Thrilled to have two of my photographs selected by the curators of the BPPA’s (British Press Photographers’ Association) tremendously powerful and not to be missed, Assignments 2019 exhibition. The show is beautifully curated and thanks has to be given to the talented team of curators, comprised of some of the brightest beacons in the photojournalism industry. Many thanks to Tom Stoddart, John Downing, Nikki Sutherland, Lawrence Lustig and Julie Edwards.
The private view and opening of the BPPA Assignments 2019 photography exhibition (on from 17th to 19th May, 2019) at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, London, UK. May 16, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
At the private view of the exhibition, it was an absolute joy to meet Fleet Street’s legendary press photographer John Downing for the first time. He had been a huge inspiration for me and my ethos of never being without a camera came from reading about his work. When a colleague pointed out my photograph (The Joys Of Life), it was an absolute honour to hear him kindly praise the image, saying it was one that he had chosen personally and to hear his kind compliments about the composition, timing and light, pushed me to blush!
This photograph was made on a Panasonic Lumix G9 and Leica DG 50-200mm lens. The raw image was processed in Adobe Lightroom and the monochrome treatment was finished in Nik Collection’s Silver Efex Pro on an Apple Mac Pro and fully calibrated Eizo CG monitors.
My photograph “The Joys Of Life” (centre), was one of two images selected for the exhibition by the curators. BPPA Assignments 2019 photography exhibition (on from 17th to 19th May, 2019) at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, London, UK. May 16, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
The second image kindly chosen by the curators was of a homeless man, seemingly passed out from wine, after another hard day on the streets.
The UK faces a homeless epidemic, with statistics showing that a homeless person dies every two weeks in London, one of the world’s wealthiest cities. Spiralling property prices are being cited as a huge factor, alongside access to mental health services becoming harder over the last several years. A homeless man lays on the street, apparently passed out from drinking the wine tied to the top of his belongings on his trolley. His guitar, probably used to busk with to pay for the wine, still strapped to his back. Another homeless man, wrapped in a sleeping bag, walks by. Tesco superstore, Pentonville Road, London, UK. March 21, 2018. Photo: Edmond TerakopianPhotographer Edmond Terakopian beside his image of a homeless man, was one of two images selected for the exhibition by the curators. BPPA Assignments 2019 photography exhibition (on from 17th to 19th May, 2019) at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, London, UK. May 16, 2019. Photo: Tracy Howl
The photograph was shot on a Sony RX1RII camera. The raw image was processed in Adobe Lightroom and the monochrome treatment was finished in Alienskin Exposure X3, on an Apple Mac Pro and fully calibrated Eizo CG monitors.
BPPA Assignments 2019 photography exhibition (on from 17th to 19th May, 2019) at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, London, UK. May 16, 2019. Photo: Edmond TerakopianContact Sheets at the BPPA Assignments 2019 photography exhibition (on from 17th to 19th May, 2019) at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, London, UK. May 16, 2019. Photo: Edmond TerakopianBPPA Assignments 2019 photography exhibition (on from 17th to 19th May, 2019) at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, London, UK. May 16, 2019. Photo: Edmond TerakopianA poster for the BPPA Assignments 2019 photography exhibition (on from 17th to 19th May, 2019) at Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, London, UK. May 16, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian
Three and a half weeks with the full frame mirrorless Lumix S1 Camera
Red rose of love. Daily life, Barcelona, Spain. January 27, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian *NB Test shot with a prototype Lumix S1* **Image taken with a Lumix S1 preproduction sample (Image quality not final) Processed from in camera jpeg**
Story telling. That’s what my reason is for picking up a camera. As a photojournalist, a street photographer, a portrait photographer, a commercial photographer, my need for a camera is to capture the essence, subtlety and feel of my subject, tell their story at that moment.
Portrait of violinist Asia Jimnez Antn de Vez. London, UK. January 18, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian *Test shot with a prototype of a Panasonic Lumix S1. Copyright Photo* **Image taken with a Lumix S1 preproduction sample (Image quality not final)**
The Lumix S1 has been with me for over three weeks and I found myself not shooting with anything else. The birth of a new system for Panasonic Lumix, and the start of a fresh new camera system. Yet the camera feels completely accomplished. My prototype camera, with pre-production early firmware, behaved impeccably, never letting me down. It didn’t matter the subject matter, the level of light , the speed, the cold; it just worked.
