Portraits in the Woods With The Fuji XF 56mm f1.2 APD:
Ever since I’ve been back from London, I’ve felt like I needed a change of scenery, which is kind of strange because technically, London was a change of scenery :). So, I took a day trip to Upstate New York to visit a friend yesterday. I brought a lot of gear that I’m currently reviewing but seeing as I pre-ordered the Fuji X-T2, and it’ll probably be coming soon, I thought I’d get a few shots in with my X-T1 before I trade it in. I have to say, I really enjoyed using my X-T1 over the time that I owned it, and I almost don’t want to part with it but at the same time, a lot of the new features in the X-T2 are very appealing to me. For instance, I love the new three-direction tilting screen, and I’m sure the dual card slots will come in handy.
Yesterday was very hot, and since my friend and her husband had literally just moved into their new house, they were still in the middle of having their AC installed. So, we decided to take a walk in one of the cool wooded trails near her house. Being that it’s Upstate New York, it’s like tree country. There are trees everywhere, and it’s one of the things I miss most from college. We figured the shades of the trees would help block out a lot of the sun, which they did.
Of course, I took along my camera, and the lens I had mounted on it was the XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD lens. I bought this a while ago when Fuji had one of their rebates (which they are currently having again), and I have to say, I absolutely love this lens. It is so sharp but at the same time, the bokeh is so buttery smooth. I love how this lens renders colors as well. In my opinion, it is worth every penny. It’s one of those “must-have” lenses. The non-APD version, which I reviewed, is also a great lens, and while there’s not a huge difference in image quality between the two, to me, the 56mm f1.2 is a lens I’m buying specifically for the bokeh, and if that’s the case, I want the bokeh to be as pleasant and as silky smooth as possible. I sacrifice faster autofocus but it’s still not bad at all. My APD version is still plenty fast enough for portraits, and that’s what I primarily bought this lens for. Plus, I find it unique…different, which is kind of cool.
So, I thought I’d share a few images with all of you. I love the outdoors but I don’t usually take portraits out in the woods. I’m usually in the city. It was quite enjoyable though, and I think I will try it more often. There are so many creative possibilities but maybe it’s just the fact that I need a change of pace from the city ;). My pictures were processed from raw files like pretty much everything on my site. I did try something a bit different with the two last images. I bought one of the VSCO film packs a last year but I haven’t really had much of a chance to use it, so I thought I’d give it a try here. I used Kodak Portra 800++ on the last two images. What do all of you think? It’s definitely a different look but I like it. It kind of feels colder, more earthy, and a bit woodsy :). I think it really depends on the mood that you’re trying to convey. Thanks for stopping by!
For those interested, there’s currently $300 off the XF 56mm APD at:
B&H Photo, Amazon, and Adorama
There’s also $200 off the non-APD version:
