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/

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White Skull on Black on Black - Newtown

White skull print on black singlet, black jeans black sunnies, black shoes, bangles, handbag and platinum blonde so pure, I clipped my highlights even shooting in open shade. What you might call a perfectly styled look for the New Newtown; still edgy but classy too. Love it!

Photographed with the Fujifilm X-Pro1.

Artist Portraits - Lennox Street Artists Studios.

As you may have already read on Street Fashion Sydney here I had a very enjoyable time at the opening of the Lennox Street Artist Studios annual art fair last Friday night. And although I managed to snap of a few quick frames here and there it really was a bit too busy, and with 35 artists, too much to take in all in the one go. However while still at the opening I hatched a plan to drop back over the weekend, to see if I could make some editorial style portraits of the artists in their studios; to spend a little more time and consideration while making each portrait. And grab some studio shots as well - to show a little 'behind the scenes' of the work each artist is producing.  A bit of a change from the very quick approach and small number of frames I typically shoot when making my 'artist at their opening' style portraits. All of the portraits were made with available light; web links for each artist are provided below the 'studio' shot.

Andrew Sullivan

Artists Studio, Andrew Sullivan - Dinosaur Paintings in progress - Web Site

Sandy Wilkenfeld 

Sandy and friends in the studio.

Sandy Wilkenfeld - Woven Work - Web Site

Steven Vella

Sculptural Assemblages by Steven Vella - Web Site

Tony Williams

Artist Studio, Tony Williams, Web Site

Rita Karagelinian

Rita Karagelinian Studio - Web Site

Sergio Plata

Sergio Plata Studio - Icon painting and Altar/Chair, melted candles on chair - Web Site

April White - Artists Studio Portrait - Web Site

Andrew has a great (original) throat singing soundtrack to this video overview of his 2011 show so I thought I would pop it down the  end here; have a listen, I love it!

www.lennoxstreetstudios.com.au/
Photographed with the Fujifilm X-Pro1.

Chris Round 'Evidence' at ARTHERE Exhibition Space.

I had attended the opening of Sandy Edwards new ARTHERE Exhibition Space in early September - its great to have a new dedicated photography space headed up by such an experienced curator; and I was keen to give the galley some exposure here on Street Fashion Sydney but was yet to make it happen. Then I saw the flyer for 'Evidence' and being a fan of Urban Landscape photography I thought this show would be a good opportunity to give ARTHERE and Photography a bit of a plug at the same time and hopefully grab some Street Fashion shots as well.

 Having seen the picture on the invite I was looking forward to seeing this show in the flesh, what the prints would be like and what sort of scale they had been made at. Make no mistake, seeing work on-line is fine but it is not anything like seeing full scale prints, and the skill involved in getting the pictures out of the camera and onto a wall is very very different to posting some shots up on the web and the prints in this show are beautiful.

Chris Round's photography exhibition of depopulated landscapes urban, rural and industrial have both a clarity and a quietness to them that one would not expect considering the nature of the subjects. A sculptural children's park with slides and wind blown pennants but no children's voices. Red and white speed boats moored in a green pasture, not a drop of water in sight. Alfresco dining, tables and chairs on a breakwater but no diners; and what I am starting to see now, Chris's colour palette, the red the green and the soft blue grey of another overcast sky.  One of my friends quipped that Chris had imported "English" lighting for the shot of the slides;  I asked him if he had ever tried to photograph stainless steel outside in the middle of the day! It was actually quite a surprise for me to see that these shots had been made all around the world and Chris had brought his own visual sensibility to the composition and the light for each and every landscape no-matter-where-in-the-world his camera took him.

 'Evidence' at ARTHERE Project Space until the 22nd of november 2012, links below.

www.roundtheplace.com/
www.arthere.com.au/

Portraits and Street Fashion shot with the Fujifilm X-Pro1.

Bowler Hat & Black Vans - Australia St Newtown.

Not to mention a fawn aran knit cardigan for a sunny but cooler Sydney spring afternoon. A great Newtown look in black with a splash of colour and loving Laura's charm bracelet and ring.

Lots coming up this week on Street Fashion Sydney, 'Like' my Facebook page here or use the Google Connect box to stay in touch.

Shot with the Fujifilm X-Pro1

Lennox St Studios Art Fair Newtown.. 2012

I used to live just around the corner from these artists studios housed in the 1920's Saint Josephs boys school building, and while I have been aware of the Annual art fair; well until last night I had never been in the building. There are Painters, Sculptors, Print Makers. Work and works in many styles and prices.. And while the opening last night was a highly enjoyable affair somewhat fueled by the rather tasty Fox Creek Wines, I favoured the Red Barron Shirazzzz!
Moving through the artists studios and seeing the different personal work spaces and the art and the materials used to make the art; it took me right back to my first 'studio show' just before I started at the QCA in Brisbane, we won't say when. I was also reminded of the highly tactile nature of making art - is completely hands on - and was reminded yet again, that this tactile nature of making your art is something that has been pretty much removed from the photographic process. It's not just a sentimental feeling, it's having a big impact on the way people/photographers make photos now, I'm not saying its good or bad but it is very different.

Enough with the reminiscing though; the show; the art fair continues all weekend at the Lennox St Studios, 111 Lennox St Newtown Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 November, 10am – 5pm.

See my artists portraits made over the weekend here.

http://www.lennoxstreetstudios.com.au/news.html

Photographed with the Fujifilm X-Pro1.