Finding the Perfect Combination

4 minute read

Finding the Perfect Combination

Fashion, lifestyle, and travel photographer Kara Mercer talks to us about using FUJIFILM X-S10 with FUJINON XC15-45mmF3.5-5.6 OIS PZ on her latest project and tells us why collaboration is so important when creating

For Kara Mercer, every project begins with a clear creative direction, but beyond that, she puts great value on relaxing and seeing where the session takes her. “I think it’s important to have a plan and a storyline, but you don’t want to be so married to the idea of what the project should be that you never give true collaboration a chance,” explains Kara.

“I’m really into art directing and creative direction, so I always love to have a team working with me, because there’s just something really beautiful about collaborating,” she continues. “By being open to other people sharing their thoughts and feelings about what’s going on around them, or maybe what the creative brief says to them, we all infuse a piece of ourselves into the result.”

To ensure she is engaged with those around her during a session, Kara likes to use a camera that minimizes distractions. “If you’re fidgeting with gear the whole time, it hinders a lot of the connection you can have with your models and your team,” she explains. “So, I’m always a fan of putting things in place that make it easier for me to communicate and be in connection with my team, while at the same time achieving beautiful images.”

The project featured in this article is no different. It is part of a collaboration between Kara and her friend to create a book during lockdown. “It’s a book expressing the emotions we are all going through this season,” she explains. “In a lot of ways, with Covid-19 and all the challenges we’re facing in the world, we’re discovering things that can bring us together and create a lot of beauty.”

Kara describes this further: “You’ll see throughout the whole session that the light changes in various ways. Sometimes it’s really stark and sometimes it’s really soft and golden, it shines a light on things that maybe you hadn’t thought of before.”

Throughout the session, Kara tells us that X-S10 was a great companion – and it all came down to that very same idea of collaboration; taking the best bits from a range of different places and combining them together to create something beautiful.

X-S10 combines X-T4’s 26.1 megapixel X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor, quad-core X-Processor 4 and five-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS); X-H1’s deeper handgrip and simple controls; and X-T30’s slimline, lightweight body. For Kara, this created the perfect mix and the perfect introduction to the FUJIFILM system.

“Everything I shot was handheld and X-S10 was really cool. I love the grip! It felt great to be able to just hold the camera up quickly and get the shot,” she tells us. “I feel like this is a beautiful segue into all of Fujifilm’s camera systems. It was like a mix between X-H1 and X-T30 and it gives you these beautiful color profiles that Fujifilm is so good at.”

This unique color reproduction for which Fujifilm is so well known was perfectly illustrated by the ETERNA Film Simulation mode, which Kara used for all of the images in the set. Film Simulation modes are a selection of digital picture settings exclusive to FUJIFILM cameras. They recreate the look of some of Fujifilm’s most beloved analog photographic films, allowing you to achieve a professional and consistent look and feel straight out of camera.

The ETERNA Film Simulation mode provides beautifully soft highlight and shadow tones, along with a low color saturation to create a cinematic look. “It lent itself beautifully to keeping the warm tones I had throughout the whole shoot,” says Kara. “So I think it will definitely open up more opportunities in the future.”

Overall, Kara tells us that when this color science is combined with all of X-S10’s advanced features, the result is a camera that offers enough versatility to excel in any situation. She particularly highlighted the instant wireless sharing and dedicated video menu for recording 4K/30p video. The ability to create both professional photographs and videos at the flick of a switch, while using the vari-angle touchscreen as a monitor, is perfect for digital content creators.

“I feel like this camera is going to be incredible for any type of vlogger or blogger who needs a lightweight camera to carry on the go. It’s extremely capable for stills and for video, so I think it will be amazing in situations like outdoor lighting sessions, especially as the light goes down.”

FUJIFILM X-S10 is coming soon to your nearest FUJIFILM Authorized Dealer. Learn more and read the full specifications here.

Find out more about Kara’s creative process with this exclusive behind-the-scenes video!


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