Welcome to the Robert G Allen photography blog.
Photographing the 2021 North Fork Kayak Championships with the Nikon D500 and Nikkor DX LensesPhotographing the Idaho 2021 North Fork Kayak Championships with the Nikon D500 and Nikkor DX Lenses
The North Fork Kayak championships, held yearly on the North Fork of the Payette River in central Idaho, brings together some of the top kayakers from all over the world to experience some of the most demanding whitewater in the US.
Nikon D500, 70-300 mm DX VR lens This was my second time photographing the event. I attended the event in 2019 (see the 2019 photo gallery HERE will open in new tab) and would have gone again in 2020 but, as you can imagine, it was canceled due to the pandemic. (You can view my 2019 North Fork kayak photo gallery HERE.) In 2019, I had with me the Nikon D5 and used primarily the Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 lens. However, this combination proved to be a problem: The weight of the full frame body and lens proved to be too heavy while maneuvering amongst the rocks and boulders that one needs to negotiate to get down to the river’s water level. While I did eventually make it to the shore, it was a hike I knew I didn’t want to repeat with such heavy gear. Lesson learned: bring a smaller camera and lenses next time.
Nikon D500, 70-300 mm DX VR lens After surveying what I call my Nikon DSLR and F mount “Dream Team”, that smaller kit was the Nikon DX flagship D500 with the following DX lenses:
All of the images in this blog post were taken with the equipment above. Some of the images are slightly cropped and all were shot in 14bit RAW uncompressed processed in Capture One 2021.
Nikon D500, 70-300 mm DX VR lens I knew I was taking a risk in terms of image quality by going with a crop sensor camera versus a full frame flagship (Nikon D6) with full frame lenses. Did the D500 with DX lenses measure up and give acceptable image quality from this high action event? For me, the answer is a resounding yes! I was pleasantly surprised how much this 5 year old camera still has to offer. I think one of the reasons the D500 performed so well is due to the abundance of light at this event. Between the clear skies and the sun light reflecting off the whitewater, light was not in short supply. This allowed the auto focus to perform at its full potential and kept noise in the images to a minimum, allowing maximum potential for post processing.
Nikon D500, 70-300 mm DX VR lens In conclusion and in hindsight, I don’t regret at all using the D500 and Nikkor DX lenses to document this action packed sports event. You can view the complete 2021 gallery HERE. Find below additional sample images:
Nikon D500, 70-300 mm DX VR lens
Nikon D500, 70-300 mm DX VR lens
Nikon D500, 10-20 mm DX VR lens
Nikon D500, 16-80 mm DX VR lens
Nikon D500, 16-80 mm DX VR lens
Nikon D500, 16-80 mm DX VR lens
Nikon D500, 16-80 mm DX VR lens
North Fork Whitewater Kayak Championship 2021 Photo GalleryNorth Fork Whitewater Kayak Championship 2021 Photo Gallery Idaho
Welcome to the Pro Image Event Photography North Fork 2021 Kayak Championship Photo Gallery! Our camera (a Nikon D500 and assorted Nikkor DX lenses) went to the North Fork of the Payette River in Idaho to photograph all the whitewater kayak action over 2 days, June 18 and 19, 2021. You can view the full photo gallery HERE Nikon Releases New Firmware Update for the Nikon D6Nikon Releases New Firmware Update for the Nikon D6!
