subject will jolt through the frame.

 

Get raw, candid shots.

 

Sometimes the best shots are those you get when your subject is unaware of the camera and you can capture them in their natural, unposed state. Your zoom lens can help you achieve this raw, candid photo by taking them from farther away.

 

Compress your foreground and background.

 

Bring your foreground and background together. Not every shot benefits from visible depth of field between the objects nearest and farthest from your camera. With your zoom, you can establish a telephoto effect, making all objects in your frame appear flatter in their depth.


Image by Jamison Ford

 

Bring the crowd together, and feature a favourite.

 

Street photography of crowds is an especially good time for you to create the telephoto effect with your zoom. The many people in your shot will appear even more huddled because of flattened depth. Experiment with compositions that focus on the entire group and others that highlight one face.

Image by Brian Li

 

Flatter your profile subjects.

 

Portrait photography may not seem like the most obvious use for a zoom. But with your zoom you have the option to distance yourself from your subject, giving him or her comfortable space, and get a close shot. It also prevents unfavourable angles, like enlarged noses and chins, from being created when you shoot too close with a prime lens.

 

Of course your zoom is never an excuse for laziness, as some of the prime lens purists fear. Whenever possible, be an agile artist who crouches, slides and approaches to get the perfect angle for the moment.

 

Are you looking for a Fujifilm camera but aren’t sure which one to purchase? Our buying guide helps you determine which one will work best for your photography needs.

Filed under Photography

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Mike Bell

by Fujifilm Australia August 24, 2017 Comments1

Welcome to the Third Series of Through a Photographer’s Eye. In this series, we continue to learn about Australian photographers and how they use X Series Cameras to photograph their world around them. Our third interview in Series Three is with Sydney’s North Beaches based photographer, Mike Bell.

Fujifilm X-T1 – XF16mmF1.4 R WR – 1/350 second – F2.5 – ISO 200

Fujifilm X-T1 – XF16mmF1.4 R WR – 1/80 second – F2.2 – ISO 320

 

Mike, commercial photography isn’t for everyone, so what made you choose the genre and how did you get started?

 

A couple of years ago I was made redundant. I worked for a large company doing photojournalism type photography for a magazine. Being a photographer & retoucher for so many years I wanted to continue my passion for my trade, and there wasn’t that much full-time work that incorporated this.

 

I decided to set up a retouching business, retouching professional wedding photographers images, but soon realised this wasn’t what I wanted. I began to notice the amount of building and construction that was going on around Sydney and decided to target this industry and started getting in touch with large companies to see if I could help out by photographing any of their completed jobs, fit outs or progress photography.

 

This then led me to get involved with event photography and corporate portraits etc. I had done a bit of wedding photography and wasn’t interested in getting involved in that over saturated market and thought there was a business for me in commercial work. So far I am working with a few large building and event companies, and my business is growing every day.    

Fujifilm X-T2 – XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR – 1/45 second – F5 – ISO 6400

 

You use the Fujifilm X-T2 for professional use, how do you find the image quality and do you hear any feedback from clients after they see the images you take?

 

Before switching to Fujifilm cameras about five years ago I was using Nikon DSLR equipment, and my previous job involved a lot of travel, it was a lot of heavy gear to lug around. I began by buying a Fujifilm X100S and was so impressed by the files I was getting I changed my whole kit to Fujifilm cameras.

 

I started using the Fujifilm X-T1 and then upgraded to the X-T2. I find the image quality on my X-T2 superb, in particular with the prime lenses, for the work I am doing the lenses give me amazing results. Unlike the wedding industry feedback from my clients is very thin but when I do get feedback, it is always very positive.

 

I am now very interested in shooting with the new medium format Fujifilm GFX 50S camera and GF lenses. I believe with this new equipment; I can take my images and business to another level. This new medium format camera is absolutely perfect for most of the work I shoot and look forward to the time I can add this camera to my line up.  

Fujifilm X-T1 – XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR – 1/180 second – F2.6 – ISO 200

 

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

 

Photography is obviously a passion and not a job most people would choose if they were not into it, so by having that passion for what you do you are already halfway there. Create a service for clients that is reliable and ALWAYS deliver what you promise.

