Touch Ups - street performer doing makeup.  Nikon Z6ii, Nikkor AFS 50mm 1.8, ISO 140,  @ 2.2

Some of you will know that I’ve been happily shooting and documenting with Fuji cameras now for well over a decade.  It was over 7 years ago that I sold my professional DSLR kit and swapped over fully to Fuji.  In a normal year (pre COVID), I travel Asia for up to a couple of months, and then shoot many events and street activities back home here in Australia.  I’ve gone through many Fuji iterations honing and perfecting my kit.  I now have two marvellous X-T3’s – one with the sublime 16mm 1.4 ‘glued’ on and the other with the lovely little 50mm F2 ‘strapped’ on board. That’s it!   Haircuts for the Homeless.   Fuji X-T3, Fuji FX 50mm f2, ISO 160, @ f2

I now happily shoot all of my professional gigs/street/events with that pared-down kit.  However, in life we often get side tracked, so this missive is to document a journey in ‘hankering’ (longing for something until you rush out and buy it), that I recently embarked on.  It was a tangential move that got me slightly off track – I will explain.  I’m hoping after this that I will save somebody the angst and financial hit that I experienced.

Warm-up - Haircuts for the Homeless.  Fuji X-T3, Fuji FX 50mm f2, ISO 500, @ f2

When I’m not out shooting or spending time with my wonderful wife, I’m often online reading about equipment reviews, the latest gear, or photographic destinations.  I am very happy with the images from my crop-sensor Fiji cameras and I certainly do not miss the weight and bulk of my huge Nikon kit.  However, with the introduction of mirrorless full-frame (much smaller), I had been wondering of late if I am missing out on some extra dynamic range or high ISO by solely shooting with a crop-sensor kit.  To shorten a long story, I rather foolishly and rashly jumped in and bought a Nikon Z6ii body.  I already had a Nikon AFS 50mm 1.8g lens that had been hanging around my cupboard for many years.  I bought the FTZ adapter and I now had a full-frame camera with 50mm lens.

Just to add here that this decision was not without a large financial commitment.  Here in Australia gear is horrendously expensive and we have no return policy – you walk out that door and you are stuck with it for good.  If one is dissatisfied, your only recourse is to sell it on ‘fleabay’ - usually accompanied by a large financial hit.  The body and adapter cost me a cool $3,500 – ouch!  This is not a review on the Nikon Z6ii – not at all.  I won’t go on about it at length – I’m solely writing this missive to demonstrate the fact that we Fuji users can hold our head very high and be fully satisfied with our gear.  However, I will quickly mention some of the things I have observed, having now used and compared both kits for well over a month.

Final Touches - Haircuts for the Homeless.  Nikon Z6ii, Nikkor AFS 50mm 1.8, ISO 200,  @ 2.2

First up – yes, it is true with everything they say about the advantages of full-frame files, when compared to crop-sensor.  As you will see from the images here that in good light and ideal conditions (low ISO, no great variance between shadows and highlights), that the files are very comparable.  I think the RAF files hold up extremely well when compared to the NEF RAW files.  In fact, in some situations I think the Fuji images look better, crisper and with more punch.  The big differences are seen when in very contrasty situations (if I happen to underexpose the shadows), or in dim lighting with high ISO.  In these circumstances, I can safely say that the Nikon files have at least 2 or more stops better high ISO performance, than my Fuji files (and dynamic range).  I’ve shot comparisons side by side and I can clearly see it.  The other big difference is if I try to salvage underexposed shadows and pull them up a few stops (worse in high ISO).  On the Fuji files the face or skin takes on an unnatural red/pale hue and it does not look good – the Nikon doesn’t do this.  I can also crop in a lot more and use a small part of the frame and not lose any discernible clarity in my image.  I can’t do this to the same extent with my Fuji files.

Final Instructions - Haircuts for the Homeless.  Fuji X-T3, Fuji FX 16mm 1.4, ISO 160, @ 1.4

As we all know, with full-frame using a similar lens and aperture, we get better separation between subject and background (narrower depth of field).  For somebody like me who ALWAYS shoots wide open, and always shoots people with zero landscapes or scenery, this is a big deal.  Finally – of course the Z6ii has nice IBIS and the X-T3’s don’t.  That’ about all the good stuff for Nikon I have noticed.  What about using both kits in a real-world situation, which for me is mostly fast-moving subjects in street and events?  Ah – here is where the Fuji’s start to come into their own.  I can honestly say the Nikon has been a pain and if I had my time over again, I would save my money and be happy with my Fuji’s.  The Fuji’s are just so much nicer to use.  Much better in setup – assigning functions to buttons, using the lovely big knobs on top and not having to dive into files.  The Fuji is lighter but feels much better made than the Nikon. 