Edmond Terakopian at the Lumix S1 Launch Event, shooting in a chocolate factory using a Lumix S1R with S Series 50mm f1.4 lens. Barcelona, Spain. January 29, 2019. Photo: Yoshie Nishikawa **Image taken with a Lumix S1 preproduction sample (Image quality not final) Processed from in camera jpeg**
To sum up, in a nutshell, the S1 is extremely impressive. The quality is just stunning, in every aspect; image quality, camera handling, system design and build quality.
Lumix S1 Launch Event. Barcelona, Spain. January 30, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian. *Shot on a prototype, pre-production firmware Lumix S1R* **Image taken with a Lumix S1 preproduction sample (Image quality not final) Processed from in camera jpeg**
The ergonomics are spot on. The camera just fits and within minutes I was already taking pictures. The button layout, joystick positioning, the placing of the AF button on the back (something crucial for my way of working) is spot on. One superb new feature for this Lumix is the lock button at the back, which can lock the rear buttons. Anyone who runs around with their cameras knows how easy it is to inadvertently find they have set the camera to monochrome HDR mode with bracketing on long exposure! The menu system is also a joy to use; its very well thought out, laid out and the design behind it means there is very little need for referring to the manual.
The build quality and finishing on the camera and lens are sublime. This is definitely a premium, high end camera. One made for serious, daily use, in all sorts of environments. Most professional photographers refer to their cameras as tools; they are the beginning of the journey as it’s only the photograph that matters. These tools are expected to work in all sorts of conditions and never fail; ever. I have a feeling the philosophy behind the design and build of the S Series is going to fit that bill fully. The camera and lenses just inspire confidence in every respect.
I was initially a bit worried at having one camera battery during my testing; I made sure to always pack two USB battery power banks (one wonderful aspect of the top end Lumix cameras is USB charging, which is not only a great convenience when home, but is an indispensible feature for when in the field). It turns out, even with the camera set to sleep after 10 minutes and leaving the camera on constantly, I was managing to still have around 50% battery after close to 1000 photos. All this, in relatively cold conditions.
For most of my initial test period of three weeks, I only had the Lumix S Series 24-105mm f4.0 lens. I’m definitely a fan of faster aperture prime lenses, as I tend to shoot in very low and difficult light. With the lens and body stabilization, married to astonishing high ISO performance meant that I was never really left wanting a faster lens. I didn’t miss any shots. Having said that, I had heard many great things about the S Series 50mm f1.4, so couldn’t wait to make some photographs using that.
Daily life, Barcelona, Spain. January 28, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian *NB Test shot with a prototype Lumix S1* **Image taken with a Lumix S1 preproduction sample (Image quality not final) Processed from in camera jpeg**
One thing that can’t be denied is that the S 50mm definitely has presence. It’s a big and heavy lens. Initially, I was disappointed with the size and weight. I had wished for a smaller lens. Within 15 minutes of having it on the S1, I had shot a couple of test shots under some arches of a member of the Japanese team from Panasonic; the quality was stunning. The sharpness, tonal rendition, shadow and highlight detail, soft falloff of the background. This lens completely impressed. It has character and perfection at the same time. After seeing the results, the size no longer became an issue and the lens almost never came off my camera during three days of shooting with it at Panasonic’s launch event for the S Series in Barcelona, Spain. As a nice icing on the cake, the 50mm is also certified by Leica.
Lumix S1 Launch Event, Barcelona, Spain. January 29, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian *NB Test shot with a prototype Lumix S1* **Image taken with a Lumix S1 preproduction sample (Image quality not final) Processed from in camera jpeg**
The S 24-105mm also definitely impressed me. I have to admit to being a bit of a lens snob; I’m used to shooting with Leica, Leica DG, Zeiss and in earlier years, Angeniuex lenses. I was absolutely bowled over. Not only is this lens sharp, it’s perfectly contrasty and has a phenomenal tonal range. It dealt with shooting in low light or having bright lights without issue. Build quality and feel of the controls match the craftsmanship of the camera.