 

Taking an interest in your customer’s business, showing them you have done your research always helps. Never stop looking for new clients, self-marketing is key. Your creativity and skill will get you so far, that’s almost the easy bit, creating a customer base and the way you deal with your clients can be the difficult bit.

Fujifilm X-T2 – XF16mmF1.4 R WR – 1/160 second – F5 – ISO 200

 

Which was your first Fujinon lens? Can you share your favourite image taken using the lens and tell us how you captured it?

 

My first Fujinon lens was the XF35mmF1.4 R; I obtained the lens when I purchased my Fujifilm X-T1. This is still my favourite lens that sits on my camera most of the time. If I’m looking for a crisp shallow depth of field portrait style shot, this is my go-to lens, and the 50mm equivalent on a 35mm frame is a classic.

Fujifilm X-T1 – XF35mmF1.4 R – 1/160 second – F2.8 – ISO 1600

Ah, choosing a favourite shot with a particular lens is a difficult one. The black & white image shown above is from a recent wedding I took and one of my favourites from the shoot. The XF35mmF1.4 R just nails the beautiful natural low light that was coming through the window that afternoon. The dynamic range is great (another reason I want to upgrade to the Fujifilm GFX 50S camera)

 

If someone was given a brief for a commercial job, what advice can you give them based on your experience?   

Briefs can be handed to you in all sorts of shapes and sizes; I get a lot “We want to look relaxed and easy going without looking to corporate”. Sometimes clients are not sure what they want, and you have to put your creative spin on it. I would always suggest getting as much information you can with regards to what they will be using these images for, for what purpose are they trying to achieve with the shots, the more information you have, the happier the client will be with your images. Always turn up prepared, enough batteries, cards, lighting if needed, etc.

 

Information again is key. Find out when the client needs the images, what format they need them in, anything you can do to make the whole process easy for them will make your job easier.

Fujifilm X-T1 – XF16mmF1.4 R WR – 1/800 second – F2.5 – ISO 200

 

As you photograph quite a bit of architecture how do you find the distortion on the Fujinon lenses compared to any other gear you may have used previously?

 

One word…AMAZING, the Fujinon lenses I use have nearly zero distortion. The widest lens I use in my kit is the Fujinon XF16mmF1.4 (24mm Equiv), I find this wide enough for most of my work and find the barrel distortion almost non-existent, and what there is can be fixed in post. The Fujinon lenses I found a lot better than the Nikon wide lenses I was previously using.

Fujifilm X-T1 – XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR – 1/6 second – F4.5 – ISO 200

Fujifilm X-T1 – XF35mmF1.4 R – 1/55 second – F1.6 – ISO 200

Fujifilm X-T1 – XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR – 1/4 second – F8 – ISO 200

 

Can you provide some insight into your workflow process from shot to end result?

 

I almost always shoot RAW files on most of my jobs and apply my edit to the images in Lightroom depending what the client is after. I also shoot jpegs for a lot of my personal work as I love the in camera Fujifilm Film Simulation presets. I take all images into Lightroom for post processing and supply my client with a proof sheet to choose from and then provide high-resolution files as needed.

Fujifilm X100S – 1/1600 second – F5.6 – ISO 400

 

As a Sydney-sider is there anywhere in the state of New South Wales where you find yourself constantly going back to, to capture that perfect image?

 

As a Sydney based photographer, I travel all over Sydney, quite a bit out west as a lot of large construction is happening out there. I’ve been from Melbourne to Canberra and from Newcastle to the south coast. There is not one particular place that draws me back for any of the commercial work I am doing at the moment, but I did do a job for a magazine once in Broken Hill and would love to go back there and shoot again as the light is amazing out there.

 

If you would like to see more of Mikes’s photography then visit his website or follow him on Instagram or Facebook.

 

Previous interviews from Series Three of Through a Photographer’s Eye:

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Johny Spencer

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Gavin Host

 

 

Filed under Interviews X-Photographer

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Gavin Host

by Fujifilm Australia August 17, 2017 Comments0

Welcome to the Third Series of Through a Photographer’s Eye. In this series, we continue to learn about Australian photographers and how they use X Series Cameras to photograph their world around them. Our second interview in Series Three is with Western Australian photographer, Gavin Host.

 

Gavin, can you tell us about yourself and how you started using Fujifilm X Series cameras?

 

I first picked up a camera in high school and when my chosen career path as a Furniture Maker was abruptly interrupted, I turned to photography once more. I spent five years as an automotive photographer in my home state of Western Australia, but as I began to travel more, my interest turned to landscapes, portraits, architecture – anything I could find. From late 2015 I began travelling full-time, exploring Europe, Asia and recently chose Hội An, Vietnam as my base. During this time, my partner and I established a travel and photography blog and began shooting for tour companies and hotels, which has pushed me as a photographer to be constantly photographing and adapting my skills to different situations on a daily basis.

 

After travelling through Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, Singapore, USA and Canada with a full frame digital SLR kit I found myself leaving lenses behind on a daily basis to save on weight, struggling with a Pelican case on flights, and generally just finding the gear too cumbersome. I decided I needed to find an alternative. In mid 2015 I attended the Camera Electronic Expo in Perth with plenty of research about the Fujifilm gear behind me, but without having picked up a camera yet. I spent a few hours talking to the Fujifilm reps and by the end of the day, I was the proud new owner of an entire Fujifilm kit, complete with an X-T1, X100T and three Fujinon XF lenses. I’ve been travelling with the kit ever since. It has certainly evolved over time and I’ve found that the transition from a full-frame digital SLR kit to the mirrorless Fujifilm gear has been liberating.

Gásadalur waterfall, Faroe Islands – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF10-24mmF4 R – F22 – 3 seconds – ISO 200

 

 

Why do you use the Fujifilm X-Pro2 for your travel photography? Why don’t you use a Digital SLR?

 

The weight and size advantage was my main motive to make the change from a digital SLR to a mirrorless kit. I’ve found my Fujifilm gear to be less intimidating for my subjects when shooting portraits, and it attracts much less attention while I’m on the road, which is definitely a concern in some of the areas I’ve travelled. I moved from the X-T1 to the X-Pro2 as soon as it was released in Scotland, where I was working at the time. My X-Pro2 is the perfect travel companion – lightweight, discreet and capable.

Santorini, Greece – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF10-24mmF4 R – F8 – 8 seconds – ISO 200

 

 

What’s your favourite Fujinon XF lens? Can you share your favourite photo taken with the lens and tell us the story behind the image?

 

The XF23mmF1.4 R, would have to be, by far, my favourite Fujinon XF lens. It’s the perfect focal length for most of what I shoot and is incredibly sharp, fast, and renders beautifully.

Mount Bromo, Indonesia – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF23mmF1.4 R – F8 – 1/50 second – ISO 200

 

My favourite shot from this lens is of Mount Bromo, an active volcano in Java, Indonesia. After a flight, bus trip, and mini van ride, we arrived late afternoon in Cemoro Lawang and spent our evening chatting to the locals to decipher where the best vantage point would be – without being surrounded by tourists, being able to enjoy the moment, and also get the shot I was envisaging. A 3:30am wake-up call after a rough night’s sleep in the worst accommodation we’ve ever stayed at, we took a bumpy and dusty jeep ride in the darkness of the night to the recommended location – lower than the standard view point where there would potentially be hundreds of travellers. It was still pitch black (and freezing!) at this stage so I started shooting photos at ISO 51200 to decipher exactly where the volcano was, before taking some astro shots of the starry night sky. As time wore on I became worried I was out of luck, it was extremely hazy and as the sun began to rise the light was looking flat and dull. And then it hit. Layers upon layers of mountains became visible through the golden light and the sun rose to hit that perfect position, right at the tip of the volcano, glowing through all the billowing smoke.

 

 

What did you most enjoy about growing up in Western Australia?

 

I grew up in a small, quiet town about 100 kilometres east of Perth before I left at 20 to pursue career opportunities in the city. Western Australia has a lot to offer from incredible white-sand beaches, various wine regions and stunning nationals parks, however, I’m ashamed to say I have seen very little of my home state. My partner and I were back in Australia for a few months last year and we did spend some time exploring Western Australia; down south near Albany and up the coast towards Lancelin, but we know there’s plenty more to be seen. The north of Western Australia has many areas I’m itching to photograph – Karijini National Park is my first target.