Concentration - Haircuts for the Homeless.  Fuji X-T3, Fuji FX 16mm 1.4, ISO 160, @ 1.4

However, the huge difference that I found and one that nobody has talked about (well they do, but it’s usually the other way around) - the autofocus on my X-T3’s is much better than the Z6ii (for the way that I shoot).  I have found time and again that if I am shooting fast moving subjects, with dark faces and into very bright back lighting, the Nikon AF just cannot handle it.  I have shot a couple of half-day events now with both systems and I have lost just so many images because of the AF on the Nikon.  I won’t bore you with details (yes, I tried all the different settings, with and without ‘eye’), but suffice to say I barely missed any images with my Fuji’s, I had all my keepers with no disappointment.  The Nikon was so bad, I had to shelve it and grab my other X-T3 with the 50mm F2, and finish the event.  The Z6ii really needs a firmware update to bring it up to a level with similar cameras.  I’m going to keep it for a while to see if this happens – otherwise it will be shortly getting acquainted with ‘Fleabay’ Australia!

The Final Product - Haircuts for the Homeless.  Nikon Z6ii, Nikkor AFS 50mm 1.8, ISO 100,  @ 2.2

That’s all I want to say about that for now.  There are many more subtle differences that will sway one this way and that.  Suffice to say, if I laid both kits out now and had to choose only one, it would resoundingly be my Fuji kit.  That marvellous, (without peer), 16mm 1.4 is the magic ingredient that keeps me glued into Fuji for now and evermore.  That lens has completely upped my keeper rate and has changed my style of shooting in the last year (since I bought that lens).  Any other maker (even Nikon) to get that 24mm equivalent in a 1.4 is such a huge lens, at twice the cost and size, and does not have that same close focus.  For my other lens focal length that I use (50mm to 75mm equivalent), I can happily toggle between the Fuji and Nikon camera (if and when Nikon improve their AFC), but it is the magic of the 16mm 1.4 that keeps me happily glued into the Fuji system.  I don’t actually believe that a certain lens may contain ‘magic’, but there is something about the images and their rendering from that lens, that make the images very beautiful.

Customer Satisfaction - Haircuts for the Homeless.  Nikon Z6ii, Nikkor AFS 50mm 1.8, ISO 100,  @ 2.2

With that background, I will now tell you about my contact, Floki.  He is a mens' hairdresser here in Perth Australia, where I live.  For the last ten years now, he has been going into the depths of Perth City (kind of a mini ‘skid row’), and giving free haircuts to the homeless.  I thought this would be a great time to compare images between my two kits, so I asked Floki if I could tag along.  I have never seen anybody so passionate about something.  He told me on the weekend, that after his wife and child, this is his passion and calling – reaching out to the homeless and dispossessed.  I was emotionally moved when I saw the dignity and kindness that he showed toward this much maligned group of people.  He asked no questions of them, didn’t care if they were under the influence of something – he was just there to make them feel special and cared for – even if only for a short while.  The only interruption to our proceedings was that the local populace had decided to have their ’Anti-Vax Rally’.  It was held right where my friend usually does his haircuts.  In between finding different people who asked to have their hair cut, I would duck off to get a few shots of the resident ‘lunies’!   There were thousands of people there and a very large police turnout.  They even had the mounted police force standing nearby (meaning – on horses).  They only ever break them out for riots, so the police were obviously expecting the worst.

Getting your money's worth - Haircuts for the Homeless.  Fuji X-T3, Fuji FX 50mm f2, ISO 320, @ f2

Both of my camera kits worked well - people sitting there getting a haircut, are not usually moving very fast.  Even with that though, I found the Nikon autofocus system very clumsy.  One has to dive into the menu each time (I use the ‘i’ button), and change the type of box or focus setup that you want.  The focus system is such on the Nikon that no particular box or setup will work for every situation – you have to constantly change it.  With my X-T3’s, I’ve set it so I can just press my toggle lever in and this brings up the different autofocus options.  I have it set to ‘all’ and with my wheel I can just quickly scroll to which of the 3 options that I need. 

