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Nici at Kuuz Studio in Prague
Selection of portrait and fine art nude images of model Nici taken at Kuuz Studio in Prague, Czech Republic.
Love this photo so much, I posted a color version below. I think I prefer the black-and-white though. What do you think?
I have a few models I work with whenever I visit Prague. It’s a city I often like to begin my trips through Europe in. There’s something about the setting, the atmosphere, and my favorite studio, Studio Kuuz, that gets me excited to take photographs. And the models are phenomenal. Beautiful, creative, and enthusiastic about shooting. They help me do my absolute best work. I stress the importance of working with the best people you can, and my model Nici, in this set, is one such person.
This was our second time working together and I feel like we improved dramatically over our first session. Don’t get me wrong, the first shoot was great and I felt I improved as an artist. But I feel like we really raised our game even farther with this set. One thing I like about working with her is she understands posing and positioning so well. Not a finger or toe was out of place whenever she would pose, then pause in order for me to get the picture. She always knows where the light is and what angle she should be at for the best results which makes my job so much easier. I have to do considerably less directing and can get in a flow of capturing photographs as they occur naturally. It’s a very freeing experience and one of the benefits of working with experienced models over, say, regular people who will often need more directing. It’s also one of the reasons, I only shoot professional models for nude work. Who has time to deal with the awkwardness, insecurities, etc. of the average person who wants to pose because they think “it will be fun”? When you work with professionals they know themselves, they have experience, they understand what you’re trying to achieve, and everyone’s working to serve the photograph, not their individual vanity. Or at least that’s the environment I foster on my own shoots.
I would argue nude modeling is much more difficult than posing with clothing. Not to dismiss the hard work of fashion models, but posing nude requires such a higher awareness of where your limbs are. A misplaced hand here or there may still work in an image with clothing, but ruins a nude photograph. You can even hide limbs with clothing or accessories like handbags or some other prop the model can play off of. When posing nude, you don’t have that luxury. You have to play off of the space itself, be aware of the light’s position, and pay attention to your entire body. Plus hair and other anatomical parts for the women. It’s a skill not every one has and takes time to get better at. Not to mention, most people are uncomfortable posing nude altogether. It isn’t for the shy, prudish, or faint of heart.
A big thank you to Nici, who has helped me grow as an artist every time we’ve worked together.
Closing thoughts at the end of this post. Hope you enjoy this series!
PHOTOGRAPHS
Model: Nici @rici.pic
Studio: Kuuz Studio kuuz.studio_kosire
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
ALL IMAGES SHOT ON THE SONY A7RV + SONY FE 85MM f/1.4 GM II AND SONY FE 28-70 f/2 GM LENS
IN CLOSING
Whenever I do shoots like this, I end up with thousands of images. These sessions last about 2-3 hours and I’m shooting nonstop. I’m not a spray and pray type of shooter, but when you work with such a great model, they’ll give you so many amazing opportunities to capture a great photograph, it makes sense I tend to shoot more than normal. This series is just a small sample from our shoot. There are many other images that work as either a series or as a one-shot, so I’ll be sharing those over time as well. It’s great to have options.
Equipment wise, I went with my trusty Sony A7RV, the new Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM II (My favorite 85mm lens of all time), and the Sony 28-70 f/2 GM. The 28-70 is a beast of a lens, but I prefer its improved light gathering capability, sharpness, and character over the standard 24-70. The new 85mm is fantastic. So sharp and detailed with such a perfect rendering of faces. It is by far my favorite 85mm lens and one that stays in my kit for all shoots. I can do practically all my work with this trio of lenses. I’ve been so enamored with Sony’s lens offerings lately that I’ve sold all my third-party glass. I’m all in with Sony these days and I feel my creative life has been easier and more peaceful as a result.
I’ll be back in Prague next month and will probably shoot with Nici again. She’s essentially my muse there so you’ll be seeing a lot of shoots with her going forward.
Thank you again to Nici and Studio Kuuz. You bring out my best!
Hope you enjoyed this post! Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below!
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Musings: June 19, 2025
Musings about recent website changes, YouTube and the issue with photography/filmmaking related content, letting go of street photography, a potential workshop for the fall, and the importance of projects.
Ryu Sera © 2024. Love this image. View the full gallery here.
INTRO
Another week and some musings from the frontlines.