Nikon just released new firmware version 1.3 that includes the following changes/improvements:
To download the new firmware, visit the download page here. What Happens After You Cancel Your Subscription to Adobe Lightroom Classic?What happens after you cancel your subscription to Adobe Lightroom Classic?After starting with version 1 of Adobe Lightroom back in 2007, I finally made the change to another photo editing software package, Capture One, at the end of December 2020. I will leave my experiences so far with Capture One for another article. I was perfectly happy with Lightroom and Photoshop but with the subscription model for both of these products (I subscribed to the Photographers plan), I didn’t feel that paying a monthly fee in perpetuity was a sustainable financial arrangement for the long term. I don’t plan on migrating my 335K photos in my Lightroom catalog to Capture One anytime soon. Even with products like Avalanche that claim to be able to migrate all your photos and their Lightroom adjustments to other competing packages like Capture One, I will wait and see the reviews first before starting that process (I still may decide to just leave everything in Lightroom). This means that I will be accessing photos in Lightroom for the foreseeable future if I want to make use of over 20 years of past content. I wanted to share with you my experience using Lightroom now that my subscription has been canceled since the end of 2020 and what functionality remains. The Photography plan subscription includes both Photoshop and Lightroom Classic. First, let’s cover what happens with Photoshop post subscription. When you launch Photoshop, a message comes up similar to what happens with Lightroom (see Lightroom screenshot below). However, unlike Lightroom, there is no functionality in Photoshop. Once you close the popup Adobe subscription options dialog box, Photoshop immediately shuts down. With Lightroom Classic, it’s a similar experience when you launch the program; a popup dialog box (as shown below) appears but with one major difference compared to Photoshop. When you close the subscription options notice, Lightroom stays running!
Let’s explore each module in Lightroom Classic and their remaining functionality, if any, post subscription. Library: The Library module appears to retain all functionality. That includes Quick Develop, Keywording, Keyword List, Metadata and Comments; all are usable. One thing to note is that the Quick Develop panel remains fully functional (with no local adjustment options as when subscribing). All options in the screenshot below remain working, including all presets, both built-in and user presets. In addition, all of the drop-down menus remain usable in the Library module including exporting images, creating collections and etc. Be careful when using the Crop Ratio option in the Quick Develop panel. You can only change the crop ratio but cannot resize the crop.
Develop: No surprise here. The message below appears in the center of the screen when selecting Develop on the top menu. In addition, all adjustment options in the Develop side panels are greyed out.
What about future updates to Lightroom Classic? You’re probably assuming that no updates will be provided after you quit your subscription, at least that’s what I thought. And with no updates, Lightroom Classic will eventually stop working as changes are made to both Windows and MacOS and that future camera models will not be supported. Actually, I have continued to receive updates! When I quit subscribing at the end of December, the current version was 10.1. To my surprise, I received a notice from Adobe that an update was available. I’m now on version 10.2. I’m assuming that I will continue to receive updates with future camera models supported. I realize that to most photographers (including myself), the remaining functionality is a moot point if the Develop module is not accessible, making Lightroom Classic useless to non-subscribers. Of course, Adobe could make changes and increase or decrease remaining functionality for non-subscribers going forward (especially if they read this article). Only time will tell. A Silhouette of a Redwing Blackbird Against the Setting SunMy Latest Addition to My Front Page Portfolio: A Silhouette of a Red wing Blackbird Against the Setting Sun
My latest addition to my front page portfolio: A red wing blackbird against the setting sun among cattails.I really like the way the Nikon COOLPIX P950 renders a sunset lit sky. Nikon D6 3D Auto Focus Tracking AbilitiesNikon D6 3D Auto Focus Tracking Abilities
Nikon D6, 200-500mm Nikkor Lens In my prior blog post, I posted the results using the Nikon D6’s continuous auto focus while tracking a NCAA division one runner sprinting through tall weeds. In that situation, continuous AF performed very well. This time, I wanted to see how the D6 tracked a group of Autocross cars racing straight-on towards me using Nikon's 3D auto focus option. For these photos, I took screen shots with the AF focus points turned on as shown in Nikon NX Studio. Out of all of the sequences for each car, I didn’t notice any that were out of focus. The Nikon D6 was able to track the vehicles coming straight on at high speeds. I was impressed. All photos taken with the Nikkor 200-500mm 5.6 lens. More to come with my full Nikon D6 review. Nikon D6 Auto Focus Tracking AbilitiesNikon D6 Auto Focus Tracking Abilities
I finally had a chance to test the new Nikon D6 auto focus tracking capabilities. I had my friend, a NCAA D1 cross country runner, perform a technical run through a random maze of tall weeds. This shot is from a sequence of photos of her run. As this shot shows (and all the rest of the shots in this sequence), the Nikon D6 tracked perfectly and never strayed off my intended subject. I will have much more to say in my comprehensive D6 review. I think the Nikon Z9 has its work cut out for it! Nikon releases new photo editing software: Nikon NX StudioFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nikon releases new photo editing software: Nikon NX Studio Nikon today released a new photo editing software package that caters exclusively to Nikon camera users titled Nikon NX Studio. “It’s a great start to what looks to be the software to use going forward for all Nikon RAW shooters.” says Robert Allen, photographer, and Nikon NPS member. “We hope they keep developing it and adding new features. Either way, this is a great start for a version 1 release.” says Robert. To download the software without submitting name and email information, visit this link: https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/download/sw/195.html
Robert G Allen Photography takes delivery of the Nikon D6 cameraRobert G Allen Photography takes delivery of the flagship Nikon D6 DSLR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Robert G Allen Photography takes delivery of Nikon’s Current Flagship DSLR camera. Today, Robert G Allen Photography took delivery of the D6, Nikon’s flagship DSLR camera. “We are excited to add this camera to what we call our Nikon dream team.” says Robert. “It’s another tool in our photographic toolbox.” says Robert. Stay tuned for a compressive review of the D6 after we spend more time with the camera. In the meantime, here are a few recent photos taken with the D6. If you can't wait for the D6 review, you can visit my D5 review now. Nikon Sample D6 photos with the Nikkor 500mm PF lens
Behind the shot: Idaho Aviation Photography Delta Airlines departing Boise AirportDelta Airlines EMBRAER ERJ 170-200 LL Departing Boise Airport
This shot was taken south of the Boise Airport looking north towards the Boise Front (mountains), the foothills to the Rockies. EMBRAER ERJ 170-200 LL manufactured in 2019, almost a brand new aircraft! An oldie but goodie: Shooting with a vintage digital camera, the Kodak DC210.An Oldie but Goodie: Shooting with a Vintage Digital Camera from 1998, the Kodak DC210
Let’s go back to 1998. Bill Clinton was president (later impeached). The winter Olympics were held in Japan. Google Inc was founded. The Nikon D1 was just a rumor. And Kodak released the Kodak one (1) megapixel DC210. This photo was taken in 1998 in Silver City, Idaho. 1998 was the very beginning of my photography career. There weren’t too many photographers shooting digital in 1998. Are all of my photos from 1998 the oldest known digital photos in existence? I’m not sure but I have them all and it’s a lot of fun looking back on early digital camera technology and their capabilities (or lack of). Believe or not, I still have the Kodak DC210! Leave a comment below and let us and our readers know what your first digital camera was. Robert G Allen Photography interviews Nikon photographer Maria EvansToday, Robert G Allen Photography interviews Nikon photographer Maria Evans. I’m not sure how many years ago I stumbled upon Maria's website. I do know that it was at least 10 or so years ago. I was impressed with her nighttime photography and of course, the fact that she uses Nikon equipment! Let’s get started.
Wan Chai, Hong Kong, 2015, Nikon Df, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, ƒ/7.1, 14.0 mm, 0.8 sec, ISO 125 1) How and when did you get started in photography? I guess I was always taking photos since I can remember. I remember having a little 110 camera when I was just a kid, just taking photos in the backyard, then I moved on to a pastel pink Disc camera by high school (haha). I remember taking a class trip to Disney World for Grad Nite my senior year of high school, then I lost my mind when the photo lab lost half my rolls of photos lol, so taking photos was always important to me. They'd be a mix of snapshots of friends and what I thought were "arty" architecture shots at the time. I just remember everyone wanted copies of my photos when we got back from our trips together. 2) Do you look to other photographers for inspiration? If so, who would they be? Definitely. Instagram gets a bad rap for all the influencers, but it's a treasure trove of inspiration. There are too many great photographers on there to name just a few. I really feel like the medium has raised everyone's game, just seeing what others are doing, what others are capable of. It keeps you pushing your skill set forward and to keep trying new artistic ideas. Our styles may be completely different, but nothing makes me want to pick up my camera more than seeing a stunning image by someone else. Back in the day, you thought just a select handful had the eye. It's amazing to see just how many people out there are putting something beautiful into the world. Herb Ritts is my all-time favorite photographer, though. He shot fashion and portraiture and was just a master of light and shadow. Even though that's not my focus, his images are so inspiring even years after his passing that I will see one and will get the urge to go shoot something.
