Suspect Photography

November 20, 2013

30 Minutes With The New Fujifilm 23mm f1.4

Best of the West Deli Man

Since this lens was announced I have begged and cajoled my Fujifilm contact for a test ride to no avail. Man, I have known better crack dealers that take better care of their clients! Evidently there was a glass gag order to keep the lens under wraps until they could provide the blogosphere at large with samples. Bah I say! I have had to be content with my 12mm 2.8, 18 f2.0, and the awesome 35mm 1.4.

A insiders view of Espositos on 9th ave.

Now if you do the focal conversion this makes my collection of lenses the trifecta of an 18mm, 28mm and 50mm. What’s missing? Well my favorite focal length is 35mm. I little bit wider than the eye perceives, yet extremely natural. While I got used to the 18mm it was always just a tad too wide for tastes. I yearned for the 23 mm focal length.

Taken through a glass window but man, look at those out of focus blurring in the background!

Taken through a glass window but man, look at those out of focus blurring details in the background!

So today I had the opportunity to grab the 23 1.4 which translates to 35mm for a fast half hour. Yup, you heard that right, it was mine! For a half hour at least. I threw my coat on and walked up 9^th Ave around the corner from B&H. You can’t keep a good man from his 23mm, no matter the time constraints. Here are my findings. Oh and one more note, I pretty much shot everything wide open at f 1.4 because that’s how I roll. I love bokeh, and this lens as you can see delivers spectacular bokeh.

1/40 second at 1.4 ISO 320. Now thats low light love.

It’s a bit of large lens, but then again, it’s a 1.4 so who can complain. It has a depth of field scale. Lots of you young’ probably don’t know what that is in the age of digital zoomy slacker glass. It’s a scale that tells you what will be in focus based upon the f-stop. A analog scale. Sweet.

Snap! Sharp and zippy this lens simply rocks!

Very nice to shoot manual focus, you pull the lens back to you and then you access to that DOF scale and it has a good feel, a little loosey goosey, but still better than other AF lenses. I confess, I shot in AF during my short test. I don’t have any problems with the XPro1’s focus.

The legendary Hershel of B&H. Ever wonder who edits the comments on our You Tube videos, well wonder no more. A gentleman among gentleman. Notice the lights in the background, yum.

I’m like Goldilocks, 18 mm to wide, 50 mm to tight, but 35 mm… just right.

Very narrow depth of field, notice his arm out of focus? This lens might just need to be shot at f4.0 or 5.6 if you need a little front and back details to be in the shot.

I’m sorry if I didn’t have the time to really put the lens through a more thorough test in different light with more varrying apertures. Truth is, I was just happy to get the short time I had with it. Am I getting one? Yea. Not tomorrow though. I will have to get used to the size, I like to keep it on the smaller tighter side, but dang, I do love me the 35mm effective focal length. I think that this lens will be the lens that sits on the camera 96% of the time once I own it.

Hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did shooting it.

~David

11 Comments

November 10, 2013

Veteran’s Day Post – A Photographic Salute

The three landing sites of the American forces, Omaha Beach, Point Du Hoc, Utah Beach. Platinum Palladium print presented in triptych.

The heroic deeds of the landings at Normandy and the Allied triumphs of WW2 are the defining moment of a dying generation. I have a keen interest in what remains of these sacred locations, both in images & words. In April of 2011 I began the project “Battlefield Cant” and visited the Normandy D-Day landing beaches and battlefields photographing with my trusty wooden 8×10 Deardorff camera. Being deeply affected by reading the accounts of our soldiers, I was motivated to start a collection of quotations from American veterans who fought in these locations.

German Bunker overlooking Point Du Hoc

The project is called, “Battlefield Cant”. The project title was made from the following:

Battlefield n. the field or ground on which a battle is fought.

Cant n. the phraseology peculiar to a particular class, party, profession

“Battlefield Cant” is a series of photographs from the European battlefields of WW2 and prose from the soldiers who fought there.

Omaha Beach, Dog Green Sector

Omaha Beach – Dog Green Sector

“I started out to cross the beach with 35 men,

and only 6 got to the top, that’s all”.

~Lt. Bob Edlin

This is the beach made famous in Saving Private Ryan. It is estimated that on D- Day, 3,000 American Forces were killed in action at or near this location. The honor of photographing on this hollowed ground is one of the finest moments I have ever spent behind a camera.

