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Posts Tagged ‘Scenes’

Behind the scenes: Trapped in a blizzard with the Fujifilm GFX 50s

10 Dec

Photographer Josselin Cornou recently got his hands on a Kipon EF-GFX adapter and Tamron 15-30mm F2.8 lens, which he couldn’t wait to slap onto his Fujifilm GFX-50S. But what to shoot? So he hopped into a car and headed up to Thredbo in the Snowy Mountains of Australia… with a $ 6,500 camera… what the worst that could happen!?

Cue Murphy’s law.

As fate would have it, Josselin and his expensive new gear got caught in an extreme blizzard—an experience that seems to have both terrified and delighted him, if you go by his squeals of joy in the video. Fortunately for us, it gave him a chance to test out all three of his new toys (the Fuji GFX, Kipon Adaptor, and Tamron 15-30mm F2.8) in some of the harshest conditions you might ever dream of taking them.

You can hear what he had to say in the video up top, but he was also kind enough to share some more thoughts with DPReview readers in writing. So, here goes. Take it away Josselin:

About the Kipon Adaptor

Pros: the adapter allows you to change the aperture of the lens from the GFX.

Cons: there is no connection to the camera.

Ultimately, I found this to be a great tool to use any EF lens on the Fujifilm GFX. There is no weather sealing on the current version, so I had to remove the adaptor when it was drying. Still, it did a really great job in incredibly tough conditions, and it’s still fully functional even after freezing solid!

Having an adaptor with aperture control is a must if you want to use Canon glasses on the GFX.

About the Tamron 15-30mm F2.8

This is a great ultrawide angle for this system. The image fills the full circle of the GFX with limited vignetting from 18mm onward (equivalent to 14-15mm on Full Frame). It is actually really sharp in the center, sharper than many Mamyia lenses I’ve tried on the GFX. The corners are totally usable at 18mm F2.8, and provide even better result at 24mm (and lower apertures).

Having tested the Tamron 15-30mm, Sigma 35mm Art, 50mm F1.4, and many other high resolution lenses on the Fujifilm GFX, my guess is that manufacturers are upscaling their design so they also fit (or almost fit) 44×33 sensors. That gives you up to 2/3 of a stop advantage (depending on the FF camera system), which means less noise at any given ISO.

Anyway, I would definitely recommend getting a Tamron 15-30mm for the Fujifilm GFX, especially if you also have Sony system and Canon adapter, so you can adapt the lens on both systems. It’s also way cheaper than buying a medium format ultra wide angle lens.

About the GFX

We stayed out for over 40 minutes capturing really long exposures (multiple 15-minute shots) at -15°C with up to 110km/h winds in a blizzard… and this camera worked perfectly! While it did well, my tripod leg (MeFOTO RoadTrip) broke in those condition—a leg just… snapped off, something I didn’t mention in the video.

I also only had to use one battery for the entire weekend, something that was really satisfying for me after coming from a Sony a7R II.

As I said, the camera worked perfectly even in these conditions: no slowing down, no bugs, no crashing, and no issues with the frost. One feature I love to use with the GFX is being able to expose for up to 1 hour. In this case, I shot for 15 minutes without any major issues, artifacts, or hotspots.

Admittedly, it was a very heavy system to carry along in the mountains (the Tamron alone weighs 1.3kg); however, it is definitely a kit I would happily bring again to cold or extreme environment.

About the trip

Finally, I definitely recommend that everybody reading this go and visit the Snowy Mountains in Australia—there are some really amazing landscapes up there. This is something I absolutely love doing: going to an unexpected environment in order to capture some unique shots. That includes finding snow in Australia.

It’s worth noting that we had all the equipment and supplies we needed to stay overnight safely, as well as navigate (topographic map and compass) and administer first aid.

If anybody tries to go into such weather conditions, please take it seriously: team up with somebody experienced, get some serious equipment (including a beacon), and let the rangers know you are going. This was an incredibly rewarding experience, but it had the potential to turn into a very scary experience very fast if we hadn’t been prepared.