Where's Bruce Gilden? - Haircuts for the Homeless.  Fuji X-T3, Fuji FX 16mm 1.4, ISO 320, @ 1.4

The light was quite harsh, being around midday, but my friend did most of his cuts in the shade and I had brought along my big reflector.  I broke that out so I could bounce some of the lovely light back into my subjects’ faces.  I shot all of my lenses wide open (as I always do), and I was mostly able to get some separation between my subjects and the backgrounds. 

Safety in Numbers - Anti-Vax Rally.  Fuji X-T3, Fuji FX 16mm 1.4, ISO 160, @ 1.4

I get such satisfaction photographing all aspects of humanity.  Whether it is buskers on the street, street performers, folk working their daily jobs (my recent sheep shearing photo shoot), or just people having fun.  There is an infinite variety to choose from.  No wonder I have zero interest in photographing sceneries or sunsets – I’ll leave that to somebody else.  This is now a lovely time in Western Australia.  After Perth’s wettest and coldest start to winter and spring, in recorded history, we are now starting to get some lovely warm, summery weather.  I have a lot of events coming up, and I will be covering the Jazz festival that will run until Christmas, and the 2022 Fringe World Festival, that runs for most of January and February next year.  I’m also going down over the Christmas break to see my contact Jack, and get some more amazing photographs of Australian Shearers (see my blog here - https://www.philipsuttonphotography.com/blog/2021/10/australian-shearers---through-the-eyes-of-fuji-xf16mm-1-4).

Making a Point - Anti-Vax Rally.   Fuji X-T3, Fuji FX 16mm 1.4, ISO 320, @ 1.4

I am interested to see how I finally resolve my two-camera system setup.  It is not ideal and I would much rather shoot one system – as I have for the last 7 odd years with my Fujis.  However, for the rare times I am shooting at night or in very dark indoors, I think the full-frame camera with its better dynamic range and high ISO performance has its place.  However, for me it is a very large financial commitment just to keep a camera hanging around that I may use now and then.  Also - as mentioned above, I do not have the confidence in the autofocus system of the Nikon that I do with my Fujis, and in good lighting and with properly exposed images, it is very hard to tell any discernible difference between the images.  So the jury is out at the moment, but no matter my final decision, you will still find me somewhere with an X-T3 and a 16mm 1.4 strapped around my neck!

'The Joker' - Anti-Vax Rally.  Nikon Z6ii, Nikkor AFS 50mm 1.8, ISO 100,  @ 2.2

Sam - Sheering sheep, Western Australia.  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

It has been quite a while since I took any photos or even had the inclination or inspiration to do so.  My wife and I sold our home this year, in the small desert mining town in Western Australia, where we had worked and resided for over a decade.  We moved to Perth in Western Australia and I guess you all know what that would involve?  Staying in pokey expensive rental accommodation while we found and bought another house, the interim storing of furniture.  Finding new jobs, dealing with all the mundane things of life that revolved around such a shift.  Then I had to do renovations on the house so we could move in and make it comfortable - along with still having to teach full-time!

Geige - 'rouseabout' throwing a full fleece onto the sorting table.  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

I had lost all energy for creativity and my exhaustion levels were only matched by the forlorn looks of my two X-T3’s, ‘peering out’ from their cupboard.  I had arranged through a teaching contact to photograph shearers at a country town about 160 km’s S/E of Perth.  We had it organised in the last school holidays (June/July), but Perth decided to have its wettest/coldest start to winter in recorded history.  The sheep were all “….soaking wet”, saith the farmer, and that was that.

Geige - The 'rouseabout', carrying the next fleece to be tossed onto the sorting table.  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

Move forward to now and we have just finished the two-week October school holidays.  I had finally finished all the renovations on the house, and with the warmer spring weather, my energy levels and creative juices were beginning to flow again.  I rang my contact in the small country town of Pingelly (Western Australia).  Times and dates were set, and I started to feel excited all over again.  This fact alone was brilliant, because during the full swing of this move, I had lost all interest in photography and was beginning to get quite concerned.

As you all know, I’ve been traveling and writing blogs and putting images on my website for many years.  I used to eat, sleep and breath photography, so the thought of losing this was a real concern.  However, I needn’t have worried.  Once life settled down, and things returned back to normal, I was ready to roll again.

