{"id":64006,"date":"2021-09-24T14:00:18","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T05:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fujifilmnxtc.wpenginepowered.com\/?post_type=xstories&#038;p=4192933"},"modified":"2024-05-02T01:07:58","modified_gmt":"2024-05-01T16:07:58","slug":"intimacy-at-a-distance","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/stories\/intimacy-at-a-distance\/","title":{"rendered":"Intimacy at a Distance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><h5>The XF33mmF1.4 R LM WR helps street photographer Derek Fahsbender find some much-needed closeness<\/h5>\n<p>What do you tell a photographer whose entire approach demands the emotional intimacy of physical proximity, when he finds himself in the middle of a global pandemic? You tell him to try a longer lens.<\/p>\n<p>This was the life-changing experience of Derek Fahsbender, a street photographer based in usually bustling New York, when he was given the opportunity to test the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/products\/lenses\/xf33mmf14-r-lm-wr\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FUJINON XF33mmF1.4 R LM WR<\/a> earlier this year. He collected scenes as the city finally began to burst back into life \u2013 and relied on the new lens to do it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cChildhood snapshots are a big part of my inspiration,\u201d Derek reminisces. \u201cMy mother would take pictures at special occasions, and we ended up with shoeboxes full of 6&#215;4 prints. I always enjoyed looking back at those memories \u2013 and piecing everything together. It gave me a real love of documenting moments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone remembers the big events,\u201d Derek continues. \u201cBut, to me, it\u2019s just as powerful to look at an image from a random Tuesday in September 1997. I find such huge value in photographs that other people might look at as just an everyday scene.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s what I want in my street photography \u2013 to go beyond the postcard snapshot, into the lives of the people that make New York City what it is. I like telling the untold story.\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\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-1.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"Shirtless man standing in New York City fountain with his head in a jet of water\" 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\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-2.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"Elderly man walking by closed New York City store front\" 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\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-3.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"Man in white crossing empty New York City street at dusk\" 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\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-4.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"Two women enjoying meal outside empty restaurant\" width=\"581\" height=\"363\"  data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><p>While some may pick off the details of the urban landscape from afar, Derek\u2019s approach takes him much closer. He believes the best street photos come from the two-way connection between himself and a subject. In a way, the camera freezes these emotions in time. The results, as it\u2019s plain to see, are special.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was walking yesterday and saw a perfect moment. An older lady in the doorway of a restaurant, lit with this gorgeous, directional red and yellow light,\u201d says Derek. \u201cI thought, if I had a telephoto lens, I could just get the frame right here and now. But then I considered my approach and started questioning what makes images interesting to me. More often than not, it\u2019s intimacy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t believe I can capture emotions from across a street. If I ever do, it\u2019s just by chance \u2013 it\u2019s not an emotion related to our interaction. Those photos can still be interesting, but it\u2019s the closeness that brings the images full-circle for me.\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\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-5.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"Hooded figure with umbrella standing next to fallen New York City street sign\" 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\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-6.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"Man cycling in New York City traffic\" 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\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-7.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"Woman in black dress carrying a tote bag reading I hate leaving New York\" 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\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-8.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"White-haired man sitting at outdoor dining table with his small dog beside him\" width=\"581\" height=\"363\"  data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><p>It\u2019s no surprise, then, that for much of his career Derek has avoided lenses even beginning to approach a standard focal length. Since laying eyes on the XF33mmF1.4, with its perfect 50mm equivalence, his outlook has been reframed. However, he didn\u2019t concede easily.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you get the opportunity to use a new product, you want to make some nice photos, but you also really want to test it and see what it\u2019s capable of,\u201d Derek explains.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor me, that meant working wide open a lot of the time. I always say, the out-of-focus areas are just as important as what\u2019s in focus. When you look at a painting, you look at the entire frame, and I treat my photos the same way. The XF33mmF1.4 is so fast, the depth-of-field becomes incredibly shallow, and it really marries the subject and background beautifully.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Derek was just as impressed with the massive resolving power of the lens. Although he doesn\u2019t obsess over pixels, it\u2019s clear that quality glass is something he relies on for more practical purposes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI generally work in the higher end of the ISO range. ISO 6400 is often a minimum \u2013 at night, it can be 10,000 or beyond. Virtually any lens will perform under optimal conditions, but in more challenging circumstances like these, you really need the integrity there.