{"id":65193,"date":"2022-09-09T04:01:26","date_gmt":"2022-09-08T19:01:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fujifilmnxtc.wpenginepowered.com\/?post_type=xstories&#038;p=4206724"},"modified":"2024-05-02T00:15:46","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T15:15:46","slug":"x-h2-paths-to-the-precipice-x-irene-yee","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/stories\/x-h2-paths-to-the-precipice-x-irene-yee\/","title":{"rendered":"X-H2: &#8220;Paths to the Precipice&#8221; x Irene Yee"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"embed-responsive\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/THHJIIvPldE\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h5>Irene Yee\u2019s soaring excursions champion the impassioned escapades of midlife adventure<\/h5>\n<p>Dangling by nylon ropes, a far-off body contorts and twists, rising and falling across expansive rock formations. Shadows zigzag in uneven silhouettes, jaggedly cast amidst crooked columns of ragged sandstone, dry and torrid to the touch.<\/p>\n<p>Hanging in mid-air, Irene Yee twists the pop-out LCD of her X-H2, recording the heady exploits of budding hikers, climbers, and mountaineers. United by a shared quest, it\u2019s here they scale the peaks, surmount the summits \u2013 and maybe somewhere, find themselves.<\/p>\n<p>Dubbed \u2018Ladylockoff\u2019 on Instagram, Irene\u2019s audience is a vast and zealous selection of fellow aficionados. With over 60,000 followers, cliffhangers range from ardent professionals, casual hobbyists, and all that exists in-between. They\u2019re individuals you might not necessarily associate with the activity. Those who\u2019ve braved the rocks after working in an associated field. In essence, they\u2019re everything Irene is, has been, and much more.<\/p>\n<p>Following the completion of her BFA in theatre design &amp; technology from Emerson College, Massachusetts, the spirited Chinese American uprooted a Boston-based nine-to-five for the brisk prospects of America\u2019s entertainment capital.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF8991-1.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF8991-1.jpg\" alt=\"A woman in a yellow t-shirt scales a rocky cliff face\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2022 \u00a9 Irene Yee | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1\/2500 sec at F3.2, ISO 800<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF9779-1.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF9779-1.jpg\" alt=\"Framed against a winding highway, a woman scales a rocky cliff\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2022 \u00a9 Irene Yee | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF8-16mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1\/1250 sec at F4.5, ISO 160<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><p>Vegas was expectedly tough, but opportunities were rife and far-reaching. For years, Irene toiled and slogged, scouring high and low for the ideal showbiz gig. It would take a while, but eventually that persistence paid off.<\/p>\n<p>In 2015, she landed an enviable opportunity with the renowned Cirque du Soleil \u2013 a dream role that introduced the prop technician to the importance of precision on a prominent scale.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI love problem solving, and working with my hands. Cirque was that combination personified,\u201d she explains. \u201cMonetarily, that job changed a lot. I held the position until the pandemic hit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was massively conducive to being an adventure photographer. My wage allowed me to delve into that in my spare time, as did the flexibility.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While employed by the esteemed circus outfit, Irene accrued hours with a local rock-climbing group. Operating out of a nearby gymnasium, the pursuit began as a solely recreational interest, but grew to be something far more persuasive.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF7124-1.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF7124-1.jpg\" alt=\"Framed against a winding highway, a woman scales a cliff face\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2022 \u00a9 Irene Yee | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF8-16mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1\/400 sec at F4.5, ISO 500<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><p>\u201cEveryone was awesome, and so welcoming,\u201d she says. \u201cAfter some practice indoors, I was asked if I wanted to try climbing outside. Once I topped my first peak, I was totally hooked. I learned a lot about myself \u2013 and grew massively as a person.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Borne out of leisure, Irene speaks to the true value of hobbies and their gateway effect: entry points to more all-encompassing passions, concealed in plain sight. Once bitten by the bug, a passing interest can quickly become a nagging itch, not properly acknowledged until it becomes routine occurrence.<\/p>\n<p>In a perceptive reflection, Irene notes how satisfaction gained from an \u2018unimportant\u2019 endeavor has no inherent demands or expectations. For this reason, pleasure isn\u2019t clouded by stresses or responsibilities, and as a result, a lack of pressure ultimately inspires a more frequent level of engagement.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe best way to start anything is like that,\u201d she corroborates. \u201cYou advance quickly because you do it a lot, and the drive always comes from a place of love. The more you open yourself up to being bad or wrong, the more you\u2019re exposed to exciting new experiences. I learned that coming down was OK. Not finishing was fine. All that matters is that you\u2019re making decisions with comfort and confidence. That means a lot in rock climbing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As well as inspiring a consistent level of involvement, hobbyists often approach their chosen fields with an unconventional mindset, unaware of the prescribed rubric and traditional principles. This was especially true for Irene\u2019s photographic ventures, and how she initially chose to engage with the medium.