Sue - worker sorting the wool for quality control.  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

As you will know from my many blogs, and my decade long journey with Fuji equipment, that the very long process of buying, using and selling off gear, was finally coming to a close.  I mentioned in my last few blogs about the joys of discovering the 16mm 1.4 and the 50mm F2.  You’ll remember how I eventually settled on two X-T3’s as my cameras of choice.  Incidentally, I just sold off my second X-H1 last week.  Everything superfluous to my needs has now gone.  My tried and proven kit is the two T3 bodies.  The 16mm 1.4 ‘glued’ onto one of them and the 50mm F2 ‘strapped’ onto the other.  That is the only gear I need now and all that I use for all of my work.  This includes my street and events work (zero video of course).  With the warmer weather now coming here in Perth, lots of events are coming up and I am getting ready for a very busy season.

As mentioned, I haven’t shot anything in ‘anger’ for quite a few months, but once I arrived at my destination and ‘festooned’ myself with cameras, nothing had changed.  My equipment worked flawlessly and proved once again that these small, lovely little mirrorless cameras are all that one needs to take beautiful and memorable images.

Colin - worker pulling sorting and grouping the wool.  Fuji X-T3, XF 50mm F2 @ F2

One thing that I found very interesting was that my wife and I always use merino wool garments throughout the cold winter months.  They are so beautiful against the skin as a wicking layer, they don’t stink after a while like polyester fibres do, and they can absorb 30% of their weight in moisture and still keep you warm. 

When I arrived on the farm and my contact took me into the shearing shed, I was met by dozens of huge sheep staring at me.  The shearer told me that yes indeed these were merino ‘wethers’ (males that have been neutered).  They were much bigger than I ever thought, and the feel of their gorgeous, thick fleeces, left me in no doubt as to why I had been very warm this winter.

Jack (the boss) - Australian shearers hard at work, Western Australia.  Fuji X-T3, XF 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

Shearing is a very skilful practice, and I was amazed how the men were able to manage those huge beasts and shear them so quickly.  The men are paid over $3 per animal, so it is strictly a quota basis.  In other words, the more sheep they can shear in the day the more they get paid.  My contact (Jack), told me that most of his “boys” can shear up to 200 sheep per day.

After realising that the ‘boys’ got paid per sheep, I was very cautious as to not get in their way or slow them down.  This was a slight problem for me and I was a little anxious at the beginning.  As you will know, I shoot over 80% of all of my images with my wide angle 16mm lens.  This thing was made for how I shoot.  All of my street events and even my street photography with strangers is all up very close.  I always get as close as I possibly can with the camera.  This is so that the 1.4 aperture can do its work.  I will have a full-frame/wide-angle view of the whole scene, but only the subject will be in focus, and the rest of the background will be blurry.  This was hard to do on my 16-55, 2.8, but with this 1.4 lens, and the closer focusing distance, it is quite doable.  I discussed with Jack, and he gave me a rough guideline on the floor boards as to just how close I should get, without getting chopped by the flailing clippers, or getting in the boys’ way.

Sam - almost finished his sheep, ready to grab another.  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

Everything was very fast moving, once the shearing got underway.  I did not take many photos on the 50mm, and I really didn’t lack any focal lengths or wished I had another lens.  Once again, the 16mm 1.4 was fantastic, and it kept up with nearly all of the fast-moving pace.  The only few images it did miss, was when the ‘rouseabout’ was tossing each fleece up into the air and onto the sorting table.  The wool would cover his eyes, so of course the autofocus tried to follow the fleece and not him.  In hindsight, I probably would have been better off switching to manual focus.  I could have easily done this, because that particular 16mm lens has an autofocus clutch mechanism for this very reason.

Australian shearer, nearing completion.  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

I know that Fuji have now released new versions of their 35 1.4 (now a 33 1.4 WR), and the old 23 1.4 (now a 23 1.4 WR).  I was never interested in either of these lenses, because I shoot in all kinds of dusty and wet conditions – particularly when travel back to Asia commences in the future.  Now that these lenses are both weather sealed, I had wondered if I could incorporate them into my style of shooting.  After consideration and looking at many images in my files, I discovered that those two focal lengths don’t really fit my style of shooting.  When I used the wonderful 16-55, for all those years, I was mostly only ever using the wide-angle end, or the 55mm end.  The only reason I sold it was because it was only a 2.8 lens.  I was able to replace it with my two primes now (16mm and 50mm), and these are F1.4 and F2, respectively.  So even though these new lenses look great and will suit a lot of shooters, my style of shooting in very close, or back at ‘portrait distance’, doesn’t really need a 35mm or 50mm equivalent.  My interest was also piqued of late when Fuji introduced the GFX 50sll.  This looks an awesome camera and is one of the cheapest medium format cameras on the market.  I thought all of that extra image quality and dynamic range would be great, however when I looked a little bit deeper, things were not quite what they seemed.