I got back from Santorini about a week and a half ago and it’s been nonstop work since, so pardon the delay in weekly updates. Despite my best efforts, juggling client obligations and finding time to write on the blog has proven challenging at times. So much so, I’ve decided to do away with the weekly blog schedule. So posts will occur randomly and without warning. Muhahaha! Ahem…I mean, just check back periodically for new posts, which should occur about once a week or at minimum, once every two weeks.
This week I’ll be covering some recent website changes, YouTube and the issue with photography/filmmaking related content, letting go of street photography, a potential workshop for the fall, and the importance of projects.
Let’s go.
THE RYU SERA GALLERY
Very proud of this layout. Really presents the images in a more impactful way. #teamsera
I’ve been wanting to post the full set of images from my shoot with Ryu Sera for months now, but couldn’t quite crack what I had in mind for a layout. I didn’t want to do a traditional “photography website” layout. You know the kind with masonry thumbnails, you click them, and a big image pops up. That works for most things, but I think when you want to feature images in a more unique fashion, other layouts should be considered. It’s just not every website platform will give you the ability to do so.
One of the things I do love about the Squarespace platform is customization for layouts. The current platform(7.1), allows a lot of flexibility in terms of content layout. I can have large images, blocks of text, design elements overlaying one another, and so on. I’ve attempted some of my layout ideas on other platforms to no avail. There was always some sort of odd limitation that prevented me from positioning or sizing elements exactly how I want them. And when the site is displayed on mobile devices, it was a disaster. Squarespace has been one of the few platforms that can handle the changing scope of my work. And while I’ve considered abandoning the platform, it’s just too good at what it does. Despite some small quirks.
For Sera’s gallery, I wanted to make the images big and bold with a layout similar to an online editorial. Her gallery is also the first of what I’m referring to as “Collections” where I can post a full series of images versus one-shots(i.e. single images). One-shots will go in the “Main Gallery” of whatever category you click on (ex. Portraits > Main Gallery). I couldn’t bear to just put a singular image from this shoot in my main gallery and call it a day. It deserves more. It just took some time to wrack my brain and find a solution that worked.
You can view the full Ryu Sera gallery here.
I hope you enjoy the images in this format. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
GEAR TALK
Camera YouTube has lost the plot.
Great video by filmmaker Matt Aitia on the fallacy of the photography/filmmaking space on YouTube. In this video he muses on all the content based around gear instead of actually creating. You know, the art of it all. And while I’ve been stressing this here on the blog for years, it’s a point that needs to be repeated so people get the message. I think the often incessant, feverish talk around gear hurts the industry as a whole.
There’s a stark lack of support for actual work that’s created(photoshoots, short films, etc.), which often leaves artists discouraged. But if you talk about some new camera or lens, you’ll get considerably more engagement.
As this commenter on Aitia’s video pointed out:
Sad, but unfortunately true.
Many of the people giving gear focused content views and attention aren’t even creating work. They’re just there to have heated discussions in the comment sections or on forums. They have no portfolio, no examples of good images they’ve made, but will list off all the cameras they have and why such and such a camera/lens doesn’t work for them or it would be better if it had this feature blah blah blah.
From the YouTuber’s perspective, they want to create content that has engagement. And unfortunately, posting your short film or trying to have a discussion about actual photography or filmmaking gets only a lukewarm reception if not outright ignored. I know this first hand. If I post here on the blog about some new camera, traffic spikes and I’ll even get a comment or two. I post samples of work or want to delve deeper on a photography related topic, crickets.
You see a similar phenomenon on Instagram. Really cool creative picture gets posted = 50 likes. Poorly lit selfie of young attractive woman = 6000 likes.
What the hell are we doing?
In the age of social media, creatives feel they are either at the mercy of the algorithm or the audience they’re trying to court. As an artist, that’s quite stifling. Because it’s no longer about creating things you enjoy or expressing your individuality as an artist, but trying to appease others. You don’t have much of a YouTube channel if you post videos and they only get a few hits. So in an attempt to foster engagement you post something about gear (ex. Sony A7RV vs. Fuji GFX 100 II) and boom, instant engagement. The response is intoxicating and makes you feel like you did something great. But next thing you know, your entire channel is about gear. And you’re creating videos about gear versus shooting all the creative content you wanted to do. You’re less a photographer or filmmaker and more a reviewer.
I’ve basically outright refused this approach. My entry into this industry has been as a working professional. I’m not a gear reviewer or influencer, but I will periodically chime in about gear if I feel it’s interesting or important. For the most part, I prefer to chat about the work. In mulling over creating my own YouTube channel, I decided to wait a bit more as I want to make sure it aligns with my creative and business goals. I don’t want to get distracted chasing attention on yet another platform when I could be using that energy to create better work, get bigger clients, etc.