Here are Josselin’s final, edited photos from this trip. Not bad after dealing with 110km/h winds and temperatures well below freezing!

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Check out the full video up top for footage from the trip. And if you’d like to see more of his work, follow Josselin on Instagram and Facebook, check out his YouTube channel for more adventures like this one, or read his Photo Story of the Week here on DPReview.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Behind the scenes: Shooting a cinematic short film with the iPhone X

19 Nov

Photographer Ryan Earl and filmmaker Nick Arcivos of AmnesiArt recently created an extremely impressive cinematic short film. Impressive not only because the shots were gorgeous, well-planned, and well-executed… but also because the entire thing was shot on an iPhone X.

The film is called ‘Made in Paris’, and it’s a cinematic portrait of Elise Lepinteur, protégée of world-famous pastry chef Christophe Adam.

It was shot and edited over the course of four days, but unlike Matteo Bertoli’s recent 4K iPhone X short film, Nick didn’t shy away from using a little bit of gear to help take the shots to the next level.

“We produced and edited this short piece in only 4 days with the help of Gitzo monopods, a DJI Osmo Mobile gimbal and a Zhiyun Smooth Q gimbal,” he tells DPReview. “For the macro shots, we used iPro Lenses by Schneider Optics. The audio was recorded with a Rode Lavalier Mic, Rode NTG3 Shotgun and a Zoom H4N, and we also used a Marsace MT-01 table tripod and a cheap Andoer mini dolly.”

For lighting, Nick tells us they used three LED lights: a Litepanels MicroPro, a Yongnuo YN300 Air Pro, and a Litepanels Astra 1×1. For the interview, they only used the MicroPro and the Astra 1×1.

Here are a few behind the scenes photos that Nick shared with us, showing how some of the shots in the film above were captured:

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As for how the phone performed, Nick and Ryan were seriously impressed:

We were blown away by the quality of the OLED screen, its size is perfect for monitoring the shoot. Results are even better than last year iPhone 7, colors are more vibrant, and we found the dynamic range was improved.

Apple also finally provided the option of shooting 24 FPS in the Camera app. Before, we had to essentially rely on Filmic Pro, so this time we only used it for the fridge and flour (slo-mo) shots. It was the only way for us to monitor and start recording with the Filmic Remote app.

Does the final footage match what you could capture with a more serious video camera like the Panasonic GH5 or a cinema monster like the Arri Alexa? No, definitely not. But Nick and Ryan summed up our thoughts well when they said, “when we look at the results, even for us as pro filmmakers, it is hard to believe it was shot on a smartphone.”

Check out the full video up top, scroll through some beautiful screen grabs below, and then visit the AmnesiArt website and YouTube Channel for even more filmmaking goodness to inspire you this Friday afternoon.

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All photos by Ryan Earl and Nick Arcivos, and used with permission.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Behind the scenes: Capturing creepy Halloween wet plate portraits

01 Nov

While most people will be out experimenting with a little chemical called Ethanol on Halloween, at least one photographer decided to use some Ethyl Ether and Silver Nitrate instead. Markus Hofstaetter—whose work we’ve featured in the past—decided to take a few wet plate collodion portraits this Halloween, and documented the entire process in a creative 360° video.

The main shot Hofstaetter was after is actually not the hard-core looking skull portrait in the GIF at the top. Instead, he wanted to take a self-portrait in the style of Walter White “Heisenberg” of Breaking Bad.

“I feel always like him when I prepare the chemicals for my collodion wet plate process,” Markus writes on his blog. He also went for an imperfect look. By not cleaning the edges of the plates after the silver bath and not cleaning the plate holder. “It’s not always about perfection.”

