{"id":64525,"date":"2022-02-04T14:00:36","date_gmt":"2022-02-04T05:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fujifilmnxtc.wpenginepowered.com\/?post_type=xstories&#038;p=4199199"},"modified":"2024-05-02T00:42:03","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T15:42:03","slug":"an-olympic-odyssey","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/is-is\/stories\/an-olympic-odyssey\/","title":{"rendered":"An Olympic Odyssey"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"embed-responsive\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/rs6Zz9QLRMY\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<h5>With his distinctive selection of prenuptial portraits, Mio Monasch creates an inimitable sketch of Indian marriage in Washington State<\/h5>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t want to create the best image, just because I can. You need truth. Accuracy. How it felt, smelt, what you saw, what you heard. My values have changed and grown over the years. It\u2019s about people. The experience. The connection. If it\u2019s already there, why change it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Easily pigeonholed, the world of wedding photography is renowned for its airbrushed expressions, brassy lighting and predictable poses. Rather than reproduce the true sensations of the &#8216;special day,&#8217; pictures become fairy-tale devices \u2013 imaginary inventions designed to inhabit mantelpieces, not minds. Comb through the countless Instagram accounts dedicated to the topic, and you\u2019ll see this mundane routine play itself out. The faces are the same. The cultures remain uniform. The enchantment is counterfeit, and for photographers like Mio Monasch, the real magic is lost.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s almost always a stunning model couple, performing the ultimate adventure\u2026 enveloped in this contrived dream. There\u2019s nothing necessarily wrong with that, but I wanted to find some diversity in the subject, and bring it back down to reality.\u201d Encircled by pictorial stretches of moss and humidity, Mio knew that something more characteristic should occupy these glorious pastures. His subjects would have to reflect Olympic\u2019s earthy authenticity, while simultaneously equaling the uniqueness of the surroundings. At first glance, this was a taxing assignment, but Mio was unyielding. When the opportunity eventually materialized, it came in the form of Harish \u2013 a former work associate of Indian origin.<\/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\/02\/Monasch-Mio-GFX100S-GF63mmF2.8-DSF4641.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"An Indian bride touches her groom's shoulder, beginning the 'first look'\" 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\/02\/Monasch-Mio-GFX100S-GF63mmF2.8-DSF4669.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"An Indian groom beams with happiness, observing his wife-to-be\" width=\"581\" height=\"363\"  data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><p>Friends for a number of years, this sense of familiarity naturally favored a more genuine, unaffected approach \u2013 mitigating Mio\u2019s concerns. Keen to celebrate his recent engagement to fianc\u00e9 Sneha, Harish would stress the importance of traditional iconography as the fundamental centerpiece. Mio obliged, and a date was set. \u201cEmphasizing the cultural particulars was definitely part of my goal. Harish is obsessed with Olympic. Like me, he loves the moodiness, the rain, the dark tones. Better yet, they\u2019re an actual couple. They aren\u2019t models, and they aren\u2019t pretending. It\u2019s completely real,\u201d he underlines. \u201cIntroduce the Indian element, and you\u2019ve got something really special. There was so much genuine excitement in the air. I loved being able to showcase something that not a lot of people are used to seeing. I was blown away by the detail, the beauty\u2026 I felt so honored to learn about their process, and help them get back in touch with their roots. It was all very intimate, and I felt completely involved.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Whilst Harish donned a traditional sherwani, Sneha sported a customary lehenga. Floral \u2018varmala\u2019 garlands were exchanged, and elegant henna patterning was spread across skin. Allusions to the habitual \u2018griha pravesh\u2019 were also observed \u2013 a conventional practice involving the dousing of the wife-to-be\u2019s feet in a red dye or \u2018alta,\u2019 prior to her ceremonial introduction into the groom\u2019s home. Complementing Sneha\u2019s dress, crimson petals would mimic the colorant, a striking substitute that bursts in frames of subdued, wintry indifference. A tremendous counterpoint of color produced an arresting visual feast.<\/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\/02\/Monasch-Mio-GFX100S-GF45mmF2.8-DSF5358.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"An Indian bride steps in traditional decorations\" 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\/02\/Monasch-Mio-GFX100S-GF63mmF2.8-DSF4984.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"An Indian couple hold hands during their elopement, highlighting henna, dress detail, jewellery and flowers\" width=\"581\" height=\"363\"  data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><p>\u201cHer attire formed this beautiful contrast with the environment. It really popped. That was the final part of the puzzle,\u201d Mio recalls. \u201cPairing it with these settings was incredible. Take one turn and you\u2019ll see one of the craziest ranges, layers of endless mountain peaks. Take another and end up at the lake, layered with fog and evergreens. It\u2019s so moist, and there\u2019s this weird moss growing everywhere. Then you\u2019ve got the vibrancy of these gorgeous garments, juxtaposed. That distinction really drew me in. I wanted to situate them in a space they felt connected to. It built their attachment, and when you\u2019re photographing a couple, that\u2019s integral.