2021.04.03 Blog & Welcome

Welcome to my new site and new blog. 

It is so exciting to have a new platform that will be much easier to update, keep fresh (hopefully) and visually interesting. I have imported only two of my past blogs, but intend to include a couple more - if only for continuity purposes.

I’m very grateful to some people for their sharp eyes in helping me cut down on the number of images on this site. I fought hard (lol) but did ditch quite a few. Mostly, I’m so grateful to my friend Karla, whose generosity and overall understanding of grids, galleries and a great deal more - was an enormous help to me. I have many changes to come (especially tackling the mobile side of the site), although I feel its ready to publish.

It’s another spring and yet the reality of this virus is still with us. Where I live, another lockdown is underway. Thanks to scientific research and the development of vaccines, our health experts and many others can continue to do their brave work in controlling this terrible virus. Perhaps soon we may return safely to the best aspects of our lives. Loved ones may again be visited. Hugging will be allowed. New work and a return to work for myself and for many others. Fingers and toes crossed this may soon be done safely.

The intent of my site is both to show and sell my photographic images and of course, share new ones. I also hope to secure new assignments; special celebrations like events, commercial work, weddings, births or family gatherings (when it is safe to do so). Please have a look at the galleries, as much of the work is new…or at least as new as being semi locked down can permit!

I’m happy to announce that I will be participating in at least one online show:

Pelham Art Festival Online - May 1st to May 15th, 2021. 

Please watch for this announcement and details here, or on my Facebook and Instagram accounts. 

Regarding the purchasing of images … I am still debating adding an e-commerce store on this site. It certainly would be a practical solution to answering the important questions such as; cost, availability, sizing, formats, finishes and shipping information. Hmn, time will tell. But until then, please use the contact page to directly message me with any questions you may have.

I am so much looking forward to a safe return to one of the best live music jazz houses anywhere: The Rex, in Toronto.  January 2020 was the last time I was at this, my favourite music venue, enjoying a set by the hot Laura Hubert Band. Oh how the place is missed..

Bob Brough and Patrick Smith perform at The Rex in January 2020 • Fujifilm X-Pro2 • 10-24

Can’t wait to get out with my film gear and find some free and safe time to paddle my kayak and walk in the forest, or city.

There is no peace and comfort quite the same as doing these activities with a film camera. Ahh, the anticipation of composing, metering and processing those latent images. One of my favourite things in all of photography is to discuss the subject of film and film cameras. I hope to dedicate a portion of this space to that very subject in many future entries - right here. It will, of course, be ‘focused’ on black and white.

Enjoy the spring - but stay safe!

Collins Inlet, Georgian Bay • Nikon 24mm • Ilford HP5

Thomas Rennie ferry • Toronto • Nikon 24mm • Ilford Delta 100

2017.09.18 Beaches Jazzfest

Having an iPad is somewhat liberating. The iPad Pro is even more liberating because not only can one write with it, but import RAW and JPG photo files and edit them in Lightroom. And while doing this sync the adjustments to my desktop computers – from anywhere! And all the changes made to the files in Lightroom on the iPad are automatically synced to the Mac desktop to fine tune for final output later on (if necessary). All so very cool.

But I’m ahead of myself. This is a post about something more specific. Sure,  I wanted to briefly discuss that I can  marry my Fuji X cameras to the iPad and it’s software. But its really a marriage between two passions: Photography and music.

I am a jazz fan. Well, a music fan in general, but I do love jazz. Especially live jazz. A few weeks ago I attended several concerts and a street fest at the 29th Beaches International Jazz Festival in Toronto. Shooting photos of musicians while they perform has always been fun.  I feel the music as I shoot it and usually this helps me in the creation of better pictures. Well, not usually, always. Besides, it’s a blast to shoot pictures with the combined ambience of sight and sound right in front of and enveloping you. It’s a rush.

Like at all jazz festivals the word ‘jazz’ itself is a bit of a stretch. By that I mean – certainly there’s not a great deal of quiet piano, bass and drums, or much traditional or bebop. But lots of groove, funk and world beat. I don’t care much either way, as I love all of it.

