By using helicopters to explore landscapes from the air, Dinesh Boaz is able to frame a unique perspective on our world that the vast majority of us would otherwise never experience. While this is a big reason he does what he does, for Dinesh, there is much more to it. Despite being suspended high above the ground, he believes the experience helps him develop an even stronger connection with the place he is making images of.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a million photos on Instagram of every place I\u2019ve been to,\u201d says Dinesh, \u201cbut I\u2019m looking to try to tell that story from my own lens and my own view, and I think there\u2019s something special about seeing it from the air.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo many different elements of the natural world fall into play when making photographs, such as the light, the wind, the rain, and when you go up, they become multiplied because they all have an effect on whether it\u2019s safe to fly,\u201d he continues. \u201cSo, I really like that I\u2019m working with the elements constantly and I appreciate that connection with a place a camera can give me.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
![\"Image\"](\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/x-s10-sooc_dinnez-boaz_02-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto \u00a9 Dinesh Boaz | FUJIFILM X-S10 camera and XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR lens, 1\/250 sec at F2.8, ISO 500<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
For this latest project over New York City, the connection he felt through the camera was emphasized by the emotional connection he already had with the area, especially during such difficult times.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy first shoot in a helicopter was over New York City and then I created a bunch of work in the city that kind of developed my style and became what I was known for. So, when I was given X-S10, I was like, I\u2019ve got to go over New York!<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s also a story here, because it\u2019s this beautiful place that\u2019s getting beat up this year and there\u2019s been all this sadness. I thought why not get up in the air and go capture how amazing it is?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto \u00a9 Dinesh Boaz | FUJIFILM X-S10 camera and XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR lens, 1\/160 sec at F4, ISO 800<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Dinesh used X-S10, paired with FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR and XF200mmF2 R LM OIS WR lenses. When combined with the Velvia Film Simulation mode, it made a great setup for the conditions he was faced with.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen getting a helicopter, you want less things to think about, so in a camera I want fast focus, I want good depth of color, and I want good features in terms of basic camera functions,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
Low-light performance was also high on the list. With a lot of Dinesh\u2019s work taking place at sunset or over cities after dark, he needs a camera that can react well to different conditions, both in terms of light and movement.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto \u00a9 Dinesh Boaz | FUJIFILM X-S10 camera and XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR lens, 1\/160 sec at F7.1, ISO 500<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
He tells us that X-S10 and its five-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS) handled such conditions really well. \u201cIn a lot of cases, I have the pilot circle and then try to get directly over a location, so there\u2019s a lot of movement to deal with, but X-S10 was very stable in those conditions,\u201d he explains. \u201cI was able to get the shutter speeds down pretty low, to the point where I didn\u2019t feel like I had to compensate too much to try and keep the images crisp.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was using AF-C and Wide\/Tracking mode and really had no issues, everything stayed super stable and sharp.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was in such lower-light conditions that the Velvia Film Simulation really came into play for Dinesh. \u201cThere\u2019s an image where the sun\u2019s hitting the East River and Velvia has definitely played a part in giving it this tone that I probably can\u2019t create on my own. So, I think there\u2019s something special that happens with that simulation,\u201d he reveals, \u201cit gives me beautiful color and beautiful contrast, straight out of camera.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n