The September-October period has always been my favourite time for photography. At this time of the year, places are often pillowed by fog, the sun’s rays are much more gentle and… I don’t have to wake up at 4:00 AM to witness a sunrise. Today, I stopped by Rocky Point Park in Port Moody, British [...]
Tag: B&W
Olympic National Park in B&W
While our last few posts dealt with the brand new XF 90mm F2 lens and therefore portrait photography, we are now returning to our usual genre – travel, landscape and documentary in B&W. Here is a series of the images taken during our last trip to Olympic National Park, including incredible Rialto Beach. All images [...]
One Out Of The Hat
This blog has argued repeatedly that focusing solely on the technical aspects of photography usually causes more harm than good. After all, emotions, state of mind, vision, light and composition are the most important elements of the image creation process. Gear should only come second. However, we admit that sometimes we experience moments of weakness. [...]
Mankind and the Environment
With today’s rapid growth, many cities struggle to maintain a balance between nature and economic development. It is an especially important subject here in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Despite strong population growth, it is a place of a great beauty with a pristine ecosystem. The recent oil spill in English Bay has angered many people [...]
Voyage, Voyage with the X100S
One of my favourite visual exercises is to venture out with the Fuji X100S. I usually do it on the weekends and in the early morning and it’s not only for the good light. You would be surprised how public spaces change when deserted. The lack of crowds and noise allows you to concentrate on [...]
Vancouver in B&W
Last weekend we left home at 4:30 AM to capture Vancouver at its best. The hourly weather forecast was right and we encountered very contrasty weather conditions with stunningly rich skies and beautiful light. All we had to worry about was composition. It is something we spend a lot of time working on in the [...]
The Barn
All shot with the X-T1 and XF 10-24 F4 R OIS. 2014 © Olaf Sztaba Photography. All rights reserved.
It’s the lens, stupid! – Fujinon XF 23mm F1.4 R review
In the days of film, serious photography was the territory of either professional photographers or dedicated amateurs. Nowadays, everyone is a photographer, often with themselves as the subject. In fact, the Oxford Dictionary’s most popular word of 2013 is “selfie.” But we don’t look to selfies for great quality. It’s not always about composition, light or subject [...]
From the set of “Double Bill”
Shooting a movie involves many elements of photography. Composition, lighting and subject are the most common. I am privileged to be able to work with a team of talented individuals under the direction of Thomas Kampioni – independent screenwriter and director. Working on the set allows me to apply my photographic knowledge and contribute to [...]
No Colour Necessary
With the surge in digital imaging technology, nearly everyone has gained access to the world of photography. One would think that the elimination of cost barriers, ease of use and abundance of processes would yield a large amount of exceptional work. Quite the opposite! Photography has become a form of visual “fast food.” You don’t [...]