The Louvre, Paris, 2007, Nikon D70s, Tokina 12-24mm f/4, ƒ/4.0, 14.0 mm, 1/5 sec, ISO 1600 3) I see you shoot a lot at night. What attracts you to night-time photography? I think it's partially because I'm a night owl and get most of my creative ideas late at night. Last night I started a fix-it project before bed; that's just what I do. There's nothing like the cobalt-blue sky of blue hour, and when the lights really get low, the colors of a city really seem to blaze to life. A place like Hong Kong may be drab and gray during the day, but it's a cacophony of color and life by night. Also, the technical challenges of shooting a low-noise, clean, sharp image at night challenge the engineer in me. It's getting easier over the years to shoot quality low-light images, but they'll always be more of a technical challenge than daylight shots, and I'm drawn to that.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, 2017, Nikon Df, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, ƒ/22.0, 14.0 mm, 1/320 sec, ISO 80 4) Out of your extensive portfolio, do you have one image that is your favourite or a few that rise to the top? There are a handful that come to mind that just sort of happened by pure dumb luck and some good gear. Of course I wish I could reshoot some of the older ones with better gear with less noise, but there's one I shot in front of the Louvre at sunset back in 2007 that I always think of. I'd been sitting in that spot for maybe 15-20 minutes, and the way the clouds rolled in, they just fortuitously aligned to form a "V" with one side of the Louvre pyramid. I could've been there every night for years and not had that happen again. So many of the images I shot in the desert of the United Arab Emirates in 2017 felt magic to me, just the blazing orange of the desert sands contrasted with the pastel skies—what a beautiful place. I never feel more alive than when I'm in Hong Kong, and one night a co-worker took me aboard the Ding Ding Tram to grab some night shots of the city. The tram in front of us was going roughly the same speed we were as we whizzed across Hong Kong Island. I just held my breath, focused on the back of that tram and hoped I got a shot without blur, and one of them became a favorite of mine. Anything I get with light trails on the Tower Bridge of London ends up being a favorite. It's probably my favorite spot to shoot in my favorite city on earth.
5) As for equipment, what photography gear are you currently using? I recently upgraded from a Nikon Df to a Nikon D5 body and am looking forward to exploring that next quantum leap in night-time light sensitivity. My two most-used lenses are the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, which is absolutely awesome for architecture and interior shots, and the super-versatile Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8. The 14-24 is just a game-changer. The expanse of the British Museum atrium in one wide shot or just being able to hold it vertically and get both the ceiling and the floor of Notre Dame in the same shot, that's what makes that lens worth every penny. (On a side note, I'm so grateful that I got SO many interior and exterior shots of Notre Dame over the years. Those are memories that no fire can erase.) I love that both of those lenses let enough light in that I can usually get away with handheld shots even at night, unless I'm doing slow-shutter work. When that happens, one of the trusty Manfrotto tripods comes out. A few years back, I got the 24mm f/1.4 lens thinking it would be great for astrophotography shots, but my body was so light sensitive, it's a bit of overkill at max aperture, so I tote it around town when I want a "small" wide lens (they're all tanks). I rarely shoot telephoto—usually just during annual airshows—so the very affordable Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 is sufficient for my needs. Lastly, I've got a Nikon 50mm f/1.8, which everyone just seems to have because it's so tiny and affordable. I have a couple of Speedlights that don't get much use since I primarily shoot ambient light, and so many accessories, I have drawers and drawers! I love remote triggers.