Point Du Hoc. Site of the Rangers assault on the cliffs.

Pointe Du Hoc

“The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers, at the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machine guns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After two days of fighting, 90 could still bear arms.”

~President Ronald Reagan at the memorial dedication.

A brutal assault that was needed to silence the big guns that could range both Omaha and Utah beach, this was an essential target to nullify at the start of the battle. The Rangers were elite and were up to the job, but at a terrible loss.

Utah Beach was taken with minimal losses. Thankfully.

Utah Beach

“We’ll start the war from here”

~Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt

When I went to photograph at Utah, I was greeted by a festive scene, horses on the beach, children playing. This site was now a recreation area and I could have been on Long Island for all it appeared. However, on D-Day this was an essential landing beach that saw artillery bombardment and the blood of Americans being spilled to secure it. I had to work to find these dunes to photograph, Utah was challenging to find the spirit of the place.

Bullet Hole from Paratroopers battle in a church in Sainte-Mère-Église

Excerpt from “A Paratroopers Prayer”

All mighty God, Our heavenly Father, who art above us, and beneath us, drive from the minds of our paratroopers any fear of space in which thou art ever present. Give them confidence in the strength of thine everlasting arms to uphold them. Endure them with clean minds and hearts that they may participate worthily in the victory which this nation must achieve. George B’Wood, Major Chaplain 82^nd Airborne.

While I was scouting for locations in the middle of the day I entered the main church in the center of Sainte-Mere-Englise to find some respite from the hot June heat. At the entrance there was a info point telling the story of how a few Germans asked the priest of the church to hide them from the American Paratroopers that were scouring the area. The priest told them, “hide in the vestry, but don’t drink the wine”. The germans hid, and the priest went out side, found some Paratroopers and told them there were Germans hiding in the church. After a fast battle, the Americans cleared the church and killed the hiding germans. When I scouted the location I found evidence of the battle in the form of a hole in the glass that contained a Mary. This was left over from the fight, and the locals were putting their prayers on paper and inserting them in the bullet hole.

I was alone in the church, and proceeded to set up the Deardorff and make an exposure. It was very dark, and the exposure long. About 7 minutes factoring in reciprocity and bellows extension. I was proud I nailed the exposure, and during the long time, next to the statue was a prayer book where I found the Cant for this image.

Here are a few more images from the Project Battle Field Cant.

German Batteries.

Memorial at Point Du Hoc

Sherman Treads

I launched a Kickstarter Campaign to fund this project and help send me to the next two locations to complete the project. I need to travel to Belgium and shoot in the snow for the Battle of the Bulge and then to go to Holland to photograph the battlefields of Operation Market Garden.

My choice of gear to shoot this project is very specific. I don’t feel comfortable shooting with a digital camera, these locations and the deeds that were done by the finest men of the United States of American deserves more than zero’s and ones, they deserve large format photography! All the images were shot on Ilford FP4 that was donated by Ilford for the project. The primary lens was a Dagor 8 1/4″.

I look forward to completing this project and printing the work all on Platinum Palladium.

My deepest gratitude goes out to the Veterans who fought in WW2. For them we owe all our thanks.

Brecourt Manor, the baptism for Easy Company 516 PIR 101st Infantry.

~David

3 Comments

October 30, 2013

9 Essential Accessories For the Fujifilm X System or Window Washing the Xpro

Attention Suspect Photography Fans- Finding Photographic Style and Composition in NYC 4 Day Intensive Workshop April 17th to April 20th 2014. Early Registration Discount By March 1st.

The Fujifilm Xpro 1 is a superb camera and many photographers are singing its praise while making great images from this unique and high quality digital rangefinder. There are a few pieces of gear that can really enhance the Xpro1 and this post is dedicated them. After using the camera for a year and a half and having a load of friends also indulge in the Xpro1 I built this list with authority. Some of it can apply to the XE1 and XE2 and some can’t, I’ll let you know so all Fujifilm X system shooters can benefit from these suggestions. So here we go, the 9 essentials.

