6 minute read

Fine Art Photography with GF30mmF5.6 T/S

Claire Rosen broadens her creative horizons in fine art photography with FUJINON GF30mmF5.6 T/S tilt-shift lens

“I have a vivid memory of the first time I watched an image develop in darkroom chemicals,” recalls fine art photographer Claire Rosen. “It feels like magic watching something come from nothing. From that moment, I was hooked.”

This desire to create magic underpins Claire’s entire approach to photography; her spellbinding images each offer an enchanting glimpse into a fantastical world full of intrigue.

“Even early on, I never wanted to go out and photograph the world around me. I was always setting up little things and building little worlds, then using the camera as a tool to frame them. Fine art is where my heart lies,” Claire expresses.

Inspired by Past, Present, and Future

For her latest project, Claire used some of the world’s most advanced digital camera technology. However, the work is no less inspired by that feeling of wonder she first experienced in the darkroom all those years ago.

Combined with her love for the author and conservationist Beatrix Potter, she was able to harness the power of FUJIFILM GFX100S‘s 102-megapixel sensor and FUJINON GF30mmF5.6 T/S’s precision tilt-shift functionality to create a selection of images that tell a story of conservation from a truly unique perspective.

“I’m always looking for unexpected ways to talk about conservation, animal rights, and environmental concerns. Generally, I like to use a childhood aesthetic because those are the generations that will be the most affected,” Claire explains.

“I’m a big Beatrix Potter fan,” she continues, “and here on the farm where I live, we’re surrounded by about 1,000 acres of conserved land. So, I liked the idea of using the same aesthetics and stories to talk about land conservation in an interesting, more whimsical way.”

Fantasy scene photoshoot - girl wearing dress and pig head mask walking through field

Photo 2023 © Claire Rosen | FUJIFILM GFX100S and FUJINON GF30mmF5.6 T/S, 1/125 sec at F5.6, ISO 400

Finding a New View

Tilt-shift lenses are more often associated with architectural, product, and landscape photography than fine art. This is because their ability to correct perspective and achieve front-to-back sharpness, even at wide apertures, helps to make images more technically accurate and closer to reality.

However, Claire believes that using GF30mmF5.6 T/S to do the opposite opens a range of new creative opportunities. By moving the focal plane, it is possible to create dreamy scenes that offer an escape from reality, rather than enhancing it.

“Creativity thrives within constraints, so it was interesting to consider the aspects tilt-shift lenses are known for, then think about how I could translate them past a technical specification into something that became a storytelling feature.”

GF30mmF5.6 T/S offers a wide 24mm equivalent focal length with up to 15mm of perspective control and up to 90° of revolving tilt-shift control. This is all adjusted using precision-engineered dials that allow photographers extreme accuracy.

“It’s not just about tilting and shifting and moving your perspective around,” explains Claire, “but creating distortion, using the lens to form something magical that helps transport your viewer past a traditional 2D image.”

Person in frog outfit in a river for photoshoot

Photo 2023 © Claire Rosen | FUJIFILM GFX100S and FUJINON GF30mmF5.6 T/S, 1/125 sec at F5.6, ISO 320

Building Different Worlds

Claire’s photography invariably relies on intricate set design that goes beyond art direction and is more akin to creating whole new worlds.

For this project, she tried to pick scenarios in which she could use GF30mmF5.6 T/S to distort reality – or exaggerate it for the purpose of enhancing the story.

One of these scenarios was a detailed miniature world where guinea pigs are avid gardeners equipped with tools, a wheelbarrow, and even a greenhouse. By using the lens’s tilt function to reorient the focal plane, Claire was able to concentrate the focus in a much smaller area of the frame, helping her to better highlight specific details.

“The real trick to making these worlds is ensuring that, even though they’re absolutely not possible, they’re still believable – and every detail of the set contributes to that,” Claire tells us.

“If you use new things, it wouldn’t have the same feeling, so my concepts usually start with a good treasure hunt at an antique store.

“I always love the hunt for things, so the little vintage rusty wheelbarrow and tool sets were such an exciting find. I think I squealed when I saw them!” she laughs.

