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Chasing new wide horizons at the end of the world

Francesca Dani

Photographer from Italy

We should not deny that a nomadic lifestyle has always filled us with joy.
In our mind, it is associated with escape from history, oppression, law and mundane coercion, to absolute freedom.
And the road always leads to the North.

All of the photos are shot with 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS FISH-EYE

zoom
LENSES 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS FISH-EYE
CAMERA NIKON D810
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 1/1000 sec
ISO 200
EXPOSURE Center-weighted
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

I was born and raised in Florence.
In my 20s, I worked in the fashion industry for about 13 years.
Then in 2011, I left that business for a little break but never went back.

Since then, I have been in various countries traveling all over the world in search of my freedom, building a portfolio of travel photographs at the end of the world.
My life has always been a succession of changes: after working for more than a decade in front of the camera, I now find myself on the opposite side, in close contact with
people's emotions and in a more "spiritual", deep emotional side of the thing. Dealing with travel photography is one of the most difficult jobs: everyone is good at taking
a postcard, very few are able to communicate something deep and important through an image. Photography is an art - indeed it is more than an art, it is the phenomenon in
which the artist collaborates with the sun or with the lights of the stars. Photography is a difficult job that draws on the deepest soul of the person.

zoom
LENSES 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS FISH-EYE
CAMERA NIKON D810
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 1/1250 sec
ISO 1000
EXPOSURE Center-weighted
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

My mission is to make people understand how small human beings are compared to
the Universe and otherworldly nature that surrounds it.

In my photos, you can always find tiny and anonymous human forms in vast empty spaces, to emphasise what a small place human beings occupy on this planet compared to the
infinite greatness of nature. Each person influences another and this goes on, and the world is full of stories, which in reality are always the same, just like mine.

zoom
LENSES 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS FISH-EYE
CAMERA NIKON D810
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 1/1000 sec
ISO 250
EXPOSURE Center-weighted
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

When I look back at my life, it’s like my future was already precisely sketched out: when I was a little girl, I loved the world, the sky and the mountains.

I desperately wanted to see the North Pole, Africa and South America but my family was not used to traveling, both because they could not afford airplane tickets and because they were not the kind of people who loved to travel. I remember that every night before going to bed I spent hours looking at the world map and with my fingers, tracing the paths that I would like to walk when I grew up. My parents tried to convince me that those were only dreams and my future had to be that of a "common person". But I never felt like this. We are all born with a precise blueprint for our future: always believe in your dreams, even if it means doing it alone against everyone's opinions. Find what makes you happy. Find your place in the Universe.

It's just a matter of different points of view and perspectives: like kites that think the earth is attached to a wire.

Our image of the world is incomplete in a truly anomalous way. We see only what we want to see. But a small change of perspective is enough to see the codes of the world in a different light.

The best thing about photography? It can totally change your point of view in life.

zoom
LENSES 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS FISH-EYE
CAMERA NIKON D810
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 1/160 sec
ISO 320
EXPOSURE Center-weighted
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS FISH-EYE
CAMERA NIKON D810
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 4 sec
ISO 160
EXPOSURE Center-weighted
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

One of my favorite places on Earth is North Cape: “the end of the world”.

The name "North Cape" is due to the English explorer Richard Chancellor who landed there in 1553, during the expedition in search for the "Northeast Passage". He died in a shipwreck trying to open the way for future explorers. The Northeast Passage is a naval route that starts from the North Sea, continues into the Arctic Ocean along the coast of Siberia and, across the Bering Strait, reaches the Pacific Ocean. The first to cover the passage completely was the Swedish explorer Adolf Erik Nordenskjöld, who left Gothenburg on 4 July 1878 with the ship Vega. After being blocked by ice for 10 months near the Bering Strait, he succeeded in reaching the port of Yokohama.

zoom
LENSES 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS FISH-EYE
CAMERA NIKON D810
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 5 sec
ISO 200
EXPOSURE Center-weighted
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -
zoom
LENSES 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS FISH-EYE
CAMERA NIKON D810
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 1/1600 sec
ISO 400
EXPOSURE Center-weighted
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

It is not conceivable to call oneself a "free spirit" without being able to risk the jump that separates your reality from your dreams. Maybe you won't make it, maybe you can’t escape from time, not even coming at the ends of the world.

