Tag: Photographer

Introducing Stocksy Photographer Jacqui Miller

Since the start of February, we are featuring eight Stocksy photographers who use Fujifilm X Series cameras to capture their images for commercial use. Discover what they like about their kit and how they utilise the equipment to obtain the best results.

 

Our second interview is with Perth based photographer, Jacqui Miller.

Can you tell us about yourself and what you love most about photography?

 

Hi there! I live in Perth, Western Australia with my husband and two daughters. Growing up, I always had a desire to create art, but I was hopeless at drawing and painting. When I finally found photography, I found an art form that fit. I fell in love with slow shutter motion blur when I got my first DSLR in 2010.

 

You use a Fujifilm X100S to capture commercial images, how do you find the camera performs when compared to your digital SLR?

 

There are certain images I like to create where the X100S is my go to camera. For example, I find its lighter weight and compact size easier to handle when panning. I like playing with seascape and landscape motion images, and the X100S never disappoints.

 

What do you think are the most important things to look for when capturing an image?

 

For me, it’s content and mood. I love seeing images that evoke a strong emotional response in me. Those images stay with me for ages, and I revisit them often. To give you an example of images that have really moved me, I’ve created a gallery on Stocksy with some of my favourites from fellow Stocksy photographers.

What has been your favourite shot you have captured using the X100S? Can you tell us the story behind the image and let us know why you decided to take it that way?

 

My favourites are probably the abstract images. I love the whirling details in human movement, the way the colours blend together in seascapes and landscapes, and the intense colours and sharp lines when shooting lights at night. I have to remind myself to shoot the authentic scene as well because it’s too easy for me to get caught up in the abstract. Having said that, I love all of the images from my last holiday. I challenged myself to travel light, to leave my heavy camera gear at home and only take the X100S. It was amazing and utterly freeing.

 

Are there any photographers who have inspired your photography? Have their images pushed you to explore new techniques or to photograph new genres?

 

I’m inspired by so many photographers and by a whole range of styles and techniques. I feel like I should be able to reel off a list of the most influential photographers of all time but, to be honest, it’s current, everyday photographers who inspire me the most.

 

 

What has been your most successful commercial image taken with the X100S? Why do you think this picture has sold so well?

 

I’ve sold quite a few of my images taken with the X100S. I can’t think of any standouts, many of them are still relatively new to my online portfolio. I have had the pleasure of selling some of my abstract movement images. It’s always a thrill for me when I sell an image I enjoyed making.

 

 

From your experience, what should photographers be aware of when constructing online galleries for commercial sale? Are there any particular elements or genres that should be included?

 

I haven’t been in stock photography for long, and my knowledge/experience is limited. However, I do think it’s essential to be aware of the current trends (themes/colours) when shooting for commercial sale. I’m lucky to be a part of a company (Stocksy United) that has a dedicated editor team with high curatorial standards. In my experience, if I follow the current trends, those images are more likely to make it into the collection.

 

What advice can you give to someone who wishes to make their start as a photographer and why did you choose Stocksy to represent your work?

 

The best advice I ever received was ‘shoot what you love’, and that’s the first piece of advice I give to others. I also recommend uploading your best/favourite work to an online platform and get involved. I signed up to Flickr in 2010 when I received my first digital SLR. I joined groups, met loads of amazing people, learnt heaps and had loads of fun.

Eventually, it was an online contact which led me to Stocksy. I wasn’t actively looking for a stock agency at the time, but I loved everything I was reading/hearing about Stocksy. I was thrilled when they accepted my application.

 

 

Art and Mind – 10 Days in Japan [Part Two]

In this second and final article about a recent trip to Japan, X-Photographer Chris Weston takes a more mindful approach to photography, producing some stunningly artistic, unplanned shots of swans at Lake Kussharo.

By Chris Weston

Part 2: Art and Mind

Hokkaido (Days 6 – 10)

We often hear or read the quote, “It’s not the camera, it’s the photographer”, meaning the creation of great photographs is not dependent on having the latest or most expensive gear but on having a keen eye, an open and inquisitive mind and the artistic skills to turn vision into a reality that is a photograph. After sixteen years as a professional photographer, I can attest this is absolutely true. Continue reading “Art and Mind – 10 Days in Japan [Part Two]”

Photographers, We’re Storytellers – 10 Days in Japan [Part One]

After falling in love with Japan and its culture, X-Photographer Chris Weston visited Jidokudani Yaen-Koen, a reserve for wild Japanese macaques, to capture the diverse emotions of these animals and to tell his story through the power of photography.

