At Central Station - Nike Runners, Snakeskin Leggings, Sportswear..

Spotted waiting for a friend at Central Station, Thandiwe was sporting a great summery day ensemble, a classic black and white combination, rope handle tote bag with black trim, black singlet over the black and white 'snake skin' sports leggings down to black Nike runners with a white swoosh; and to me really, the, Pièce de résistance, pink soles adding just a hint of colour. And lovely accessories too, rings bangles and earring, Bindi and big round sunnies. Thanks so much Thandiwe for letting me grab this shot.

Street Fashion Sydney - shot with the Fujifilm X-Pro1.

Off-Duty Burlesque Performer - Hedy Belle Nova!

I spotted the diminutive Burlesque performer Miss Hedy Belle Nova in Off-Duty attire in Paddington the other day. Loved her Cotton On chintz print play suit teamed with a little black cardigan (one of many from her collection - not all black.. or so I'm told) teamed with a pair of Melissa shoes and equally sweet (looks can be deceiving) novelty headband with Skull & Cross Bones - all in pink/magenta colours. All together creating a great look for Sydney in Spring. I think Hedy should incorporate more vocals into her Burlesque routines too so we can all enjoy her charming Russian accent. If you are interested in seeing Hedy perform, perhaps the best place to keep in touch is via her Twitter feed here or watch her performance in the YouTube video below...

Seen in Paddington, photographed with the Fujifilm X-Pro1.

Street Style - Photographing the Newtown Festival with the Fuji X-Pro1

The most important thing about today is that it was Armistice Day, 11 11 11 the day the shooting stopped in one of the worlds greatest conflicts; and if only all conflict had stopped on that day, well the world might be as wonderful and fabulous as the day was today at the Newtown Festival. Conflict still continues, I wish it didn't but the world is a complex place. And to all those who have paid the ultimate price, I; we, those who enjoy the freedoms you have allowed us; thank you.

So today was also the Newtown Festival, I have not been in years and years; my friend Nyk thought it might be a good work out for me and the X-Pro1 and he was right - here are the results of a very enjoyable afternoon photographing the style, the fashion, the people that made the Newtown Festival the great success it surely was, You! These shots were all made with the Fujifilm X-Pro1 with the XF18mmF2 R lens and the tiny dedicated EF-X20 flash unit - as I knew the light would be tricky and I wanted to try a bit of a 'Martin Parr' Magnum on camera  fill-flash approach to the shots. More photography details after the pictures for those so inclined..

I knew the harsh Australian 'Summer' light would make it very difficult to create a consistent set of images at the Newtown Festival. I decided to see if I could use the X-Pro1's EF-X20 TTL flash to get a series of  shots for a Street Fashion Sydney post. This is the first time I have tried shooting in this style so I tested flash and camera settings at home in my backyard before heading out. I settled on shooting with these settings - Camera at 125th - the fastest flash sync speed, lens set to Shutter priority, A setting on the lens. ISO at 200 and .. Exposure compensation at -1 EV (but I jiggled it to -1 1/3 & -2/3 depending on the light). The flash I also ran mostly at the minus 2/3rds setting. So Minus on camera & Minus on flash. Most of the shots here ended up at with an F# between 11 & 16 due to the brightness of the light with 16 the highest F# on the lens. I set the focus point to the left of centre and kept it there all day, great for vertical portraits and if the shot was not; I did a 'half press' and re-composed which was quick and worked. I shot just over 200 frames; went through six so-so quality AAA batteries in the flash; and the results are above. All the pictures above were quickly adjusted from the camera JPEGs in this software. You can read my review of the X-Pro1 here.

If I took your picture and you don't see it here; drop me a line, let me know what you were wearing and I will email you a copy of your shot.  200+ pictures down to 26 was a big call, there were many lovely pictures I loved but passed on. Hope you enjoy the Newtown Festival shots as much as I enjoyed making them.

Telling Stories in Pictures all over..

Kent Johnson, Sydney, Australia.

0433 796 863

kent@artcommunication.com.au

www.kentjohnsonphotography.com.au

www.fashionphotographysydney.blogspot.com/

Facebook Twitter Instagram

At the Gallery - Bill Henson - But is it really Spring?

Is it really Spring? It did seem that most of the young and stylish attending the Bill Henson 2012 show at Roslyn Oxley 9 gallery last night were placing an each-way-bet on what season it might really be; that the chill of Winter might put in an appearance before the night was out, but then again, it might really be Spring.. It was however I am pleased to say, peace and love all evening long; and although Bill Henson has returned to working the Nude form; there was, no controversy this time around. Which is as it should be when the work is done with something at its very heart, something that is seldom talked about these days. That thing is Taste. Or, to be more precise; Good Taste. Now that's not a phrase you really here any more is it, it's all art theory and stuff to make your eyeballs roll back into your head 'please no more art theory, we surrender!'

And good taste has a long history, it was what you needed as a musical performer in the classical period; sure most of the pieces by Mozart or Handel were written out in musical notation you could follow; but there were little unwritten tests; like the trill, or how well you extemporised on a theme - no matter what or how you did it, you must, to achieve greatness, do it with taste! Good taste. Forget art theory, Bill Henson continues to take on classical themes including the nude and extemporises on those themes as fairly few can; never a cliché, true and well felt; always in good taste. Just go and see the work for yourself.

But what of the trendy art and fashion set I hear you ask, well here they are, in all their glory, and all I can say is, damn you Melbourne weather, how dare you spoil our Sydney fun! Ummm, maybe Bill brought the weather with him!

www.roslynoxley9.com.au/