These are part of the pics I don't always share with the public, but get the best responses from the couples I shoot... the "dancing/partying" shots from when all the formal stuff is said and done. I really enjoy these times, I always look to try and find the funniest (or most embarrassing) moments I can capture. People WILL get crazy after a few drinks and I am there to make sure they remember it!
It has been just shy of 2 months since I purchased my a7, and I still could not be happier. I have used at every event/wedding I've done since, but with the mentality of "what can this camera NOT do" rather than using it another piece of gear or with thoughts to replace my Canon 5d Mark III. Every time I use it, it still amazes... the size of this camera with a Full-Frame 24MP sensor, never thought it would happen. For those of you old enough to remember film, it feels like an old Pentax K1000 in your hands, but smaller. And like the Pentax, you look through the viewfinder to focus and set your image. But, with the a7, the viewfinder is an "EVF" - Electronic View Finder. You basically see what the camera sees and how the image will look once the shutter is pressed. So, it is a digital image that visually adjusts when making changes while framing your image (+/- exposure). It does help but it takes a while to get used to and not just using the meter and "assuming" what is going to happen.
Where this camera really shines is low-light. The bottom 5 images were shot from 1250-3200 ISO and you can barely tell when compared to under 800. There is a little "noise", but it feels more like old film grain then digital noise. The 2 "money-dance" shots were done with a videographers LED light only, basically pitch black except for his very small light. It looks more "earthy" and real than my Canon on those shots, definitely pulls more out in the highlights and shadows.
Now, will it replace the 10-pound Gorilla Canon... not yet. Could I do an entire wedding with 2 of these... most likely yes, but the lens choices they have right now are limited and I use so much off-camera flash that I would completely have to change my style. Also, it does not have the FPS (frames per second) the Canon does, not does it have as many focus points. If they decide to get into TTL flash, add a few more prime lenses and do a few firmware update, may have to think about it. When you can reduce gear and get AMAZING images, it makes you think.
This is a camera I will have for many many years. I will continue to use for personal family trips, carry as a 2nd camera for events and basically keep it with me wherever I go. Currently, it's going to set you back about $2400, but I assume by Christmas it will be under $2000 if not less. Sony updates it tech fairly quickly and they have been on a tear lately. There is now an a7r (36MP) and a7s (4K video) and rumors of a Medium Format camera as well... will be fun!
Thanks for reading and hope you all enjoy the pics.
Today I had the pleasure of shooting a wonderful couple, Joseph and Blanche who are getting married this June. We chose to shoot at the Tea Garden in SF and I have never been as a photographer or just visitor, and what a spectacular place it is. We just happen to not be the only ones who thought the same thing... there were hundreds of people there and it was one of the most challenging shoots I have ever done. This place (with no one there) has spectacular backdrops of amazingly colored trees, plants and flowers. We were able to squeeze into a few of the nooks and crannies that were not surrounded in hordes of OTHER people taking pictures of this SF wonder. Thank you J & B for your patience! Also, she is a Giants fan and he is an A's fan, and they brought the jersey's to prove it. That was fun capturing that!!
I have always been a huge fan of graffiti and not just the literal word usage "graffiti", but art that happens to be painted in a graffiti style. From the day I touched my first can of Krylon, watched "Wild Style" and drew every night when I was thirteen "battling" other kids in my 7th grade class, I was hooked. I had Fat Laces, Adidas Sweat Suites... but could not Break Dance to save my life. Luckily I had a little bit of artistic talent, and could be part of that era in a way that I am still thankful for today. When in I was in college, I would take my Medium Format film camera off Market in SF and just spends days in the alleys shooting everything I could.
Seeing good graffiti is inspiring, knowing how hard of an artistic disciple it is, it always makes me smile when I see it done right. Early years of graffiti were founded on messages to be told, whether it was just to express personal freedom or say something to your "graffiti" community that you knew only they would understand.
This corner in Oakland (15th and Webster) caught my eye last week, not only is the entire area covered, but it is done as "art". People often refer to graffiti as destroying a community, but I guarantee if you were to see this corner, it is the most beautiful and striking think you will see for blocks.
Inspiring...
What a wonderful day for a photo shoot. An amazing couple who are getting married in Puerto Rico at the end of the year and wanted something that would look like they were on a beach...