According to Claire, GF30mmF5.6 T/S’s precision tilt-shift functionality helps create a much more immersive experience for the viewer. She was able to tilt the lens to reduce focus at the edges of the frame, creating a mesmerizing, almost hypnotic effect.

“The guinea pig images are made from a very low angle, so I employed the tilt-shift feature to make sure the surrounding structures look straight,” says Claire, “but also to swing out some of the focus on the edges. This draws you in, so you feel like you are looking into a little world.

“The depth you can get is incredible, highlighting and showcasing all the details of the set design – whether building miniature sets or big ones.”

Claire adds that having easy-to-use equipment is a huge advantage as it helps to break down barriers between her and the creative vision.

“I care about the story and props – and building these worlds,” she explains. “There’s always a lot going on – it’s often chaos! The last thing I want to worry about is whether my camera is going to work, or navigating complicated menu systems to figure out where something is.”

White horse running through a field of lavender with grey sky

Photo 2023 © Claire Rosen | FUJIFILM GFX100S and FUJINON GF30mmF5.6 T/S, 1/200 sec at F5.6, ISO 160

A Broader Perspective

Another way Claire took advantage of GF30mmF5.6 T/S’s tilt-shift capabilities was by creating panoramas.

“I love the wider aspect ratio for image making. Your eye travels around it differently, so you get to move through the picture in a distinct way,” she says.

The lens features an onboard sensor that records adjustments, making it easier to use lens cast calibration (LCC) tools. When combined with a built-in tripod mount to maintain a central optical axis, the result was a significantly streamlined process.

“Staying in one place, and simply swinging this way and that, was great!” she recalls. “Then it was super easy to stitch together in post-production – with minimal distortion or required editing.

“It’s interesting to have that much control and flexibility over the way you think about perspective and framing.”

A Beautiful Escape

Streamlining arduous processes while at the same time increasing avenues of creative expression is the perfect mix for Claire, who is thankful for anything that helps her do what she loves.

“I always feel grateful when I get to make my art and the camera just works. Being in my world and doing the things I care about feels like such a gift.”

When asked why she creates, Claire tells us there are two sides to it. On one hand, it creates a reason to experience everything the world has to offer, acting as a catalyst for adventure and excitement.

“I use photography to explore the things I’m interested in. It’s a permissive way to not be like a regular human. Selfishly, I feel I get to have a more interesting life because of it,” she reflects.

“It’s an extraordinary way to see the world – with your eyes open, looking for unusual and interesting things. I would rather do that than pretty much anything else.”

Purple and orange skies over a field with mist in the distance

Photo 2023 © Claire Rosen | FUJIFILM GFX100 II and FUJINON GF30mmF5.6 T/S, 1/50 sec at F10, ISO 400

On the other hand, it allows her to connect with others and raise awareness of issues close to her heart.

“Photography gives me an opportunity to have conversations about the things I care about in a different way, and maybe have some sort of impact,” she continues.

“I hope it inspires some creativity, whimsy, an idea that anything is possible – something unexpected. Just transportation away from the drudgery of contemporary life.”

Fantasy scene of a person wearing a mouse costume sitting at a dining table with smashed crockery on the floor

Photo 2023 © Claire Rosen | FUJIFILM GFX100S and FUJINON GF30mmF5.6 T/S, 1/80 sec at F7.1, ISO 1250

Does Tilt-Shift Have a Future in Fine Art?

For Claire, it’s a yes. She explains how the combination of GF30mmF5.6 T/S and GFX100S gave her the peace of mind needed to forget the tech, and instead focus on the fresh opportunities the lens brought.

“The thing I like about Fujifilm gear is that it’s the last thing I have to think about,” she smiles.

“GF30mmF5.6 T/S is robust and well-made – it’s a solid piece of glass. It’s sharp, the bokeh is smooth, and the fall-off is lovely. When combined with GFX100S, it’s so easy to use. The files always look great, and the color is beautiful.

“This lens will perform excellently in both directions. On one side, for creating technically accurate images; and then, conversely, the exact opposite – for messing with perspective in interesting ways,” she concludes.

“Anybody who wants to push the boundaries of perspective and create surreal images has an opportunity here.”

Shop FUJINON GF30mmF5.6 T/S today. Learn more and read the full specifications here.


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