Taking The Long Way To The Main Range Track, Kosciusko National Park

Earlier this year myself and my friend headed the long way down to Jindabyne via Tumut to tackle the Main Range Track. The Main Range is a 21km-odd track within the Kosciusko National Park taking in everything from glacial lakes to dramatic alpine tors. It had been a while since I had travelled, or hiked, since COVID, so expectations were high.

We found this abandoned service station in Marulan, a former highway town. I love places like this which sum up the Australian roadtrip experience.

We headed off the main highway through some of the smaller towns the highway has forgot, such as Marulan. As always, I’m a sucker for anything abandoned and old, retro and interesting. I was also quite fond of the mix between old and new in Goulburn. I still enjoy this type of photography, seeking out the mundane. When I’m looking for things to photograph, I don’t consider the subject at all, but instead look at things only in terms of shape, line and colour. I have found it helps if whatever I’m shooting is also in direct sunlight.

I became obsessed with signage during this trip, trying to lend a bit of space to my compositions far more than I normally would and ‘group’ elements together.

Here is another example. Once I would have taken out the power lines and additional light in the bottom right, but I think they all work together, almost like a compositional jigsaw puzzle.

Once we reached Jindabyne, to be met with double rainbow over the lake, the forecast was not good for our hike the following morning—torrential rain and thunderstorms. Alas, we woke and the conditions were near perfect heading up to Charlotte’s Pass.

After a close call crossing the river, we headed up to some of the best light I’ve seen in quite a while. My friend and I had been meant to hike New Zealand’s Tongariro Crossing last year, so this hike was to essentially make up for that. I must say, the Main Range Track/Walk was far more scenic than I thought it would be, especially once you got up to Blue Lake and onwards.

The early morning light was fantastic on the Main Range, the cloud sweeping in and out of the landscape.

I struggled with this image for a long time until I realised a low-key black-and-white look would suit it well.

Apparently Blue Lake is 28 metres deep and boasts the freshest water in mainland Australia due to its low salt content. We took the detour down to the water’s edge. It was certainly clear and inviting, but one finger dip into the water told me I’d come out an iceblock if I ventured in for a swim.

Blue Lake had exactly the kind of scenery I was after. The light coming from the right was perfection—It felt like nature’s own softbox. As for swimming, though…

The weather changed quite dramatically the higher we got. We moved into the clouds and the views vanished along with visibility. This made for some of my favourite shots. When shooting traditional landscapes like this, I prefer adverse weather, silently cursing whenever there’s a blue sky. That’s quite the opposite from what I look for with my ‘mundane’ photos, so it’s nice to have both worlds.

This is one of my favourite images from the trip. There is a danger when you open Levels for an image like this and see how dark it is to bring up the whites, but I think it works far better remaining dark and moody. It adds mystery and is far more faithful to the actual conditions.

We hit Mount Kosciusko mid-morning and from there the track improves. There were quite few people heading up the summit, including a few in wheelchairs and even a guy in thongs. It’s not exactly a killer climb. From Australia’s highest toilets and it’s then a looooooong fire trail back to Charlotte’s Pass. At times it seems never-ending, but we made it and headed back to Jindabyne Brewery for a well-deserved drink.

Finally, we wrapped our trip up at Bermagui on NSW’s South Coast. I had seen this spot below on a few social media feeds and had to check it out. At first we could not figure out how to get down to the rock shelf, but perseverance over the headland got it done. It ended up being far easier than we expected. It’s been a very long time since I shot a traditional seascape like this. I got a bit frustrated with the processing. It’s been a while!

This is spot is a photographer’s favourite on the NSW South Coast. As far as seascapes go, it would be hard to find better. In fact, the whole coast around Bermagui is full of dramatic rock formations like this.

Yet again I used the Sigma SD-H for this trip and the Sigma 50mm f1.4 ART for most of the shots, pulling out the 24mm f1.4  on occasion when I needed a wider angle. I was really hoping to see Sigma’s full-frame Foveon camera this year, but I do respect Sigma for holding back on a product they are not completely behind. I have been eyeing off the GFX50R again, so we’ll see if I make the jump.

If you can make it out to the Main Range Track, Kosciusko or any of the smaller towns listed, it’s well worth it. Australia needs the tourism dollar more than ever. Head here to check out the full gallery of images from the trip.