#1 The Domke 1” Gripper Strap with QR. The strap that Fujifilm supplies is worthless. While looking nice and being leather it is too thin and slips off your shoulder every 3 steps you take. The Gripper is thus named because it has two rows of rubber woven into the strap and the rubber keeps the strap from falling off your shoulder. The Gripper Strap has quick releases so it’s easy to remove for tripod shooting. The finish of the strap is also attractive and stealthy; it looks good and doesn’t get in the way. It comes with leather protectors so it doesn’t scratch the side of the camera and also features a nice leather accent. Anything that is this functional and under $20 bux is a winner. Works with Xpro, XE1 & XE2.

#2 The Hand Grip HG-Xpro1 This is sort of a no-brainer. It gives you a better grip and brings the tripod socket to the middle of the camera, not off to the side. Yes, it’s a bit annoying to take on and off when you want to access the battery or memory card, but its easy to remove and put back on. I keep it on about 80% of the time for standard walk about shooting and when I want to go low profile (shooting discreet at performances) I simply take it off. It has a nice thick rubberness to it, and when using large lenses such as the Zeiss 12mm, Fujifilm 14 or any of the zooms it simply shines. I like the feel of the camera without it, but really like the feel with it. It also has a rubber bottom so it can’t scratch surfaces when you put the camera down and keeps it from slipping off slick surfaces. Coming in at $79 it wont break the bank either. The link I provided will show you both grips.

#3 Blue LocTite for the Eyepiece. A very small drop of blue Loctight is great to keep the stock eyepiece from falling off. I have replaced mine once already and it’s costly! Don’t use the red Loctight, that’s permanent! The blue is made to resist unscrewing but is not permanent for servicing. Make sure you shake the tube well before application and once again, just a small drop or two. You can find this at your local hardware store. Only Xpro1 users need this, the viewfinder in the XE is cheesy.

#4 Gaffers Tape the hood cap that Fujifilm provides. I lost my hood cap in about.. 12 seconds. Take gaffers tape and line the inside of the hood with about 2 layers of the tape, it just makes the lens cap fit more snug. Besides, you should always have a roll of gaff tape handy for just about anything. Use it to gaff tape the Fujifilm logo when shooting in sketchy locations (an old photojournalist trick).

#5 LCD Screen Protector: Your XPro1 is a constant companion, its right place is around your shoulder going where ever you do. It’s bound to get beat up, and that’s ok, because it’s a tough camera. But man, that LCD cover is soft! Look at it the wrong way and it gets scratched. Get on this one right away and put a cover on it! I know, you’re discerning, so try this Aegis Professional Multi-Coat Glass cover, it’s made from Schott glass and is only $30 bucks! It is easy to install and its tougher than the stock glass on the Xpro1 LCD.

#6 Soft Release Button: Since the Xpro1 has a standard cable release, they can accept a broad range of soft release buttons. Essentially a more ergonomic button that screws into your shutter release they feel nice, and make the camera more sensitive to activate auto focus and

#7 Camera Bags: There are only two to consider. Going stealth and relatively inexpensive the Domke F5XB is your huckleberry. It was designed primarily as a rangefinder bag and can hold the camera with a lens mounted on it and two more lenses. It’s canvas and discreet, you can wear it over shoulder or on the hip with it’s integrated belt loop. I like the black, but you can get it in olive or tan. If you never had a Domke bag you’re in for a treat, they age very well and at $70 dollars, wont break the bank so you can buy more lenses as they are released.

Now if you have some $$$ to spare and are looking for something very special, look no further than the Billingham Hadley Small Shoulder bag. It’s like the Louis Vuitton of camera bags, made with a luxury canvas and gorgeous leather trim this is a camera bag that you can take to museum openings, the opera, or to Pakistan. Easily handles a body with lens and two extra lenses like the Domke, but also has two deep large pockets at the front for important extra stuff such as batteries and a hood loupe. Hiding behind the camera insert is an area that you can fit a iPad tightly or a iPad Mini easily. I personally have owned one for over a decade and while the insert’s Velcro has worn out, I replaced it and gave it new life. I don’t want to sound vain, but the Billingham Hadley really is a classy camera bag and you can be proud to tote it around. Coming in at $240 dollars it’s not cheap, but my daddy says, “good things are not cheap and cheap things are not good”. Hey you only live one. Works with Xpro, XE1 & XE2.