While I wish people’s enthusiasm would shift, I’m not holding my breath. They like what they like.
LETTING GO OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
The Merchant © 2019
I no longer do it. Well, not deliberatly. It takes a lot of time walking around NYC or another city trying to capture moments. If something catches my eye, cool, but there’s no pressure to go out and create street photography images. It just doesn’t have a place in my business goals. Maybe I’ll do a small book eventually with the existing work if I think it will be profitable. And I say profitable with emphasis because I think people assume that if you have a book out, you’ve made money. Most likely, unless you have a publisher, you lost money.
Speaking of, who really earns money off street photography? There’s a small minority for sure, but many of the modern ones I see are just using it to grow social media platforms, sell presets, photo walks, or workshops. They’re not exactly lighting it up with exhibitions, book sales, or shooting some sort of work for a client. It’s like creating work to promote another product (e.g., workshops). But the general public’s interest in street photography? I’m not so sure they really care.
It’s an art form I respect, but man does it require such a time investment. Hours upon hours of walking the streets to net 1-2 images sometimes. These days, I have too many other endeavors to devote the time and energy to it. So I’m letting that one go. So much so I’ve removed the street photography gallery from the website. I may do the same thing with swimwear too. But that’s a topic for another time.
Au revoir street photography.
MY PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
Portrait of the incomparable Nicci photographed in Prague. ©2025
This fall, I’m planning to have my first photography workshop. It will focus primarily on portrait photography and be aimed at serious photographers who want to pursue photography professionally or are very serious amateurs. Portfolios will be required and reviewed for acceptance into the workshop. Plans are still being ironed out, but the workshop will be in Paris and will likely be about 3 days in total. We’ll cover topics from lighting and composition, to posing and working with people(experienced and inexperienced), presenting your work, finding work, and more. It will be pretty comprehensive, so if improving your skills as a portrait photographer is of interest to you, stay tuned for more details!
I plan to make an official announcement in early July.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROJECTS
Dima captured in New York as part of 100 Faces. © 2018
Coming into 2025, I had a lot of thoughts about the direction I would take this year. What type of work I wanted to focus on, things to let go, etc. I kept telling friends and family, “I need a project. I need a project.” But nothing really caught my interest. As I learned in photography school, projects are important for an artist’s growth. Something long form that you can work on with a cohesive vision and clear direction. It’s one thing to do random shoot after random shoot, but are the images unified in any particularly meaningful way? Creating a project forces you to develop an idea, think of the visual style, and work on creating a body of work versus one-shot after one-shot. It’s not required, but highly recommended.
The challenge with projects is creating one that you’re passionate about enough to see it through to completion. It’s like buying a kid an instrument. They whine and whine about it for months, finally get it, and after six months, it’s collecting dust. Staying focused on a singular project over the course of a year or more is a daunting task. Trust me, while working on 100 Faces, I found myself getting bored, annoyed, discouraged, you name it. But I pushed through to completion, culminating in an exhibition in 2019.
After many years not focusing on a specific project, mainly shooting for my portfolio and experimenting with other genres, I felt it was time to develop a new one. Really out of necessity. I need to focus and refine my vision as an artist even more than before. For my own sanity, but also to have something I can look back on fondly and say, “Yeah, we did that! That was a great project.” But what?!
Well, I have three projects in mind:
The Big One. Some things are still being worked out, but it will be video focused and take me about a year to complete. I expect the budget to be a bit crazy and I will likely be stressed to no end. But it’s something I’m extremely passionate about and motivated to work on. If I’m giving the greenlight, I expect to announce more details regarding it in July. Fingers crossed!
Underwater nudes. I love creating nude imagery, but want to venture outside of the studio into new territory. I could go to the dessert or the mountains, but what about underwater? Yeah, that would be cool! I know reknown artists like Howard Schatz have done extensive work with underwater nudes, but we don’t exactly shoot the same and my vision is a bit different than his. Although he will be a big inspiration. As Isaac Newton said, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
A short film. Since I don’t plan to travel much this summer, it could be a great opportunity to work on a short film. I already have some ideas and scripts written, just have to get the budget and elements in place to make it happen. Something small and manageable. Films have a tendency to balloon in scope meaning an inflated budget, more locations, more minutes added to the runtime, etc. I’d like to shoot something small and concise to dip my toe into the narrative filmmaking pool.
