Small body, great contribution
Senior commercial photographer Leo Pan talks about FUJIFILM EF-60 hot shoe flash
In June, the late rainy season did not repel the sultry heat of Guangzhou, in the Star One studio has ushered a hot scene. The gloomy period of the past six months made the commercial photographers in Guangzhou more difficult. As the haze gradually dissipated, Star One photographer Leo Pan also became busy. Despite the heavy task of the clients’ films, Leo did not put down his camera in his spare time and was busy of making some personal creations. As he himself said: “Only if you keep shooting, you will grow.”
Leo’s has tried with unusual new way in most recent creative shoots, using FUJIFILM EF-60 flash to shoot environmental portraits. From the interview below with Leo, let talk about his experience of these creations.
GFX100, GF30mmF3.5 R WR, f/5.6, 1/160s, ISO-400, high-speed sync flash
Author: Hello Leo, why did you think of using hot shoe flash for this creation? As far as I know, most commercial photographers shoot in the studio, and hot shoe flash are generally not the preferred devices. What is the difference between studio lights and hot shoe flash lights?
Leo Pan: FUJIFILM’s new product EF-60 flash. Its unique shape aroused my interest at first time, I had the idea of shooting with this one in the studio instantly. In addition, our studio has already had FUJIFILM’s GFX system, and it is a good try out how effective FUJIFILM does on commercial shooting. Studio lights have high power and many modifiers, first choice of many commercial photographers inside the studio; however, hot shoe lights have the advantages of small size and convenient portability. As a comprehensive commercial photographer, they should not ignore it.
GFX100, F /3.2, 1/160s, ISO-400, multi-light departure flash
Author: How do you think about light shapes creating by light?
Leo Pan: In fact, I also study the natural light and ambient light we seen from our daily life. To understanding of light is starting from natural light, the most direct light source is the sun, which we encounter in our daily life. In all environments, the light from the sun will be refracted, reshaped, or you can create artificial light with flash. I also try to create a natural light sense, observe the light in daily life in the city we live in, the various changes in the light, and the beauty of the light in various directions. This is a learning process. every day has different examples, by learning from this process will help to me use in the actual shooting. At night, artificial light source also plays a role in lighting and environment shaping, will be changing incredibly, and created much more colorful effect.
GFX100, F /8, 1/125s, ISO-400, multi-light departure flash
GFX100, F /4, 1/200s, ISO-800, multi-light departure flash
Author: What are your thoughts about these recent shots?
Leo Pan: I used EF-60 flashlights in these shootings in different environments, including indoors, outdoors, and also studios. Most amateur photographers shoot at outdoor mostly. During outdoor or general indoor shooting, the EF-60 is a good fit for fill light or create a natural light effect. This is how I started this shooting with the male model. The EF-60 can competent to shoot indeed, wireless function is quite important in some shooting, and its easier to achieve the effect of creating natural light than using in on camera hot shoe, because the position and angle of the flash and the output can be changed independently. I gave it a try with the wireless function which I usually do with large flash system inside studio.
Author: How do you use this flash during shooting?
Leo Pan: I am a photographer who likes to use the equipment to the extreme level. While shooting, I will even maximize the output power, not necessarily of the demand for shooting, but my strength, kind of like killing it. But this little flash came through it tenaciously that surprised me. In the process of shooting these two sets, I used every function of this EF-60 flash, such as high-speed sync, slow sync, off-camera flash, continuous flash and so on. As a hot shoe light, the outcome had satisfied me, maybe it is related to the concept of FUJIFILM brand, Never Stop!
GFX100, F /5.6, 1/1000s, ISO-400, high speed synchronous flash
I used the high-speed synchronization function of the EF-60 in this photo. Professional photographers know that it is necessary to use this function to illuminate people against outdoor low light background, is a commonly method.
GFX100, f/5.6, 1/6s, ISO-400, second curtain sync flash
GFX100, f/5.6, 1/6s, ISO-400, second curtain sync flash
I used multiple flashes off the camera, and combined with the rear curtain to shoot simultaneously also a common creative way. In general, a small hot shoe flash can bring unlimited creative possibilities, and it is small to carry around, this is how to change my view with hot shoe flash.
Author: What do you think about the experience of using this flashlight with FUJIFILM GFX system?
Leo Pan: Great! they are the products of the same company, no such compatibility issue with the cameras. Moreover, multiple lights can be grouped through the trigger, and the power can be adjusted remotely. Very good experience with using it.
Author: Through the shooting experience, what’s the biggest surprise this flash gives you?
Leo Pan: Small, light and cute! Smallness and portability are important. Sometimes when we do a location shoot, the transportation of equipment becomes a big problem. The light and portable flash is very important to us. In addition, large-scale lighting equipment requires AC power, but not always available. For example, in the wild mountains, the AC power supply has become a headache for us. Hot shoe flash use AA batteries, we can easily solve the problems when we prepared some extra.
Although this EF-60 flash is tiny and small, it has all the functions it should have as a flash, which is one of the reasons why I like it.
Author: Do you have any tips for sharing with this EF-60 flash and EF-W1 wireless trigger?
Leo Pan: The size and weight of this EF-60 are more pleasing with all the flash functions. speak to the EF-W1, I personally prefer it with an LCD screen, it can display the current connected flash, the output power in real time, and also can be trigger flash remotely and individually. As a professional photographer, even though I work with a professional large-scale flash system, although there is a wireless trigger system, but there are less functions in adjusting on the trigger. Such as knowing the current output power of each light before adjusting it. You need to keep in mind and adjust the output through the trigger blindly. It is more troublesome to adjust it while in some narrow, tricky or higher angles. Will need an assistant to do those adjustment. this EF-W1 allows me to know the specific parameters clearly, and it can be easily adjusted. This should be an add-on function for those professional large-scale flash systems, elevate the work efficiency for professional photographers. For tips, most important is to pair the flashlight with the wireless trigger before shooting, to keep your shooting smoother. In addition, keep the base of the flash with you all time, because with the wireless function, this base will become very important, you can place the flash in many different environments, set the position, and able to installed on different tripods or light stands with it.
GFX100, GF30mmF3.5R WR, F /5.6, 1/160s, ISO-400, high speed synchronous flash
Author: Heard this shooting also used the new GF30mmF3.5 lens, What’s your experience with this lens?
Leo Pan: 30mm medium format lens, is about 24mm on 135 equivalent, we use this focal length to shoot environmental portraits quite often. It’s also used to make some exaggerated visual effects with this focal length sometimes, quite useful. Combined with GFX100 102MP sensor, the pictures quality are excellent. We already have a GF45-100mm lens, this 30mm just complements the needs of the wide-angle. We will get one when it is officially released.
We ended this interview with Leo Pan inside the Star One studio filled with coffee aroma. It seems that this small and cute FUJIFILM EF-60 hot-shoe flash is very likely to become the new favorite of many professional photographers. Let us wait and see!