Fuji X | MiKS Media Photography

Fuji in Europe Part 20 – Sunset in Nuremberg

by Mac Sokulski | Jul 3, 2014 | Fuji Landscapes, Fuji X, Landscape

Sunset

There weren’t many opportunities to actually go out and shoot the sunsets in Germany. Because of the timeline, and trying very hard to see as much as possible, sunsets were put on the back burner… Until that day. The sky looked promising, so we decided to visit a park close to the Zeppelin Field for a try at a sunset over a little lake there. Quite a nice place for a sunset, and don’t have to drive far. Actually there a few of these quiet places in Nuremberg. Wished I could have stayed longer.

Gear

2 lenses, 2 cameras. Namely Fuji X-Pro1 with Fuji 10-24mm f4 lens, and Fuji XT1 with 56mm f1.2. I really like shooting with the 10-24mm lens. It’s sharp all around, and the view through it, is perfect for landscapes. What I really love is the Fuji 56mm f1.2. There has been a lot of praise for that lens on the internet, and I can add my own voice to that praise. It has to be my favourite lens to shoot with. I used it for street photography, architecture, and now for landscapes. Very versatile, and wonderful piece of gear.

Fuji in Europe Part 19 – Street photography in Nuremberg

by Mac Sokulski | Jun 26, 2014 | Fuji X, People, Urban

Streets of Nuremberg

The streets in Europe are always full of people. I guess mostly because they are designed for walking, with wide sidewalks, and easy access to shops and restaurants. Unlike the city of Edmonton for example, and I would imagine most North American cities. I can walk my neighborhood, and see maybe 1 or 2 people every couple of hours. It’s silly. So naturally Europe lends itself to street photography a lot more than North America. It’s a lot easier to sit down in an outdoor cafe, and just point the camera at something interesting. This was exactly what happened. Walked around the streets of Nuremberg, doing a bit of last minute shopping, and sat down at the cafe, had some cappuccino, and just pointed the camera. Simple easy and quite rewarding. No wonder, that a very cool street photographer Valerie Jardin offers street photography workshops in Europe, among other interesting places 🙂

Gear

This was again another perfect time to test the Fuji XT1 and the 56mm f1.2 lens. After shooting with this combination before, I really liked the way it behaved on the streets. It’s fast focus worked almost flawlessly, and I really like the look the Fuji 56mm f1.2 can capture. Also I like the fact that I don’t have to be in someones face, and can capture the natural behavior, with out being seen. I’m not hiding behind bushes or buildings, but because the Fuji 56mm lens has enough reach that I’m not spotted by the subject right away. Also because the Fuji XT1 has an articulated LCD screen, I don’t have to raise the camera to my eye, thus making me even more unseen. Absolutely perfect for great street photography.

Fuji in Europe Part 18 – Hidden little gem

by Mac Sokulski | Jun 25, 2014 | Art, Fuji X, Landscape, Urban

A Gem

Right next to the cemetery, hidden from view, is one of the most beautiful little parks in Nuremberg. It’s surrounded by 4 story buildings, and it’s very easy to miss. It’s a perfect little quiet spot away from the busy traffic of everyday. It has a little restaurant at the entrance with a lovely patio. Perfect for a cup of coffee and a bit of peace and quiet. It’s filled with manicured shrubbery, old statues and fountains. One can stroll along gravel paths, and as the affinity for sundials is strong in Nuremberg (they can be found on most buildings), there is a sundial made out of small bushes, at one end of this park. Perfect little spot.

Gear

Again, as with the cemetery, Fuji XT1 and the Fuji 56mm f1.2 came out to play. I love the soft bokeh this lens creates, and it was perfect for what I wanted to shoot in the park.

Fuji in Europe Part 17 – St. John’s Cemetery in Nuremberg

by Mac Sokulski | Jun 24, 2014 | Fuji X, Landscape, Urban

Cemetery

St. John’s cemetery is one of the most notable burial grounds in Europe. It was established around 16th century. It has the grave of Albrecht Dürer, a very famous renaissance artist. Like most European cemeteries it’s a wonderfully peaceful place, with tall trees, and flowers everywhere. Almost every grave has a rose bush planted at the head. The history, and beauty of this place is something to behold. The graves themselves are something to behold. With intricate designs of plaques, statues, and grave stones, it’s a beautiful display of art and remembrance. I always like old cemeteries, there is some magical, quiet force there, that makes one relax and think. A beautiful place well worth visiting.

Gear

This was a perfect time for the Fuji XT1 and the 56mm f1.2 lens. I wanted to shoot wide open, so I had the variable ND filter on the lens. I’m very impressed with this camera lens combination. The bokeh this lens produces and exceptional, in my opinion, and the camera with it’s snappy focusing worked like a charm. I’m not sure if it was the lighting conditions, or maybe because there subjects I was photographing were very well defined, the camera did not have any issues missing focus, as I did before. This time everything just worked perfectly.

Fuji in Europe Part 16 – Nuremberg Castle

by Mac Sokulski | Jun 23, 2014 | Fuji X, Landscape, People

The Castle

The Nuremberg Imperial Castle is an impressive building dating from around 1150AD. It was restored to it’s original shape, as it was almost completely destroyed during the last war. The main Luginsland Tower is open to visitors, and can be climbed with a promise that one can actually see the Bavarian mountains. I was a little disappointed with the view, since the mountains turned out to be little hills far off in the distance 🙂 The view of the Nuremberg on the other hand is quite spectacular. A sea of red roofs punctuated by sharp points of church towers. It’s a beautiful sight. After we climbed down from the tower, we wondered about the beautiful gardens around the castle.

Gear

This is where I screwed up. Most of the shots from the tower were done with Fuji X100s. I did not realize that my compensation dial moved to -2, but putting the camera in the bag. I should have paid better attention, why the images were coming out so dark. I guess I was too excited to see the “mountains”, and the views from the tower. A lesson to be learned from that day. Check your dials before putting the camera to your eye. 🙂

Fuji in Europe Part 15 – Sunset in Großgründlach

by Mac Sokulski | Jun 20, 2014 | Fuji Landscapes, Fuji X, Landscape

Sunset

After the trip to Regensburg, the day was promising a good sunset. So I convinced my good friend from Hooked on Europe, that we should go out to a field somewhere, not too far. Well, Großgründlach or Grossgrundlach, is not that far away from Nuremberg, and it proved to be a fantastic spot for a nice sunset. Unfortunately the sunset wasn’t as nice as I was expecting, but then, when relying on mother nature, she usually shines when least expected. Großgründlach is a quiet little village on the outskirts of Nuremberg. It’s typical German suburb. I can only wish suburbs in Edmonton looked like that :). You have all the amenities, with in walking distances, and no hustle and bustle of a big city. Very beautiful.

Gear

This was a perfect time to let the Fuji XT1 shine. I mounted the Fuji 10-24mm f4, on the camera, and mostly used the articulated screen for the different angles of the shots. That screen is so nice, when you want to get closer to the ground, among the flowers, yet you don’t want to lie down in the damp grass. Perfect for raising it up above the tall grasses to see what’s beyond. With the Fuji X-Pro1 I usually found myself shooting blind, in situations like these, so this little feature on the XT1 is a blessing. Another thing, I’m really getting used to the little switch to the XT1, that let’s me quickly switch between bracketing shots to single to other modes. So much nicer than going into the menus of the camera.