\u201d Echoing the outlook of other portrait photographers we\u2019ve interviewed, Mio draws attention to the importance of cultivating rapport, and choosing the right moment. \u201cThey\u2019re fun, comfortable people. I obviously knew Harish beforehand, so we had something of an understanding. I always look for a trigger that\u2019ll get a couple laughing. With these two, they\u2019re massive fans of The Office. I can quote almost all of that show, so that certainly helped! When we were a little tired, I\u2019d throw a line out, and that would get them going. Some people might consider that cheating, but the emotion was real, and it\u2019s tethered to their relationship. You can\u2019t command laughter. It has to be genuine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Using the <a href=\"products\/cameras\/gfx100s\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GFX100S<\/a>, Mio\u2019s system proved a commendable companion. \u201cAt first, the thought of large format was a concern \u2013 I hadn\u2019t done it before. But this kit felt recognizable. The general dials and components are parallel to what I\u2019ve been dealing with for years, which put me at ease. But the viewfinder, the display, the HDR\u2026 those things blew me away. Being able to see where your focus is\u2026 that\u2019s so important. The 100S made all the difference. You can\u2019t just sit there and hold for a terribly long time, so you need speed. It happens and you\u2019ve got to hit the moment. The 100S is fast enough to do that, but it also has perfect depth. The colors and tonalities\u2026\u201d he pauses for thought. \u201cIt may be a continuation of the Fujifilm tradition, but I think we\u2019ve hit hyperdrive with this update.\u201d When it came to lens selection, an assortment of glass suited Mio\u2019s multifaceted approach. \u201cSome couples will notice me less if I\u2019m further away, and sometimes I\u2019ll be too far removed, and they won\u2019t take it as seriously,\u201d he describes. \u201cThat\u2019s why I had a slew of lenses in my bag. I needed that flexibility. I used <a href=\"products\/lenses\/gf45mmf28-r-wr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GF45mmF2.8 R WR<\/a>, <a href=\"products\/lenses\/gf63mmf28-r-wr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GF63mmF2.8 R WR<\/a>, and <a href=\"products\/lenses\/gf110mmf2-r-lm-wr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GF110mmF2 R LM WR<\/a>. GF63mm was my principal choice. That was the bulk. I love its sincerity. It\u2019s closest to how the human eye perceives the world.\u201d When camera mimics cornea, photographs serve to imitate the closeness of the physical. The subsequent \u2018realness\u2019 of the image draws us in, and Mio\u2019s initial objectives are visualized \u2013 true and forthright. \u201cBecause of the sensor size and the higher aperture, the fall-off looks like real life. It\u2019s matchless. The combination of body and prime feels completely candid, and that naturalism really is something special.\u201d<\/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\/02\/Monasch-Mio-GFX100S-GF63mmF2.8-DSF4634.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"An Indian bride arrives for the 'first look'\" 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\/02\/Monasch-Mio-GFX100S-GF45mmF2.8-DSF5378.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"An Indian couple enjoy the power of the ocean together, during their elopement\" width=\"581\" height=\"363\"  data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><p>Specializing in branding work amongst the great outdoors, projects like these are outside Mio\u2019s usual domain. With that said, he immersed himself in clich\u00e9, and with platitudes in mind, ended up fashioning something completely atypical. \u201cWith photography, we get bogged down in the confines of genre. We\u2019re stoked to be living and working in our dream space, but we also plateau. I\u2019m so grateful to be able to pursue my dreams, but there are definitely days where I feel the repetition. As artists, we get excited when we encounter a learning curve. It\u2019s like drinking from a fire hose, and then the water pressure lessens. When you can find something new, inspiration is rekindled, and you can pass that along to whoever is viewing your images. It\u2019s rare, but you can find it. All you need to do is look harder.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A rallying call to all creatives, the courage to experiment typifies this project. Your sphere may be swamped with stereotypes, but take a step back. There\u2019s always potential beyond the frame.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Monasch-Mio-GFX100S-GF63mmF2.8-DSF4779.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Monasch-Mio-GFX100S-GF63mmF2.8-DSF4779.jpg\" alt=\"An Indian couple adorn each other with traditional wedding flowers during elopement\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2021 \u00a9 Mio Monasch | FUJIFILM GFX100S an GF63mmF2.8 R WR, 1\/640 sec at F5, ISO 1600<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With his distinctive selection of prenuptial portraits, Mio Monasch creates an inimitable sketch of Indian marriage in Washington State \u201cI don\u2019t want to create the best image, just because I can. You need truth. Accuracy. How it felt, smelt, what you saw, what you heard. My values have changed and grown over the years. It\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":64526,"template":"","category":[2084,1006,1202,3113,10414,10512,10463,1937,10169,1055,13039,3701,13040,3505,320,565],"post_tag":[],"b2b-solutions":[],"class_list":["post-64525","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-be-inspired","category-cameras","category-category","category-g-mount","category-gf110mmf2-r-lm-wr","category-gf45mmf28-r-wr","category-gf63mmf28-r-wr","category-gfx-series","category-gfx100s","category-lenses","category-mirrorless-digital-cameras","category-gfx-series-mirrorless","category-prime-lenses","category-g-mount-prime","category-products","category-stories"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-29 13:22:38","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/is-is\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story\/64525","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/is-is\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/is-is\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/is-is\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/is-is\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64526"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/is-is\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/is-is\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category?post=64525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/is-is\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_tag?post=64525"},{"taxonomy":"b2b-solutions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/is-is\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/b2b-solutions?post=64525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}