Here are a few BTS shots, the final images, and a couple of high res crops from the wet plate scans Markus sent over:

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Speaking to DPReview, Markus explained some of the particulars of his process:

I like to use trays for sanitizing my plates much more than typical silver bath tanks. That’s because mamut plates are easier to handle, the alcohol (that comes from the collodion coating into the silver bath) can easier evaporate in a tray and it’s so much easier to fill 2 Liters of nitrate back in a bottle with a tray.

All Chemicals I use are self-made and the collodion is typically done on the day before the shooting to get the plates more sensible to light. I make developer and fixer occasionally – these are very stable. The silver bath is Maintained two to three times a year.

As you can see in the video, I forgot to wear my glasses when I put the plate into the silver bath tray the first time – this is very dangerous!!! Because one drop of silver nitrate in your eye will blind you. Never happened before – but I was kind of busy with the 360 cam 🙁

Normally I wear masks too (the Ether in the Collodion is unhealthy), but I didn’t want to get indents on my face from the mask. You would have seen that in the picture.

To see more from Markus, be sure to visit his website, check out his blog, or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Photos, GIF and Video by Markus Hofstaetter and used with permission.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Behind the scenes with Albert Watson: Watch a photographic legend shape light

07 Sep

Profoto recently connected two icons in their respective fields: Albert Watson, the portrait photography legend, and Sergei Polunin, the so-called “bad boy of ballet” and probably the only ballet dancer you could call “mainstream.” Together, they set about capturing some unique portraits, and filmmaker Eric Becker, the director of our own long-form video series, was there to document the process.

Watson’s work—which you can find in galleries and museums world-wide—spans a few genres. But the shots that define his career are his portraits… photographs of influential men and women that often look almost sculpture-like. If you’re interested at all in portrait photography, listening to Watson talk you through his light shaping process will be incredibly inspirational.

And if you’re a fan of high end lighting equipment well… you might just slobber all over your keyboard as you watch his assistants unpack a veritable army of Profoto Pro-10’s ($ 14,000 each) for this shoot.

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In the end, of course, Watson was less concerned with the gear than the portraits he was trying to capture with said gear. His process is a journey that he describes as, “not a distinct road to the final shot. You don’t know until you get there.”

And when he got there, this is what he captured: three photographs, one showing Sergei in flight, the other two described as “modern sculptures.”

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All in all, Profoto doesn’t miss the mark when they call the video above “a masterclass in light shaping.” Check it out for yourself, and then head over to the Profoto website to hear the story in their own words.

All photographs courtesy of Profoto

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Behind the scenes: Mountain bike self-portrait under the Milky Way

03 Sep

Here in Marlborough, New Zealand, I’ve been able to indulge two of my passions: night sky photography and mountain biking. But my time in this part of the world is almost up, and lately I’ve been wondering how I can combine these. So a couple of weeks ago I did a bit of location scoping around the outlying hills. I jogged to the top of the mountain bike park, and ended up at a spot that I might be able to make something of.

Back in front of the PC I consulted the planetarium software, Stellarium, and checked the moon phases. Conditions looked OK in just a couple of days, but would the forecast cloud cover hold off?

On the day I set my internal alarm and had a glance outside, almost hoping there would be cloud so I could retreat under the covers. Not to be, so I leapt on the bike and put the hammer down to get up the hills in time. I really had to shift it as the galactic arc was dropping rapidly—anything too long after 3:30am would be too late. After a brutal hill climb in subzero conditions (and the odd wrong turn in the dark) I made it to the spot. Time: 3:31am.

I allowed myself a minute to catch my breath and then set up the equipment for the panorama. The idea was to radio trigger the flashgun and position it on the fence line, but with frozen fingers and a lack of time I decided to keep the strobe in the hotshoe instead. To get myself into the frame I simply used the self-timer.

A number of attempts were needed to position myself and then get the flash output on point. Because I had decided to shed my heavy jacket for the shoot, there was a degree of urgency before I froze solid. Finally I was satisfied, and then there was the dicey descent back to civilization.