Nelson - New Zealander mixing it with the 'Aussies'!  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

Firstly, for that body and say their 32-64mm F4 lens – that combination here in Australia is just on $10,000 – ouch!  Then, the whole reason why I sold off my Nikon D3x kit years ago was because of the size and weight.  The combination of the 32-64mm lens on the GFX, comes in just on 1,700 grams.  My X-T3 with my 16mm 1.4 is only 900 grams.  That is getting up to nearly a kilo lighter than the medium format kit.  However, the deal breaker for me was the autofocus.  Many of you probably followed my blogs and learned how I struggled with the autofocus on my Fuji X-H1’s and X-T2’s.  Shooting fast moving street parades and events. I was losing so many images because of autofocus.  Once I swapped over to two X-T3’s, with the recent firmware updates, the autofocus is like it’s from another planet.  If I miss any images now it is usually user error.  Going by everything I have read, the autofocus on the new GFX 50sll, would not be any better than what I had on the X-H1’s.  Buying that kit then would definitely be a step backward on many fronts. 

Shearers hard at work.  The sheep in the foreground is almost finished.  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

As I said a little earlier on in this missive, Fuji’s lovely little crop sensor cameras are all one really needs to make beautiful images, and I think looking at other alternatives, only further cements this reality for me.

All in all, I had a great day and it was a fantastic way to blow out the ‘cobwebs’ - not having touched my gear for nearly six months.  This is probably the longest period I have not taken any photos for a very long time.  However, I am fine with that.  Life has to go on and it is not all about photography.  Sometimes we have to change vocations, or cities, or houses and these things take time.  We are now settled into to a nice little house, a lovely city and we both found good jobs.  Spring is literally in the air now - in Western Australia, and I am looking forward to the events that are coming up in the future.  Of course, you will mostly find me with the 16mm 1.4 lens right up close, getting those dramatic images that I thrive on - those perspectives that lift an image from the mundane to something special! 

Nelson - the end of a long hard day!  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

Steps of Mirth.  Dancing club, Scarborough Sunset Beach, Western Australia, 2021.  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

This is a little different from my other blogs.  It’s not about gear as such, or any great earth-shattering observations around street photography or shooting ‘events’.  I just want to show some interesting photos I took in the last few weeks. I now live in Perth in Western Australia and it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  I just moved down from a small gold-mining town in the Western Australian desert called Kalgoorlie, where I lived for more than 15 years.  I struggled there for many years trying to find subjects to photograph (I am a teacher, so I knew half the kids and families in the town) - being such a small town where one is known, ruins it in many ways.

Poles of Courage.  Chinese Dragon Dancers, Western Australia Day Celebrations, Fremantle, 2021.  Fuji X-T3, 50mm F2 @ F2

Now that my wife and I are living in Perth (a much bigger city), nobody knows me here, which is fantastic.  I can freely cover all the events and shoot people who I don’t know.  You may think it is easier shooting people who know you, but the opposite is the case.  There is always politics involved and being a teacher, I’m not supposed to photograph my students and all that stuff made everything so ponderous.  Now I’m in a great big city where I’m just another guy – it is really fantastic.

Mixing it with the Boys.  Chinese Dragon Dancers, Western Australia Day Celebrations, Fremantle, 2021.  Fuji X-T3, 50mm F2 @ F2

I think it is beginning to show in my photography.  It has only been a month since our relocation, but I have already pulled in some magic shots – shots that I could never have gotten whilst living in a small, cloistered, claustrophobic, close-minded town.

The other thing that I am also beginning to realise (I introduced this topic in my last few blogs), that a very clear picture has emerged as to what gear will be in my hands.  I won’t go into any detail here because I have gone over this all before, but my kit is now two Fuji X-T3’s – one with the 16mm 1.4 attached and the other with the 50mm F2 on board.  As I have also written about at great length – I no long use the 16-55 (sold) and the 90mm is being used less and less.  In fact, I am very close to the point of selling the 90mm and the X-H1 which it is attached to. 

The legs tell the Story.  Dancing 'girl', Western Australia Day Celebrations, Fremantle, 2021.  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

I never thought I would come to that point, but the 50mm F2 is just so light and small and I seem to be able to isolate the background with ease, and then I don’t have to carry around the huge 90mm attached to a big heavy X-H1.  The 90mm has to have the X-H1 because unlike my 16mm and 50mm – it does need IBIS.