I certainly have no desire to point out much regarding all the technical comparisons of RAW vs in-camera processed files – there are many articles and publications which do that quite nicely.  Besides, I want the pictures to speak for themselves…which they most certainly do. But I must state that almost every image used here began as a JPG using the X-T2’s Fuji Acros black and white film simulation mode.

As for gear,  I decided to shoot almost every image with the 24 megapixel APS sized sensor Fujifilm X-T2 through the glass of the superbly sharp XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR lens – shooting almost exclusively in Fuji’s Acros JPG mode (along with RAW which I always shoot). I knew that if I wanted the chance to have colour back ups and higher bit depth (if I were I not happy with the B&W JPGs straight out of the camera) I needed to cover all the bases.

Although shooting both RAW and JPG has been my habit since my very first digital camera (the lowly, yet venerable Nikon D70) and one which certainly occupies a great deal of storage space – were it not for wanting the odd colour image, I now might have to question the very need to shoot RAW at all.  Especially when the ultimate goal is black and white. Sure, one can fine tune the image, bring out detail in shadows, all that stuff. But isn’t that what good exposure is for? Particularly in the black and white image where so much information – namely colour – has been removed?

Yes, as you will see, the JPGs are rich in detail, not overly doctored, or sharpened and certainly have a life-like film look that takes me back in time…the likes of which I’ve not seen in any other digital camera. But I do suppose a lot of it has to do with that Fuji X-Trans lll sensor. Magic to be sure. Either way the images impress so much. I really wanted to see how well the X-T2 and that 50-140mm f/2.8 would handle bright and contrasty sunlight, as well as low stage lighting at night.

The result? I can’t see any lighting situation with this Fuji combination that the B&W JPG film simulation mode cannot do well. It really does feel like shooting with a film camera. And the look! What follows is a gallery of images which, apart from the accompanying captions, will speak for themselves.  And one final (reluctant) thought…I could never have shot B&W images with this much shadow detail, lack of grain, sharpness and much more at ISO’s approaching 5000 or higher on film. There, I finally admit it. Enjoy!

2015.11.15 The Allure of Fuji X

Fujifilm

So happy to find a bit of time to make this entry. There have been many exciting (well, for me at least) photo related events to report.

I’ve shot a great deal of images in the past several months: Pan Am Games and events, Para Pan Games and events, assorted other work for the city, Trees Foundation, some commercial work, portraits and events. Additionally I’ve participated in and prepared for an assortment of shows at Arts events such as Pelham Fine Arts, Contact 2015, Cobourg and the Buckhorn Fine Arts Festival – even a photo contest in which I was selected a finalist {I say this because the chosen image for this was shot with some of the Fuji equipment discussed in this entry).

But this is mostly an update to the love affair I have with certain Fujifilm products.

Ok, allow me to clear up one thing. I have for a number of years always relied on Nikon cameras and lenses for the bulk of the shooting that the Fuji system will now do. Yes, Nikon film cameras, going back to the F2, FM2, F801s and many of the new crop of DSLR Nikons. I still use them (even the film cameras) and have no concern with their quality and reliability – or the sharpness, of Nikon glass. Fabulous products which (in my case at least) don’t even break down.

But I consider it good fortune that this past July, Fujifilm Canada asked me to become an X Series photographer. This is an honour that I accepted readily. Kind of makes me a Fuji ambassador, as I get to try out an assortment of new cameras and lenses. Yet, promoting Fuji comes naturally for me, as I’ve always loved love their products – going back to Fuji film such as Fuji Velvia colour slide, Fuji Portrait NHP 400 neg film and their beautiful silvery, Neopan black and white films such as Neopan Acros 100, which I still shoot. Pretty magical film stock.

I also want to say that this is NOT going to be a technical analysis, complete with lens test charts, resolution data and detailed pixel information. There is enough written by those far more adept at this. I want only to show samples and relay some of the experiences I’ve had.