6) I see you started in the film period. When did you make the transition to digital? Definitely bad experiences like the film lab losing my rolls! I got my first digital camera back in 2002, just a point & shoot. I think it was all of 2 megapixels. I loved that you could shoot to your heart's content, or until you filled your 16 MB card lol. I remember very clearly what made me make the leap to digital SLR's, though. Was visiting a good friend in Minneapolis in 2005, and she'd recently returned from a trip to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. On the walls of her apartment, she'd printed and framed images she'd shot of the stone details of the temples, and I was blown away by the detail. I had no idea DSLR technology could capture that level of detail for printing. And that was 2005 technology, shooting with a Nikon D70! I went out and bought a Nikon D70s as soon as I got back home.
The Louvre, Paris, 2015, Nikon Df, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, ƒ/2.8, 14.0 mm, 1/25 sec, ISO 2500 7) When on assignment, what is your work flow? What software do you use? I usually have a mental shot list, things I know I want to get, but that's maybe only 20% of what I actually end up getting. I will never let anyone else carry my gear no matter how tired I am, because I might miss a shot on my way to something, and I never walk by something and think "oh maybe I should get that but I don't want to go back for it." It will nag at me forever. I will stop in the middle of an airport terminal, unpack my whole pack to get the right lens on my camera body and shoot if I see an interesting angle in the terminal. Never leave a shot behind. I shoot RAW (NEF format) and import my images into Adobe Lightroom, where finalize details like the sharpening, white balance, exposure, shadows, highlights, clarity, contrast, etc. I don't use anyone else's pre-sets; I make my own. I usually export from Lightroom and am done. Rarely do I need to polish something up in Paint Shop Pro. Shocking, but I just got and am learning Adobe Photoshop within the past few months. It's always seemed superfluous to what I do, but I'm seeing the value in masking layers now that I'm going to try more astrophotography and blended images.
Sharjah, UAE, 2017, Nikon Df, Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8, ƒ/7.1, 70.0 mm, 1/500 sec, ISO 100 8) Do you have formal training as a photographer? When I got my first DSLR, I noticed there was a pretty steep learning curve. I'd used a film SLR in my high school yearbook staff days but digital was all new, so I attended Nikon School classes in Philadelphia and Houston to get up to speed, and that was kind of all I needed. I don't think you ever stop learning photography, though. I learn something new every month. I picked up a lot back in the day watching studio photographers when I was on the other side of the lens—20 years and 20 lbs ago—as a young model. I don't take my studio lights out of storage very often, but it taught me a lot about workflow and lighting.
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, 2015, Nikon Df, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, ƒ/2.8, 14.0 mm, 1/10 sec, ISO 3200 9) What details do you believe make the best photographs? How do you go about focusing on them in your work? When I notice the thing in common with the images of mine that I love, it's that some detail draws the eye in. It may be symmetry or the direction of the light. I always think "find the light" when I'm actively trying to get a good shot. Something has to feel "alive." Sometimes that means breaking the "rules" and shooting right into the setting sun. Sometimes it means violating the rule of thirds. I don't use people in my images enough. I do think that's one of the most interesting elements of other photographers’ images, but I gravitate toward architecture and cityscapes.
9/11 Memorial and One World Trade Center, NYC, 2019, Nikon Df, Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, ƒ/2.8, 14.0 mm, 1/60 sec, ISO 160 10) Any closing thoughts you would like to include before we end our interview? I don't think you ever know everything there is. I often thought about how much I've learned over my decades of shooting, and yet there are still sometimes technical questions that will stump me that I have to look up. That's one thing that keeps me hooked on photography. Nobody knows it all. You can't. There's always another question and answer around the corner, just like another image that has yet to unfold.
To see more of Maria's work, visit her website at https://www.mariaevansphotos.com and also on Instagram at www.Instagram.com/NikonJunkie Kodak Tri-X 400 Film 135-36 Black and White Portrait PhotosKodak Tri-X 400 Film 135-36 Black and White Portrait Photos
Shot on Nikon F100 with the 50mm 1.8 Nikkor lens Nikon F100 with Kodak Tri-X 400 black & White film. Developed by TheDarkroom.com Interview with Getty Images Sports Photographer Clive MasonInterview with Getty Images Nikon Sports Photographer Clive MasonToday, Robert Allen Photography interviews UK based sports photographer Clive Mason. Clive was recently selected by Nikon to produce images for the launch of the Nikon D6 DSLR camera. Let's spend a few moments with Clive and learn more about his photography background and some of his incredible sports photography work.
