I recently got back from a trip down to North Carolina and had the chance to go back and visit Duke University, a place I first visited in 2017. While it rained most of my first trip there, I was lucky this time around to finally capture the campus in its glory. I wanted to go back and look at some of my photos from 2017 and approach them with a different view during this trip. Specifically, I wanted to photograph the same scenes, but this time with a fisheye lens. I was lucky enough to have Olympus loan me out its 8 mm f/1.8 PRO fisheye … [Read more...] about Creative photography with a fisheye lens
Olympus
Olympus celebrates 100 years with website and short documentary
Throughout 2019, Olympus is celebrating its 100th anniversary. In commemoration of this centennial milestone, Olympus has launched a dedicated website and series of short documentary videos, each dedicated to Olympus' role in medical, imaging and scientific solutions. Late Sunday night, Olympus released "Olympus 100th Anniversary Documentary: A Great Moment," outlining the company's history in the camera-making space. Interviewed are Olympus Research & Development executives, a camera store technician and Pulitzer-Prize winning National … [Read more...] about Olympus celebrates 100 years with website and short documentary
Will I switch from DSLR to Mirrorless? The final round
I've now been playing around with the Sony a9 and the Olympus OM-D E-M1X for a few weeks and gotten to know them quite a bit better. I shot sports photographs in all kinds of lighting conditions (the good, the bad and the really crappy ones). This article sums up my experience with both cameras and my opinion on their performance. All men are not created equal. Neither are cameras. Each and every individual has something unique to bring to the table. There's no "one-size-fits-all" magic recipe. I am not looking for THE ultimate perfect … [Read more...] about Will I switch from DSLR to Mirrorless? The final round
Weekly Wrap-Up: April 14-20, 2019
The Weekly Wrap-Up features articles from this week on Photofocus. This week, Michele Grenier continues her journey to mirrorless, Mykii Liu talks about the Samsung 860 QVO SSD, Bob Coates dives into gear for wildflower photography, Vanelli introduces us to Aircam event software and guest writer Jamie MacDonald dives into photographing in the rain. Enjoy! … [Read more...] about Weekly Wrap-Up: April 14-20, 2019
Will I switch from DSLR to Mirrorless? My first photoshoot experience with the Olympus OM-D E-M1X
As I already mentioned in my very first article, that I am looking at upgrading my photography gear (my two Nikon D750 cameras). As this is a pretty expensive move, I am currently trying both the Sony a9 and Olympus OM-D E-M1X to see which one would best fit my sports photography needs. Now's the time to experiment with the new top-of-the-line micro four-thirds camera — the E-M1X. What I am looking for in my new partner I have specific needs regarding my sports photography. Above all, I need high ISO capabilities and great autofocus. Good … [Read more...] about Will I switch from DSLR to Mirrorless? My first photoshoot experience with the Olympus OM-D E-M1X
How to use negative fill to create deep, dramatic photos
Photography is about capturing a brief moment of light. A large part of the art of photography is how we control light to create an image. Not just of a moment, but for how we want that moment to appear in the photograph. We alter the appearance of light with tools and techniques to add, remove or change the light and shadows in a scene to make our creative ideas into a photograph. By controlling the look of the light and shadows in our images we set mood and create emotion, from feelings of calm serenity to tense drama. One of the tools I use … [Read more...] about How to use negative fill to create deep, dramatic photos
Weekly Wrap-Up: March 24-30, 2019
The Weekly Wrap-up features articles from this week on Photofocus. Scott Lawrence explores the Nikon Z6 for headshots, guest writer Julie Powell talks about the art of still life, Kevin Ames reviews the Asus 32" HDR monitor, Bob Coates show us his "musicians hall of fame" in a restaurant he works with and Michèle Grenier starts her mirrorless camera dating. Enjoy! Take the Photofocus Weekly Wrap-Up with you to read on the go... … [Read more...] about Weekly Wrap-Up: March 24-30, 2019
Will I switch from DSLR to Mirrorless? First hands-on with the Sony a9 and the Olympus OM-D E-M1X
This article follows "Are you considering switching your DSLR to mirrorless? I am." I just got two mirrorless bodies a couple of days ago. One from Sony and the other from Olympus. It's my first true mirrorless experience — I've been a Nikon user since the day I started doing photography. All the equipment that has been sent is loaned and I am not being paid for this review — it's important for me to mention that. My goal is to share my thoughts on my personal experience and highlight the strengths of both systems. I know conversations can get … [Read more...] about Will I switch from DSLR to Mirrorless? First hands-on with the Sony a9 and the Olympus OM-D E-M1X