If the big one happens, the other two will have to get postponed for a while. But it’s good to have some ideas on paper and a sense of direction. If you haven’t created a project, I highly recommend giving it a try and seeing how it improves your work or even teaches you something about yourself!
I NEED YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS
I’m looking for questions from photographers regarding portrait photography. What are some of the things you would like to learn or know more about? Leave a comment below or shoot me a message on Instagram. I want to compile a fairly comprehensive list as I build the curriculum for the workshop and come up with topics for tutorial posts. Your contributions will be much appreciated!
Hope you enjoyed this post! Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below!
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Musings: June 1, 2025
Some musings from Santorini. Today I’ll be talking about finessing images in post, why the Sony A7CR didn’t work for me, and streamlining my workflow.
Santorini. Absolutely gorgeous.
FULL BLOG POSTS RETURNING NEXT WEEK
I’m currently in Santorini on a little vacation and despite my best efforts, it’s hard to juggle personal fun with full blog posts. So in favor of my sanity, I’ve decided to do more of a mini post for this week’s post with full posts to return next Friday.
Ok, ramble over. Here are some musings to hold you over!
FINESSING THE IMAGE
Model: Rebirth of the Bird @rebirthofthebird
Studio: L’Atelier & Beyond @latelierandbeyond_studio
Location: Paris, France
ALL IMAGES SHOT ON THE SONY A7RV + SONY FE 28-70MM F/2 GM AND SONY FE 85MM F/1.4 GM II
Rebirth of The Bird on my last trip to Paris. © 2025
A term I’ve coined recently is “finessing the image” which applies to how we manipulate and process an image during postproduction. I’m always experimenting with different techniques be it in Capture One or in Photoshop just for fun to see what sort of interesting results I may get. For this most recent shoot with the amazing @rebirthofthebird, I played around with adjusting the red and yellow channels in my black-and-white process. I think it produces a bolder black-and-white, similar to the tones I would see by great artists such as Albert Watson or Herb Ritts.
Digital isn’t film, but it offers us so much leeway in terms of how we wish to manipulate the final image. I love the flexibility and the more I train my eye for both capturing photographs as well as postproduction to achieve “my look” the more I appreciate having so much room to explore.
I’ll post more images from this shoot in mid-June. We just shot these on the 27th and in the midst of my travel schedule, I won’t get around to selecting and working on this session for a bit. Stay tuned!
GEAR TALK
Not Loving the Sony A7CR
Sony A7CR in Santorini? Should be fun? Absolutely not.
As much as I’ve tried to love this little camera, I just can’t. The Sony A7CR has too many odd design quirks that just get in the way of shooting. Additionally, the lack of a joystick rears its ugly head every time I use it. It really should be so easy to maneuver a focus point where you want it, but with the lack of a joystick, it can be a pain in the ass to do quickly and accurately. And, by the time you do, the moment is gone. It just doesn’t feel as fluid and easy to use as the A7RV. Although the A7RV isn’t a large camera, the weight and size difference between the two feels substantial. However, in terms of usability, they’re in completely different universes. The A7CR gets in the way with its lack of smooth functionality and customizable buttons. The A7RV can easily cater to a variety of shooting styles. Mine in particular.
I can’t be too hard on myself. This is the third time I’ve owned the A7CR and despite my best efforts to love it, I just don’t. I knew many of the quirks going back to it, but figured the size and weight benefits would make up for its shortcomings in terms of ergonomics. Alas, that wasn’t the case.
I took my A7RV out for a test run as my everyday carry, paired with the Sony 24-50 f/2.8G lens and it just felt right. Snapping shots as I walked around Thira was fun and I didn’t feel like I was fighting with the camera.
My stance now is that, unless a camera has an amazing touch interface(sort of how Canon does it), I won’t buy an expensive camera that lacks a joystick. For me, it’s an essential component of good camera ergonomics. There are other shortcomings, but this one was the most nagging of all, so I can’t justify keeping it. Ah well, we tried.
Sony Announces the FX…2?
The Sony FX2. Why tho?!
I really like the EVF, but think it would be even better if removable a la the GFX 100 II.
Sony announced the FX2, which in my opinion is more of a proof of concept camera for them. I think this will be the direction for the upcoming successor to the beloved FX3. The added EVF with tilt functionality will be appreciated by some filmmakers. I imagine when they announce an FX3 II, and if it includes the EVF, it will be much more higher-res. In line with the A7RV’s or similar. Or even removable? Could you imagine?!