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp_flexbox col2\">\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF6537-1.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"A helmeted woman moves across a steep rock face\" width=\"581\" height=\"363\"  data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/li>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF6763-1.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"Clad in a purple track suit, a woman scales a rock face\" width=\"581\" height=\"363\"  data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><p>\u201cAs it became more serious, I wanted to record what I was doing, and obviously, photography went hand in hand with that desire. I didn\u2019t pick up a camera until I was 27, and when I did, it was completely cold,\u201d she explains. \u201cI had a co-worker selling a load of used camera bodies, so I bought one and went from there.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI sat down, Googled the manual, and read it from cover to cover. When you get into taking pictures from that perspective, you\u2019re not thinking about how it \u2018should\u2019 be done. I just did what spoke to me, and I think that really shaped my voice. It was very instinctive. It produced unique work that most weren\u2019t used to \u2013 very non-traditional.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Following the onset of lockdowns, the entertainment industry effectively shut up shop, resulting in the termination of Irene\u2019s contract. Navigating the fallout was a challenge, but it also represented a catalyst \u2013 precipitating a leap of faith that was ultimately successful.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI felt it was the right moment to properly try it out \u2013 to dedicate my full time and attention to this new obsession. It was a shot in the dark, but I leant into it. I worked hard, and thankfully, it\u2019s paying off.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Irene often features depictions of marginalized identities, irrepressibly framed as they scale towering natural structures. Exploring the narratives of \u2018unusual\u2019 rock climbers has long been a staple of her catalog, and it\u2019s this unquenchable nature that forms the basis of I, Too Will be Wise \u2013 her contribution to our X-H2 launch. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Questioning why vitality and boldness are so often associated with youth, the project studies the discoveries of three middle-aged women as they outline their own sense of adventure. Each photo embodies a wholesome sense of wonder, combining a subjectively appreciated action with extreme close-ups of reciprocal joy, mirrored in wide-eyed expressions, mouths agape.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp_flexbox col2\">\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF0799-1.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"A half-face close-up of a an Asican woman, gazing intently at something above her\" width=\"581\" height=\"363\"  data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/li>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF2784-1.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"A middle aged woman stares passionately at something above her head, framed in a fragmented close-up\" width=\"581\" height=\"363\"  data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><p>\u201cI\u2019ve recently been playing with ideas of women over 40 \u2013 who they should be, and what they do. When I look at what young women are accomplishing, it\u2019s amazing. With that said, a lot simply aren\u2019t in a place where they can achieve these mean physical feats anymore. That includes me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve met lots of fantastic women through rock climbing, and their lives are so different to the lazy, complacent stereotypes we\u2019re often fed. They\u2019re mothers, but still choose to embark on these journeys. They\u2019re career-driven, but have made exploration of the outdoors their core \u2013 figuring out ways where they can still contribute. I never fathomed that for myself. I admired them greatly, and wanted to demonstrate that in these photographs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In Irene\u2019s mind, the marvels of life extend far beyond the media\u2019s preoccupation with fresh-faced twenty-somethings. Conditioned to accept this energy as a youthful enterprise, her pictures contest these prevailing notions of one\u2019s \u2018prime\u2019 \u2013 demonstrating the appetites of awe-inspired middle years, impeccably embodied in rich strokes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think images are incredibly powerful. If we can disseminate art that confronts existing notions of what certain identities can be, we have the possibility to dream, change, and think outside the box. I\u2019m all about opening minds to existence beyond those celebrated periods. There\u2019s so much more out there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For her more extensive photographs, Irene swings and dangles from a self-made chair, hanging adjacent to her subjects as they clamber up and around the bumpy incline. Operating in the Rainbow Canyons of Nevada, Irene also embarked across the Colorado River, documenting the antics of women contentedly operating in their element. More than anything, her lively climbing snaps presented the most taxing test.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF7082-1.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF7082-1.jpg\" alt=\"A woman abseils down a rocky cliff\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2022 \u00a9 Irene Yee | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1\/2000 sec at F4, ISO 125<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><p>\u201cMost photographers are used to looking up, down, and straight at their feet. Here, you\u2019re faced with what\u2019s pretty far below you, or apart from your field of vision. The challenging part is making gravity look right,\u201d she explains. \u201cUse the wrong focal length and your photos are liable to be wonky, or worse.