Are you considering switching your DSLR to a mirrorless? I am
I've been using DSLRs from the day I started doing photography. But frankly, with the growing quality of the Mirrorless market, I feel quite tempted to do the big jump ... Still, will spending my hard earned money really be worth it? Today I'm sharing my thoughts, hopes and concerns about completely switching my photography gear. Once upon a time ... Not so long ago, I remember living a happy and fulfilled life, taking pictures in the gyms with my two DSLRs, never second guessing my cameras or lenses. They were doing what I expected from … [Read more...] about Are you considering switching your DSLR to a mirrorless? I am
In-depth review: The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II mirrorless camera
Photography, as with any pursuit, has its share of trends and fads. Trends — the direction the technology and art is moving, change the way we think and how we create. Think in-camera metering, autofocus, color film, then the move to digital capture and post-processing. Each of these transformed the way we create images. Fads usually have more to do with photographic styles, some style or method of making images becomes popular, but eventually gets replaced with another momentary shiny look and then goes away. Mirrorless: Trend or fad? One … [Read more...] about In-depth review: The Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II mirrorless camera
2019 WPPI live trade show interview: Olympus
https://youtu.be/oDZ5EWGZDhk?rel=0 The Photofocus team attended the 2019 WPPI Conference and had a chance to walk the trade show floor, attend classes and join in on photowalks. During a break, I met up with both Olympus Associate Manager Technical, Public Relations Eric Gensel and Olympus Visionary Joe Edelman. We talked about the Visionary program and the benefits of going mirrorless. … [Read more...] about 2019 WPPI live trade show interview: Olympus
Creating one-of-a-kind landscapes with Lume Cubes
A while back, I saw a photo my friend Gary Alan Brink posted of the Fallasburg Bridge in Lowell, MI. It featured a car driving through the covered bridge, creating for quite the night scene. I had long been a fan of the bridge but had only ever photographed it during the day. I wondered what I could capture after seeing his inspiration. I decided to bring my Lume Cubes along, thinking that I could light paint the bridge, similarly to how this barn shot turned out. But upon arriving at the bridge, there was one problem — there was no easy … [Read more...] about Creating one-of-a-kind landscapes with Lume Cubes
Weekly Wrap-Up: January 20-26, 2019
The Weekly Wrap-up compiles interesting articles published this week on Photofocus. This week, we dove into the new Olympus OM-D E-M1X, learned about the aperture setting and how it affects exposure, checked out five awesome photo accessories, learned about the new Lume Cube Air and explored Shutter Priority mode. … [Read more...] about Weekly Wrap-Up: January 20-26, 2019
An in-depth look at the Olympus OM-D E-M1X
Early this morning, Olympus revealed its new flagship camera — the OM-D E-M1X. There’s quite a bit of hype over what this camera can do, and I was lucky enough to have a pre-release copy that I used for about five weeks. Being that several camera manufacturers introduced mirrorless cameras last year, many expected Olympus to embrace the full-frame mirrorless market. But as I discussed with them at the PhotoPlus Expo back in October, Olympus is 100% committed to the micro four-thirds mirrorless realm. The E-M1X shows how Olympus has invested … [Read more...] about An in-depth look at the Olympus OM-D E-M1X
Olympus announces E-M1X, flash, super telephoto lens and more
Click here to read my in-depth review on the new OM-D E-M1X. Olympus has announced the E-M1X, the latest in its line of OM-D cameras. Sporting a built-in vertical grip and features like Handheld High Res Shot and Live ND mode, Olympus is clearly gearing this camera toward working professionals. The E-M1X is seen as a parallel offering to the E-M1 Mark II, Olympus’ flagship camera for the last few years. It features the same 20.4MP micro four-thirds sensor and has a very familiar look and feel, with the added benefit of a vertical … [Read more...] about Olympus announces E-M1X, flash, super telephoto lens and more
Photographing high school football with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, part three