By Chris Weston

When I first became interested in wildlife photography, I harboured a deep fascination with Japan. I used to study the work of some of the great Japanese nature photographers – Michio Hoshino, Mitsuaki Iwago, Nobuyuki Kobayashi – and found, in their images, a hidden depth, an elusive something that I could only describe as “soul”. I also noticed many of my early photographic heroes, photographers such as Art Wolfe and Jim Brandenburg, as well as my favourite artist, Monet, had been inspired by immersion in Japanese culture. Continue reading “Photographers, We’re Storytellers – 10 Days in Japan [Part One]”

X-Thusiast Featured Photographer Mark Loader

Our latest X-Thusiast photographer brings an inspiring approach to photographing his subjects. Learn how Mark Loader adds mood and emotion to his images, and be inspired.

 

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

 

My name is Mark Loader and I’m from Perth Western Australia. I currently live in the southern suburbs between Perth and Fremantle. I’m married with three children. You can see my work on Instagram under the name Ranford Stealth.

 

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

 

I only took up photography eight years ago (January 2009) after a lifetime of interest, so better late than never! I used DSLRs for the first few years and I still have those but rarely take them out now. I first discovered the X100 and was struck with its usability and IQ. The old-style shutter speed and aperture controls seemed so much more intuitive to me even though I wasn’t active with film SLRs. This naturally progressed to the interchangeable lens models, which I use constantly today.

Fujifilm X-E1 with XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS – F14 – 1/250 second – ISO 250

 

How would you describe your photography style and strategy?

 

I was lucky in that my good friend Rob Miller is a pro and has mentored me. He impressed upon me the importance of an image’s background and its relationship to the subject. I mostly take portraits and I found this invaluable to my growth as a photographer. So it’s background first always. I try to get as much mood and emotion in a portrait as I can and I put relationship preeminent in my shoots. I like to know my subject. Finding great available light and playing with shadows affects my work as well. Shadows are to light what silence is to sound in music. They go hand in hand.

 

What inspires your photography?

 

My subjects of course, and the work of other photographers like W. Eugene Smith and Dan Winters. Locations often suggest ideas depending on the light and time of day.

 

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

 

I prefer cityscapes … alleys, lanes, doorways, etc. But I’m always open to new ideas and places.

Fujifilm X-T1 with XF565mmF1.2 R – F5.6 – 1/250 second – ISO 250

 

What is your favourite memory from a photography session?

 

A few years ago I went out with a friend (it was about the fourth time I’d shot with her) and we went from about 11am to 5pm (with breaks). Everything clicked that day; she became my muse, and I went home believing I had something to say as a photographer.

 

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

 

Mostly the X-T1, great workhorse and the live preview is wonderful. I always shoot manual so that helps with fine-tuning the exposure. I also use the X-Pro1 and X-E1 … I get attached!

Fujifilm X100 at 23mm – F8 – 1/250 second – ISO 250

 

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

 

For portraiture I love the XF56mmF1.2. The XF35mmF1.4 is a great all-rounder and the XF23mmF2 for street and it was a great asset for shooting bridal prep indoors at my friend’s wedding last November. I’m a bit stunned by the XF16mmF1.4 at the moment, a surprising choice for me considering I used to think the 35mm was ultra wide! The XF18-55mmF2.8-4 is so much more than a “kit” lens.

 

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

 

For portraits, I shoot RAW and JPEG, but usually just the latter for street. I edit in LR5 and Nik. Each picture presents a different mood and challenge so I don’t have too many default presets.

Fujifilm X-Pro1 with XF56mmF1.2 R – F2.8 – 1/250 second – ISO 400

 

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?

 

Learn the basics, sunny 16 rule, subject/background relationship, rule of thirds, Fibonacci’s principle. Getting it right in camera is a great discipline to adopt from the get go. Anyone who simply says “fix it in Photoshop” should be hunted down and dealt with severely! As should be those who say to ignore the rules. To that I say: Fine, break the rules if you want but do it for a reason, not out of ignorance. My photographic education really started when the camera was no longer an obstacle.

 

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

 

Be passionate. If you are not then photography may not be for you. That’s ok. Buy books, go for long walks looking for possible locations and where and when the great light hits it. Find a mentor if you can. If not buy “Road To Seeing” by Dan Winters before it’s out of print. Actually grab that book come what may, it’s a mentorship in itself. Find out who the top shooters are in your preferred genres and learn about them. And from them. Lastly, browse some photography quotes. You may find a gem or two in there to live by….”What’s the use of a great depth of field if there is not an adequate depth of feeling?” (W. Eugene Smith)…so be like Nike, fellow togs, and just DO it!