Specs wise, it’s an A7IV in an FX3 body. If you’re serious about video, I still think the FX3 is the better buy despite its almost $1000 price difference. I would wait out some deals and save up a bit if I had to choose between the two. The low light performance of the FX3 alone makes it a contender all these years later.
STREAMLINING WORKFLOWS
Can’t wait to work on this set of images. When I have time…
If this recent trip has taught me anything, it’s the importance of streamlining your workflow.
Ideally, a photographer would seek to create images and get them out for the public to see in the quickest way possible. But still at a standard they’re pleased with. It can be a struggle when you shoot thousands of images per shoot and have to sort through them all, compare options, make selections, retouch them, then output them for use online.
Personally, I don’t like to rush my work. I like to sit with images for a bit, ruminate over them, ponder how good/bad they are, then begin my process of selecting the ones that will make the final cut. I also understand the importance of haste and quick turnarounds so I try not to sit on them forever. However, the busier I get, the harder it can be to maintain deadlines and have the same production output. Doing 5-6 shoots a week is much more difficult than one a week or a few every couple of weeks. Imagine going through images from 6 different shoots where you’ve taken 1000+ photos. You need to pair them down to, say 10 images, retouch them then have them out for your website, social media, etc. Hard to do all of that in a week especially if you have other priorities (family, work, etc.). Yeah, not an easy ask.
With that said, I’m working on a process of further refining and streamlining my workflow. So from capture to output, everything is faster and much more seamless. I take a lot of notes in the “Notes” app on my phone and I’ve been brainstorming diferent methods which I’ll start actively playing around with once I’m home this week. Once I hit on something solid I’ll share it here on the blog.
Maybe it’ll help other artists who struggle with their own output.
I NEED YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS
As I’ve mentioned branching out into YouTube and having my own workshop eventually, I’m looking for questions from photographers regarding portrait photography. What are some of the things you would like to learn or know more about? Leave a comment below or shoot me a message on Instagram. I want to compile a fairly comprehensive list as I build the curriculum for the workshop and come up with topics for tutorial posts. Your contributions will be much appreciated!
Hope you enjoyed this post! Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below!
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Musings: May 23, 2025
Some musings while I’m away in Paris. Today I’ll be talking about technical difficulties, Panasonic’s new cameras, my new gear, and the unfortunate passing of master photographer Sebastião Salgado.
My mobile workstation. A lot going on in image. Capture One, K-Pop, a fine art nude, and Charlie Chaplin. What an odd combination.
I AM NOW EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES
Well if it isn’t Murphy’s Law, my old pal.
I’m writing this from my hotel room in Paris. Today, I woke up bright and early ready to finally post about my trip to Japan back in March. I spent a lot of time last week gathering images and on the day before my departure, I could have sworn I put the Capture One session on my hard drive with me. I get here and nope, they’re nowhere to be found. No worries! I can access my images remotely! I use an app that lets me access my computer back home. I fire it up and start exporting the files into Dropbox so I can access them here. I log in a few minutes later to check the progress and my desktop has several notifications telling me my hard drives have disconnected.
What the fu…
For hard drive storage, I use OWC’s Thunderbay enclosures. While they are fantastic for speed and durability, they have a fatal design flaw. The port where the Thunderbolt cable connects is too shallow so the cord will fall out if it isn’t support somehow (pressed against a wall for example). What’s probably happened is the cord fell out and now I can’t access those images. Not to mention I have some clients who need some photos retouched while I’m away.
Wait a second! This literally just dawned on me. I have an online backup of all my images.
I know this is starting to sound like an ad or something, but truthfully I figured it out. I should have copies of all my images in my Backblaze account. My entire computer is backed up to the cloud!
*checks account*
It works! Ah yeah, we’re back in business! I’m selling those Thunderbays when I get back. Never again.
Ok, ramble over. Here are some musings to hold you over!
RECENT PHOTOGRAPHS
Model: Iryna Berdnyk @irynaberdnyk
Studio: L’Atelier & Beyond @latelierandbeyond_studio
Location: Paris, France
ALL IMAGES SHOT ON THE SONY A7RV + SONY FE 28-70MM F/2 GM AND SONY FE 85MM F/1.4 GM II
Some portraits of Iryna straight out of the camera from yesterday. I said she’s becoming my muse and it seems that prediction is coming true. We do great work together and it’s been exciting to see her growth as a model in such a short time. I’m wishing her all the success as a model. She really has the “it” factor.
This shoot was fun. We experimented with some different looks this time around and I tried some new lighting equipment that worked out far better than I imagined. Those coming in a future post.