'Drama Queen' .  Dancing 'girl', Western Australia Day Celebrations, Fremantle, 2021.  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

I am really enjoying my two X-T3’s now.  I really think finally I have reached an ideal Fuji X camera that is basically future-proof (well, for me anyway).  The AFC is now great and I never miss any photos of fast moving events because of the camera.  I still do miss them but that is operator problems – me pointing the little green box at the wrong thing.  As I said in my last blog – even though it has taken Fuji over 12 years, the autofocus in the X-T3 is now as fast as it was on my Nikon D3X.  The images from the camera are absolutely brilliant (only on Capture One of course), the handling is great and because I NEVER use video – I don’t need that ridiculous screen that is on the X-T4.  In other words – whatever the new X-H2 will look like, I don’t need it.

Starting Early.  Western Australia Day Celebrations, Fremantle, 2021.  Fuji X-T3, 16mm 1.4 @ 1.4

Most of the photos on here are from our celebrations last week for Western Australia Day.  This is a big deal here in the West and it is deemed a public holiday for everybody. The event was held at the coast in Fremantle and the promoter asked me to shoot the event for her, so I had full access to all parts of the event where the public could not go.  They had the Chinese dancers doing their Dragon Dance.  They had dancing girls, rock bands, an Aboriginal dancing troop, and the highlight of the day was the New Zealand Maori Haka group. 

In Step.  Maori Cultural group 'Haka For Life', Western Australia Day Celebrations, Fremantle, 2021.  Fuji X-T3, FX 50mm F2 @ F2

Now that I have fully embraced the wonderful 16mm 1.4, I am continually in there close, jamming my camera into peoples’ faces – just as I love to do (I think Bruce Gilden would be proud of me).  The results are very powerful and give a perspective that most other photographers don’t embrace.  This gives me an edge and that is why the promoter chose me above the other photographers on her books – she indicated that my pictures were more powerful than others she has used in the past.  Kudos to Fuji and that fantastic 1.4 lens.

Maori Cultural group 'Haka For Life', Western Australia Day Celebrations, Fremantle, 2021.  Fuji X-T3, FX 16mm F1.4 @ F1.4

It did rain for parts of the day, but for me that was a bonus.  The Maori folk kept doing their Haka in the pouring rain, and my Fuji’s kept pumping out the images in the pouring rain – they never missed a beat. 

Out of Sync.  Maori Cultural group 'Haka For Life', Western Australia Day Celebrations, Fremantle, 2021.  Fuji X-T3, FX 16mm F1.4 @ F1.4

Now that I’ve swapped over fully to Capture One, it was so easy to apply the ‘preset’ (one that I cooked up myself) to all of the images.  Then I only have to tickle each photo up a tiny bit and all is done very quickly.  I am very happy living here now and have so much to look forward to coming up, photographically.  Through a contact at the school I used to teach at in Kalgoorlie, I am going down to a small farming community in the next school holidays (early July here in Western Australia), to photograph shearers.  I may stay a day or two so I can get a complete story of them.  I have phoned my contacts and I’ll be with two different shearing gangs.  I can’t wait – the early morning light, the patina of the old shearing sheds, me up inches from their face with my 16mm 1.4, the rough sun aged skin of the shearers.  I also want to get a shot very low down of the ‘sorters’ throwing the full fleece onto the table.

Warrior Challenge.   Maori Cultural group 'Haka For Life', Western Australia Day Celebrations, Fremantle, 2021.  Fuji X-T3, FX 50mm F2 @ F2

Watch this space because I think I’m going to have some more great images moving forward.  Thanks to Fuji again for fantastic little cameras that really inspire.  They pump out images as good as those from my full-frame Nikon D3X days, but one is carrying half the weight with lenses that look like toys.  Now that I’ve got rid of the zoom (16-55), and I’m only shooting two fast primes, my images are all shot on much lower ISO’s and the final result tells the tale.

Watch Out!  Aboriginal Dancing Troop, Western Australia Day Celebrations, Fremantle, 2021.  Fuji X-T3, FX 16mm F1.4 @ 1.4

I encourage everybody to get out there.  My wife tells me I’m too bold shoving my cameras into people’s faces, but if you do it with humour, a smile and kindness like I do, you will not be rejected.  You will come away with images that are not ‘ho hum’, like so many others have, and you will be even more inspired to get out there some more. 

Up Close. Aboriginal Dancing Troop, Western Australia Day Celebrations, Fremantle, 2021.  Fuji X-T3, FX 16mm F1.4 @ 1.4

PS - I'm not supposed to be showing too many of these images yet, but here is a few more for those who are interested!