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019d say what Fujifilm has done here is take some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/products\/lenses\/xf35mmf14-r\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">XF35mmF1.4 R<\/a>\u2019s magical characteristics, and put them in an even more technically sound form. The images it produces give me the same feeling of looking at film photos. There\u2019s a lot of resolution, but without a clinical look.\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\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-9.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"Row of New York buildings silhouetted against pink evening sky\" 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\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-10.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"Small crowd crossing bridge in New York park at dusk\" width=\"581\" height=\"363\"  data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><p>In addition to his love of nostalgia, another element from his formative years draws Derek to the streets of New York City.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome of my earliest memories are of that gritty romanticism,\u201d Derek enthuses. \u201cIt\u2019s not like my mother was overly protective, so it was really fascinating to be a part of \u2013 and that rush was great.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI love the lack of preparation that comes with street photography. You have to know what you\u2019re doing in a general sense, know what to look for, and forecast the action \u2013 but you\u2019re never fully ready.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Documenting any sudden opportunity successfully, and working with a setup you can rely on, go hand-in-hand. Coupled with his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/products\/cameras\/x-pro3\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">X-Pro3<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/products\/cameras\/x-t4\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">X-T4<\/a>, Derek found the XF33mmF1.4\u2019s autofocus capabilities virtually flawless.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s fast, it\u2019s quiet, it\u2019s very accurate,\u201d he says. \u201cIn low light, with the aperture wide open, I need to be able to lock onto a subject in an instant. At other times, when I\u2019m right up on somebody who isn\u2019t aware of me yet, I need it to be silent. It\u2019s perfect for the streets in that sense.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019s also the weather-resistance, which you can\u2019t underestimate. The conditions I want experience is the high-drama stuff, not a sunny, 75-degree day.\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\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-11.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"Historic bridge in New York City under dramatic rain clouds\" 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\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-12.jpg?width=581&#038;height=363\" alt=\"New York skyscrapers against dark, cloudy sky\" width=\"581\" height=\"363\"  data-recalc-dims=\"1\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><p>Of course, a lens like this can go so much further than just one genre of photography \u2013 and nobody knows that better than a seasoned professional like Derek.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe challenges of the street really prove the XF33mmF1.4\u2019s worth, but any lens that can create such a beautiful image \u2013 with technical chops on par with the very best of today\u2019s glass \u2013 is certain to go a long way.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not hard to see why the FUJINON XF33mmF1.4 R LM WR managed to broaden Derek\u2019s horizons.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-13.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/fujifilm-x.b-cdn.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/DEREK-FAHSBENDER-INTIMACY-AT-A-DISTANCE-13.jpg\" alt=\"Silhouette of man cycling through steam at sunset in New York\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo 2021 \u00a9 Derek Fahsbender | FUJIFILM X-Pro3 camera and XF33mmF1.4 R LM WR lens, 1\/340 sec at F5.6, ISO 160<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><p>\u201cIt was a beautiful change in my work, especially after a year of limited intimacy and not being able to get close to my subjects. I could have the interactions I wanted, and not eliminate the background in my framing. The environmental aspect of my portraits is very important to me.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c50mm is such a widely regarded street photography focal length, but one I\u2019d never gravitated towards,\u201d Derek concludes. \u201cI wanted to experience the magic everyone else does at this length \u2013 and I did!\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"embed-responsive\"><iframe width=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0qs8Wy1gvbg\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The XF33mmF1.4 R LM WR helps street photographer Derek Fahsbender find some much-needed closeness What do you tell a photographer whose entire approach demands the emotional intimacy of physical proximity, when he finds himself in the middle of a global pandemic? You tell him to try a longer lens. This was the life-changing experience of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":64007,"template":"","category":[2084,1006,1202,1055,13039,3211,13040,3309,320,3162,1986,565,6690,6886,8307,7278],"post_tag":[],"b2b-solutions":[],"class_list":["post-64006","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-be-inspired","category-cameras","category-category","category-lenses","category-mirrorless-digital-cameras","category-x-series-mirrorless","category-prime-lenses","category-x-mount-prime","category-products","category-x-mount","category-x-series","category-stories","category-x-pro3","category-x-t4","category-xf33mmf14-r-lm-wr","category-xf35mmf1-4-r"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-30 04:06:47","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story\/64006","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64006"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category?post=64006"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_tag?post=64006"},{"taxonomy":"b2b-solutions","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fujifilm-x.com\/lt-lt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/b2b-solutions?post=64006"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}