Editor’s Note: We welcome Bob Panick to Photofocus. Bob is an enthusiastic amateur photographer based in the Detroit area. Bob shoots a variety of subjects including sports, landscape, nature and automotive. Bob has little to no interest in being a professional photographer and shoots for his own enjoyment. Bob learned photography back in the 70s, got away from it and came back about 10 years ago. You can check out his sports-related work at https://photos.panick.com/. Click here to read part one and part two. Pro Capture Pro Capture is a … [Read more...] about Photographing high school football with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, part three
Photographing high school football with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, part two
Editor’s Note: We welcome Bob Panick to Photofocus. Bob is an enthusiastic amateur photographer based in the Detroit area. Bob shoots a variety of subjects including sports, landscape, nature and automotive. Bob has little to no interest in being a professional photographer and shoots for his own enjoyment. Bob learned photography back in the 70s, got away from it and came back about 10 years ago. You can check out his sports-related work at https://photos.panick.com/. If you haven't read part one, please click here. More settings Exposure … [Read more...] about Photographing high school football with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, part two
Remembering 2018
With the new year just hours away, we thought it'd be fun to recap 2018. Between covering the full-frame mirrorless trends, photography conferences like WPPI and PhotoPlus, reviewing the latest camera gear and helping you with camera and post-processing techniques, our team had tons of interesting articles that caught your interest! Below are our top 10 most viewed articles for 2018. We hope you had a great 2018, and we can't wait to see what's in store for 2019! Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash … [Read more...] about Remembering 2018
Photographing high school football with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, part one
Editor's Note: We welcome Bob Panick to Photofocus. Bob is an enthusiastic amateur photographer based in the Detroit area. Bob shoots a variety of subjects including sports, landscape, nature and automotive. Bob has little to no interest in being a professional photographer and shoots for his own enjoyment. Bob learned photography back in the 70s, got away from it and came back about 10 years ago. You can check out his sports-related work at https://photos.panick.com/. I’ve had a few people asking questions on photographing football so I … [Read more...] about Photographing high school football with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, part one
Photographing advertising with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
This is the final article in a four-part series discussing the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Click here to read my previous article, discussing the use of the camera for portraiture. In addition to corporate events, I also shoot some corporate promotional — also known as advertising — photography. These images are used on a wide array of mediums, including websites, brochures, mailers, billboards and more. Corporate advertising That's right — I said billboards. Despite having a 20-megapixel sensor, my photographs have ended up on … [Read more...] about Photographing advertising with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Photographing portraits with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
This is the third article in a four-part series discussing the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Click here to read my previous article, discussing the use of the camera for landscapes. In my final article, I'll discuss using the camera for advertising. I photograph a lot of different types of portraits. Just a few weeks ago, I was hired to photograph the downtown tree lighting, which involved me taking photographs of Santa, Mrs. Claus and guests at a rapid pace. But I've also shot several corporate portraits, and a few family portraits as … [Read more...] about Photographing portraits with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Photographing landscapes with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
This is the second article in a four-part series discussing the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Click here to read my first article, discussing the use of the camera for events. In future articles, I'll discuss using the camera for portraiture and advertising. While my bread and butter might be event photography, in my spare time I photograph landscapes and travel imagery. Everything from long exposures to walking the streets, I love to photograph it. Landscapes (and some cityscapes) When I started out doing nighttime long exposures with my … [Read more...] about Photographing landscapes with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Weekly Wrap-Up: Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 2018
