Category: Be Inspired

A collection of inspirational blog posts that will give you some great new ideas and cause you to pick up your camera and go out shooting

X Marks the Spot: Paris, France

by Fujifilm EMEA April 9, 2014 Comments2

A classic camera in a classic location – see why the X-E1 and the French capital make the perfect combination

“I love the beauty and elegance in Paris: the architecture, the open spaces and the people. But it’s the small details that I like as much as the famous monuments and chateaux.”

Alastair documents Paris with a Fujifilm X-E1, which he started using last year.

“I chose the X-E1 after hours of research into mirrorless cameras. I was using a DSLR and a bridge camera previously but I haven’t touched either since getting the Fujifilm. It’s been a pleasure to use.”

13th Arrondissement

Lens: XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS Exposure: 1/300sec at F5.6, ISO 800

This is the ground floor of a nine-storey apartment block in the 13th Arrondissement. It’s due to be demolished, but before that happens 102 street artists were given full access to do as they wished with both the interior and exterior. This was one of my first shots of the exterior of the building. I liked the combination of the three elements to the picture and the X-E1 does a great job of capturing vibrant colours. I queued for over five hours to get this shot, but it was worth it. To be surrounded by artistic creations on floors, walls and ceilings was stunning.

Métro

Lens: XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS Exposure: 1/4sec at F8, ISO 1600

I don’t often have my camera out on the Métro as thefts are not unknown. The stations make fascinating subjects for photography though. I wanted to experiment with capturing the moving train as it pulled into the station, and I like the effect of being able to see through the train windows to the opposite platform. I can’t remember whether I intended to include the woman looking along the length of the train. I’ll claim it as good composition, but it may have been luck. The exposure is 1/4sec and it’s hand-held so I don’t know what kind of magical trickery Fujifilm have managed to incorporate into their image stabilisation. But it works!

T-Rex

Lens: XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS Exposure: 1/1900sec at F13, ISO 200

This seven-metre, metal Tyrannosaurus Rex sculpture overlooks the Seine on the platform of the Bateaux-Mouches boating company. I’d walked past it plenty of times before but on this occasion the sky was more dramatic and the sun was offering the chance of backlighting the dinosaur. Initially I had the sculpture in silhouette but the Fujifilm RAW files give so much flexibility for changing the exposure and I prefer being able to see the amazing details in the chrome finish.

Monmartre

Lens: XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS Exposure: 1/450sec at F4, ISO 200

Sometimes you just notice a scene and know immediately that it will make a good image. The X-E1 is great for this as you can shoot really quickly. This is in Montmartre, and I noticed the woman taking a few photos. As well as her striking red coat, I like her stance as she leans against the wall. Hopefully my photograph makes you want to know what she’s pointing her camera at, but I’ll leave that to your imagination.

City view from Sacré-Cœur

Lens: XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS Exposure: 1/45sec at F22, ISO 1600

I really enjoy watching other residents and visitors enjoying Paris. This is the view over the city from Sacré Cœur. I took a few shots of this couple but this is my favourite, and the only one that’s pigeon-free. I like the idea of sharing the view with them. Initially I converted it to black & white since none of the colours are particularly important to the shot. Then I tried just removing some of the colour saturation so that the colours are more subtle without being distracting, and this was the end result.

The Louvre at dusk

Lens: XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS Exposure: 20secs at F16, ISO 200

It was a clear afternoon so I decided to head to the Louvre for dusk. With the X-E1 on a small tripod, I set the ISO to 200, switched off the stabilisation on the lens and choose the aperture. The X-E1 does a great job of exposing accurately so I’m usually happy to leave the shutter speed on automatic. All my photos are shot in RAW (although the X-E1 JPEGs are also excellent), with conversion and post-processing in Lightroom 5. My processing is usually minimal; this shot was cropped slightly to better fill the frame, with some minor exposure adjustments and a light vignette applied.

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See more of Alastair’s work HERE

Filed under Be Inspired Landscape / Cityscape / Seascape Street Travel

X-T1 – Shoot anywhere – The DIY store with Dale

by Dale Young March 28, 2014 Comments1

Not sure what to shoot? Neither was I yesterday, so I took to the ‘streets’ of Bedford with an X-T1 and a XF56mm lens.

I decided my aim was to try and get some ‘shoot from the hip’ style shots. A little blend of people and interesting objects with a snap of the shutter, so where better to start than a DIY store?

We set off on our ‘adventure’ just as the rain started to fall, this was perfect for a little weather testing. I caught these images of a gentleman leaving the DIY store preparing for his departure into the ‘monsoon’. I tried to keep the shutter fast to capture his movements, on reflection I might have stopped the aperture down a touch to get a little more in focus.

