August — A Year in Photographs — Lego Adventures

A favorite toy of mine as a child was Lego. Countless hours of construction, play, destruction, and reconstruction took me on adventures to the past, future, mythological, and science fiction. I’d wager part of my love of filmmaking steps from creating worlds and journeys with my Legos.

Earlier this year, March specifically, I spent a month of #AYearinPhotographs doing some of my favorite work in macro photography and was sad when the month was over. I wanted to continue doing more macro photography but it is a rule of #AYearinPhotographs that I can not repeat a theme in a single year. But I couldn’t help but be drawn back to doing some macro work—enter, Lego.

Lego Adventures evolved from both my childhood love of miniature fun and joined my love of macro photography. Most of these were shot using a Laowa 15mm ƒ4 Macro lens—a bizarre but amazingly fun lens with which to photograph. You can focus so closely that your subject is just about touching the front element. On the other hand, a more cinematic look sometimes is best and such a Fujinon 80mm ƒ2.8 Macro lens joined the fun.

From wizards to astronauts, location shoots and home-built sets, August is a tribute to one of the best toys ever invented.

September — A Year in Photographs

Cinematic.

Where Ideas Sing, Chicago, 9/29.2017

I'm writing this a late. These past weeks have been busy but I made a commitment to this project and it continues.

I work in film and TV and my photography is really a passion; something I can do alone, whenever I have time, or can make time fairly easily, but I also continue to exercise my craft in film and TV in photographic form.

While cinematography is about a series of moments, photography is a single moment in time, never to occur again. They both have their challenges and, in September, the challenge was to bring the two together. All photographs we to be shot in the same style as I would if I filmed the moment.

I used my iPhone 7, Olympus OM-D system, and Nikon, for all images but then cropped them either 16:9 (HD widescreen) or the widescreen cinema ratio of 2:39:1.

Wedding

The month started out with the wedding of two good friends, Mazi and Chrissy; a perfect opening to a month of cinematic photographs.

As a cinematographer on a film shoot, Spaces, I also snuck in some still from on set. An easy time getting my photos for those day. But other days, I had to set out and simply look at the world in a film styling way.

After thirteen years in the industry, I would say I see the world in a cinematic and photography way. was my grandfather always tells me, "I never see the things you see. Ordinary things aren't ordinary to you." I do wonder how the world looks through other peoples' eyes.

Up next: October — Perspective

Cinematic

A Micro Four Thirds Wedding, Olympus E-M1 Mark II and the M.Zuiko ED 12-100mm f4.0 IS PRO

Mazi & Chrissy, Lake Michigan, 9/2/2017

Close friends Mazi and Chrissy were getting married. They’ve admired my photography from a far but never did I expect to have them ask me to photograph their wedding.

I have little experience photographing weddings. Actually, this was my first. My trepidation wasn’t too excessive—I rarely shy away from a challenge, however, weddings are once in a lifetime events, these were my friends, and some money was involved. Either way, I had to make this photo shoot count and really execute.

I also had two choices: what style would I use to shoot these photographs? What gear would I used?

One might be surprised to find out that I didn’t use my digital 35mm Nikon system with pro lenses, however. For days after accepting the honor of photographing my friends’ wedding I was sure that I would use Nikon but the wedding was small and I was going to be going in alone. To many it might be a surprise that I decided against using the giant, yet powerful, Nikon gear and go with a smaller more compact system shooting with Olympus Micro Four Thirds equipment.
I wanted to be stealthy, highly mobile, small and noninvasive, and frankly, I just like shooting with smaller systems. I needed power and speed, and I needed flexibility. Micro Four Thirds systems provide this better than any other digital photography system I’ve encountered.

I was really impressed with the E-M1 Mark II. I thought my E-M5 was quiet but this one wouldn’t even know I was taking a picture. I almost forget that it actually did make any sound at all. This is really one of my favorite parts of mirrorless cameras in general. DSLRs are well known as the standard for professional photography but they tend to be noisy. With a mirror flapping around inside when taking a photo, there is a fair amount of mechanical noise. Especially during a wedding ceremony, I very pleased that there was no chance of my camera interrupting the beautiful moment. 

Being the only person on the photography “crew”, the small size of the EM-1 (and my E-M5) gave me plenty of mobility and never did my shoulder, hand, or any other part of me feel distressed. At one point. I carried two cameras, one with the 12-100mm f4.0 lens, the other with a 45mm f1.8 lens, two batteries, all weighing a kilogram less than just my Nikon D700 with a 24-70mm f2.8 lens.

The M.Zuiko ED 12-100mm f4.0 IS Pro was probably my best decision. It is a real gem of a lens. Not only compact, it is a super zoom ranging from a nicely wide 24mm equivalent (in 35mm terms) to a 200mm reach. It’s razor sharp and renders images quite nicely. Weather sealed, metal barrel, and the focus ring doubles as a clutch to activate/deactivate autofocus, it will be top contender for my next lens purchase for my Olympus. 

At the end of the day, however, photography is about photographs. And photographing a wedding is about capturing the moments uniting two individuals, the delight of their friends and family, and giving a lifetime of enjoyment looking back on memories.

When I made the decision to shoot with my Micro Four Thirds fear, I was concerned. Despite having shot with my Olympus gear for more than five years, so many photographers (and probably some who only claim to be), smear the ability of a non-35mm sensor to be a “real professional” system. It is hard to keep that constant negativity from chipping away from ones confidence. My fears were belayed during this shoot and also by seeing what other professionals using Micro Four Thirds can do. As I always say and truly believe, don’t worrry about your gear. Adrian’s Life Rule #55: Go out and shoot! Shooting with the Olympus E-M1 Mark II, E-M5, and the very pleasing 12-100mm f4.0 Pro lens was a delight and I will look forward to shooting with them again professionally.

But most importantly, join me in congratulating my two friends Mazi and Chrissy on their marriage.