The Weekly Wrap-Up is a compendium of some of the articles published this week on Photofocus. This week, we explored new gear, showed you a few different lighting techniques, talked about exhibiting and showcased Olympus' flagship camera. We also gave you some great Cyber Monday deals. Still looking for some savings and ideas? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide! … [Read more...] about Weekly Wrap-Up: Nov. 25-Dec. 1, 2018
Photographing events with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
This is the first article in a four-part series discussing the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II. In future articles, I'll discuss using the camera for landscapes, portraiture and advertising. Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to win an Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II, and I've since made it my camera of choice. After photographing exclusively with it for nine months, I feel like I've got a good grasp of the capabilities of the camera. I couldn't be happier with my Olympus system. I now have a second body for backup purposes, plus a plethora of … [Read more...] about Photographing events with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II
Early Black Friday savings from Olympus
Cyber Monday Specials from B&H. Click this link to go shopping! Olympus is offering some great deals on its cameras, lenses and various accessories! In addition to the deals below, Olympus is offering 2x rewards on purchases made through Dec. 19, 2018, on getolympus.com, as well as free 2-day shipping on orders over $50. To learn more and see all the Olympus Black Friday deals, visit getolympus.com. Note that freebies mentioned are only guaranteed to be available through getolympus.com, but pricing will be honored by other authorized … [Read more...] about Early Black Friday savings from Olympus
Weekly Wrap-Up: Oct. 28-Nov. 3, 2018
Welcome to a brand new feature — the Weekly Wrap-Up — a compendium of some of the articles published this week on Photofocus. Flickr to end 1 TB of free storage, limit free accounts to 1,000 photos Flickr has announced massive changes to its account offerings, taking effect this coming January. In April, SmugMug purchased Flickr, which sparked a “months-long effort to listen to its members and understand what Flickr needed to thrive and evolve.” Read more... Exclusive: What’s in store for Olympus? This year at PhotoPlus Expo, all the rage … [Read more...] about Weekly Wrap-Up: Oct. 28-Nov. 3, 2018
Exclusive: What’s in store for Olympus?
This year at PhotoPlus Expo, all the rage was around mirrorless. Canon, Nikon and even Panasonic have joined the likes of Sony, introducing full-frame mirrorless cameras. But this begs the question — what's in store for Olympus, a long-time mirrorless manufacturer using a micro four-thirds format? The micro four-thirds format was released by Olympus and Panasonic in 2008. While there's been a handful of other micro four-thirds cameras made since its introduction, Olympus and Panasonic have been the heavyweights. With Panasonic's … [Read more...] about Exclusive: What’s in store for Olympus?
Themed shoots and why they matter
The daily grind can sometimes get you! More than once, after an editing binge for days on end for client work, my mind wanders over to my safe place — that beautiful land of themed shoots where I'm calling all the shots and no one even needs to like the output. Honestly, in the middle of the busiest months, I'll try my best to sneak my favorite models, make-up artist and stylist into the studio and collaborate on something totally spontaneous and creative. It almost always starts with a simple conversation about themes we've always wanted to … [Read more...] about Themed shoots and why they matter
What does a “professional” camera really mean?
Last week, Tony and Chelsea Northrup posted a controversial video on YouTube that tried to define what a professional camera was. It centers around sales for all of the camera manufacturers. It makes some good points about how higher-end cameras can enhance a photograph. That being said, for the most part making a great photograph is not about the camera — it's about the photographer. While there are certainly cameras geared more towards professionals, including features that pros tend to take more advantage of, it doesn't mean that you … [Read more...] about What does a “professional” camera really mean?
The age of the mirrorless camera starts now
Full-frame 35mm cameras. Medium-format cameras. Micro four-thirds cameras. These are formats. There are only two types of digital cameras themselves — Single Lens Reflex and Mirrorless. The evolution of cameras has evolved over the past 100 years, and we're about to enter a new generation, with Nikon and Canon both getting ready to reveal full-frame mirrorless camera systems. While the mirrorless system has been around for 14 years, it has only recently started taking off. The first mirrorless camera was made by a company which is more … [Read more...] about The age of the mirrorless camera starts now