Shot on Nikon D6, at 400mm, at ISO 3200 1) How did you get started in photography? My interest in photography was sparked at a young age as my late father was a keen amateur photographer and he and I shot, processed, and printed my first at home picture when I was 5. I always knew it was what I wanted to do. My first professional break came when I got to know the deputy picture editor at the Northampton Chronicle and Echo, which at the time, was a lovely, highly respected regional broadsheet black and white newspaper. They used pictures well and a core of staff photographers who I learned much from. 2) Do you look to other photographers for inspiration? If so, who would they be? You would be a fool to think that all inspiration is home grown, I constantly look at other photographer’s work for inspiration, not just in sport, but all genres. I’m hugely inspired by work that I would never feel I could accomplish for whatever reason…I’m not brave enough to do news, I wouldn’t want to do war and I know nothing about fashion or portraiture, so I hugely admire those that do or are! They are too numerous to mention and I’m a company man, but Getty Images do employ people who are absolutely at the top of their game, so if I had to name someone our chief entertainment photographer Gareth Cattermole would be one, his work is amazing ..always, as is the news and feature work of Jeff Mitchell, also a Getty Images photographer.
3) I see you are with Getty Images. How did you get your start at Getty? My start at Getty Images was a lucky break in the spring/summer of 1994. I had got to know a couple of photographers who at the time, worked for Bob Thomas Sports Photography, who were based in Northampton. I had been to see Bob and his legendary business partner and ex Fleet Street sports photographer Monte Fresco and they had steered me in the right direction with some honest feedback ( sometimes far too honest !!) and given me some freelance work. When Bob started to slightly wind down his live sports coverage to concentrate on his newly acquired archival library Popperfoto, some of the guys I had got to know, moved down to the London based sports picture agency Allsport. It was then I got to hear through my friends, that Allsport, were looking to hire an experienced sports photographer. To be clear, at this point I was neither experienced, nor a real sports photographer. I had been doing all manner of work but had worked out quite quickly that what really got me excited, was shooting sport. Anyway, the experienced sports photographer they had in mind, changed his mind, thus leaving an opening. I was persuaded by my friends to contact Adrian Murrell, the then boss of Allsport, to introduce myself as a keen young and inexperienced photographer who would do whatever it took to work for them. My pals, Clive Brunskill and Shaun Botterill (both of whom I aspired to become as good as – still trying BTW- and to this day, extraordinarily talented sports photographers) also had a word with the powers that be and fixed me up with a meeting to show them my somewhat sketchy portfolio. The rest is history. They said yes, I said yes. I moved to London a week later and my feet haven’t touched the ground since. (Allsport was acquired by Getty Images in 1998 and this year 2020, Getty Images is celebrating its 25th Anniversary) 4) Out of your extensive portfolio, do you have one image that is your favorite or a few that rise to the top? I’ve been so lucky in my career that I’ve got to shoot some amazing events over the years, so have many pictures that I’m pleased with for various reasons. Some I just like, some sell well, some have happy memories of great trips with great colleagues so it’s hard to pinpoint my favorites. The two images that come up time and time again when people talk about me or my work are 1- Monaco sunbathers as Michael Schumacher races past on a street below from 2002 and 2- West Indies v Australia in St Kitts as a cruise liner floats by in ridiculous light after a storm from 1995.