X-T1 - XF56mm lens 1/800 - f/2 - ISO200 — X-T1 – XF56mm lens – 1/800 – f/2 – ISO200

X-T1 - XF56mm lens 1/600 - f/2 - ISO200 — X-T1 – XF56mm lens – 1/600 – f/2 – ISO200

Once inside, I was instantly drawn to the lighting department, after all, photography is all about light and so where better place to start. The XF56mm lens really gave me that perfect focal length to get in close enough to capture the mood of the lights and keep out the exterior of the store itself. I also really wanted to try out the bokeh of this cracking lens, so I shot the second one at F/1.2.

X-T1 - XF56mm lens 1/420 - f/2 - ISO200 — X-T1 – XF56mm lens – 1/420 – f/2 – ISO200

X-T1 - XF56mm lens 1/800 - f/1.2 - ISO200 — X-T1 – XF56mm lens – 1/800 – f/1.2 – ISO200

After we left the lighting department we had a good wander around as Marc actually needed something from the store after all! I managed to grab a few shots as we went and found the autofocus to be working very well shooting from the hip. I didn’t quite get the compositions I wanted shooting this way but, it was nothing a little cropping couldn’t solve.

X-T1 - XF56mm lens 1/100 - f/2 - ISO400 — X-T1 – XF56mm lens – 1/100 – f/2 – ISO400

X-T1 - XF56mm lens 1/100 - f/2 - ISO320 — X-T1 – XF56mm lens – 1/100 – f/2 – ISO320

I love looking about, trying to ‘see’ a potential photograph from an otherwise bland object, and being in a DIY store there were certainly lots of random bits and pieces to shoot. I’ve found that the XF56mm lens is a superb focal length in general but also for these close up ‘artistic angular’ shots. Here is an example of a BBQ I saw while we were there. It was the way the light fell around the chrome effect metal that drew me to take the shot.

X-T1 - XF56mm lens 1/100 - f/2.8 - ISO200 — X-T1 – XF56mm lens – 1/100 – f/2.8 – ISO200

After finishing our tour of the store we actually re-visited the lighting department for one last photo…

Which you can see Marc was thrilled to be part of!

X-T1 - XF56mm lens 1/100 - f/2.8 - ISO320 — X-T1 – XF56mm lens – 1/100 – f/2.8 – ISO320

I personally think it is always a good idea to experiment with your camera angles, sometimes it’s all that’s needed to turn a shot from bland to grand! This doesn’t mean you have to stand on your head mind you! Just ‘play’, enjoy the fact you can shoot as many pictures as you like and simply delete the ones that were not good enough. No one ever has to know!

Here was the last shot I managed to grab whilst Marc was driving us back to the office, not perfectly in focus but I did shoot through the car window and edited out Marc’s head from the equation! I also desaturated the colour a little as I wanted to capture that dull, moody weather we were so very much enjoying.

X-T1 - XF56mm lens 1/500 - f/8 - ISO200 — X-T1 – XF56mm lens
1/500 – f/8 – ISO200

All in all, I would say it was nearly a success, after all, I did take some pictures and Marc found what he was looking for in the store. I think the aspect I could’ve improved on was being more confident shooting the subjects on-the-fly from an eye level perspective, rather than shooting from the hip. You may have found yourself in the same situation if you have ever tried ‘street’ photography, certainly it is a blast though and definitely worth trying out if you haven’t already. Maybe in a future blog I’ll try again and see if I can improve on my skills, until then, happy snapping!

Written by Dale Young

Filed under Be Inspired Street

Get Creative with Multiple Exposures

by Fujifilm EMEA March 27, 2014 Comments5

Using the Multiple Exposure mode

Multiple exposures have been around for almost as long as photography itself and almost certainly came about as much by accident as by design. In the early days of photography, exposures often took many minutes, so any subject or camera movement during the time the shutter was open would cause a distinctive ‘ghosting’ or ‘double impression’ effect. This also occurred when a camera’s shutter opened twice or more on the same frame, exposing it more than once.

Many early photographers were only interested in documenting the world as their eyes saw it, and to them multiple exposures were a hazard. Others saw multiple exposures as an opportunity: a way to present a more artistic view, where reality could be turned on its head and a new way of seeing created. In the digital age, multiple exposures are more popular than ever and while many are created in image-editing software like Photoshop, it’s fun to take the traditional approach of doing it in camera. Fujifilm’s X-series cameras offer a smart, easy way to do this.