#8 Cable release: It’s not a big deal until you go to need one. Shooting fireworks, long shutter speeds in front of waterfalls, or macro work the cable release is part and parcel to the whole reason to mount the camera on a tripod. Sure you could set the timer to 2 seconds, but nothing connects to you to your camera more than a cloth sheathed 12” of wire. The Nikon AR-3 is a high quality shutter release that has been around for ever, it’s locking so you can keep the shutter open for hours if need be. It’s a simple design, that wont break the bank and once again, it’s proven quality. Works with Xpro, XE1 & XE2.

#9 Extra Battery: Get one. You’re going to need it. The Xpro1 is only good for about 225 to 300 shots before it dies. When it goes, it goes fast. It may read two bars, but that really means you have about 20 shots left. I don’t complain, I just keep an extra battery in my bag. So get one, keep it charged and keep it in your bag. This battery works with Xpro, XE1 & XE2.

I hope this helps. Feel free to share you own suggestions.

~David

15 Comments

October 6, 2013

Fujifilm X Pro 1 Predictions – No more pro Mirrorless Cameras?

It’s Fujifilm X series prediction time. I have my photo tarot cards out and here is what they say. One word first, yes I have industry connections and I respect any NDA and or personal confidential info that comes my way. However this info is just my personal prediction and is not based on any confidential intell I’m privy to. I came down to these conclusions with Moose Peterson and Gabe Biderman in conversations this week.

With Photo Plus East just around the corner, we’re going to see lots of announcements in the upcoming days of October. I’m only interested in what Fujifilm has up thier sleeves, since I believe they are the currently the most interesting and principal driver of new and cool photo gear. Yup, I just said that. Sorry Big C (the good kind) and the camera company who used to “take the worlds greatest pictures”. It’s all about the Fujifilm X system. Here we go…

We won’t see a XPro 2. I don’t think ever. But we will see a XE2. I think that the hybrid finder on the Xpro1 is going to be the last Mirrorless camera made that has it. It’s what set the Xpro1 apart from pretty much the whole rest of the Mirrorless world but it’s going to be a feature of photo goodness past. Here is a question to all the current users, do you still use the OVF as much as the days when you first had the Xpro? Or do you find yourself using the EVF more? Lets face it, the EVF is not accurate, I’d say it has about a 10% minus factor on what you see as to what you get. Also, two words, Focus Peaking. Yea, I’m using the OVF less these days. And it hurt to just say that. Seems like analog is just slipping further and further away from me. Next I’ll just be like Neo in the Matrix.

The future is fuzzy… and this is just what I feel in my bones and read in the cards so take it with a grain of salt and look forward to more weather proofing and enhanced EVF functions (manual exposure wysiwig and clearer view).

The Above photography is Lady Liberty shot on the Moose Cruise II with Fujifilm Xpro1 w/ 35 1.4 @ 1/64 F 2.0 ISO 200 and processed in Camera Raw (pretty heavily I may add).

~David

24 Comments

September 28, 2013

The Cucoloris Monster lives in Light and Shadow – Not Sesame Street :-)

Monster Garden, Bomarzo Italy. Fujifilm Xpro 1 35mm 1.4 1/320 f 2.8 iso 200 B&W film sim mode

When the light pours through trees it causes a dappling of highlights and shadows on the scene and can create an interesting effect. In the movie business the grip guys use gobos with patterns cut in them and hold them up between the light source and the scene. They also will move them, so in film it appears as if the wind is blowing the foliage. They call them Cucoloris, Kookaloris, or even cookies and are used frequently.

West Village NYC Ricoh GR IV Digital 1/60th f 5.6 ISO 200

In photography we really don’t use them often, even though the same technique the grip guys use could be set up in the studio easily. More often, we run into it when shooting beneath tree cover. The “cucoloris effect” is best used to create a dance of positive and negative shadow in your image, integrate them into your composition. They can be tricky to expose properly, best to use standard metering and adjust as needed with exposure compensation.

9th avenue NYC Fire Truck Fujifilm Xpro 1 Zeiss Tuoit 12mm 1/250th F 6.3 ISO 200 Film Sim Mode B&W R

As I researched this post I realized the phenomenon is not spoken of in photography much at all, but it plays such a large part of the relationship between light and shadow. Embrace the Cucoloris, seek it out and use it to build complexity to your images.

