Blog: Best of Q1 2020

Published on 13 April 2020 at 12:00

Now really is the moment to reflect back on the past couple of months. As I have changed in many respects, so has the whole freaking world and not ‘’in that way.’’  This website has provided me more than I could’ve possibly anticipated. My own space to be creator, editor and publisher. No ads, no affiliations or any other BS. Just the stuff I care about and wish to exhibit. March was a big transitional period for me. Pushing my photography into new territory with an emphasis on Black & White stills. This trend will continue for the coming months, at least, an occasional color pic will show up here or there.   Below are my favorite/best stills made from January upto April, in no particular order.

Good lift

Canon 5d mkii - Canon EF 50mm f1.8 - ISO1600 - f2.8 - 1/350 

One of the best and  certainly most challenging shooting experience of the last couple of months. The whole reason I got to shoot this was because I was competing as well. Friends and staff at the gym were open to the idea of me bringing my camera along. After about half an hour nobody seemed fazed by me and my camera. This enabled me to get nice and close to snap some great candid moments like the one above between staff and competitor.

Meltwater

Canon 5d mkII - Canon EF 40mm f2.8- ISO100 - f8 - HDR  2 exposure composite

4 hours of hiking and plowing through knee high snow with nothing no shots to boast over. The life of amateur landscape photography and this is peanuts, like really. During blue hour, on my way back down the valley I looked back over my shoulder and was astounded. Mist was rolling in and the scene I had identified on the way up as ‘’this might be an interesting composition with good light’’ had just that! Within 2 minutes I got the gear out of the bag, set up the camera on the tripod at head height and fired 2 exposures. Delightfull and eary.  

Yarra river

Canon 5d mkii - Canon EF 40mm f2.8 - ISO400 - f8 - 1/750

First week in the country, third day on aussie soil. Had a little afternoon off in Melbourne and deciding to walk and photograph along the Yarra River. This cityscape really captured the atmosphere that afternoon in the city. Almost upper 20°’s C and lots of people out and about enjoying what this amazing metropolis has to offer along the banks of Yarra River.  No need to have shot this 1/750 at ISO400, but that's aperature priority for you there....

Monitoring

Canon 5d mkII - Canon EF 85mm f1.8- ISO6400 - f2.8 - 1/90 

In January, whilst attending and shooting a show in a dark gloomy bar near my hometown this shot was among the best. The live engineer checking the levels, monitoring the band and making adjustments where needed. A sight that is close to my own heart; hard working individuals make things happen for the public in their own time after working hours for the sheer joy of it. Inspiring and wonderful.

Milanesia 

Canon 5d mkII - Canon EF 17-40mm f4 L - ISO200 - f8 - 1/90 

After a 10km hike out of Johanna beach on my fifth day on the Great Ocean Walk I came across this scene at Melanesia Beach. A sole habitated residence at the end of the Melanesia track. I couldn’t be bothered to get out the tripod, it really wasn’t necessary, and took the shot from the exact position I first encountered this amazing sight. The still evokes a sense of solitude. Yet there’s also a physical connection to the outside world, a very remote one.

Men at work

Canon 5d mkII - Canon EF 85mm f1.8- ISO400 - f 8- 1/60 

Everything came together in this shot and my balls officially dropped after I pulled a camera straight into this guy’s face. The whole moment lasted a mere second as I fired off 3 frames hoping to capture his pose and gaze. Not subtle, or very incognito. I wanted him to see me and capture that. Aperture priority for once worked in my favour, giving me a shutter speed of 1/60 at ISO400. This will probably be the last time that I’m shooting in a programmed mode. Honestly, I really can’t get any luckier. From now on I’ll have to anticipate and work on my shots like with my old AE-1. Much more rewarding that way.

Final thoughts

Over the last month I was able to shoot more than than months and months prior. Taking a break from full time work is really giving me time to reflect and re-evaluate. It won’t be long before I’m back into the workforce. This time though I know I’ll be having a camera on me everyday. Each week looking for new stories to tell and trying to push myself into new territories. Moreover stripping my photography back to it’s core; Black and white, manual metering and exposures, anticipation and observation.

 

"Chance favors the prepared mind.’’ - Louis Pasteur

 

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