Canola Season In Regional NSW With The Sigma SD-H

Well, who could have predicted what would become of 2020. Certainly not me. I had a big New Zealand trip planned in April, lots of photographic ideas… and then coronavirus. Everything, for everyone, changed, but like all of us I’ve tried to make the best of it. So it was I headed out with the family for a roadtrip to regional NSW right through canola country. Funnily enough, I had no idea it was canola season. It was simply a happy coincidence.

Having never seen canola before, I was amazed at how rich and vibrant the colour was. If I was travelling by myself, I probably would have been pulling over every five-hundred metres.

We started with an overnight stay in Bathurst. I headed out for an early morning walk with my Sigma SD-H and 50mm f1.4 ART. There is so much interest in Bathurst simply walking around the streets. I find that goes for all country towns in Australia.

I think I’ve come to a good place with the Sigma. Ninety-perfect of my shots are taken with the 50mm, though I do pull out the 24mm from time to time for a wider angle (keeping in mind the 1.3x crop factor). It turns out I’m always looking for a little more reach, however, so ideally the 85mm range is probably a better fit for me.

I was saddened to hear Sigma would not be releasing their full-frame Foveon camera this year, but I applaud the company for holding a product back instead of releasing something they weren’t willing to stand by 100%. I’m still keen to see what comes of it next year, or maybe the year after, though I have been eyeing off a Fuji GFX-50R. Stay tuned.

I had my wife pull over so I could shoot this out the car window. There were a group of people out of frame who must have thought I was completely mad, but this is my perfect kind of image these days. Read into it what you will.

From Bathurst we travelled to Wagga Wagga through Blayney, Cowra, Cootamundra, Junee and many towns that were little more than a general store and a pub. I love driving through the streets of these towns and looking for comps. What am I looking for? Anything with visual interest, whether that be lines, form, colour… Something that stands out, or has character. Often I find things too cluttered to pull a composition from, so it can be a trying process to find subject matter that is just right. It’s also very hard to explain to people you’re looking for more than a ‘derelict building’.

A classic Bathurst street scene with the morning sun and the old sofa on the verandah. It really sums up country living for me.

I fell in love with this purple flower only to discover later it’s a fairly prominent weed known as Paterson’s Curse.

We stayed at Belisi Farmstay near Wagga Wagga and it was perfect. If you have kids (or not), I highly recommend a visit. My kids are not terribly used to animals, but loved getting out seeing the horses and collecting eggs in the morning.

I was surprised how far the canola extends and how the colour changes according to the light. In particular, overcast or cloudy conditions actually provided the most interesting light, really spotlighting certain sections of the field and giving them shape. Like I said, I could have spent forever driving around looking up compositions.

The colour of the canola really changes depending on the weather, which did make consistency in psot-processing difficult. I think in the end I simply decided to work on an image-by-image basis and forget consistency altogether.

I lot of people think having a small strip of landscape at the bottom of the frame set against a large sky is part of my style, but it’s more of a function of the limited reach of my 50mm lens.

There’s a lot more than canola out this way, too. We visited the Temora Aviation Museum, the rather delicious (and dangerous or the waistline) Junee choc factory, as well as what is Australia’s most haunted house, Monte Cristo. My wife and daughter were happy to wait in the car for that one.

The shadow of a door handle in morning light. I thought this tied in nicely to the surrounding canola.

Windows wallpaper, anyone? There was no shortage of rolling hills.

With most Australian states closed off to NSW for travel, it seems regional trips like this are the best way to get out and explore at the moment. It’s also a good way to show the kids holidays don’t have to be waterparks and shopping malls.

Head here for the full gallery of images.

I became somewhat obsessed with this abandoned petrol station at Wallendbeen. It had so much character and detail. I must have taken a hundred shots of it from every conceivable angle.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Coca Cola sign so faded as to be almost pure white.

ICM Photography Part II

It’s been a while since I updated everyone on how my ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) is coming along, so here we go. It’s slow going. I’ll take a hundred shots and not use a single one. Sometimes processing with take ten minutes, sometimes ten hours. But it is nothing if not rewarding.