The great thing about night sky photography is the surprise that awaits back at the PC when you stitch the images together. Not bad, I thought. It would have been nice to have a bit more moonlight on the singletrack, and the arc a bit higher, but for a first time Milky Way Mountain Bike Self Portrait… I’ll take it. Thanks Marlborough.

Sarnim Dean is a photographer and loyal DPReview reader who has been featured previously in a reader showcase here on DPR. To see more of his work, be sure to visit his website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Deadly Pleasures: The Devil’s in the Details of These Dark Miniature Scenes

19 Aug

[ By SA Rogers in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

Every dumb thing we humans do in this modern-day ‘civilized’ world is laid out in excruciating detail in these miniature scenes by artist Frank Kunert – not to mention our fears and anxieties. A row of public toilets is placed on a stage so strangers can watch you poop. A bride and groom poise at the end of a diving platform far too high above a pool, their friends and family watching below. A children’s slide empties onto a highway, and a bassinet is equipped with a desk so the little one can get to work as soon as possible. Pipes funnel human waste straight from the toilet upstairs into a television set, and a balcony projects into the path of a train.

Each of these works is a darkly humorous critique mocking us for contemporary habits and practices, from setting ourselves up for danger a la the Darwin Awards to creating cycles of consumption that kill us instead of satisfying us. Art museums are literally out of reach. The only living tree visible in the neighborhood is solely accessible via a dangerous staircase. A beautiful modern villa cuts off sunlight to the hovel below.

Some of the scenes look ordinary upon first glance, and it takes a moment to realize what’s wrong with them. Doors on the side of an apartment tower might lead into nothing but air, or a single chair at a formal dining table is placed out in the cold while the rest are cozy indoors.

Kunert painstakingly crafts each of these miniature scenes as part of his series Photographs of Small Worlds, and then documents them for his portfolio. He works on each one until it captures the mood and message he’s aiming for without any digital manipulation. You can see more of his work at his website, which offers much of his portfolio in photo book form, or in person September 10th 2017 through January 28th 2018 at Germany’s Museum Boppard.

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From flat sheets of paper, entire cities emerge, rich in unexpected details like balconies, tiny windows and even little people. Dutch artist Ingrid Siliakus uses an initial 90-degree fold to …

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[ By SA Rogers in Art & Sculpture & Craft. ]

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The iPhone camera may soon use ‘SmartCam’ AI to adjust to different scenes on the fly

04 Aug

Apple’s Photos app and other gallery solutions have used AI (artificial intelligence) technology for years now to identify objects and scenes for image sorting, searching and categorization. But according to information that was found in the source code of the Apple HomePod firmware the same technology might soon be implemented in the iPhone Camera app, and be used in real time (instead of post-capture) to optimize camera settings such as exposure, white balance and HDR for specific scenes.

The new feature is called “SmartCam,” and takes the widely used face detection technology to a new level. The code—which was discovered as part of a firmware leak for Apple’s HomePod—identifies several different types of scenes that could be identified, including: baby photos, pets, the sky, snow, sports, sunset, fireworks, foliage, documents and more. This sounds pretty much like a list of conventional camera scene modes, but without the need to select and set them manually in the camera menu—Apple will simply recognize them and shift accordingly.

The so-called “SmartCam” feature was not announced by Apple at its Worldwide Developers Conference, which likely means it won’t be made available to older iPhones with an update to iOS 11. It’s possible Apple wants to retain the feature as a unique selling proposition for the next generation iPhone models, which are expected to be announced in September.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Behind the scenes: Shooting a $2.5 million car with a $50,000 camera

31 Jul

Photographer Richard Thompson recently had the chance to shoot one of the most advanced (and expensive) cars in the world with one of the most advanced (and expensive) camera systems in the world. Fortunately for those of us who enjoy salivating over both camera gear and gorgeous cars, there’s a behind the scenes video for us to enjoy.

The car in question is the Pagani Huayra BC, and the camera a Phase One XF 100MP medium format—an appropriately advanced camera system to capture such an advanced piece of automotive machinery.

