Photoshoot with XA

[MarkoKovacevic]

I did the photoshoot with the XA and a Gitzo tripod. I used the backlight comp switch a lot, and changed the ISO around to 100 many times. I find the XA lens had a distinctive look, which I'm not sure if I like. Anyhow, here are the photos, tell me what you all think/what can be improved/how a SLR or manual exposure+lightmeter body would have been better. http://www.flickr.com/photos/39324697@N03/sets/72157621340630964/

 

[sahe69]

Something wrong with the link?

 

[MarkoKovacevic]

New link should work

 

[zuikologist]

Nice - nothing wrong with these and impressive for such a "humble" camera. There is some vignetting - it seems to add to these photos.

 

[user237428934]

I first thougth that it's a crazy idea to use the XA for a photo shooting. But the results look really good.
You should avoid some situation like in http://www.flickr.com/photos/39324697@N03/3713656976/in/set-72157621340630964/ when you don't have the option to light the scene up from the front. Faces are extremely dark.

 

[MarkoKovacevic]

In http://www.flickr.com/photos/39324697@N03/3713638366/sizes/l/in/set-72157621340630964/ there is some weird stuff around the girls head and window - is this how the lens flares?

 

[mcgrattan]

I sold my XA partly because the lens had a 'signature' that I didn't like. Some of yours turned out well, though.

The only thing I'd say is that a lot of the shots are from quite a low angle, presumably it was a small tripod? That works really nicely sometimes, and very well in some of your shots, but I think, personally, I'd have tried to shoot a bit more at eye-level. You also took a lot of shots with backlighting, more, I think, than is maybe necessary in the set?

 

[Bingley]

Nice shots. What film were you using? I like using a color print film w/ higher color saturation w/ my XA, like Kodak 400UC or Portra 400VC. Some examples here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47441613@N00/sets/72157606764985721/

 

[MarkoKovacevic]

It's actually a normal sized tripod - Gitzo G2220 with the Manfrotto 'joystick' head. It has a nice design that allows it to almost go flat on the floor. I spread the legs pretty wide open. Also, yes, there is a lot of backlighting. The problem was that the backgrounds that did not have backlighting were not that interesting, so I had to use the interesting backgrounds, most of which had backlighting.

 

[MarkoKovacevic]

Also, film used was Kodak Portra 160VC. It turned out less saturated than I had hoped.

 

[daniel~]

Nice shots. Plenty of vignette there, and that's lovely.
Fujifilm Superia 200 offers good color saturation & contrast. Nowadays I almost use the film exclusively, coz it's really cheap & versatile.

 

[nuckabean]

Nice shots. Plenty of vignette there, and that's lovely.
Fujifilm Superia 200 offers good color saturation & contrast. Nowadays I almost use the film exclusively, coz it's really cheap & versatile.

If it's not cheap enough for you as it is, and you have any "99Cent only" stores around you, they sell it repackaged as "Memories 200" for, you guessed it, 99cents a roll. It looks great shot at 160.

 

[btgc]

Nice shots.

Fujifilm Superia 200 offers good color saturation & contrast.

I think scenery and motifs match camera very well. Three friends, small camera like a fourth friend. I particularly liked 01040015.
Superia 200 is one of my favourite color films - tones are somehow better balanced than in ISO100 and 400.

 

[Keith]

I really like these ... I reckon your approach to the way you shot it is a little unusual and has created a very interesting set of photographs with a very distinct feel to them. It would work well in black and white IMO!