How X-series makes it easy

When shooting multiple exposures on film, tricky mental arithmetic was involved because you had to work out the overall exposure settings, then divide that shutter speed by however many times you wanted to expose the film; do it wrong and you’d end up with an under or overexposed picture. What’s more, some guesswork was involved wherein you had to watch out for clashing elements in the scene that could spoil composition. Fortunately for X-series users, these concerns are a thing of the past, because using the screen as your guide you can make a perfect assessment of how the final image will look; you simply shoot the first exposure, then compose the second with it overlaid on the screen.

Creative ideas

Once you’re comfortable with shooting in Multiple Exposure mode, you’ll have a great time experimenting with different subjects and styles. For instance, try shooting your subject with the first exposure, then overlay it using a texture of cloud-scape with the second. It’s also a good idea to try shooting from a tripod; with the camera’s position locked off, static parts of the scene will look like a regular photo, while moving parts will turn into ghosts. Have fun!

How it’s activated

First turn the main Mode dial to Adv. (Advanced), then use the sub-command dial to set your desired aperture and shutter speed combination; Advanced mode is like Program mode in that the camera chooses the optimum settings, but you can still bias the aperture, shutter speed, ISO or exposure compensation.
Next press the MENU/OK button, select the Adv. MODE in the Shooting menu and choose MULTIPLE EXPOSURE.
Hit OK, then BACK to return and you’ll see overlapping squares in the bottom left of the screen showing you’re in the right mode. Now you’re ready to shoot.
Frame up and shoot your first image and it will be displayed on screen.
Hit left on the D-pad to cancel and try again, or if you’re happy with it, press OK to move onto the next shot.
Now, using the screen as a real-time guide, frame your second shot. At this point you can also change the shutter speed, aperture, ISO and most importantly the Exposure Compensation, making sure the two exposures work together and aren’t too light or dark.
Shoot and once again, you’ll have the opportunity to cancel and try the second shot again or hit OK to confirm.

That’s all there is to it!

Filed under Be Inspired Tutorials

What to shoot now – spring into life

by Fujifilm EMEA March 21, 2014 Comments1

It won’t be long before the natural world starts showing signs of life, which will give photographers across the globe plenty of subjects to train their cameras on.

To start, look low to the ground where bulbs will soon start to break the surface of the soil. Getting down low is the key to success and those X-series cameras with an articulated rear LCD will come in handy to help you frame up shots without having to lie on the floor.

Don’t be afraid to crop in close on snowdrops and daffodils, selecting the macro mode to ensure you focus as close as possible. If you’re shooting on a sunny day, placing your camera flat on the ground and pointing the lens upwards will deliver a ‘worm’s eye view’ of the flowers, which works particularly well with yellow crocus, tulips and daffodils set against a deep blue sky. Consider using the Velvia Film Simulation mode to boost colours, or fit a polarising filter to really saturate primary hues.

If you don’t fancy scrabbling in the dirt, birds and wildlife get a little bolder in the springtime as they start searching for mates and building nests. Use a telephoto lens like the XF55-200mm or XC50-230mm to keep a safe distance and make sure you shoot against a clear, uncluttered background such as foliage or even the sky to be sure nothing distracts from the subject. With any wildlife subject you’ll need to be patient; the best shots will come to those who wait… or those who set up feeding stations in their gardens!

Window light portraits

The low sun at this time of year is perfect for people shots indoors. Carefully choose a window – you want sunlight to bathe your subject in, not to blind them. Position your subject nice and close, then switch your camera to aperture-priority mode, using a wide aperture to throw the background out of focus.

A day in your life

If a 365 project is too daunting, perhaps you can manage 24 hours. Pick a typical day and document your life. It’s easy to do with the portable X cameras. Start with your breakfast and only put the camera down when you go to bed. Apply the usual rules though: think about your shots and compose carefully, don’t simply machine-gun it.

Striking silhouettes

Set aside the usual approach to exposing your subject and expose for the background to get a dark, striking silhouette of a person, tree or church – easily recognisable subjects work best. Switch to spot metering and take a reading from the bright background to ensure your subject is rendered as an outline.

Film fanatics

Emulate the look of yesteryear’s photos with one of the X-series Film Simulation modes. All the X-series cameras offer these magic modes; the X-Pro1 boasts a stunning selection of 10, including names you may remember from film boxes, such as Provia and Velvia. Find them in your camera’s Shooting menu or via the Q menu.

Carnival spirit

In countries around the world, Shrove Tuesday (4 March) is a day for celebration; in many, such as Germany and Italy, this means carnival, while in the UK, it’s the chance to flip pancakes. Whichever is happening near you, photograph it. For a carnival parade, try the Pop Color Advanced Filter (on the XQ1, X100S, X-M1, X20 and X10).

Filed under Be Inspired Landscape / Cityscape / Seascape Macro Portrait Wildlife