See the Little Details
When I started taking photographs professionally, my mentor told me if I can make my own backyard beautiful, then I can photograph anywhere else in the world. So my photography is sometimes focused on mundane things and making them interesting because I appreciate looking at things from a different perspective.
That’s what we all need sometimes, a different perspective will elevate your pictures from a normal snap to become a Moriyama or William Eggleston masterpiece.
To me, a good photo provokes thought and makes people wonder what’s the story behind the image. It’s like taking people through a journey to see what I see. And the FE 35mm F1.4 GM is great for that because it provides a perspective very similar to what the human eye sees.
One of the most stunning things about this lens is how sharp it is. Every element and detail of a photograph adds up to make the photograph a telling piece, if a detail is muffled, it ends up distracting the eye. With this lens, even shooting at F1.4 my image is still sharp even after zooming in 300% to the point of focus–even when I’m shooting super fast action.
I was never a fan of shooting at F1.4 because I was afraid that the focal point wouldn’t be sharp. This lens alleviates that fear. So now, I might shoot more of my work in that F-stop and for that clean look.
When I’m creating a photograph, I’m always looking for small storytelling elements—like the details surrounding the subject. I think the environment works with the subject to tell their stories and their journeys. Because the FE 35mm F1.4 GM captures every detail clearly from corner-to-corner, it’s easy to create an image that arrests the viewers attention to look longer at the photo and for them to appreciate it more.
It also inspires me to look at scenes differently. I have to get creative with my angles and move around to find different compositions. With the sharp auto focus, it allows me to capture round creamy bokeh with beautiful colour rendering hassle-free. It makes my shots tack sharp with richer, more dynamic layers.
The 35mm range, to me, is a really classic look that serves the best of both worlds in terms of portrait and environment. And with its small but sturdy build, it’s the ideal lens to take with me wherever I go.
