7 minute read
Between Beauty and Chaos
Travel photographer Ken Kaminesky journeys to Tanzania, with his photographic sights on one of nature’s most epic spectacles
Great art is transportive – such is its appeal. The painted canvas depicts an impression of a scene, while the written word is bound to reality more loosely still. But no medium depicts a moment in such exquisite detail as photography. Each frame is a fragment of history, set to forever render a fleeting second with precision.
Among all genres of image making, few depict such unimaginable sights as travel. Its bold creatives venture to every corner of the world, returning with timeless bounties. Though it’s no easy road to walk. Ken Kaminesky’s journey was one of tribulations, determination, and above all, self-belief.
“My background in photography goes back to the early nineties, here in Montreal,” he begins. “I started my career in fashion before realizing – not that quickly – it was not where I was destined to work. I found it a tough business.
“Next came stock photography, which worked out fabulously well for about seven years. At a good agency, which I was lucky enough to find, you get a chance to photograph what you enjoy and are skilled at. I was having the time of my life, until the business was bought out. My income and royalties dried up, and the 2008 market crash hit, so everything cascaded into this perfect storm.”
Photo 2022 © Ken Kaminesky | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1/500 sec at F9, ISO 800
Where most creatives would seek shelter, Kaminesky stood boldly against the torrent. With little experience in the field, but emboldened by his competence elsewhere in imaging, he set himself to the challenges of travel photography. It would be a fateful decision.
“I threw caution to the wind and decided, starting today, I’m a travel photographer without a portfolio. I put all my credit card points and savings towards some plane tickets and hotels, then took a month to go to Europe and document some scenes.
“The day I landed in Paris, I went to Notre-Dame Cathedral, walked in with a tripod and they escorted me out! I didn’t even know there were rules in place. One side of the exterior was covered in scaffolding and the other had a big, undecorated Christmas tree leaning against it. I felt rather dejected,” Kaminesky admits. “As I was walking away, crossing the river on a small footbridge, I decided to turn around and make a photo. I didn’t think about it again for a while, but three years later, it ended up on the cover of National Geographic. I always get a smile, thinking about that beautiful testament to stepping out of your comfort zone.”
Photo 2022 © Ken Kaminesky | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1/60 sec at F22, ISO 400
As the years have elapsed, Kaminesky has moved from strength to strength. Some time ago, he launched his own travel photography tour company Discovery Photo Tours – which brings us to the present day, just a few months past a thrilling trip to Tanzania, undertaken with FUJIFILM X-H2S and XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR in tow.
“In August, the migrating wildebeest cross the Mara River, making for some truly spectacular images. At times, there are tens of thousands of them. I get goosebumps talking about it, because the experience cannot be fully encapsulated in a photograph,” the image maker reasons. “Consider the sights, sounds, smells, and feeling in your bones when that many animals are charging right next to your vehicle.”
Despite such unbridled chaos, Kaminesky’s images contain moments of drama so finely composed that one could be convinced they were masterfully staged. Among clouds of savannah dust, the churning of water, and a clashing of horns, the power and delicacy of nature hangs on a razor’s edge.
Photo 2022 © Ken Kaminesky | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1/2000 sec at F10, ISO 800
“I’ve seen people waste precious moments deciding to change their lens or setup for a new technique, but my advice is: keep it simple and go, go, go!” Kaminesky explains of his process. “With the wildebeest scenes, I prefer more depth-of-field, and a slightly slower aperture is no hindrance whatsoever. We’re photographing all through the day, but near the equator, so the sun stays bright and high in the sky. You can also blur your background more in post-processing, if it’s too prevalent and takes away from the image.
“It’s a zen experience for me to work on an image and try to perfect it. Generally, there’s a big difference between my out-of-camera RAWs and my final images – especially rendering a lot of black and white or sepia for wildlife. That’s just a little thing I started to do, and found it gave a timeless effect. But some people just want sharp, accurate memories. You get exactly that with X Series JPEGs. Plus, with the Film Simulations, photos can be print-worthy with no editing.”
Exceeding X Series’ long-standing capabilities, X-H2S delivers more than a few cutting-edge specifications, perfect for the most challenging settings. The camera’s rapid performance can be drawn back to X-Processor 5.
Photo 2022 © Ken Kaminesky | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1/500 sec at F8, ISO 800
“I’m so thrilled with the autofocus upgrade,” Kaminesky effuses. “I can’t even begin to express the difference between previous incarnations of the AF systems and X-H2S. The tracking, eye detection, and animal settings work very well. The number of in-focus images this year compared to previous Tanzania visits – especially during those chaotic scenes – is staggeringly high.
“Increased burst speeds are also extremely relevant to much of my work,” he continues. “You don’t have a choice if you want that one perfect image. There can be a split-second difference between catching an animal dramatically mid-jump, having it look silly, or not photographing it at all.”
Released just weeks apart, many image makers will find difficulty choosing between X-H2S and its sibling, FUJIFILM X-H2. With a 40.2-megapixel sensor – close to double that of X-H2S – and comparable set of slick specifications, there’s a lot to love. For Kaminesky, however, X-H2S’s 26.1 megapixels is plenty.
“I’m looking for sharpness, good dynamic range, and the ability to pull details out of the highs and lows. X-H2S’s RAWs do a beautiful job of that,” he expresses. “I’ve printed images from older, 16-megapixel X Series sensors at 40x60in and they came out looking nice. They’ve stood up to much higher-resolution sensors from other systems. I believe people get wrapped up in megapixels, versus overall quality of an image.”
Photo 2022 © Ken Kaminesky | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, 1/250 sec at F16, ISO 800
Optics, too, become exceptionally important when faced with a herd of stampeding wildebeest. The scale of the event is important to contextualize, but breathtaking moments can also happen on a much more intimate level.
“One of the things I love most about XF150-600mmF5.6-8 is the gamut of focal lengths. And, as you can see from the images, it’s super sharp throughout. Despite that, it’s extremely light, which makes it easy to maneuver when you’re in the vehicle and trying to achieve new perspectives.”
Beyond its reach, the lens has a trio of tricks designed to make creation seamless – anywhere, anytime. Optical image stabilization, a rapid linear motor-driven autofocus system, and weather-resistance combine for unified potential.
“We brace our lenses on top of the safari vehicle’s roof, making image stabilization so very handy. Without a tripod or clamp, you come to rely on it for sharp images,” Kaminesky says. “Weather-resistance is also brilliant. Not just in terms of precipitation, but also dust. During August in Tanzania, driving down dirt roads is hard on gear, and that’s before you reach the horde of animals. You can run a finger along a lens and see all the dirt, yet I’ve never had an X Series optic feel crunchy when you turn the dials. That capability is exceptional.”
Photo 2022 © Ken Kaminesky | FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/250 sec at F8, ISO 800
With another adventure behind him and a lifetime more to come, there’s no doubt Kaminesky has found yet more invaluable tools to facilitate his heartfelt process. With less to distract from the moment, he’ll continue to deliver inspiring images – perhaps enough to kick-start the daring pursuit of creation in those who would follow his far-reaching footsteps.
As any traveler will tell you, nothing worth having in life comes easy. But, with the backing of Fujifilm’s technical expertise, there’s one less bump in the creative road.
Shop FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR today. Learn more and read the full specifications here.