The Pinnacles, Western Australia – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF10-24mmF4 R – F9 – 1 second – ISO 200

 

 

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

 

I believe learning how to work with light is the first step to understanding photography, and the only way to do this is to experiment. Learn how to shoot using manual before you begin automating anything (other than focus). It’s very important to understand the basics of ISO, aperture and shutter speed and how they impact both each other and the final photograph, before leaving it to the camera to decide anything. You’ll make mistakes and take some horrendous photographs (I cringe at some of my earlier work!) but it’s the best way to learn.

 

Also, find someone that is in the industry that you respect and ask them as many questions as you possibly can. I spent six months on work experience with one of Perth’s top fashion photographers and although it was in an area that I didn’t pursue, the knowledge that I gained from working alongside him on a daily basis formed the foundation for my photographic skills.

 

Immerse yourself in photography if that’s truly what you want to be doing. I literally never leave the house without a camera (be it film or digital).

Jatiluwih Rice Terraces, Indonesia – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF10-24mmF4 R – F8 – 1/250 second – ISO 200

 

 

 

Does travelling with a partner benefit your photography in any way?

 

My partner and I have extremely different styles of photography; she’s a portrait photographer that loves natural light and soft tones while I thrive off a dramatic landscape and punchy colours. Travelling with her has certainly made me appreciate the finer details as well as challenged me to develop skills as a portrait photographer and learn how to include a human element within my work – she’s adamant we need to document ourselves in our travels! Not to mention the fact that she generally sticks with the XF35mmF2 R WR so she’s got plenty of extra weight available in her carry on for my multiple lenses – now if that’s not a benefit, I don’t know what is.

Koh Rong Sanloem, Cambodia – Fujifilm X-T1 – XF23mmF1.4 R – F2 – 1/640 second – ISO 400

 

 

If you could put a new feature on a future X Series camera what would it be and why?

 

I picked up an old Canon EOS 3 film camera when I stumbled across a flea market in Paris and was blown away by the focus by eye control. The ability to look your subject straight in the eye, or pin point a certain building in a cityscape, makes shooting fast, accurate and personal. I haven’t heard of this being integrated into a camera since, and I believe a more refined version would be an incredible addition to a future X Series camera.

Sørvágsvatn, Faroe Islands – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF10-24mmF4 R – F10 – 1/3 second – ISO 100

 

 

Do you have a favourite location you have visited so far? Could you give us a glimpse into how you see that part of the world through the lens and provide some ‘local’ knowledge about the area?

Myanmar. Over the past eighteen months, we’ve travelled through over 20 countries but Myanmar was something else. It still has that feeling of being untouched, combined with beautiful locals, unusual landscapes, and incredible culture. I really felt like I connected with the country and the people, even if we often couldn’t speak the same language. The dusty atmosphere, intricate structures and golden light made for some of my favourite photos to-date.

Bagan, Myanmar – Fujifilm X-T1 – XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R – F4.2 – 1/640 second – ISO 200

 

 

 

Myanmar is somewhat of a mystery location, there are areas that are completely closed off to foreigners and unlike other destinations, the internet isn’t saturated with information about how to travel there. We found the easiest way was to book everything through local travel agents once you’re in the country, be careful where you visit but don’t be afraid to go off the beaten track. And go now, before everyone else discovers it too!

Novice Monk, Indein Village, Myanmar – Fujifilm X-T1 – XF56mmF1.2 R – F1.2 – 1/5000 – ISO 200

 

 

If you would like to see more of Gavin’s photography then visit his blog or follow him on Instagram, 500px or Facebook.

 

Previous interviews from Series Three of Through a Photographer’s Eye:

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Johny Spencer

Filed under Interviews X-Photographer

Through a Photographer’s Eye: Johny Spencer

by Fujifilm Australia August 10, 2017 Comments2

Welcome to the Third Series of Through a Photographer’s Eye. In this series, we continue to learn about Australian photographers and how they use X Series Cameras to photograph their world around them. Our first interview in Series Three is with New South Wales based photographer, Johny Spencer.

Johny, can you tell us about yourself and what photography means to you?

 

I’m a full-time landscape and nature photographer for the National Parks service here in Australia and have been working for them for 17 years.

 

Photography to me is all about the moments, memories and experiences that happen as part of your photography journey. The photos themselves are just a bonus that I get to use to inspire and motivate others to push their creative boundaries.

Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF10-24mmF4 R OIS – 10mm – 1/60 second – F16 – ISO 200

 

 

You recently reviewed the Fujifilm X-Pro2 after taking it abroad to the US on a 5000 km road trip. Can you share with us what you thought about the camera from a travel and landscape photography perspective?

 

I shot this camera exclusively on this trip, I put it through its paces, in every type of environmental condition possible from wet, cold snow forests, to dry hot, dusty deserts. I really liked the feel of it in hand; overall it felt solid.

 

I was so surprised of the detail in the pictures! I usually shoot with a camera containing a 40MP plus sensor, and I found the 24MP sensor of the X-PRO2 surprising incredible. The dynamic range of the camera was also outstanding for the sensor size.

 

In all, I think the X-PRO2 makes a good all around camera for both landscape and travel. I can see this being a great camera for street photography with the hybrid viewfinder.

Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS – 200mm – 1/125 second – F5.6 – ISO 500

 

 

In your opinion what was the best photo, you captured in the US using the Fujifilm X-Pro2? What was the story behind the image and how did you set up the shot?

 

I know it’s a bit obvious but Horseshoe Bend was incredible, it’s one of those places you can’t fully understand how grand it is until you visit it.

Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF10-24mmF4 R OIS – 10mm – 1/8 second – F8 – ISO 200

 

I got there for sunset, and it was packed with people everywhere, the light wasn’t that good, so I decided to revisit the location for sunrise the next morning.

 

The decision to reshoot worked out perfectly as there were fewer people. I had heaps of options to get the perfect spot to photography the bend. I was hoping for that magnet-pinky light that happens when you shoot away from the setting or rising sun.

 

The camera was locked down on a tripod, with the two-second timer turned on in order not to cause any camera shake when pressing the shutter button. I focused one-third into the scene at F8, so the whole scene was in focus. The ISO was set too low to avoid any noise issues. The lingering cloud was in the perfect spot for a photo, in the end, it was just a waiting game to see what the light was going to do.

 

Minutes later that first light glow started and boom! The pink tones were perfect, I fired the shutter and just adjusted the shutter speed to get the exposure right. I was able to capture the rising sun perfectly thanks to the dynamic range the camera offered.

 

It was a great experience one of those places that you will never forget in a hurry.

 

 

 

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

 

Shoot what you love and love what you shoot. When you’re obsessed with the thing you like, in my case photography, it will keep you shooting even when you get stuck on the technical stuff.

 

Your passion for the subject will push your creativity and help you overcome any challenge you face in your photography journey.

Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF10-24mmF4 R OIS – 10mm – 1/4 second – F8 – ISO 250

 

 

 

What processing workflow do you use when importing images from the Fujifilm X-Pro2? Do you have an example you can show us?

 

I’m a huge fan of Adobe Lightroom, I just find the photo management and processing work perfectly with my brain.

 

In fact in my day job working for National Parks I have to process several thousand images a month, so it’s critical for me to have a killer efficient post processing workflow.

Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS – 156.10mm – 1/125 second – F8 – ISO 400

Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF10-24mmF4 R OIS – 10mm – 1/125 second – F8 – ISO 400

 

Here’s a quick video showing how I edit multiple Fujifilm RAW files quickly using Lightroom. By the way, I’ll be using my Ultimate Lightroom Workflow, something I developed to make post-processing super easy and fast.

 

 

 

Did you find the Fujifilm Camera Remote App useful when travelling on the road when it came to transferring your images to your phone? Could you provide some feedback on how the app could be improved?

 

I’m a huge fan of the app. It made it so easy to just share images straight from the camera to my phone so that I could share on social and with friends. I was surprised how easy it was to setup and use, and I bet it’s one of those little features not many people know about that really make a camera fun to use.

Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF10-24mmF4 R OIS – 21.90mm – 1/640 second – F5.6 – ISO 500 – HDR

 

 

 

What lenses did you take with the X-Pro2? Was there a particular Fujinon lens that stood out regarding versatility and quality for landscape photography?

 

My favourite lens was, of course, the super wide XF10-24mmF4. I found it sharp for edge to edge and the coupled with the X-PRO2 the image quality was stellar. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to any landscape photographer.

Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF10-24mmF4 R OIS – 10mm – 1/60 second – F8 – ISO 200

 

I also love the fact it’s an F4 lens! Have you ever tried to hike with the F2.8 lens in your pack? They are usually super heavy! You don’t need the fastest lens for landscapes and F4 is a good compromise between speed and weight.

Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF10-24mmF4 R OIS – 10mm – 1/30 second – F8 – ISO 200

 

 

 

 

You have previously used a range of different camera brands for landscape photography. In your opinion how does Fujifilm’s image quality stack up against the rest?

 

Like I said before the image quality of those X-Trans CMOS sensors is unbelievably sharp and provides much clarity. It’s more than enough for any landscape photographer.

Fujifilm X-Pro2 – XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS – 60.70mm – 1/250 second – F8 – ISO 200

 

If you would like to see more of Johny’s photography then visit his website or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ or YouTube.

 

 

 

 

Filed under Interviews X-Photographer

X-Thusiast Featured Photographer Simone Cheung

by Fujifilm Australia August 3, 2017 Comments2

This month, our featured X-Thusiast photographer is bringing social responsibility to the forefront. Her photos from locations around the world incorporate nostalgia and people’s interactions with one another, and are both intriguing and inspiring works of art.

 

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

 

My name is Simone Cheung and I live in Sydney. Largely self-taught, I’ve always had an interest in photography since I was young when I used to take my parents film camera around and take endless photos.

 

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

 

I love travelling and street photography, and I hated lugging around my heavy, bulky SLR. I wanted to downsize my kit without compromising quality and the Fujifilm X-T1 did just that. And let’s be honest, it also makes me look less like a dork photographer!

 


Barber Shop: Split, Croatia. Fujifilm X-T1 + XF14mmF2.8

 

How would you describe your photography style and strategy?

 

Photography has always been a way for me to combine my big passions in life — travel and promoting social responsibility, human rights and social equality. As a result, I do a lot of street photography to show that every single person regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion or social status has that magical moment just waiting to be captured.

 

I enjoy photo documentary and bringing out those social issues through my photography. I have been a volunteer photographer with various not-for-profit organisations including Oxfam, Global Sisters, Women’s March on Sydney and others.

 

What inspires your photography?

 

“Goya” in Urdu means the suspension of disbelief that occurs in good storytelling. That is what my photography is all about — capturing those simple, ordinary moments in a special way where goya occurs; where the “as if” feels like reality.

 

Night Swim: Sydney, Australia. Fujifilm X-T1 + XF23mmF1.4

 

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

 

The beauty of street photography and photo documentary is that you can find a stunning image anywhere, at any time, in any light. The premise of a lot of my images is that even though they are taken in different places at different times around the world, people’s interaction with light is the same, highlighting that we are in fact “more alike than unalike,” in the words of Maya Angelou.

 

Looking through my own photos, I tend to be drawn toward scenes of nostalgia, of places past, lives lived and the glories that used to be. I tend to love photographing in abandoned sites and old shopfronts, and also shooting at night.

 

What is your favourite memory from a photography session?

 

I was recently lucky enough to do a workshop with Andrew Quilty, who is one of my favourite photo journalists. We spent the afternoon on the Manly ferry and the Corso where I was able to watch Andrew in his element and learn from him.

 


Set Fire to the Rain: Port Vila, Vanuatu. Fujifilm X-T1 + XF23mmF1.4

 

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

 

I have only tried my XT-1 and I love it. It fits snugly in my hands and I love the manual dials and just the overall feel of it. Because it is so compact, I take it with me everywhere and my husband no longer has to carry my camera gear anymore when we travel!

 

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

 

I love all of them! I have the XF14mmF2.8, XF23mmF1.4 and XF56mmF1.2 and they are all fantastic. I particularly love the XF56mmF1.2 as it gives nice creamy portraits and is also great for low light.

 

 


Instant Photos: Budapest, Hungary. Fujifilm X-T1 + XF14mmF2.8

 

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

 

I shoot in RAW and I process everything in Lightroom. I am not very good at editing, so I usually only make minor adjustments such as contrast, exposure, etc. I also love the Wi-Fi function of the X-T1 so I can upload straight onto my phone and share on social media. This is particularly handy when I’m travelling.

 

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

 

The main advice is that there is no one magic setting. The more you shoot, the more you will understand what each function does and the impact on your image. Eventually, you will know what settings to use in what environment with only minor tweaking. I tend to shoot very wide apertures to isolate my subjects, which is particularly important in street photography.

