Photography
Lizard on a Sago Palm — Mexico Beach, Florida.
Not a bad shot for a 25mm lens. A recent acquisition, I found the Olympus M.Zuiko 25mm f1.8 to be a pretty impressive little lens.
Like a lion stalking its prey, it was a tough shot to get. A 25mm lens is rather wide for this semi-macro photography; I had to slowly sneak up on this little fellow. He happily posed for me for a few moments.
Shot on Olympus OM-D E-M5 with M.Zuiko 25mm f1.8 lens and edited on iPad.
Gagan Sadana, Image courtesy of Mirrorlessons.com
I've been shooting with my Olympus E-M5 since 2012. Many who know my collection of gear find it unexpected that I don't shoot with my Nikon setup, in which I have much more invest, nearly as much as my Micro Four Thirds (MFT) system.
Its DSL-ish form factor and diminutive size, most MFT cameras give many photographers pause. The sensor isn't 35mm, it isn't big, it makes little sound, and it doesn't have the backing of the biggest names in photography like Nikon or Canon. But, I found it to be so much fun to shoot with that I carry my camera with me everywhere and shoot much more because it isn't as conspicuous.
Mirrorlessons.com interviewed a photographer who's switch to the Panasonic GX7 has change his life as a photographer. His street photography has been enhanced by its small size and 20mm pancake lens (a legend in the Micro Four Thirds community) giving him freedom and stealth. It is a worthwhile read is you're curious about mirrorless and MFT cameras or thinking of using such a system.
“ You chose the Lumix GX7 as your main camera. How did you first discover the MFT system? What are the features on this series of cameras that you find particularly useful for street photography?
I came across an MFT camera (Lumix GX7) last year while I was attending a workshop by Panasonic. As a DSLR user, MFT was straightaway impressive, but I particularly liked how quiet and compact the MFT cameras are. Yes, I have captured great shots using my DSLR but I didn’t realize what I was missing until I started using Lumix GX7. Using an MFT camera has helped me get close to my subjects and they are really quiet. It is important to mention that I use a 20mm lens so I have to really close if I want my subject to fill the frame. I haven’t used my DSLR at all since I switched to using a Mirrorless camera a year ago. I firmly believe that switching to a mirrorless camera was a game changer for me as a street photographer.”
Photo Credit: James Mollison for TIME
Reading this article in TIME made me think about, one, how good we have it in much of the western world and, two, what would I carry with me if this happened tomorrow; if I were a refugee.
Showing what the people escaping Syria have led, the stories told by these photos are both sad and powerful. Some of the people only have one thing to hold onto. Some have more but overall, they have almost nothing but what they do have, they truly value.
What would you take?
TIME: See the Objects Refugees Carry on Their Journey to Europe.