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Author Topic: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.  (Read 7134 times)

FMueller

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Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« on: June 16, 2015, 09:29:39 am »

Yesterday I had the chance to watch a B&H "panel discussion" about the new Canon 5Ds and 5Dsr. I have some canon t/s lenses and am trying to make some decisions about their future with me. I have also been looking at the A7rii as a high resolution complement to my MF gear.

It was most interesting because it was mostly Gregory Heisler (of portraiture fame) doing all the talking and his discussion on lenses, resolution, MFDB's and large format cameras and the Canon cameras of course was noteworthy which is why I am passing it along here. It really is worth a watch.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/promotion/11107/canon-eos-5dsr-live-panel.html

Of note was his selection of a lower megapixel MFDB (Aptus 54s) over higher resolution backs available at the time because he just liked the rendering more than what he was finding on all the other backs he tested.

Fred
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JoeKitchen

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Re: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2015, 09:41:39 am »

I think Heisler is one of the most talented photographers working.  (Actually he is giving a talk tonight in NYC that I will be going to.)

One of my favorite images is of Mayor Giuliani shot on top of the Empire State building, which he shot with an 8x10 camera.  I knew that for a while, but thought he was just being eccentric when I heard it.  However, I saw part of an interview with him talking about that image.  He said that he was on top of the Empire State 5 nights in a row testing out all kinds of formats.  

When it came down to it, he needed a wide lens with shallow depth of field.  8x10 was the only format that gave him that.  

Great to hear someone actually discuss the advantages (and disadvantages) of different formats without focusing on resolution.  
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gerald.d

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Re: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2015, 12:44:43 pm »

Worth checking out his self-portrait that is available here -

http://gulfphotoplus.com/limited/image/4/GPP-Self-Portrait-2012

The video is amazing!

Kind regards,


Gerald.
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David Eichler

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Re: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2015, 06:28:41 pm »



Great to hear someone actually discuss the advantages (and disadvantages) of different formats without focusing on resolution.  

Unless producing large-format prints that will be viewed up close, I think small format digital now provides as much detail as necessary for most practical needs these days. So, for the most part these days, it is other kinds of qualities than sheer resolution for which one might chose to use larger formats.
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EricWHiss

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Re: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2015, 08:25:41 pm »

Thanks for posting this  - I just watched the first half of the B&H talk.

Very interesting to hear his comments about the Aptus 54 back -  another vote for the 'fat pixel' backs?
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Ken R

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Re: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2015, 06:27:52 am »

Nice video. Gregory Heisler is awesome and it's great that he is teaching at Syracuse (where I went to College).

Back to the video.

A few things:

#1 No mention of competing products by name and model, no specifics given other than the medium format digital back (a model no longer made).

#2 No mention of Color on the 5DS/5DSR

#3 No mention of Dynamic Range comparisons


They only really talk about the resolution and of course the improvements on the body that help in achieving higher image sharpness (the new mirror mechanism is awesome! also the tripod socket / base plate reinforcements among other things). The crop modes (including the viewfinder masking) and other features in the menu are also awesome to now have available.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2015, 06:29:53 am by Ken R »
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peterv

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Re: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2015, 02:01:45 pm »


Though every time I get tired of this business, I look at this:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/99589995

Absolutely! But you know, very different League ...

http://www.arri.de/news/news/cannes-2015-video-interviews-with-dps/
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Chris Livsey

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Re: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2015, 02:52:34 pm »


Though every time I get tired of this business, I look at this:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/99589995

BC

Just WOW.
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Schewe

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Re: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« Reply #8 on: June 18, 2015, 01:17:19 am »

I think Heisler is one of the most talented photographers working.

Agreed..Greg is a great guy and very deep technically. He took a course from me at Santa Fe Workshops to learn more about digital imaging. He was a very bright boy...meaning he got a lot of what I was trying to get across–that it's better to get the best possible capture first and then manipulate it the way you want the end result. Greg's shooting technique is indeed to use whatever is best to capture the original image and do what you need to do to  in post to get the final image you want/need.

His book, Gregory Heisler: 50 Portraits: Stories and Techniques from a Photographer's Photographer is a great read from both a technical and aesthetic perspective.

You can learn a lot from this guy...if you want to.
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agk_photo

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Re: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2015, 10:15:00 am »

Hey Guys,

If you're fans of Heisler then you should definitely check out GPP PopUP: http://gulfphotoplus.com/popup/seattle

It's a 2 day event in the city of Bellevue on the 19th & 20th September this year and Heisler will be giving a talk on Evocative Light: See it, Understand it, Create it!

He'll be sharing many of his iconic portraits as well as his thought process and demonstrating some of the underlying principles live onstage. Not just what he used and how he used it, but more importantly, why he chose to use it in the first place.

It's a great line-up with other talks from Joe McNally, David Hobby & Zack Arias. All providing material that they've not shared online or on DVDs etc.

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BernardLanguillier

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Re: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2015, 07:07:09 pm »

I have a copy of his 50 portraits book.

Obviously some top class images well supported by interesting insights.

I was a tiny bit disapointed by the print quality, but it is probably standard stuff.

Now, if I were to give one caveat, it would be some of his 11x14 images such as the Liv Tyler blurred formal portrait. I did read the text but to me the partial blur still doesn't add anything to the image, it just shows that the wrong tool was selected for the job (at least without additional lighting). I do fully understand the romantic appeal of joining a long tradition relying on the 11x14 and the hope that the camera will help shape a special moment with the subject... but I see it as a failed attempt if basic technical quality cannot be achieved.

Accidental failure can be charming and I do agree that sharpness isn't always critical to deliver an aesthetically pleasing result, but that image wasn't designed that way and the portrait would IMHO be more powerful and the image more impressive with suitable detail in miss Tyler's face.

He gets away with it because of who he is. Right or wrong, the same image shot by a less known photographer with a less known subject would probably not make it past the lightbox.

Cheers,
Bernard
« Last Edit: July 08, 2015, 01:14:29 am by BernardLanguillier »
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alexluuphoto

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Re: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2015, 10:45:29 pm »

I think his work is just alright too, but he's been around for a long time. I mean Annie Leibovitz has been around a long time too and she hasn't shot anything amazing in a long time. I think the only thing interesting in a lot of celebrity photographers I see is the actual celebrity. The shots and composition in most of them are just alright, but you're glued to the celeb because they're interesting. I do find Joey L celeb portraits really good though. If you don't find celebs interesting then I think you would be in my boat, all boring shots lol!
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gigdagefg

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Re: Gregory Heisler talks cameras and lenses.
« Reply #12 on: July 08, 2015, 06:45:33 am »

On the contrary, I have Heisler's book and recently attended an Annie exhibition. IMHO their work is awesome!
Stanley
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