 

Schlafwagen: Budapest, Hungary. Fujifilm X-T1 + XF14mmF2.8

 

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

 

I spent many years taking photos (some good, some bad) until I found what my style was. I still experiment a lot with techniques and try to learn and draw inspiration from others. Your gear is only one part of being a photographer; your eyes are the other part.

 

In the shadow: Tumbarumba, Australia. Fujifilm X-T1 + XF23mmF1.4

 

Anything else?

 

I think we need to raise the visibility of women street photographers. When I try to look for inspirational women street photographers, I notice that there are significantly fewer women in street photography than men. Maybe there are less, or maybe they are less visible in the sense that they don’t submit to collectives as much or they don’t receive as much exposure, but we should definitely start celebrating them more.

To view more of Simone’s work visit her website or follow her on Instagram or Facebook.

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: 10 Photographers Share Their Advice

by Fujifilm Australia August 3, 2017 Comments3

Over the last 10 weeks you would have seen ten interviews forming series two of Through a Photographer’s Eye. In each interview, we heard from a handful of Australian photographers and how they use Fujifilm X Series cameras to photograph the world around them.

Before Series Three of Through a Photographer’s Eye begins next week, let us take a look back at what advice was shared when each photographer was asked the question:

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

 

Rhys Tattersall

Don’t get caught up on the gear side of things. I learned using film and an old analogue camera. Photography being an art in a sense means there is no wrong way of doing things, only how you perceive it and portray it. Don’t be a copycat, find your own style.

 

Jared Morgan

My advice for someone starting out in photography would be to really learn the basic stuff like composition, colour, exposure, etc. Once you have the basics really sorted, you will be able to make the creative ideas you have in your head.

 

Vision and creativity are of course important, but if you don’t understand how to make it happen, it’s not of much use. I think being good at one will often make you better at the other. Secondly, don’t try and force a particular style. Your own style will develop naturally over time. Don’t follow the latest trends just because something may be popular right now. Develop YOUR photography style.

 

Don’t think the journey ends, never stop learning. Study other photographers, try new techniques and explore your ideas. Remember you will fail, learn from your failures. Lastly, always remember you make your images not the latest gadget!

 

Tony Gardiner

Persistence, keep shooting. Shoot as often as you can and learn from every shot you take. I have been working on professional sets since I was 16 and almost every day I still learn new tricks or techniques that I can store in my bag of tricks.

 

Greg Cromie

A lot of people seem to have a fear about how to use their new gear. I see a lot of questions appear on forums from new photographers saying that they have camera X and lens Y and they want advice on the best settings to shoot something straight forward. This is so unnecessary as unlike in the film days, digital cameras give us limitless opportunity for trial and error. Your only real obstacle is how long your battery will last or how much your SD card can hold.

Be brave and take lots and lots of photos. If you are using a camera like one from the Fujifilm X Series, then set the Aperture and ISO to A (Auto) and just experiment with the Shutter Speed manually for a day or two. At the end of your shoot review your images and take note of the ones that you love and the ones you hate. What settings did you use? The next day, just use ISO on manual to see how this changes your images. Carry your camera everywhere and shoot everything. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your camera. As long as there is a hint of light, you can make an image.

 

Clèment Breuille

The great thing about photography is that you have a lot of different genres to explore. For example, someone who is an excellent portrait photographer might find a new challenge in landscape photography. That’s why I love photography. You always have news technique and things to learn, it never stops.

My first piece of advice would be to not invest too much money in your gear. The most important aspect of your gear is to understand how it works. For that, you should bring it with you daily, take it to work for instance. Shoot as many different subjects as possible, until you learn what settings are best. There’s no need to have a professional camera body to start off with. I’ve seen a lot of people investing in professional cameras without even understanding it.

My second piece of advice would be not to limit yourself and your creativity. Recently I’ve participated in a creative meetup at the Vivid festival in Sydney. The purpose of the event was to produce an image based on the particular brief. By participating in meetups like this, you will find your creativity. As a designer, I’ll never be able to produce something if I didn’t have direction from the client. The same should be said when it comes to your photography. Try and push your ideas so that they develop into photos.