But even if your effort is doomed to failure, you have to push yourself and your spirit over there. Because there are things that cannot be done without reaching the end of the world.

However, the infinite sky always fascinates me and it remains the main subject in my portfolio of photographic images. If I look up at the sky, I can truly see the wonders of a superior and otherworldly world. Each galaxy, star or person is the temporary owner of particles that have passed through births and deaths of entities in space and time. The atoms that make up our body have traveled for millions of years through the Universe; long after we and our planet are gone forever, they will still be part of other worlds and other existences.

We have spent whole centuries searching for a sign of extraterrestrial life forms in the vastness of the Universe, when at the end, those who come from deep space are us.

zoom
LENSES 12mm F2.8 ED AS NCS FISH-EYE
CAMERA NIKON D810
DIAPHRAGM F2.8
SPEED 2.5 sec
ISO 800
EXPOSURE Center-weighted
PHOTOMETRY -
BRIGHTNESS -
PHOTOMETRY -

In my life I have traveled almost all over the world but firmly believe that on Earth there are places that call us with great strength, across the borders of space and time.

We human beings do not yet have the capacity to understand the reason, but even before having been to those places, we know that by following their call, we will find a piece of the story about who we are. There are places on Earth that are never just "those places": without knowing it we have brought them inside our souls for a lifetime and one day, by chance, we get there.

Francesca Dani

www.francescadani.com

After a career as model, Francesca Dani is now a renowned professional photographer, who focuses on Arctic landscapes and the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. She has exhibited in Rome, Paris, New York and London, and led photo-tours in Lapland and Ukraine for several years. Francesca is based in Florence, Italy, but spends around 10 months a year in Lapland. Her pictures outline wide stretches of nature, compared with the smallness of human presence. Her work can be seen on www.francescadani.com

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Samyang’s Guide to Achieving the Optimal Angle of View

The perfect spacing and distance are always necessary when shooting all kinds of subjects, including people, to give them a proper relationship with the beautiful space around them. So, what’s the exact distance that helps you best appreciate a work of art, or a photo?

The correct answer is the diagonal length of the full frame of a subject.

표준화각 자료 이미지
표준화각 자료 이미지

The best standpoint from which to appreciate the full view of a subject is the distance of the diagonal length of the subject frame. This wider angle is superior to standing closer at a 50 degree angle to get a more detailed view. This notion of an ideal distance or view point is also applicable in the world of photography.

For still images, keeping a distance equal to the diagonal length of the full image surface is recommended. The full frame sensor of a digital camera is 36 x 24mm and the diagonal length is 43.26mm so any distance close to this number is nearer to the ideal than the currently accepted industry standard of 50mm.

Back when film cameras were common, 45mm was the industry standard and this continued as reflex cameras needed extra space to fit a mirror. However, as mirrorless cameras become more popular again, there has been a need to return to this industry standard…which is the impetus for the Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE. With less distortion than a 35mm lens and wider angles than a 55mm lens, the Samyang AF 45mm F1.8 FE is a perfect lens for portraits, landscapes, architecture photography, and pictures of pets.

What is Preset Aperture Control Function?

On the Preset Aperture Control function, the aperture blade operates smoothly like a "De-clicked lens", which is advantageous for video recording.
Fujifilm cameras are engineered to control the aperture according to the minimum exposure value(F-stop), so when the camera controls the aperture, it blinks momentarily to set the proper exposure.

AF 75mm F1.8 X intentionally disconnects the communication with the camera body and the lens itself on the Preset Aperture Control function, so it is possible to smoothly adjust the exposure without flickering. ISO and shutter speed are adjusted according to the changed exposure by controlling the aperture, so the exposure value can be changed even with the 1/2 F-stop.

What is Preset Aperture Control Function?

On the Preset Aperture Control function, the aperture blade operates smoothly like a "De-clicked lens", which is advantageous for video recording.
Fujifilm cameras are engineered to control the aperture according to the minimum exposure value(F-stop), so when the camera controls the aperture, it blinks momentarily to set the proper exposure.

AF 75mm F1.8 X intentionally disconnects the communication with the camera body and the lens itself on the Preset Aperture Control function, so it is possible to smoothly adjust the exposure without flickering. ISO and shutter speed are adjusted according to the changed exposure by controlling the aperture, so the exposure value can be changed even with the 1/2 F-stop.

