Canon

Photographer: Dave Kai Piper
Assistant: Paul McKelvie
Model & Make Up: OhLa
Hair: Nikki B

Lingerie: Fred & Ginger | London

Sigma SD1M & Fuji X-Pro
Hare & Hounds | Birmingham

A few weeks before this shoot took place I had shot a bridal collection with the D800, and quite happy with the results, I mention this for two reasons.. It was the first time I had used my funky homemade background and raised another question. Do Nikon and Canon still have the major monopoly as camera manufacturers? The D800 was, as most people know, just wonderful to use, but is there another way ?

For this shoot I wanted to try something a little bit different.  Anyone who knows me will know that I also have a Fuji X-Pro1 at my disposal and also I have a Sigma SD1 Merrill.  Many people have been asking if these cameras are a real alternative to Nikon and Canon in a professional world.  A hard question to answer when not in context, however, I would still say that Nikon and Canon have both the Wedding and Sports areas wrapped up, and lets put Hasselblad and such aside for a moment.  In the Fashion + Art worlds, Canon and Nikon no longer have the best cameras, no longer are they safe. People like Sigma & Fuji are quite rightly fighting back.  The New Global Vision range from Sigma is astonishingly different from the glass of old and Fuji, well.. Fuji is just creating a new brand of ‘Billinghamesque’  style and chic with the X-Series of cameras.  I just adore everything about the new range.

This shoot was all shot with a Single Light (sometimes used as a strobe and sometimes constant (400ww head)) Modified using a Westcott Apollo softbox.  But I will leave you to guess which photo was taken on which camera, I don’t really want to go down the pixel peeping route, thus won’t be posting  high res images…

Oh.. I used a whole range of X-Pro glass, and Pocket wizards for all the triggers on both the Sigma & Fuji Cameras.  I used the 50mm F1.4 Sigma lens for the Sigma SD1M

What a year !!  Totally insane…..  Where to start..  Well.. I took this ?

 That was fun !!  In 2012 I shot with all the new cameras and what a year it was for new cameras indeed.. the D800, the D600 the 5D mark 3 the 6D, the 1Dx, the 1DC, before even starting on the Fuji’s..   I guess some of them were 2011, but who is counting. For me the CSC camera really took hold in Marrakech and New York city.  Talking of new things in fact, both Marrakech and NYC were added to the list of cities traveled as well as Washington DC in 2012. RMG added myself of creative’s they look after and Westcott took me on as a Westcott Pro. Sigma and I did a joint workshop with Advanced Photographer, Nikon Magazine N-Photo and I did a rather cool shoot at Stoneleigh Abbey.  The Duotone article for Practical Photoshop was a great hit and had many follow up articles looking at editing on the road and editing styles for clients. Photo Pro ended up with many interesting articles looking at portfolio and such.  February will see the Fuji shot Cover of Photo Pro which will be interesting ! Almost three Covers for them this year so good news on that front.  Digital Camera magazine asked me to write a little wrap up column for them about a photograph I admire. I choose of of Neil Snape’s amazing photographs. 

Which . .. .

Takes me into the subject of 2013, ish…   So some people take photos and some people make photos. In the article about Mr Snape’s amazing image I spoke about the wonderful balance in the particular shot and how these things are hallmarks of world class photographers. I have noted that my photography over all lacks some things that great photographers like Francois Berthier, Patrick Demarchelier, Tess Feuilhade, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, Steven Meisel, Cecil Beaton, Peter Lindbergh have. They seem to have this skill to arrange, create,  nurture , cultivate feelings and emotions. It sounds crass, but like a puppeteer performing, pulling the strings above the expected audience.  We see the images, we love the images  I love the images, but ..  I am beginning to really feel a great admiration for how these images are taken.  Anyone can use a camera, anyone can do what these people have done, but.. the thing that sets them apart is why they do it. For me.. this gives them the edge and the room to be in the mental space one is needed to be in to totally give your self to the art.  These people show us that Photography is one thing, but the Art of the Photographer is something next level.
They had the total trust of the camera to work with them and not against them, to use it as a way to express rather than a tool to impress. This is something I am really going to take forward with my own work this year.  In the deepest possible way, trying be a photographer maybe is the wrong mental head-space  Maybe… one is a photographer anyway and should just deal with it.   Well, that makes sense to me anyway.   I think I am trying to say, I am who I am, the label should not matter and just do what you need to do.