The behind the scenes video was created by Phase One, which (of course) means that it feels a bit ad-like at several points. But Thompson throws in plenty of information about the photo shoot, why he captured the car the way he did, and showing off some of final images to make you salivate freely on your keyboard.

Check out the full BTS video above, and then click here to see the final composites on Thompson’s website.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Behind the scenes at Canon’s new Burbank Technology and Support Center

24 Jul

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

A few days ago, Canon officially opened its newest Professional Technology and Support Center in Burbank, California, and DPReview was part of a select group of media invited to tour the facility prior to the grand opening.

‘Canon Burbank’ is primarily focused on meeting the needs of filmmakers and the Hollywood film production industry, and includes post-production facilities that could be used to produce a blockbuster film. However, as I discovered during my visit, Canon wants this space to attract more than just the filmmaking elite.

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

According to Elliot Peck, Canon Imaging and Technologies’ Executive Vice President, the project to build this new center started about a year ago when Canon realized that it was effectively out of space at its old Hollywood location. Canon designed a completely new facility from the ground up and took the opportunity to move to Burbank, at the heart of the filmmaking industry.

Although it’s officially called a ‘Technology Support and Service Center,’ the description I kept hearing from many staff was ‘Integration Center.’ Canon recognizes that it’s still relatively new to the cinema market, and almost every part of this facility is designed to show how seamlessly Canon products can integrate into an existing production workflow.

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

While there’s a natural focus on Hollywood, Tim Smith, Canon’s Senior Advisor for Film and TV Production, told me that he wants all types of content creators to utilize this facility, particularly people like emerging filmmakers, some of whom may even be using equipment like DSLRs, and who aren’t on Hollywood’s radar yet.

“That was us six years ago,” he said, drawing a parallel to Canon’s own rise in the motion picture business. “In a sense, we’ve spent the last several years figuring out how to go from DSLRs to cinema. This facility is the culmination of all of that work.”

Smith says he wants people early in their careers, who have the desire but not the established name, to come to the facility to network and learn. Canon plans to do seminars and classes for filmmakers at all levels, including topics such as writing or lighting that don’t have a direct relationship to Canon products. Best of all, most of these classes will be free.This article offers free shipping on qualified Face mask products, or buy online and pick up in store today at Medical Department

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

The new service facility has double the space of Canon’s former Hollywood location, as well as an improved workflow for processing repairs. Canon’s goal is to achieve a one-day turnaround time for customers.

While the service center will see a lot of motion picture products given its location, it provides full support for all Canon camera products, including Cinema EOS, EOS DSLRs, EF and EF-S lenses, and EOS cinema lenses. In addition to repairs, the center has loan equipment available for CPS members.

(If you happen to live in Southern California, the center is open for walk-in visits from 9-5 Monday-Friday.)

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

Part of the service facility is the lens room, where technicians can test and verify lens performance after repair. The room might be better described as a very wide hallway, stretching about 65 ft. (20m) in length. The extra distance allows technicians to mount lenses up to 600mm on a master body to check for optical alignment and resolution, meaning that all but a couple very specialized Canon lenses can be tested here.

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

The broadcast TV projection room is designed to test 4K cinema lenses, which need to deliver sharp performance from corner to corner at every aperture and focal length. Appropriately, the design of this room is all about precision.

Although you can’t see it in the dark, the testing hardware is mounted on a rail system that is precisely aligned to the projection wall. In fact, Canon told us that its engineers, along with the construction firm, spent over a week just building the projection wall to ensure that it was perfectly vertical and without imperfections.

Targets projected through a lens allow technicians to celebrate for sharpness, color, flare, and uneven focus. The target in this photo is a generic pattern to demonstrate the equipment; Canon assures us that it has proprietary targets that are used when calibrating lenses.

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

At first glance, what Canon refers to as the ‘workflow area’ appears to be a standard editing suite, but the main purpose of this room is to to help filmmakers figure out how to integrate Canon cameras and lenses into their production workflows.