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou also have to pay very close attention to the direction of light. It\u2019s frustrating because it often gets in the way. Pose accordingly. That\u2019s the key. Stabilizing images during moments of action \u2013 that was another huge consideration. It\u2019s all very tricky, but X-H2 was really practical in every context, particularly with the IBIS. I used three amazing zooms \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/products\/lenses\/xf8-16mmf28-r-lm-wr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">XF8-16mmF2.8 R LM WR<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/products\/lenses\/xf16-55mmf28-r-lm-wr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/products\/lenses\/xf50-140mmf28-r-lm-ois-wr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR<\/a> \u2013 to aid manipulability in the moment. All in all, the equipment was excellent.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Down on the ground, Irene\u2019s accompanying portraits are a complementary delight. Focus on the eyes and you\u2019ll notice astounding details \u2013 technical achievements, and wonderfully symbolic reflections of her intentions. Shimmering deep in the pupils of each person sits a mirror-image: each woman\u2019s idea of a personal nirvana.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF8748-1.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF8748-1.jpg\" alt=\"A passionate gaze of an African American woman, gazing intently at something high above her head\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2022 \u00a9 Irene Yee | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF80mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro, 1\/640 sec at F2.8, ISO 800<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF8763-1.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF8763-1.jpg\" alt=\"A fragmented extreme close-up of a woman's misty-eyed gaze\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2022 \u00a9 Irene Yee | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF80mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro, 1\/640 sec at F2.8, ISO 800<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><p>\u201cIt\u2019s about inspiration, but it\u2019s also about portraiture we don\u2019t normally see in these spaces. The happiness is reflected in their expressions, and deeper than that, in their eyes too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wanted to convey joy and excitement. Being able to showcase what those women do, but also what they look up to. For Mardi, it was swimming. Selena finds her peace in outdoor yoga. Tracy\u2019s like me \u2013 she loves being out on the rocks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t think you can ever truly depict that feeling of reverence, but as photographers, we can certainly approximate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Thinking conceptually for her more magnified segments, Irene paired X-H2 with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/products\/lenses\/xf80mmf28-r-lm-ois-wr-macro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">XF80mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro<\/a> for exceptional results. Isolating her subjects in the creamy bokeh of low aperture, detail and intimacy were vital factors in a shallow depth-of-field \u2013 focusing on the eye itself required a painstaking level of OIS, and steady hand to boot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019d never tried this before. Focusing on an eyeball is incredibly hard,\u201d she laughs. \u201cIt\u2019s smooth and watery, and AF usually has a very difficult time trying to center on it. Instead, it\u2019ll gravitate towards something nearby \u2013 like the skin between your eyelashes, or underneath your eyebrow. Thankfully, X-H2 was super helpful in alleviating those problems.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEverything you see here was done wholly in-camera. No edits, no multiple exposures. That\u2019s testament to how remarkable this kit is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Far from the norm, Irene Yee\u2019s route into rock climbing was avid and distinctive \u2013 her channel to photography perhaps even more so. In the reflections and landscapes of these so-called \u2018happy places\u2019, a collective bliss exists for each and every one of these women, and no matter their age, a rare perspective passionately advocates that feeling.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF7201-1.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Photo-by-Irene-Yee-DSCF7201-1.jpg\" alt=\"A woman scales a steep rock cliff, framed against a winding highway\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2022 \u00a9 Irene Yee | FUJIFILM X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1\/800 sec at F4.5, ISO 125<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Irene Yee\u2019s soaring excursions champion the impassioned escapades of midlife adventure Dangling by nylon ropes, a far-off body contorts and twists, rising and falling across expansive rock formations. Shadows zigzag in uneven silhouettes, jaggedly cast amidst crooked columns of ragged sandstone, dry and torrid to the touch. Hanging in mid-air, Irene Yee twists the pop-out [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":65194,"template":"","category":[2084,1006,1202,13039,3211,320,1986,565,7131,8552,8748,8993,7915],"post_tag":[],"b2b-solutions":[],"class_list":["post-65193","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-be-inspired","category-cameras","category-category","category-mirrorless-digital-cameras","category-x-series-mirrorless","category-products","category-x-series","category-stories","category-x-h2","category-xf16-55mmf2-8-r-lm-wr","category-xf50-140mmf2-8-r-lm-ois-wr","category-xf8-16mmf28-r-lm-wr","category-xf80mmf2-8-r-lm-ois-wr-macro"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-03 12:40:30","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story\/65193","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65193"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category?post=65193"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_tag?post=65193"},{"taxonomy":"b2b-solutions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/de-ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/b2b-solutions?post=65193"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}