After taking such a long break in April, I was a bit worried I would lose my improved skills, but I think it’s once you hit a certain level of artistry, it’s hard to go back to what you did before. Practically impossible once your technique is refined.
Expanding on that thought, think about drawing if you’ve ever drawn seriously before. In the beginning, say when you’re a child, your drawings are rough. Crooked lines, bad proportions, etc. But as you gain experience and put in years of practice, your drawing is considerably better. No more crooked lines. People look lifelike. You’ve mastered highlights and shadows. Even if you wanted to attempt to draw how you were when you were a kid, you’d be unable to. The muscle memory is so trained now that you couldn’t draw as rough as you did when you first started.
Photography is very similar. Once your eye is trained, refined, and nurtured, it’s hard to go back to the style of images you did in the beginning or even a short while ago. You’ve arrived in a new place and there’s no going back. That’s quite comforting I must say.
Anyway, my work is better now and I’m proud of that.
GEAR TALK
Panasonic’s Recent Camera Releases
The Panasonic Lumix S1 II. Finally. But probably too late.
I know I’ve been hard on Panasonic over the past year or so. It’s really from a place of love and disappointment than hate. They have so much potential, but have routinely dropped the ball. They’ve sort of let their passionate community of fans down over the past few years. “Mid” releases, radio silence on any upcoming product announcements, and abysmal customer service.
I’ve been saying these things for years and people downplay it. In light of their recent releases people are starting to wake up and have started calling them out. Comments sections on product announcements aren’t all rosy like in the past. Now people are asking hard questions and throwing scathing criticisims their direction. And the shills on YouTube and photography outlets will try their best to get everyone excited for their cameras.
The shills are the worst. Clickbait video titles, using words like “King of cameras”, “Masterpiece” is just hyperbole by a bunch of phonies who likely won’t actually own the camera, but will try to convince you to buy it. The shills deserve their own post, so I’ll end my criticism of them here for now.
For Panasonic, the excitement is gone. You’ve burned the consumer too many times and now they’re the worst thing they can be towards a brand, apathetic. The S1R II got announced and it had cool specs, but nothing to sell your Nikon/Canon/Sony for. The S1 II just got announced and while the specs are cool, it still doesn’t outdo Sony’s 4-year old FX3. Not to mention people are now calling Panasonic out on a huge oversight I’ve mentioned countless times: “Where are the lenses?”
It’s hard to recommend anyone investing in the ecosystem when all the other major manufacturers have a well-rounded first-party lens lineup. Panasonic has released no new S PRO glass since the first year of release! That’s pitiful. Sigma has come out with TWO versions of their 24-70mm f/2.8 DG DN ART lens in that timeframe. They either don’t have the resources or ambition to keep up with the big players in the field. And that my friend is why they lose.
An easy win for them would have been to release a full-frame GX8 style camera with small lenses to match. In this era of social media and content creation, where every young photographer wants to be a street photographer, it’s a no brainer to release a small, stylish camera that can be used in that capacity. For the street/travel/hobbyist photographer. Nope, instead they release that pitiful, crippled Lumix S9 that they can’t even give away.
Panasonic, hear me: GX8 style body, full-frame sensor (maybe the one in the new S1 II), 4K 60P no crop, no overheating issues, small lenses. Profit.
So while some of their remaining customers have given in to full blown masochism, others with real professional and/or demanding needs have moved on. Buy anything but Panasonic these days bro. It’s over.
Some New Additions to My Gear Family
Before my trip, I picked up another Sony A7CR and FX3. I now have four cameras. Two A7RV’s plus these two. I know, I know, a bit excessive eh? I also bought a trio of new lenses. Two, count ‘em two, Sony 24-50 f/2.8 G lenses. And one Sony 16-25mm f/2.8 G Lens.
I’ll explain my equipment loadout:
A7RVs - My workhorses. They’re set up to shoot professionally. I just grab them and they help me produce the work I’m known for.
A7CR - My everyday carry/travel camera. It’s too risky to take my work cameras everywhere with me. When I’m traveling for shoots, I’d rather leave my workhorses where I’m staying and go with another camera that won’t be the end of the world if something happens to it. Sure there are cheaper options, but I still want the A7RV’s image quality. I’ve tried countless other small cameras, but despite my best efforts, I’m a bit of an image quality snob. No medium format though.
FX3 - My video camera. I’m not planning on shooting any film projects just yet, but I will be recording more behind-the-scenes video from my shoots as I work to build out my YouTube and other channels.