This was really a great year in terms of portfolio shots.  I have had some great help and been in some fun places to get them shot. Shooting the beach images with the Horse was totally a nightmare, but, worth it I think.  Shooting the Pool shots with Laura & Mark was fun, almost trashing a D3x into a swimming pool was interesting as was almost dropping a Pentax into the sea. Sigma have been totally nice to me this year and I think I now have shot with and used every lens they make. So big thank you to Ray & Paul over at Sigma.   The SD1 has been outstanding also, quite the rare and interesting camera for when you need that x-factor.  Sigma have had quite the interesting year actually and totally worth a note. The new range leadership at SIGMA JAPAN seem to of really been working hard and the new Line up of Art lenses look set to be real game changers when it comes to quality and design.  the 35mm f1.4 is quite frankly stunning on every level and a marked step up from any other lense  they make.  Considering I rate the 105mm 2.8 the best lens ever made, that is quite some praise.  I just really hope they release the 120-300mm 2.8, 105mm and 70-200mm pretty soon !

I am not sure of the truth of this.. But I think this is first Cover of a photographic magazine using the X-Pro ??  Not sure.. I am sure If I am wrong someone will comment .  Either way it was pretty fun to shoot.  The lighting was a careful Mix of Westcott and the Orbis.  I know it was released this yea, but it was taken last..

Fuji have been super busy making some major noise on the CSC front, again.. thank you to Fuji for being super nice to me !  Major noise for the lack of noise I should say, and when there is noise…. it’s nice.  The update to the X-pro was just amazing in two ways.  I guess it show the amazing pressure they are on to get the camera on the market, that they could make such a big upgrade for it ?  Why not get in right first time out ?  Anyway. the very start of the new year so the announcement of another camera. the X100s, it looks pretty amazing on the write up, the new focus systems are pretty amazing and sounds pretty much like the system I asked for on my last review….. I may have to contact my lawyers about that one in fact   Maybe they should just call the the New X-Pro the DKP signature edition…  but yes, it looks like we now have a split screen focus system for a digital camera, I have  not had my hands on one yet.. but.. rest assured I have already left a voice mail with Fuji HQ.  The X-pro was just so suited to the streets of NY, it was just about the perfect camera.

So the other two covers for Photo Pro…

For now I am off to try and make a 2012 gallery. I think one photo for each month might be a fun project. We wish you all the best for the coming year and in which I turn the grand 30. Let’ all really make this count. I for one have a clear aim and goal in mind to setting my work up and really pushing my self. I would love to say more about my plans..  but one must wait.

We shot this summery shoot quite a while ago now, the shoot was put together by Chloe-Jasmine for me to test out the new Canon 5d Mark3 and the new Nikon D800. As you might of well guessed, both cameras are pretty stunning. All these shots are from the Canon. There will be a review of both the cameras soon.

We shot these using Sigma lenses in the orchard , we pretty much used the RAZOR sharp Sigma 105mm for all of these shots the wider shots are using the 28mm Sigma lens. The 105mm and Mark 3 are an amazing combination. The super fast camera and focus system is very trusting.

The 5d Mark 3 is one of the most responsive cameras to date and has the best focus systems I have ever used. Combined with a sensible file size, amazing high ISO performance, clarity, tonal gradation and wonderful colour balancing Canon have maybe created the best ever all round camera. The Canon is pure joy to use. Getting usable files at 12,800ISO is nice, but, last year I don’t think I took many files over 1600ISO. Video tends to be shot at Higher ISO’s on average due to the different photographic styles needed for video and film, meaning the 5d 3 needed to excel in this area to keep the huge indie film maker fan base happy. No one will be disappointed with this new camera . . . Super fast, super responsive, super sharp and being able to confidently deal with anything. The 5d mark 3 could be a camera that will improve your photography. Being able to forget about the camera and being able to think in a purely creative direction. The 5dm3 is nothing remarkable, nothing to really get excited about, on paper it seems unimpressive, however, this is one of the most refined cameras on the market today and will be loved for many years to come because of this. It is totally on my shopping list . . . A wise investment.

On the day of the shoot we had be blessed with the most amazing sunshine. Sarah Beaufoy had arranged with Chloe-Jasmine to be able to shoot in the most stunning Blossom orchard, Lizzie Conner supplied the wonderful dresses and styling. Having such bright back lighting was amazing as the the bright blown-out details just looked amazing when shooting at 2.8 on the 105mm Sigma. I used my trusty Duotone editing process to remove some colour and warm the overall look to give them a nice golden yellow feeling.