I had been envisioning this image for quite a while, but it took me two or three trips to get just right. This is looking towards the Harbour Bridge in Sydney from the Circular Quay Ferry Terminal. You can see the red and white pylon marker on the left, the iconic yellow and green of the ferry to the upper right. What I like most is the texture, which comes across as a mix between pencil and watercolour.

All of my ICM images to date have featured Sydney. I’ve tried not to rush it and focus on the really iconic parts of the harbour city. It really is a trial and error process, and I’ve come to learn there is actually a lot of technique to the initial capture. It is all about the movement of your wrist motion—the speed, amount of push and pull, spin… It’s not just shaking your camera around in the air, though that can also lead to a good result from time to time. Experimentation is key.

A GIF showing the build-up of this image in post-processing. It’s quite layer intensive, as you can see.

The other important element to making ICM work is to have a defined idea of not only what you want to shoot, but some idea of the composition. I find if I show up somewhere without having thought it through it leads to a scattered approach that doesn’t have a strong sense of composition, which is everything with images like this. At the least, you need a vague idea of where major focal points will be placed in the image before you ‘shoot’.

The Queen Victoria Building in Sydney. You can see the façade of the building in the back, the statue of Queen Victoria to the left and one of Sydney’s new trams moving through the bottom of the image.

I feel like I’m starting to get my own feel as far as ICM images go. Something that has started to change is my use of colour. I’m pushing saturated colour far more than my original images, as you can see in the image of the QVB building above. I’m a big fan of paintings featured strong, vibrant colours, so I expect to see that filter through to my ICM photography as I start to improve and get more confident.

The famous Coca Cola sign at Kings Cross, Sydney. This one took a long time to put together over several weeks and was originally different colours completely, though I felt they made it hard to gauge the subject matter.

Things don’t always go to plan. I had this image in my head of looking up the road towards the Coca Cola sign at Kings Cross, now something of a historic monument, but when I got there I found there were too many trees and clutter obstructing the view, so I had to get much closer than planned. In the end it worked out, as above, but it was certainly frustrating at the time.

Hours and hours spent in Photoshop were required to get this particular image working. Sometimes when you’re not feeling something the best thing to do is simply walk away, which I did… several times over several weeks.

One final piece of advice, for the love of god make sure you correct for dust on the base image before duplicating it and playing around. I often get too excited and forget this basic first step. It means I end up with twenty layers in twenty different orientations and two specks of dust turning into two-hundred. Don’t be like me. Make sure you have a clean file to begin with.

I understand these images are not for everyone. They border on the truly abstract and venture far from traditional photography, but I’m enjoying myself, happy with the results and that should really be all that matters.

Regional NSW With the Sigma SD-H

Coming into the end of 2019 I realised I hadn’t had any photo trips per se. So, commitments aside, we headed off on a weekend road trip to regional NSW moving through Lithgow, Bathurst and Parkes.

This is the Bilpin Fruit Bowl, a spot I remember from many childhood mountain travels. I’d envisioned this shot for a long time but only now have got around to it. Sadly, two weeks later the fruit bowl was mostly destroyed by bushfire.

The initial thing that struck me was just how dry it is out there in the country thanks to one of the worst droughts in Australian history. Many locals we spoke to indeed said it was the worst they had experienced. The rivers, dams and creeks were all bone dry, the land scorched and barren. This created constant dust and haze in the sky, which did make keeping the sensor clean (or not, rather, given how much the clone tool got a workout) interesting.

We pulled into our hotel at Parkes just as a dust storm engulfed the town. I ran across the road and was subsequently sand-blasted taking this shot.

I especially like the banality of these country towns and the unique compositions they offer. We swung by the Parkes Historical Aviation Restoration Museum, which was especially photo-friendly. The texture and details in the planes was exquisite and could have kept me there for hours. Also worth a look was the State Mine Heritage Park in Lithgow, a real hidden gem I personally had never been to before.

The Chinese restaurant is a real country town staple in Australia. I have a particular fascination for them.

I changed my processing a little for these images, using new LUTs I have created, though I can’t say I’m completely satisfied with the consistency between them all. This was made especially hard with the constantly changing sky and light conditions owing to the dust, plus ash and smoke from the NSW bushfires further afield.

