ePhotoZine Posts Sample Shots From Olympus 75mm f1.8 on OM-D

 

Olympus 75mm f1.8 on Olympus OM-D, iso 320, f1.8, 1/160 sec

Image Source: http://www.ephotozine.com/article/olympus-75mm-m-zuiko-digital-f-1-8-lens-sample-photos-19553?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Ephotozine+%28ePHOTOzine%29

 
 
I am thinking very hard about reasons for and against buying the new Olympus 75mm f1.8 lens for Micro 4/3 cameras (like my Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3). Having shot with my Voigtlander 75mm f2.5 lens in Leica Thread Mount on the G3 recently, I'm pretty convinced the focal length is what I need for music photography.
 
(Click Here) to see my concert pics with the G3 and Voigtlander 75mm f2.5 Color-Heliar.
 
Because the new Olympus lens is so fast (in light gathering, f1.8), I wondered if the depth of field at that f-stop would be so shallow as to not be useful for portraits and people pictures. Depth of field is reasonable on my Voigtlander lens at f2.5, but what about f1.8? Well, ePhotoZine's picture above answers that question. It seems to have just the right amount of depth of field at f1.8.
 
It doesn't look good for me talking myself out of the new Olympus lens. :)
 
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Before and After - Tutorial by Roel on roel.me

Roel on the website roel.me has produced a very nice tutorial entitled "Before and After." In this piece, he presents pairs of images, each explaining a photographic challenge he has encountered ("Before") and his solution ("After").

 

(Click Here) to see the full tutorial on Roel.me

Roel's "Before"

Image Source: http://roel.me/before-and-after-improving-your-photography-part-1/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+roelme+%28roel.me%29

 

Roel's "After"

Image Source: http://roel.me/before-and-after-improving-your-photography-part-1/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+roelme+%28roel.me%29

 

Roel has done a very nice job here. In the example above, he's making the point that you should consider including context around your subject. Yes, the bike is the subject. Most of us have been trained to focus closely on the subject, removing anything that is not essential from the frame. In this example, Roel shows that the Chinese characters on the wall near the subject really add to the composition, making it easier to understand the setting of the bicycle.

 

In other examples, Roel makes the following points (see the link above to see Roel's pictures for each):

1. Change your perspective to get a different picture, emphasizing the most interesting part of the scene.
2. "Shoot what cannot be shot." I find this description a little misleading. What Roel really did in this example was to focus on the interaction of a mother and son, rather than placing them within the context of a market.
3. Understand your real subject - in this example, Roel focuses on the hands of a worker in a Chinese silk factory. This is a wonderful example.
4. Focus on finding interesting light first - a good picture will follow.
5. Frame your subject. This one is striking as well. Roel uses a window frame in his hotel room to make a harbour scene in Hong Kong much more interesting.
6. Tell a story. We all know this. We must all be reminded of this.

Roel's bicycle example (shown above) reminded me of a shot of my own. In the shot below, it was the way that the plants had overgrown this old scooter that caught my eye. I am fond of this image. However, I am now wondering if there was any context that would have placed it as being taken in Japan. Hmm. I may get the chance to see this one again, as we go to Japan every spring to visit family. Maybe I'll have an "after" shot next year?

"Before" Shot?, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso 160, f5.6, 1/160 sec

 

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Unistock 2012 - Before the Deluge

Unistock is a local bluegrass / country / jam concert here in Northern Virginia. I could only attend on Friday evening this year - and even that was cut short. More about that later.
 
(Click Here) to go to the Unistock home page.
 

 

Unistock 2012, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso 200, f5, 1/125 sec

 

 
Arriving late afternoon at Clover Hill Farm, I found the place hot, sticky, stagnant, yet filled with fun, creative young people, out to have a good time.
 
 

Friends, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso 200, f3.2, 1/125 sec

Before the sun went down, we heard about the impending storm. It was so hot and calm, it was difficult to imagine a storm being anything but an improvement. People were doing anything to stay cool.
 