For the lenses, I have two 24-50’s as one will be on my A7RV at all times. It’s a perfect focal length for travel and everyday photography. The other will be used on the FX3 alongside it’s brother the 16-25. Those two small lenses handle all of my practical video needs.
While we’re talking lenses, I sold off all my Tamron lenses and have decided to shoot predominantly Sony glass. Don’t get me wrong, the Tamron’s were great in terms of size and affordability. However, in terms of image quality, I noticed a stark difference between them and some of my other lenses. The only third-party glass that remains in my kit is my Sigma 105mm f/2.8 DG DN Macro lens. That one delivers the same level of visual acuity as my Sony’s so it stays. I also prefer 100mm+ in terms of focal length for a macro lens. I’m not sure why 90mm Macro lenses are a thing. I digress.
My Dream Lens
Want.
The Sony FE 50-150mm f/2 GM Lens. $4,000 and absolutely beautiful. Zooms are so good now, you don’t experience the same quality drop versus primes as you did in the past. The Sony 28-70 f/2 GM is so good, I doubt I’ll buy an expensive 35mm or 50mm prime lens again. There may be times where I want the small size of a prime or the extra stop of light, but I don’t see the need for a 35mm or 50mm f/1.4 lens for the type of images I make. So my portrait photography kit would be the 28-70/f2 GM, the 85mm f/1.4 GM II and the new 50-150 f/2 GM lens. That would cover all my bases well into the future.
$4,000 isn’t anything to scoff at so I’ll be saving up for that one. It’ll probably be a Christmas gift to myself this year. Just put a little aside here and there over the next 6 months and it’ll be mine! Can’t wait to get one!
ON THE TOPIC OF TRAVEL
Traveling is fun, but in my opinion, overrated. It’s become such a thing people like to flex about as if they’re doing something spectacular. These days travel is fairly reasonably priced. If you save up, take advantage of some deals, you can travel. The downside for me is airports. In general they suck and plane rides are rarely comfortable unless you’re in fancy first class and even that is dependent on the accommodations provided by the airline. If you’re a photographer/creative, you may end up spending loads extra for bags to be checked then have anxiety hoping that all your equipment will arrive unscathed.
Then there are the time changes. I arrived in Paris on Wednesday, took a short 2 hour nap that evening and couldn’t sleep a wink that night. I literally stayed up all night and didn’t go to bed until midnight on Thursday. Finally, I feel more normal and adjusted to the time. Despite my best efforts, adjusting to the physical rigors of constant travel is something I’ll never quite get used to. It’s just a part of the experience at this point.
With that said, I won’t be doing any more traveling until September. I want to plant my feet for a bit and focus on things domestically before I jet off to another destination. I will travel within the US (Miami, LA, Mississippi, etc.), but unless a can’t miss opportunity presents itself, I won’t go abroad. I need to stay grounded for a while. There are a lot of things to work on and I’m unable to do that in the midst of traveling.
So for now, it’s Paris till Tuesday then off to Santorini for a bit.
I’m staying put once I return.
RIP SEBASTIÃO SALGADO
A brilliant photographer and by all accounts a wonderful person. RIP.
Today, master photographer Sebastião Salgado passed away at the age of 81.
I find his passing shocking after having gone to his exhibition in Barcelona back in March of this year. It was the first time I saw his work in person. Admittedly, I’ve known about his work for years, but never considered myself a fan. Don’t get me wrong, his work is brilliant. Masterful portrait, documentary, and landscape photography. It just wasn’t the type of work I was interested in early on, so I didn’t really follow his career as much as say Richard Avedon or Irving Penn.
However, after attending the exhibition, I came away with a newfound appreciation for his work and really started to understand his passion for the projects he pursued. Just look at these:
I could see myself pursuing similar projects in the future. Working with unique cultures and getting to meet such interesting people is a dream to a portrait photographer like myself. Yeah, there’s definitely a lot I could learn from Mr. Salgado.
The photography world has lost one another of the few remaining masters of the craft. We must appreciate them while they’re here and never forget them as people nor the contributions they’ve made to this wonderful art form.
Godspeed Sebastião Salgado. Prayers for you, your family and friends.
I NEED YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS
As I’ve mentioned branching out into YouTube and having my own workshop eventually, I’m looking for questions from photographers regarding portrait photography. What are some of the things you would like to learn or know more about? Leave a comment below or shoot me a message on Instagram. I want to compile a fairly comprehensive list as I build the curriculum for the workshop and come up with topics for tutorial posts. Your contributions will be much appreciated!