The Allure of the Mirrorless Camera

But I want to discuss Fujifilm’s mirrorless cameras: In particular the Fuji X-E2, the X-T1 and a few lenses that work so well with either of these cameras. No, I’m not discussing the X Pro 1, the X100 series, or even the new X-T10 (which I understand to be mostly a slightly scaled down X-T1). Besides, I have really only used these two.

Why go mirrorless? Let’s face it, recently there has been an increased movement towards mirrorless cameras in general and not without reason. They are small, sleek, quiet and compromise very little when compared to the venerable DSLRs (in common use now for close to 15 years). Of course the small size is largely a result of the absence of the big flopping noisy mirror.

My introduction to the world of the Fuji X series was the X-E2. It was acquired just over a year ago. At the time I felt it would fulfill all my requirements of having a small precise camera with super sharp interchangeable lenses. The X-E2 – pictured here – is the camera that feels so solid, so small; almost Leica like. I immediately found a Really Right Stuff (RRS) grip (used) as I am accustomed to using these on my cameras. This Arca Swiss style grip allows the photographer to quickly mount the camera body to a comparably equipped tripod head.

The X-T1 camera has the Fuji grip fitted with the Arca Swiss type mount. Both of these are beautifully manufactured. Additionally, with the grip they fit nicely in the hand.

The X-T1 is more expensive, slightly larger and 90 grams heavier. It is weather sealed and has an articulating screen. Weather sealing is great if you shoot in the outdoors in rain and sleet, but only if the lens you have mounted is also weather sealed. Well, I suppose it is good to have the camera protected at least. Only some of the Fuji lenses are built this way. The tilting screen (to some), isn’t a game changer;  but I’ve come to realize after all that this can be important. Getting the camera low enough to shoot from the ground level – with ease, is very helpful and a reminder why waist level medium formats were appealing to me in the same way. The screen can be useful in other ways as well.

But the differences between these cameras are really quite minor, because at the core of both is that superb 16MP X-Trans CMOS ll Sensor which is capable of delivering images that are simply beautiful. And the beauty isn’t only when shooting at low ISO settings. I have shot images at 3200 – 6400 ISO that continue to surprise.  But whether the photographer needs the speed, faster focusing, slightly higher shooting rate – an astonishing eight frames per second vs seven for the X-E2  – articulating screen and more: these are the deciding points to consider before the purchase. If they’re not important factors, then honestly, I think that most people would be happy with the X-E2.

This image shows the two cameras side by side. Both sleek, with beautiful finishes.

The Lenses & what they can deliver

Initially, I ended up getting two lenses; the kit Fujifilm XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS zoom and the  Fujifilm XF18mm f/2. They were indeed a great introduction The kit lens is so sharp. This 18-55mm zoom is the equivalent of a 27-84mm in the 35mm format and most anything may be photographed in this range. Additionally, with the lens’ f/2.8 aperture at its widest setting, built in OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), combined with a small body without the vibrations of a large mirror, it becomes a rather fast walkabout lens, as it can provide several longer shutter speeds of sharpness without resorting to a tripod.The 18mm was a promotional gift available to anyone purchasing at the time. Seems redundant having two 18mm focal lengths, but the 18mm at f/2 is faster, so small and I simply love its size for shooting in a completely unobtrusive way. Besides, it was free!

These tools are reliable and work flawlessly as they should.

Red Badge” lenses

This past summer I shot a series of events including some sports, relating to the PanAm and ParaPan Games held in Toronto. It was about this time that I became an X Photographer for Fujifilm Canada and so I took that opportunity to try out some other lenses along with the X-T1 camera.

Initially I received the following remarkable prototype “Red Badge” products:

• Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM W

• Fujifilm XF50-140.. f/2.8 R LM OIS WR

• Fujifilm X-T1 Camera Body

The 50-140 soon became my go-to lens. Fast, sharp, weather sealed and of course lighter that my 70-200 f/2.8 Nikon. (Here’s a fun fact; with the Fotodiox adapter – available from Amazon – Nikon, Canon and many other lenses, may be fitted onto Fuji X Series cameras for use in complete manual mode!).

Blog Post Title Four

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.