Fujifilm X-Pro1 with XF35mmF1.4 R – F2 – 1/250 second – ISO 500

 

 

If you or someone you know in Australia is interested in joining our X-Thusiast community, check out the full X-Thusiast Gallery and submission details here.

 

Why I switched BACK to the Fujifilm system

After a ten-year hiatus, professional photographer Scott Johnson explains why switching back to Fujifilm was the best decision he could make for his business.

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By Scott Johnson

I first dabbled with Fujifilm WAY back in 2003 while working on a cruise ship.  In an all-film world, we were the first team to go digital with the Fujifilm S2 Pro, and I was really impressed with the quality, so much so, that when I started shooting weddings, I brought an S3 and for the first few years, this was the main camera I used at all of my weddings, but then I went full-frame and moved over to Nikon, and stayed there until the spring of 2016, and the arrival of the X-Pro2.

I’d been lugging around my D4s’ and a handful of prime lenses at weddings for a few years, and it was doing my back no good at all, but it wasn’t until I booked a wedding in the United States that I looked at changing my equipment. “Why change your entire wedding set-up mid way through a season for just one wedding” I hear you shout.  Well, the Continue reading “Why I switched BACK to the Fujifilm system”

24 Hours in Yosemite

X-Photographer Bryan Minear traverses the grand naturescape of California’s Yosemite National Park with his good friends and X Series gear for the first time.

X-Photographer strip BLACK

By Bryan Minear

As I sat on a plane bound for San Francisco, staring down some 40,000 feet to the clouds passing underneath me, excitement and anticipation filled my soul. It was the beginning of a journey – an epic adventure creating unique images and memories. I hoped that this pilgrimage with fellow photographers would live up to my expectations, and further inspire me to follow my dreams.bm_7After being awake for 30 hours, we arrived at dusk. On the way into Yosemite, we stopped off at tunnel view. It was my first glimpse of California that wasn’t being hidden away by the night. The rock faces lit up underneath a sea of endless stars. In that moment, it all felt like a dream. I was now experiencing this miraculous destination that I had experienced so many times before through someone else’s eyes. We spent an hour shooting before heading to drop off our bags and get settled in our condo. At 4:30 AM, we were off to glacier point to prepare for our first sunrise.bm_5I stared into the face of half dome, brilliant and gleaming in front of me. In some ways, I was taking a photo that millions of people had taken before me – but at the same time, I took pause to remember that the beauty of photography is that each moment captured is infinite and unique in its own way.bm_2The sun began to glow, and I was able to catch the last few stars in the sky over half dome.  My X-Pro2 clicked away on a timelapse and my X-T2 shifted in my hand as I tried to find my perfect composition. I was awaiting the shot that I was planning on taking since the trip’s inception.

“First light over half dome” is something that I had wanted to see for myself since I knew Yosemite existed. My lens of choice for the perfect capture was the XF10-24mmF4 R OIS. It gave me the versatility I needed to grab a few shots at various focal lengths in order to choose my shot in post.

After a short and much-needed nap, we ventured down into the valley to see the golden light as it passed over us. Fall color was in full swing and there was a slight chill to the air, only further enhancing the experience. We found a spot along the Merced River with a beautiful view of half dome reflected in the water. Along a nearby boardwalk, we took in Yosemite Falls as it towered above us. The falls were not supposed to be running at this time of year, but luckily, a storm passed through the night before we arrived, giving the falls a second wind.bm_6I framed up a shot with a 10-stop ND and 3-stop ND Grad to get some cloud and water movement. Shooting long exposures during the day is one of my favorite things to do because it gives me some time to enjoy the scene around me. Oftentimes I get so caught up in getting the shot that I don’t “see” things for myself. The photos are the best way to relive the moment, sure. But it’s equally as important to live in the moment and enjoy your surroundings.bm_4As the light started to drop in the sky, I shifted into creative mode trying to make the absolute most of the light that I have left. I set up another timelapse in front of the half dome with my X-Pro2, and with my X-T2 and XF16mmF1.4 R WR attached, I began walking around finding different compositions to maximize my last few moments.bm_1Over the course of the next few days I experienced close to all that Yosemite and the surrounding area had to offer: Taft Point, the 7,503 ft lookout point, Tioga Pass, and the desert-laden Eastern Sierras that lie just outside of Yosemite proper. The trip was full of friendship, laughter, and best of all, amazing scenes to photograph.