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Iryna Berdnyk at Sala 86 Studio in Lisbon
Selection of portrait and fine art images of model Iryna Berdnyk taken at Sala 86 Studio in Lisbon, Portugal.
Sometimes I have the pleasure of working with a model that is just a natural. Every pose, every expression is effortlessly on the money. That’s the feeling I get when working with Iryna Berdnyk, a model who, in a lot of ways, is quickly becoming my muse. I discovered her from the work she did with an amazing portrait photographer, Ela Asanova (@ela.asanova). It was a beautiful black-and-white portrait series that stays in my inspiration folder till this day. I just had to work with her. I’m someone who doesn’t mind traveling for the opportunity to work with certain people and Iryna is worth it.
She’s amazing. Funny, creative, and so easy to photograph. She can just be sitting in a chair doing nothing and it looks like she’s posing. And her face! A portrait photographer’s dream.
On my last trip to Portugal we had the opportunity to work together. This time in a new studio, Sala 86 in Lisbon. I’m always a little cautious when booking different spaces as I’m unsure how the lighting and layout will work for a particular shoot, but all worries were put to rest soon as I walked in. Everything was designed and laid out so meticulously. So intentionally. I snapped a bunch of photos on my phone and put it in an ever expanding folder I have of studios that have design elements I’d love to use in my own studio someday.
What was also interesting is that the studio is on the ground floor of the building. You’d think it wouldn’t get good light when compared to studios that are on a higher floor, but the light was beautiful the entire time. Very soft, directional, and painterly. I think this was also helped by the fact the studio has pieces of diffusion paper over the windows, helping to cut down the harshness of the direct sun. Brilliant idea and something I’d never seen done at a studio before. I took note of it.
Iryna was great at modeling in the space. Sala 86 had both a large empty space and an area with couches, tables, etc. For some, a large open area can be difficult to model in, because there aren’t a lot of elements to play off of. But a great model can make the most of it. Whether it’s an empty room or small closet, the best models can instinctively calculate what poses will produce the best results for the setting. Once she understood my composition(I routinely show the models the photos throughout the shoot), she did the calculations in her head and made it look easy. I just had to aim the camera and shoot. Can’t wait to work with her again!
Closing thoughts at the end of this post. Hope you enjoy this set!
PHOTOGRAPHS
Model: Iryna Berdnyk @irynaberdnyk
Studio: Sala 86 @86__sala
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
ALL IMAGES SHOT ON THE SONY A7RV + SONY FE 28-70MM F/2 GM AND SONY FE 85MM F/1.4 GM II
IN CLOSING
For this shoot I added two new lenses to my kit. The new Sony 28-70 f/2 GM and 85mm f/1.4 II GM. Before committing to the purchase I pondered medium format for a few days, but didn’t want to deal with the slow speed, larger files, and bulkier, heavier equipment. No, I wanted to continue with my A7RV’s, but I felt they needed some lens upgrades.
So I got rid of the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN(a lens I didn’t love but tolerated - the distortion is awful) and Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 Di III VXD G2 Lens(a lens I adored) in favor of Sony’s newer options. I wanted the zoom for its versatility and wider depth of field over other zooms in the range. And the new 85mm for its improved sharpness, focusing speed, and unique rendering.
I tell you I have no regrets.
This combo is heaven. Both lenses are super sharp and quick to focus in the often low light conditions I’m shooting in. When working I often use two cameras, one with each lens attached. On shoots like these, I don’t bother with lens changes, I just grab the other camera. It keeps me in the moment and speeds up my workflow. Both lenses receive my seal of approval. They’re phenomenal.
On another note, someone recently commented on my nude photography saying:
“I really love your nude work. It’s nude, but it doesn’t feel raunchy or suggestive. But more beautiful if that makes sense? Like art.”
A description I’m humbled by and one I would agree with. That’s intentional.
Nudity can often tow a fine line between being beautiful or even pornographic. Posing, facial expressions, and even the location can influence the viewer’s impression. Not to mention their own ingrained thoughts and feelings about nudity. No matter what, to some, it will always be too much. They see a naked body and immediately check out or pass judgement. And that’s okay, to each their own.
I try to find a balance with my own nude images. Some are artsy and some are provocative while being tasteful. I think you can do artsy without being boring. And sexy without being raunchy. And in the end, it comes down to what you’re comfortable with and the sort of photographs that move you.
I’ll probably add a few images from this set to this post so come back on Monday just in case!
A big thank you to Iryna for another amazing shoot. More to come.
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