One thing that has surprised me completely is the level of subtlety I’ve been able to photograph with the S1 and the new S Series lenses. Darker scenes with very subtle gradation and tonal differentiation have been rendered perfectly. The shadow detail and highlight detail have been amazing, even when the same image has had both extremes. It’s also worth pointing out the auto white balance (AWB) worked extremely well, in all but the very mixed and extreme extreme artificial light. I’ve managed to get this level of subtle micro detail and tonal differentiation using a raw converter which is new to me; whilst Silkypix worked and it was a joy to be able to shoot and process raw files on a preproduction prototype camera, I can’t wait for when my preferred imaging software, Adobe’s Lightroom, supports the raw file from the S1. Using software I know intimately is sure to bring a bigger smile to my face when I’m processing images shot on the S1 and extracting even more detail, character and subtlety.
Lumix S1 Launch Event. Barcelona, Spain. January 30, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian. *Shot on a prototype, pre-production firmware Lumix S1R* **Image taken with a Lumix S1 preproduction sample (Image quality not final) Processed from in camera jpeg**
Alongside my eagerness, with almost childlike enthusiasm, to shoot with the S Series 50mm f1.4, I’m was also super impatient to shoot with the larger megapixel cousin, the S1R. In every aspect, the cameras look and behave identically. It’s the sensor and some settings which differ (mainly the highest ISOs and certain video functionality). I only had the S1R for a few hours during the launch event, so my impressions are based on a brief encounter, which left me breathless at the results this camera produces. The size and detail of the images are simply mind blowing, producing a 47.3mp image, which in high resolution mode produces a mid blowing 187mp image. This is truly top end medium format territory, in a smaller and much more dynamic package.
Unique in the full frame market, is the union of Panasonic Lumix and Leica, two camera manufacturers, collaborating around the L Mount, along with Sigma (which I would assume will bring some of their superb ART lenses in the L Mount). This is great news for the Lumix S Series as well as the existing Leica SL community. Panasonic Lumix’s three lenses (24-105mm f4.0, 50mm f1.4 and 70-200mm f4.0) joining an already available portfolio of Leica SL lenses. By 2020, Panasonic Lumix is due to release a further seven lenses.
Lumix S1 Launch Event. Barcelona, Spain. January 31, 2019. Photo: Edmond Terakopian *NB-Image taken with a Lumix S1 preproduction sample (Image quality not final). Images processed from in camera fine setting jpeg*
It’s a truly remarkable to be so enthused about a new camera system after 30 years of professional photography. My excitement for this system reminds me of when I picked up my first SLR, 34 years ago. Roll on March 2019, when these will be available in the shops!
Alongside the S Series, Lumix Pro service has also been rolled out to support professional photographers: https://lumixpro.panasonic.com/
Once final production cameras are available, I will be writing a full review. In the meantime, do keep an eye on my Instagram where I will be sharing more images.
The photograph was commended in the Urban View section and is the second time the competition has kindly awarded my work. The image will be printed in the forthcoming book and will be part of the digital display at the exhibition. Many congratulations to the winning photographers and judges.
London Independent Photography; Ealing Satellite Group Exhibition
Opens On September 7th, 2018.
19 photographers from Ealing London Independent Photography, have created a collection of work in response to a set of Oblique Strategies originally written by Brian Eno. The images address the challenges of creativity and how they can be overcome by ingenuity and lateral thinking.
Exhibition: 7th – 15th September 2018 Open weekdays 12pm – 7pm (Fridays until 8pm), weekends 11am – 6pm
The project can be seen on our Pixelrights gallery website, Ealing Photo Gallery, where there is an opportunity to also purchase prints.
Also, massive thanks to Hauke from Fire & Flame for all the fabulous design work, not only creating all the fantastic leaflets, invitations and so on, but for also creating the elegant layouts and typography for the actual exhibition pieces.
The exhibition is part of Ealing BEAT (art trail).
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