My final advice would be to stay aware and connected. With the chance to live in a connected world, where it’s easy to share and learn from other people it’s a great place to learn. I have watched a lot of tutorials on YouTube and other social media platforms to understand how to achieve things in my photography journey.

Share your work and ask for feedback. Even if the feedback is negative, remember people are judging an image not you. By listening and exploring your creativity, you will only improve your work.

 

Bhagiraj Sivagnanasundaram

Learn how to be a tough critic of your images. You can book a trip for a few thousand, buy the most expensive photography gear to take to your exotic location, but at the end of the day in the hotel room; you should be brave enough to delete most of those images which you think are not the best. You shouldn’t reflect on the amount of effort you put in to get those shots.

There is a difference between ‘creating’ images and ‘taking/capturing’ images. Photography is an art; we have to be the creators of the art. Perfection needs experience, and even with the best experience, it’s highly doubtful that anyone would become just perfect in image making, but keep fighting for it. Cherish the better pictures that you make today and compare these to the ones you shot last week and keep going. Keep connecting well with fellow photographers and share knowledge. Remember, it is not about the destination, but more about the journey. Good Luck!

 

Joe Allam

The best advice I can give to anyone starting out is to always have a camera with you. Sometimes you never know when you may come across a shot, but more importantly, it’s about knowing your camera inside out, so that when you do come across the right shot, you’re prepared for it, with a camera you know how to use.

On too many occasions I see beginner photographers get frustrated in a situation because they can’t get a look or style they have in mind, or the camera is “acting weird”. Take the time to truly get to know your equipment by shooting often, and you’ll soon find that your creative side will start to improve as you try to find better ways of shooting your everyday life!

 

Chelsey Elliott

When I dusted off the old Canon DSLR, I took a couple of intensive online courses to brush up on the basics and just started to take shots of everything. The more I practised, the easier it was to remember what the best aperture was for a certain light, what the ISO was for, white balance, metering and all those things that slip the mind.

 

Then once I was comfortable with the basics – I picked a decent camera system (X Series) that I knew I would use ALL THE TIME. So choose a camera that you will have on you, as the best camera to buy is the one you will use. The X Series cameras fit in my jogging backpack, so I take one with me every day I go for a run. That way it’s there for a quick snap if the light looks good, or if something interesting pops around the corner.

 

I encourage everyone to get an Instagram account… even if it’s just for inspiration from the thousands of talented artists sharing their knowledge. It’s a fantastic media channel to review different styles, research your next shoot location or to build a connection with other like-minded photographers. It’s extremely satisfying when one of your favourite photographers leaves a positive comment on your photo; it encourages me to get back out there and create another beautiful image.

 

And finally I recommend taking up a daily photo challenge for a month, it will force you to take chances, put yourself out there and be creative.

 

Athol Hill

Don’t become despondent about the number of good photographs you get when you start out. Novices often have a flawed perception about photography because they’ll see the 50 perfect wedding photographs in an album, not the 400 that didn’t make the cut. They aren’t aware that a studio photographer might take 100 photographs to get that one perfect shot. There are very few perfect first shot photographs, that is reality of photography. In time, your success rates will improve and you’ll have a higher percentage of keepers, but it’s a journey fraught with learnings and failure.

It’s also important to find a medium that allows you to get constructive criticism. It’s great to post a photo on Facebook or Instagram and get 50 likes, and don’t stop that because the endorphins help keep your enthusiasm going. The challenge is 50 likes on Facebook won’t teach you how to make a good photo into a great photo, or a great photo into a spectacular photo and that’s the key to your progression. Don’t be scared of constructive criticism; we all started somewhere and making mistakes is a natural part of learning. Every mistake is an opportunity to do it better next time.

 

Thomas Brown

I grew up on the beautiful mid-north coast of New South Wales. My interest in photography evolved through my interest in cinematography and video editing. I picked up my first real digital still camera in 2011 for the purpose of creating high-resolution time-lapse sequences for a personal short film project.

 

Around 2014 things started to change, and my photography interest overtook my filmmaking interest. Since then I have been in the constant pursuit of making pictures and have really enjoyed the journey so far. Career wise, up until a year and a half ago I had worked as a camera operator and video editor in TV commercial production. I am currently undergoing a bachelor degree in Creative Arts & Graphic Design.

Filed under Interviews X-Photographer