5) As for equipment, what photography gear are you currently using? I’m currently using the Nikon system which I switched to from Canon in the summer of 2018. I was lucky enough to be asked by Nikon Inc Japan to shoot the launch images for the new flagship DSLR the D6 back in November and its spectacularly good. 6) I see you started in the film period. When did you make the transition to digital? The transition from film to digital was gradual because in the sports I was shooting (F1), at first, digital only replaced the onsite C41 images for live transmission and we continued to shoot transparency for clients and quality reasons for a few years alongside the digital. From memory, we started introducing digital in the late ‘90’s but I think one of the first major events to be shot on digital was the 2002 FIFA World Cup and from 2004 (Athens Olympics) onwards, it was all digital.
Shot on Nikon D5, at 500mm at ISO 200 7) When on assignment, what is your work flow? What software do you use? How do you deliver photos to the photo editor? Mostly we transmit live from camera, whether that is with the use of a hardwired ethernet cable plugged straight into camera or, in the case of the Nikon, via a WT-6 wireless transmitter connected to my unlocked Huawei mobile hotspot loaded with a data only sim from whichever country I am in at the time. The images are sent to our own unique Dropbox folders so can be picked up by any editor anywhere in the world. We have our own custom built editing software called FOCUS in which we caption, tag, select, route and is linked to Adobe Photoshop with preloaded actions so everyone is working within the same parameters. 8) Do you have formal training as a photographer? I had no official training as a photographer, I am completely self-taught.
9) What details do you believe make the best photographs? How do you go about focusing on them in your work? As we all know, photography is very subjective so it’s hard, particularly in this modern world where ‘blurred seems to be the new sharp’! For me, I love shots with movement but there absolutely has to be a point of sharpness somewhere, I don’t subscribe to the ‘blur is art’ type of photography. Very, very occasionally, I have submitted the odd frame that possibly should be sharper than it is, but it’s rare. What does frustrate photographers such as I, who work for major agencies and who have to adhere to a strict set of editorial guidelines, is when pictures appear that have clearly been either put together, bits added, bits taken away and frankly sold to the viewer as a representation of reality when the resulting image, clearly didn’t even happen in reality!!!!
Shot on Nikon D5, at 600mm, at ISO 400 Thanks Clive for spending time with Robert Allen Photography. To learn more about Clive Mason and to see more of his work, visit his website at https://clivejmason.com/ An Event Photographer’s Brief Review of the Nikon D5 DSLR CameraAn Event Photographer’s Brief Review of the Nikon D5 DSLR CameraThis is my first formal review of a camera body. The information in this review is based on using the Nikon D5 for a period of approximately 6 months during 2018.
Brides maids during ceremony. Nikon D5, 70-200mm f/4 lens, ISO 180. Let me provide a brief background on myself, equipment usage and Pro Image Photography of Idaho. I have positioned Pro Image as the premier event, wedding, and portrait photography service in our local area of Boise. Although most of our revenues come from weddings, more and more of our sales are in other sectors of the event category. As for my prior equipment usage, I have been shooting digital since 1998, starting out with a Kodak DC210, a one megapixel point and shoot camera! I migrated to Canon for a few years when the Digital Rebel was released in 2003, but since 2005, I have been exclusively a Nikon photographer. My first Nikon was the D70 from which I quickly upgraded to the Nikon D50. Check out my review of the Nikon Coolpix P950 Every type of photography has some aspects that make it challenging. Event photography is no exception. Event photography covers a wide range of activity, from marathon runners to dimly lit formal black-tie corporate events and everything in between. Although weddings can be thought of as a separate genre of photography, they can also be included as part of the event category. As you can imagine, these types of subject matter bring with them a wide variety of lighting and weather conditions, with many of them not particularly optimal for photography. Because of these extreme varying situations, a camera that comes closest to a jack of all trades is the most desirable tool for event photography.
As of the writing of this article (December of 2018), the Nikon D5 is Nikon’s flagship camera (with a matching flagship price might I add). I won’t list out all of the specs in detail of the D5 since they can be found on about 1,000 other websites.
 
Corporate event. Nikon D5, 300 f4 PF lens, ISO 1,600.
Based on my experience, these camera attributes are important when shooting event photography: Ability to achieve fast and accurate focus in dim light High ISO performance Adequate frames per second Overall image quality I will briefly discuss each of these in the following sections.
