At the edge of light: Aperture 1.4@ISO 1600

(best viewed large!)

I don't know how many of you have ever shot film. I did it for nearly 21 years and still do it today. Especialy I pushed ISO100-slide-film well beyond their specification to ISO1600 to achieve some stunning results. With digital we are approaching noise-free ISO6400-modes fast, which will enable us to shoot at the edge of light, take pictures formerly thought im possible to take. Even ISO1600 in my D70 is less noisy that ISO400 in My F5 using very good negative film and the best scanner available.

You know that it is always possible to use a tripod and long exposure on things that do not move. My motifs are mostly people and movement in spontaneous settings, where this does not apply. So I need to control shutter release times. Below a thirtieth of a second, the movement of the subjects rules the amount of motion blur. Even if I can hold an eigth of a second freehand or monopdded, my models will usually move in that time.

I recommend to keep at least one Ultrafast lens in your setup. Go out at night without flashlight and combine aperture 1.4 with ISO1600 or ISO3200 to take pictures never seen before.

This is the fest of St. Martin on 10/11/2005