The Historic Aviation Restoration Museum (HARS) in Parkes is a must-visit for photographers

As always, I was impressed with the detail picked up by the Sigma SD-H, especially in the textural abstracts I was taking. It’s almost ridiculous how much it soaks in. I did find myself jumping a lot between the 50mm 1.4 and 24mm 1.4 this time, which probably tells me I should be looking into the L-alliance 24-70mm Sigma has just released. I will also be extremely interested to see Sigma’s full-frame Foveon offering in 2020 and what advantages it provides over the SD-H. Increased dynamic range would be most welcome.

Having visited the region many times, I was surprised by how dry the drought has made it

In 2020 I’m hoping to step up my landscape photography and get out to some new places, hopefully international. I still don’t think I have a signature style as such yet, and that’s what I’m hoping to explore, as well as constantly refining and minimalizing my compositions in the vein of excellent photographers like Bruce Percy and David Ward. Here’s to a new decade and new possibilities (and hopefully some rain for this sun-burnt land). See the full set of images by clicking here.

As we were coming home multiple bushfire fronts had sprung up, including this blaze near the Three Sisters at Katoomba. Since then the fires have spread in what has been one of the worst fire seasons on record so far. You can see one of the choppers at work in the middle there.

Tin City, Stockton Beach With The Sigma SD-H

I have many fond memories of the Stockton Beach growing up. Located about an hour-and-a-half from Sydney, access is 4WD only. It’s one of the few beaches along the coast where you can drive along the sand and, to a smaller extent these days, the dunes.

Amongst the dunes is a strange settlement of ramshackle structures known as Tin City. At first, rising from the sand, you expect to see a Stormtrooper and a droid, perhaps an Interceptor, but it’s actually the last legal squatters settlement in Australia.

The ‘city’ started in the early 1900s as tin shacks for shipwreck survivors. In the 1930s it grew out to around 36 huts, around 11 of which stand today, and yes, people were here the day I visited. As I understand it, the huts cannot be sold, but are sort of passed down from generation to generation. Since my last visit 20 years ago, many had been repaired and added upon, some looked pretty well sorted! Fishing seems to be the predominant pastime.

It didn’t stop raining all day, which meant we did have the beach to ourselves, but it did make photography difficult. I was initially disappointed, hoping for blue skies and strong light for the high  key style I use these days, but on reflection I like the way the rain added an ethereal mood to the images. It actually gels very well with the subject matter—lone buildings left out in the elements.

I also shot some of the dunes, focussing on some timber fencing that had fallen (read: been run) over. I like the minimalist feel of these images and hope to return to take more. Of course, the famous wreck was another shoot hot spot but it was, drum roll, underwater when we arrived. Next time.

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New Zealand With The Sigma SD-H

I’ve decided to title this latest series Long White (all images here), not after New Zealand itself, but the cruiseliner we travelled on. I was born in Auckland, have returned many times over the years, but I found travelling this way offered a new and unique perspective. It also provided the opportunity to visit many ports and cities I otherwise would never have seen, such as Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Picton, Akaroa and so on.

Milford Sound offered mood in spades. It’s a South Island must-see.

Once more I aimed to look for the unique in the ordinary and seemingly banal. I’m constantly trying to refine my compositions down, to really simplify them to their most essential elements. It was an interesting journey. In fact, I found a lot of material in the ports themselves, the higher vantage point offered by our balcony provided a sort of aerial view.

There was plenty of visual interest in the ports, the cruiseliner we sailed on offering a high perspective.

Of course, a cruise is also the perfect way to see the sounds of the South Island. We travelled through Milford, Dusky and Doubtful. They are, as you would expect, extremely scenic, especially layered in mist and cloud, the sun breaking through sporadically. If you have never been to New Zealand, and especially the South Island, do make it a priority. There’s endless photographic material.

Finding a way to show the scale of Milford Sound and its towering peaks can be difficult.

Many would say light is the most important element of photography, but I disagree. For me, composition trumps all else, and while great light is nice, it’s not essential to making an interesting photograph. Unfortunately, composition is one of those elements of photography that’s hard to learn, hard to teach and ultimately in the eye of the beholder. I don’t think even in the space of a lifetime you could master it.

My favourite image of the trip, taken in Dunedin. The city itself was full of art and life.