What is Recommended Settings for Preset Aperture Control Function?

The Preset Aperture Control function operates only when shooting video(Movie mode) and the focusing mode of the camera is set to AF mode. Please set the aperture at f/1.8 before switching the "Custom Switch" to "Mode 2. It is recommended to set the "Exposure mode" as A mode (Aperture Priority AE) or M mode (Manual Exposure).

* How to use the “Preset Aperture Control” function?

1) Camera Body Setting
      AF Mode → Video Mode ('A' or 'M' mode) → Set the Aperture @F1.8
(2) Lens Setting
      Switch your "Custom Switch” to “Mode 2(M2)"
(3) Now, you're ready to use the Preset Aperture Control function with your focus ring

What is Recommended Settings for Preset Aperture Control Function?

The Preset Aperture Control function operates only when shooting video(Movie mode) and the focusing mode of the camera is set to AF mode. Please set the aperture at f/1.8 before switching the "Custom Switch" to "Mode 2. It is recommended to set the "Exposure mode" as A mode (Aperture Priority AE) or M mode (Manual Exposure).

* How to use the “Preset Aperture Control” function?

1) Camera Body Setting
      AF Mode → Video Mode ('A' or 'M' mode) → Set the Aperture @F1.8
(2) Lens Setting
      Switch your "Custom Switch” to “Mode 2(M2)"
(3) Now, you're ready to use the Preset Aperture Control function with your focus ring

[What is Dolly Shot? How to shoot easily]

[What is Dolly shot?]

A dolly shot, also referred to as a tracking shot or trucking shot, is a camera movement technique used by cinematographers to track and follow a subject in motion. To achieve this, the camera is mounted on a device called a "dolly," which facilitates smooth tracking movement. The dolly can move in front of, behind, or alongside the subject, which can be a person, a location, a product, or any other object of focus in the frame. Through this, you can control the emotional distance between the subject and the viewer by highlighting the audiovisual and dramatic effects.

[How to take a Dolly Shot simply by handheld]

Tip. If the moving distance is long, the camera may shake, so please shoot at a focal length between 35 and 100mm.
1. Stand at a distance of about 1.5 to 2 meters away from the subject.
2. Set the custom switch to MF and Mode 3 and adjust the focal length to about 100mm.
3. After focusing on the subject, set the aperture to F8~16.
4. Slowly turn the zoom ring to the left (towards the wide-angle end) while using your upper body and arms to move the camera toward your subject.
5. Dolly Shot complete!
※ When shooting from a farther distance from the subject, use a cart or gimbal for more stable shooting.

DSLR / Full Frame
1D X Mark Ⅱ
1D X
1Ds Mark Ⅲ
1Ds
5DsR
5Ds
5D Mark Ⅳ
5D Mark Ⅲ
6D Mark Ⅱ
6D
DSLR / APS-H
1D Mark Ⅲ
1D
Mirrorless / APS-C
M6
M5
M10
M3
M2
DSLR / APS-S
7D Mark Ⅱ
7D
80D
70D
60D
30D
D60
D30
77D (9000D)
760D (8000D / Rebel T6s)
1300D (Kiss X80 / Rebel T6)
1200D (Kiss X70 / Rebel T5)
200D (Kiss X9 / Rebel SL2)
800D (Kiss X9i / Rebel T7i)
700D (Kiss X9i / Rebel T7i)
100D (Kiss X7 / Rebel SL1)
650D (Kiss X6i / Rebel T4i)
600D (Kiss X5 / Rebel T3i)
550D (Kiss X4 / Rebel T2i)
500D (Kiss X3 / Rebel T1i)
1000D (Kiss F / Rebel XS)
450D (Kiss X2 / Rebel X냐)
DSLR / Full Frame
D850
D5
D810A
D4S
D810
D750
Df
D610
D4
D800
D800E
D600
D3s
D3x
D700
D3
DSLR / APS-C
D7500
D3400
D500
D5600
D7200
D5500
D3300
D7100
D5300
D5200
D7000
D300s
D300
DSLR / Full Frame
Z6
Z7
D810A
D4S
D750
D810A
DSLR / APS-C
D7200
D500
D3300
D5500
D5600
D3400
D7500

* Cameras released within 5 years from 2019 are tested.

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