Cooling Off, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Voigtlander 75mm f2.5 Heliar in LTM

iso 400, f-stop unrecorded, 1/160 sec

As the sunset came and went, Jake and the Burtones laid down their tunes for the crowd, who was quite interactive at this point. These guys are old favorites around hear, although none of them are old, obviously. The stage was the flatbed of an old Chevy truck - very cool.
 
 

Sunset and the Burtones, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Pana-Leica Summilux 25mm f1.4

iso 800, f1.4, 1/30 sec

Jack and Josh of the Burtones, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Voigtlander 75mm f2.5 Heliar in LTM

iso 6400, f2.5, 1/80 sec

Tmony of the Burtones, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3, Voigtlander 75mm f2.5 Heliar in LTM

iso 400, f2.5, 1/100 sec

Fireworks were also part of the equation. I really like this picture of several dancers with fireworks, which I made using the waterproof Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 on "Starry Sky" mode. I knew it was about to rain, so I had put my G3s in the car, relying on the weatherproof properties of the TS3.
 

Firework Dancers, by Reed A. George

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3, Starry Sky mode

iso 100, f3.3, 15 seconds

 

 
Then came the storm. Soon after the Hot Seats took the stage, all power was lost in a flash. The dead calm air turned to a cold wave of high velocity wind. People were frantic, running through the dark, looking for their friends. I went directly to my car, having to get home that night anyway. It took me three completely different routes, the first two blocked by huge downed trees, to get home. Wild animals were panicked - I saw a deer bound across the road, jumping the roadside fence, rabbits, even a snake desperately seeking safety. The trees lining these country roads represented real and present danger. I truly feel lucky to have not been hit by one as I saw them crashing down around me.
 
I grew up in tornado country, in Oklahoma. I can honestly say that I've never felt more personally threatened by a storm than I did by this one. Some people weren't so lucky. I read an account of one person killed while trying to clear a downed tree from the road; they were hit by another falling tree. I could easily have witnessed the same, as I watched people from the cars in front of me out doing exactly the same. Or, I could have been hit in my car.
 
I was worried about what happened to the people who stayed. It turns out that they moved into a barn, and the music kept going, even through the next day. From what I can see, the power is still out at the location, some five days hence. This didn't stop their party. Oh, the enthusiasm of youth. This old man was happy to get out whole on the first night.
 
For more pictures from before the storm, (Click Here) to go to my photo site www.creativeobjective.com.
 
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Digital Photo Academy (DPA) Instructor Rick Gerrity Gives Tips on Photographing Strangers

 

Photo by Rick Gerrity

Image Source: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150854451756479&set=a.470294361478.257978.102171381478&type=1

 
DPA instructor Rick Gerrity recently shared a brief narrative on how to photograph strangers.
 
(Click Here) to read it.
 
If you don't know DPA, you owe it to yourself to check it out. I have attended DPA workshops in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, PA, and New York City. In fact, when I'm traveling to a new city in the US, or don't already have a photographic plan, I always look to see what DPA workshops are available.
 
In fact, I met Mr. Gerrity when I attended one of his workshops in Hoboken, NJ. He led us on a tour around Hoboken, centered on the old train station, and the awesome view across the river to the New York City skyline. Rick is a Panasonic Lumix enthusiast, just like me.
 

That's Rick, Second from Left

Photo by Reed A. George

Waiting by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor 24-85mm f2.8-4 at 85mm

iso400, f5.6, 1/500 sec

 

Waiting, 2, by Reed A. George

Nikon D700, Nikkor 24-85mm f2.8-4 at 70mm

iso 1600, f5, 1/60 sec

 
By the way, DPA is run by Mr. Richard Rabinowitz, another really great guy. We've met via telephone only, but I hope to rectify that one day. He's in the NYC area, as well.
 
So, if you ever want to get out with a professional photographer in an unfamiliar city (or even a familiar one), look up DPA and see what they've got going.
 
(Click Here) to go to DPA's website.
 
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Digital Photography Now Gives Information on Schneider Kreuznach's Plans for Micro 4/3 Lenses

 

Recently-Announced Schneider Kreuznach 14mm f2 Lens for Micro 4/3

Image Source: http://dpnow.com/8743.html

 
Digital Photography Now has posted a nice article with exciting news for Micro 4/3 format camera users. Schneider Kreuznach, a venerable German designer and manufacturer of high quality optics, has decided to focus on development of a new line of lenses specifically for Micro 4/3 cameras.
 