Canon acknowledges that filmmakers can be a finicky group of people who like to do things their own way. That poses a challenge for a company that’s still somewhat new to the cinema market. Canon created the workflow area so that filmmakers could test their full post-production workflow, using their tools of choice, while introducing Canon cameras and lenses into the mix.

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

Whatever a filmmaker’s post-production workflow looks like, chances are pretty good they can replicate it here. The facility supports all major editing suites (Avid, DaVinci, Adobe, and Apple), and even includes both Mac and Windows systems so visitors can work on whatever system is most comfortable for them.

There are also three reference displays for use while editing and grading: a 30-inch Canon DP-V3010 4K reference display and a 24-inch Canon DP-V2420 1000NIT HDR reference display (both of which cost around $ 30K), and also a ‘consumer confidence’ display that’s representative of what would be found in a nice home theater. This gives a colorist a rough idea of what the image will look like on a consumer device.

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

The prep room is a facility where cameras can be mounted and fully rigged for production, making it possible to design and test a setup before taking it into the field. Both podiums are wired into the rest of the building so that camera output can be instantly analyzed somewhere else, like the workflow area or the 4K screening room.

Canon wants cinematographers and 1st ACs (1st assistant camera operators) to come in and experiment with their Canon equipment, configure it the way they would for a production, to see how it performs and verify that it meets their needs. Additionally, Canon plans to use this space for other purposes, such as education. For example, it could offer classes for new ACs on how to rig a camera for a shoot.

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

Going one step further, Canon invites filmmakers to bring in its competitors’ cameras to set up side-by-side with its own cameras for comparative testing. According to Smith, “We want to go head to head, with whoever we need to go up against, to convince filmmakers that we have the right product for their project.”

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

The 4K screening room is just what it sounds like. At its heart is a Barco DP4K-P 4K projector, the same projector used by post production facilities such as technicolor. Canon wants filmmakers to have confidence that any work they do in the facility will be up to Hollywood standards.

There are a few seats up front, but most of the action takes place in back where there’s a full edit suite, including 7.1 surround sound and a 2000NIT display for doing HDR grades.

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

In my conversation with Tim Smith, he expressed a strong desire for Canon Burbank to be much more than just a technology and service center. He wants it to be a location where people in the filmmaking community, from DSLR shooters to Hollywood pros, can come together to meet and network.

“In this industry you have to network to find a job,” he says. “Even if you’re the best in the world, you need to network. The more circles you build, the better. One of our visions for this facility is for a cinematographer to use our space to pitch a film to a producer, who then decides to move forward with the project.”

Photo courtesy of Canon

Behind the scenes: Canon Burbank

It’s clear that Canon wants its Burbank facility to be a resource for everyone from beginners to Hollywood pros, and I sensed a genuine desire to engage with and support the filmmaking community.

For all its history, Canon is still the new kid on the block in the cinema business, but the company is confident in its products and isn’t afraid to go head to head with the established players. However, to paraphrase Tim Smith, Canon needs to build circles and create its own networks within this community to be successful long term. Canon Burbank certainly seems to be a step in that direction.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Behind the scenes with Nat Geo and ‘The Last Honey Hunter’

22 Jul

This month, National Geographic Magazine ran a long piece on the Kulung culture in Nepal, detailing the dangerous work of so-called ‘honey hunters’ as they set about harvesting large quantities of psychotropic honey. The process is harrowing, requiring hunters to scale large rock faces using ropes and little else, subjecting them to stings by the world’s largest honeybees and, if they’re not careful, certain death.

Accompanying the editorial is a gallery of images taken primarily by photographer Renan Ozturk, one of the subjects of a newly released behind-the-scenes video (above) showing the honey hunters in action, as well as the lengths Ozturk went to photograph them.

At about 9 minutes in length, the video is a short but raw look at the process and all the work that went into capturing this incredible photo essay. Enjoy.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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