Playtime with the girls

[Chris Dodkin]

Dinner and fun with the grandkids this evening - really dialing in my settings for the X-Pro1, 18mm and 35mm lenses.

Auto ISO is fantastic on this camera - and I then set a shutter speed of 1/250 minimum, then set my open aperture for controlled DOF.

Taking on the slide the wrong way round (of course)

Mom!!

What's Nama up to?

Alyssa's fashion show

Pavement chalk

Watching daddy clean the pool

Racing Minnie

Do these make me look fat?

Pavement artist

 

[Brian Moore]

Great set, Chris. You've really caught the kids in typical kid activities and poses. Lovely!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Thanks Brian - I'm finding I can hold the camera low, and use the rear screen to compose the shots - it's very effective for chasing the kids around, and they don't see it as you 'taking a photo' as the camera isn't up at your eye.

So there's less 'cheese' and more natural action

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Oh, that just makes me want to be a kid again. What a wonderful time of our lives, and well captured by the photographer!

 

[Pete Askew]

These are just staggeringly good Chris - you are producing some wonderful stuff with this camera, it really suits your style I think. Fisrt I was going to say that No 2 was may favourite, then I saw 3, then 4, then 5!! Damn, these are good!!! But No 6 is the work of genius I think. Not only a stunning portrait of your eldest granddaughter, but a great study of childhood and the mystery of the childs mind / focus. It has it all in my opinion. Stunning.

 

[Kev Pugh]

Fashion Show is my fave, she has you right where she wants you Chris, shots to order me thinks, right now granps I want one more without the hat then we can...........

What a great set of family shots...love them all

 

[Darren Turner]

Stunning, you could make a living outta this Chris

Why would anyone need a dslr when the fuji & owner can produce images like this...........Love them all.

Although when you said girls i have some rather different images flying through my mind.....

Daz

 

[Pete Sykes]

Great shots Chris .................. I think number three is my favouite. Reminds me of those old "Pears Soap" photos.

Peter

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Thanks Chaps - think I've got my head around how to best use this camera and lenses for this sort of shooting. It's easier and more capable than my 5DII in many ways, which is a bit of a shocker!

The kids make it easy, as they're always looking cute, and doing something new every two minutes- I just need to keep up!

I can't state enough how important the live rear screen is in visualizing the shot and getting compositions from child level - I'm holding the camera at arms length, low to the ground - When I'm shooting this way with the 5DII I'm shooting blind, without being able to see what my camera sees.

It's amazing how being able to see what you're shooting improves the compositions!

I also moved away from Velvia for the portrait shots, back to the std setting in the camera (Provia I think) - and I like the skin tones better (even in black and white!) - I like the color versions of these shots as much as the monochrome - the more muted palette suits people I think.

Rob - couldn't agree with you more - I'm getting to re-live my childhood through my grandkids

Pete - thank you! - trust you to pick out a square crop - who'd have thought!

Kev - you hit the nail on the head, I was definitely under direction!

Darren - Sorry to disappoint with the title!!

Pete, thank you - That's a great compliment - still not sure if I prefer B&W or color

What do you think?

 

[Pete Sykes]

Both the colour an black & white have great tones ............... and it is a difficult choice. But having seen the colour shot. I think those big brown eyes are the killer shot.

Peter

 

[Hamish Gill]

These are really lovely Chris
Number 6 is perfect I think ... I love how relaxed they are especially the ones where there is no interaction between you and them!
I think you have exactly the same feeling towards you fujis as I ... They make great cameras for this sort of thing!!