Live performer at a wedding. Nikon D5, 300 f4 PF lens, ISO 3,200 The auto focus (AF) ability of the D5 has been described as possibly the best in the world of any current DSLR camera. I will say that it’s good but like any other camera, it does have its limits. Yes, I do notice the auto focus is better on the D5 than the Nikon D4s, the D5’s predecessor camera that I also owned. For event photography, I rarely need 3D tracking AF. I mainly use single point center AF for static subjects and continues single point center AF for moving subjects. I did notice 2 things regarding the AF when shooting the Nikon D5:
During a portrait session, if I ask my subject to walk towards me, the camera will keep focusing closer to the subject than I could with the D4s. In other words, the subject can keep moving closer to me during their walk and the AF still works. This allows me to capture more usable frames during portrait sessions. I also noticed that photos look sharper when taken on the D5 than on the Nikon D4s (despite the higher resolution of 20MP on the D5 vs 16PM on the D4s). I think the reason for this is that the auto focus is more accurate and hence the photos appear sharper.
Dancer at a wedding. Nikon D5, 35mm f/1.8 lens, ISO 12,800 High ISO performance is another area everyone has been talking about regarding the Nikon D5. Is it better than the D4s? I would say yes. There does appear to be lower noise at high ISO settings, but only slightly; I would estimate just short of a full stop difference. The D5 is the first camera where I have set the auto ISO ceiling to 12,800. I have never done that with the Nikon D4s or the D3s, limiting those cameras to a maximum ISO of 6,400 when shooting with auto ISO. With an ISO of 12,800 and fast lenses, I can usually obtain the required shutter speed needed for just about any situation I’m likely to encounter when shooting events. With auto ISO enabled on the D5 at a maximum of 12,800, I basically set it and forget it. The D5 also holds better color at higher ISO settings, reducing magenta and cyan colors present in some high ISO photos when using the Nikon D4s or D3s. For people who don’t shoot events, having a high frame rate may not seem important at first. However, since sports can be considered part of the event photography genre, most of us know that a high frame rate can be very beneficial for capturing fast moving subjects. However, there is another less obvious situation where having a fast frames per second (fps) camera is an asset and that’s when shooting people speaking. If you take one photo of a person while giving a speech, chances are you will catch them with their mouth making an awkward expression or their eyes might be closed. Having a high frame rate ensures that there should be at least one frame that you can deliver to a client.
Corporate fundraising event. Nikon D5, 300 f4 PF lens, ISO 12,800 As for overall image quality, I really like what comes out of the Nikon D5. This may sound silly, but the photos look more mature than what the D4s produced. Let me explain. When I had the D4s, I thought I would never find a camera that produced better looking photos. I really enjoyed the punchy colors that camera produced. However, after shooting with the D5, I can say that the colors look more realistic and less saturated than the D4s, which I now find more desirable. A lot has been said of the D5’s lack of dynamic range when shooting at lower ISO values. I can say that in practical terms, this has not been an issue at all.
Corporate event. Nikon D5, 70-200mm f/4 lens, ISO 12,800 With 12 frames per second, improved high ISO performance, a large buffer capable of storing 200 RAW images, excellent ergonomics and image quality, I can highly recommend the Nikon D5 for shooting events. Any negatives? Yes, and I suspect a big one for most people: The price! I hope you found this brief assessment of the D5 informative and, if you are considering buying the Nikon D5, a useful aid in making your purchase decision. Let me know if you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear what you think of this review and if you already own the Nikon D5, what your experience has been using the camera. I can’t wait to see what the Nikon D6 brings to the table! Here are a few more sample images:
Nonprofit fundraiser event. Nikon D5, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 12,800
Nonprofit fundraiser event. Nikon D5, 35mm 1.8 G lens, ISO 12,800
Couples shoot. Nikon D5, 300mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 100
Nonprofit fundraiser event. Nikon D5, 70-200mm f/4 lens, ISO 2,200
Marathon. Nikon D5, 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, ISO 500
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