(Click Here) to read the original article over on dpnow.com.
 
The first lens to be offered will be a 14mm f2. It is reported to have lightning fast autofocus and complete electronic integration with Olympus and Panasonic Micro 4/3 cameras. The lens will be manufactured in Germany. The company has also indicated that it is focusing the Micro 4/3 camera system, and will offer more lenses in the future.
 
This is very exciting news for me. I have recently been shooting some old cameras, including a 1949 Zeiss 35mm camera, equipped with a 45mm f2.8 Xenon, manufactured by Schneider Kreuznach.
 
 

Tmoni Griffin, by Reed A. George

Zeiss 522/24 35mm Film Camera (ca. 1949)

Schneider Kreuznach Xenar 45mm f2.8 Lens

 
Not bad for a 63 year old lens, huh? Welcome to Micro 4/3, Schneider Kreuznach!
 
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LensRentals Has the New Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 - But You Can't Rent It Yet. Good Informal Review, Though

Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 Zoom

Image Source: http://shop.panasonic.com/shop/model/H-HS12035

 
Apparently, Lens Rentals (lensrentals.com) has gotten its hands on one of the new 12-35mm lenses before it's officially in stock anywhere else.
 
(Click Here) to see Roger Cicala's impressions from shooting with the Panasonic Lumix 12-35mm f2.8 lens over at lensrentals.com.
 
They are planning to offer it up for rental in the next couple of weeks. I like that they are going to let this new lens sit on their own Olympus OM-D body for a while, just to make sure there's no crazy fungus living inside that will affect their customers' cameras.
 
Roger did an informal comparision of the OM-D and Lumix 12-35 to a Canon 5d MkIII and Canon 24-70 f2.8 lens (same field of view as the 12-35, except for the difference of 24x36mm vs. 4:3 format). This was a quick, admittedly unscientific comparison. All that I can gather from it is that the Lumix images look every bit as good to me, perhaps better in some cases. What is difficult to factor in though, is that the Lumix lens will have a larger depth of field than the full frame Canon lens, at a given focal length and f-stop. In other words, more will be in sharp focus with the Lumix lens. This is not always what you want as a photographer, especially when shooting portraits, where you'd like the background to be soft and unobtrusive.
 
Anyway, I look forward to trying out one of these lenses. Roger suggests that it performs very well, a little less well than equivalent primes, but at least as good as the fast, high priced zoom from Canon.
 
I may actually rent one before deciding on this lens. $1,300 is nearly a third of the way to a used Leica M9 body, which is something I'd rather have. And, I have the primes to cover most of this range already. Again, $1,300 is a lot to pay for the convenience of not having to switch prime lenses, especially if it comes with any image quality compromise, which of course it does.
 
I know that many people have already preordered this lens. For those of you - it looks like you may not have to wait much longer. I hope you all share your results! I'm looking forward to seeing more from this lens.
 
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Jordan Steele's Spider Project on Admiring Light - Find Projects Wherever You Are

 

Orchard Spider, by Jordan Steele

Olympus E-M5, Pana-Leica 45mm f2.8

Image Source: http://admiringlight.com/blog/backyard-spiders/

 
I have cross-posted some of Jordan's work in the past. He has begun a project centered on spiders. Macro photography is challenging, exacting work. Jordan has a great start on this one.
 
(Click Here) to see the project on Jordan's blog - Admiring Light
 
The image above is especially cool, as the orchard spider has been caught in the act of spinning its web. You can see the silk coming from the abdomen. How cool.
 
This reinforces how a creative photographer can find a meaningful project wherever they are.
 
For these shots, Jordan used the new Olympus E-M5 Micro 4/3 camera body, and the excellent Panasonic-Leica Macro Elmarit 45mm f2.8 lens. He also used the clip on flash from Olympus.
 
Excellent! Thanks for sharing, Jordan.
 
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