Lights, Camera, Action

So just like the coming and going of the seasons, another epic era of employment comes to a cease, making way for an even epicer one. I'm no longer working at Fast Fours & Rotaries, left on great terms to chase bigger dreams of working in film.
It's quite daunting leaving a workplace when you're on such a high. There's many fears and doubts that try to hold you back, after all it's natural to fear anti-climaxes. If you ever find yourself in such a situation, just remember that you're springing from strength to strength. If where you are going is where you're meant to be going, then that's a level up.
I've been working casually at Fox Studios on a Few Best Men in the art department since, as a casual member of the swing gang. It's everything that you'd imagine it to be and then some! Challenging, fun, energetic. However for me it raised a lot of interest in Brutal Prophecy, our graphic novel.
A lot of people at Fox know about our novel now thanks to the world-moving efforts of my partner-in-crime, and thus I'm now on a big vendetta to get my part of this novel done. I've been quite slack and have some work cut out for me. So how's that for a life of a Freeman?
My days are filled with photography, errand running, 3D modelling and the occasional freelance bit of work here and there. It's handy to have your finances under control if you ever find yourself in such a place.
So where to from here? It's time I got my hair cut, had a shave, went for a jog and got my actors portraiture taken so I can finally apply at some talent agents for some extras work. I've been speaking to a few of the photographers at work to see if they can help me out, I might have to talk to a pro.
If you haven't already seen my flickr account, I suggest you do, I'm really enjoying photography and find it my release in my downtime.

Canon 50mm f/1.8 II noob photo enthusiast test

Don't you find it ironic that when once you start thinking about something, it starts showing up everywhere?

I've been thinking about picking up my first secondary lens for my camera. I was looking around for prime lenses and was choosing between picking up a Canon 50mm f/1.8 for an amazing $125 from D-D Photographics or the more solidly built Canon 50mm f/1.4 for $439 from the same place. DDP is like MSY but for cameras.

Anyway, one of the guys at work happened to bring in his Canon 50mm f/1.8 the other day (oh the irony!). He was nice enough to let me borrow it for a couple of days to see how much I like it. Up until then the only thing I knew about it was what I read from a cool review I read up on in The Digital Picture.



As pointed out on TDP, the lens is plastic and really toy-like, but hey at $125 you can't really expect any more can you? Functionality-wise, the first impression I got from this lens was not about the picture quality nor the usability, it was how unaccustomed I was to prime lenses!

At an f-stop of 1.8 I found myself deleting a lot of photos at first. I have a habit of coming up close to my subjects when I shoot them, and by doing so, the depth of field would be too strong. For instance I'd take a portrait, focusing on someone's nose only to have their ear out of focus.

That's more of a user thing anyway, as for the lens itself, good grief the autofocus on this lens is loud! Loud enough to be concerned that something might be broken! Also, it's really slow and seems to get confused quite easily, not being able to fins what it's trying to focus on.

Despite these things though, when I was able to get myself together and set up a shot well enough, image would come out sharp and brilliant. It is a great portrait photography lens on my full frame. TDP makes note of the funky bokeh on this lens, I found that in same cases, bokeh came out round, and in other cases, it came out pear shaped. Check out this picture of my friend's dad for example.



For a $125, the results are impressive. My other option of lens is the Canon 50mm f/1.4 which is highly recommended by both TDP and by George at DDP. The f is only 0.4 stops brighter, however the construction is a lot more sturdy. But with this comes the $439 price tag. Decisions, decisions.

A photo of my dad while renovating the laundry. One of my first shots with this lens and one of the ones I'm happier with.

Happy New Year 2011

Ahh, the new year brings with it, opportunities and, hopes and dreams by an exciting sack-load, how exciting! Having spent much time wondering on the possibilities of dibbling and dabbling in the world of photography, I've finally taken the plunge and gone for it. The weapon of my choosing? The infamous Canon 5D MkII.



Many would say that it is quite overkill for someone's first serious stab at photography and I absolutely agree. It's overkill. It's one thing to be attracted by 'necessities' such as full frame, noiseless high ISOs, L series lenses from the box and HD movie mode, but with it comes some less wanted territory.

For instance, it's quite disconcerting knowing that you're playing around a large body of salt water with cheeky friends while $3.5K worth of gear hangs precariously around your neck. Oh and might I add by a nylon strap that looks not much sturdier than a fireman's shoelace.

If you're the kind of person that feels misfortune follows you closely at your heels, then you'll probably feel uneasy most of the time you're out and about. Speaking of misfortune, I've already lost a polarising lens filter after all but 3 days usage. This is while the camera was stored away in it's bag with the lens cap on. Misfortune much?

I didn't really think about the downside really until about a week into owning it. Call it the end of the honeymoon period if you will, but the scary realisation of potential a expensive encounter came perhaps as a lot of subjects would give me a stunned expression upon discovering I was shooting with a 5D MkII.

"Isn't that a professional camera?" they would ask. The expressions their faces read were, "What is it doing out here in a world filled with liabilities!?". Slowly, a feeling of knowing irresponsibility crept up on me. Then it made sense why people commonly go out and about with nice, cheap cameras instead of fantastic, weapon cameras.

However, let's look at the flipside! This camera is, as my cousin Mick would put it "Oh so worth it!" Sure it's expensive and generously-weighted, but I'm relishing in always being ready to capture a wonderful moment within a sturdy wide-frame. A recent trip to the South Coast has me standing in confidence that I made the right choice of Camera.



I remember being advised by a photographer mate that I don't need to go full frame and it's a knick-knack I'll never really need, but oh let me tell you that some shots would never have been given due justice without the full frame. Oh no, I'm confident this is the right camera for me.

It's just gonna get better to! Just you wait until I get stuck into the video part of this! With our graphic novel "Brutal Prophecy" inching closer and closer into physical production, this camera's going to really step into its role.

Other stuff I'll be experimenting in with this camera? HD movie mode of course, portrait and landscape photography, vehicle and product photography, HDRI (Which I've already made a couple!) and photography for 3D modelling.

Speaking of 3D, here's a wip screengrab of the 180sx model I've been working on.