~David

September 24, 2013

Keep Calm, Carry Cameras. No, Really.

After I posted yesterday’s blog on Street Photography as a Genre, I went out for an afternoon walk from Chelsea to Union Sq and back. I got about 2 blocks when I realized as I chose my camera to pack with me for the walk, I forgot my wallet. With a grunt and curse I turned about to return home and then I spied this perfect intersection of light with this well dressed dude in a pose seemingly meant just for me. Thank you sir. As I crossed the street, I drew my Ricoh GR IV, held it up as I slowly walked by and … nailed it. Best shot I have taken in about a month. Thrilled. No one but the Shutter god and I knew the discreet candid photo was ever taken.

The last post was about Street Photography as genre, so I had this in mind and was playing with the camera in a whimsical “streety” way. Luckily the camera focuses extremely fast and accurately and I can apply some funky contrast B&W styles to the photo. I walked away with a image I can rely on, more confidence that I can shoot street genre, and mostly the reiteration to ALWAYS CARRY A CAMERA.

So the shot is made with Ricoh GR IV Digital and I wrote a review of it here. It’s a fine street shooter.

7 Comments

September 23, 2013

Genre: Street Photography

Everyday, Opportunistic, and Spontaneous

The most popular and widely practiced genre of photography is arguably Street Photography. Street photographers walk around with stealthy cameras ready to grab candid and un-posed images. It takes dedication to build up a body of work, and days and days of shooting can yield little in interesting images and then all of sudden, something with punctum pops into the frame.

In the pantheon of photography, street photographers reign. Known as the father of street photography, Henri Cartier Bresson championed the concept of what he described as, “The Decisive Moment”. This can be summed up from Bresson’s own words, “There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera.” Bresson’s concept has aged quite well even considering that HD Video and super fast capture rates has fallen in favor even with the still photographers.

Perhaps Street Photography is so widely practiced because it is so readily available. Simply walk out of any door with your camera ready to go and the world becomes your subject. Practicing street photography can be an exuberant way of displaying photographic style but it’s own ease can be its pitfall too. Photographers run the risk of becoming bored waiting for that “Bresson Moment” to occur and let their guards down and miss the potentially great shot. Street Photography captures fractions of seconds of our society in action and can serve in a documentarian role as well as just making a great photograph. The best street photos are when multiple stories are being told and the entire frame becomes a stage for life unfolding. It is spontaneous, and patience with a camera on a street corner will be rewarded with just the right subject, secondary subjects, and actions occurring with the background you chose.

Another interesting facet of street photography is that it ages well. While a street filled with current cars becomes mundane, the same street filled with 55 Buicks and 57 Chevy’s all of sudden has a nostalgic boost. The same can be said with fashions and evolving cities in the frame, these images get more interesting with time. This is a reward for those who practice the genre of street photography during thier lifetimes.

Kid on the street. Hi Contrast B&W Ricoh GRD IV

Skills: Quick Reaction Time

Technique: Zone Focus or Pre Focus

Masters: Robert Frank : Vivian Cherry : Peter Turnley : Harvey Stein : Vivian Maier : Bresson (link above). Yes there are many more, this is broad genre however I picked these to start with for historical reference and also in the case of Peter and Harvey, they are still very active and teach workshops.

Gear: Leica M system, Fujifilm Xpro system, (super high quality and small discrete size) DLSR with fast aperture prime wide lens.

I’ll be honest here, I am challenged by street photography and while I practice it, always armed with a camera when out and about, I find my best work is when I can set the shot up and influence the image. I respect street shooters and for those just looking to get into the genre, I recommend you look at the following photographers

The above is part of a format for presenting the genre’s of photography in my upcoming book, “Finding and Developing Photographic Style”. The idea is the common genre name, followed by three words that sum up the genre, then a moderately in-depth description with photographs to illustrate. As always, I’ll take any feedback.

~David

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Omaha Beach – Dog Green Sector

“I started out to cross the beach with 35 men,

and only 6 got to the top, that’s all”.

~Lt. Bob Edlin

Pointe Du Hoc

~President Ronald Reagan at the memorial dedication.

Utah Beach

“We’ll start the war from here”

~Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt

Excerpt from “A Paratroopers Prayer”

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