This isn’t so much as an in-depth blog post but more of me “thinking out loud” and sharing those thoughts!
Sometimes I think I’m my own worst enemy, believe it or not (and those that know me personally will certainly believe it) I can be a little… errrr narrow minded shall we say.
When I went from the E-5 to the EM-5 I had a prejudiced opinion before I ever used it… You know what I mean because I bet I wasn’t the only one – I’m not using that, I’m a pro!!! Here we are today and oh how wrong I was proven to be. the Em-5 was replaced by the current mass market EM-1 and the real truth is you couldn’t pry my much beloved Olympus m/43 from my cold dead fingers. Being an Olympus m4/3 photographer has relit my photographic passion.
I’m just back from an intense week shooting for a couple of clients in Finland, nearly a 4000 kilometre round trip and you all know what I think about the super, sexy, small format, powerhouse that is the EM-1 but I’m not going to eulogise about logistics today.
The thing I want to chat about are Olympus art filters…
Again, due to my “pro prejudice”, for a long time I simply dismissed and ignored them – art filters were not for me! Then I started to learn and use them, if for nothing more than being able to discuss them in my role as Olympus principal photographer.
Then as is my way, the more I used the more I enjoyed, the more I enjoyed the more I thought, the more I thought the more I justified – if nothing else just to myself.
Look, lets be clear… Art filters are NOT a joke or a gimmick… but! (Funny there always seems to be a but!) Like any creative tool they have to be used sparingly and with thought… just as we used to do when Cokin filters were all the rage, just as we do with Photoshop, Nik and my fav, OnOne!
The underlying point is very, very simple no additional “magic” from any source will rescue a poorly thought out, composed or executed picture… post production and art filters are not a silver bullet.
Every digital image needs a little post, if only output sharpening. The reality is we make spots vanish, stray hair disappear and unwanted marks and objects dissolve away. so if its planned and thought about does it really matter if the “post” is done after the capture on a computer or could it be done by the processor in the camera at the point of capture?
To me it simply doesn’t matter at what point in the process this happens. If it helps me reach the creative vision that my client demands all is good to me. Its using the tools with consideration that is the key.
So what was the point of mentioning Finland? I don’t normally rush to show client images but this one illustrates my point beautifully, and to me gives the image a little extra… edge.
The image was captured on my EM-1 with the 25mm f1.8 wide open and handheld at 1/13th of a second – thank God for the image stabalisation. The set was lit with just two barefaced speed lights which again due to space limitations had to be handheld by my assistants. Now as its an art filter it is obviously a jpeg but the image has been given a “gloss over”, stray hairs, skin etc. In essence though its the art filter diorama.
The diorama filter basically emulates the look of a tilt shift lens or camera giving a narrow slice of sharpness across the frame. You can choose if this runs vertically or horizontally and where it sits within the frame is linked to focus point position.
I’m pleased with it and the client LOVED it when they saw the back of the camera so really thats all that matters but what do you think… gimmick and not to be touched with a barge pole or a legitimate use of a creative tool to enhance creative options???
Hopefully, whatever your personal opinion maybe its a little food for creative thought and a reminder to “get creative”
Till next time
D
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