In terms of equipment, I took the Sigma SD-H with the 50mm f1.4 ART and left the 24mm at home. I didn’t find I had need for a wider focal length, so I think the ‘one body, one lens’ idea will carry through from now on. I prefer it this way, getting used to the one focal length and not having to change lenses, to remove one more barrier or choice, of thinking, during a composition. The more I can minimise my gear and photography to its most essential elements, the better.

As usual, the Sigma performed extremely well. The weather sealing on the SD came in useful. For the first time I had to raise ISO during our trip through the sounds owing to the dark, wet, and windy conditions. It was a real test for both photographer and camera.

A tight crop of the image above showing the impressive detail the Sigma SD-H is able to capture.

I also find myself watching a lot of film channels, such as William Verbeeck’s, Negative Feedback and so on, and idolising many film photographers as well. I’m still tugged towards film from time to time, the tones and feel, so perhaps the next trip I will take both the Mamiya RB67 and the Sigma SD-H, to compare and try to settle this once and for all.

The colours here really say New Zealand to me, the green and black and white. I think the fact this crop means the word parlour has a sense of ambiguity about it.

Am I happy with this series? Yes and no. With Broken there was only ever one type of weather: real damn hot and bright as can be. In New Zealand, you could have four or five different weather systems in the space of an hour, the darker and moodier of which don’t work well with the usual post-processing treatment for these images. As such, I worked on the more traditional landscapes as if they were just that.

I guess cohesion is the issue. I wanted a cohesive look to the images, but they seem to be in two camps: modern minimal and LOTR eat-your-heart-out. Still, I’m happy with many of the final compositions. This observational style of photography has really opened up a world of possibility for me, because you don’t need to chase light, so to speak, nor seek out grand landscapes. You’re simply looking for anything of visual interest.

Where to next? I have no immediate plans, but stay tuned. You never know where I’m likely to pop up.

There were plenty of compositions to be found on the ship itself.

These striped pedestrian crossing poles are unique to New Zealand (I think), but it took me a while to find a suitable background for one.

Landscape Photography In The Warrumbungles: A Year With The Sigma DP1 Quattro

I recently spent a weekend in the Warrumbungle region, which apart from having the greatest name ever for a national park, is also ripe with photographic opportunity. We stayed at Coonabarabran, roughly a half hour from the Warrumbungle National Park. Coona itself is five hours from Sydney, so not too bad in the scheme of things. This trip also marked my Sigma DP1’s first birthday, but we’ll get to that later.

The big draw is the Grand High Tops circuit, a roughly four-hour loop that takes in all the famous peaks the park has to offer. The rock formations themselves are remnants of an eroded volcano active 13-17 million years ago. The volcano itself was estimated to be 1km high and 50km wide, so rather large. Standing up there, you can certainly picture it.

The Grand High Tops walk is impeccably maintained. There’s a paved track for a fair heft of the way, new staircases and plenty of rest areas. It’s far from the bush track it used to be. Even the camping facilities down the bottom are first rate. Just make sure you remember where you parked your car…

About 15min into the walk I realised I was going to get some serious blisters trying to break a new pair of boots in, but I pushed on. Suffice to say, make sure you’re prepared with not only proper footwear, but water, food and warm clothing, as it gets quite cold after sunset.

I didn’t realise that the region is dubbed the ‘astronomy capital of Australia’, but at night it soon became clear why. I have never seen so many stars so vibrant in the sky. The Sigma, with its lack of high ISO prowess, doesn’t do astrophotography, but if you have a camera that does, you’re in for a treat.

The main attraction in the Warrumbungles is the famous Breadknife, a thin (surprisingly thin) blade of rock that juts from the earth like something out of Jurassic Park. Rock-climbing is prohibited, but if you’re a crag fiend, fear not. There are plenty of other peaks to scale.

We headed up for sunset the first day where I shot the Breadknife from the top lookout, leaving Coonabarabran the following morning at 2:30am to catch sunrise back at the Knife at 5:30am. A word to the wise, camp at Balor Hut and save yourself the hiking.

Sunrise gifts you with golden light smacking the side of the Breadknife, but you have to be careful, as during certain times of the year the sun is blocked by Belogery spire to the right. I wasn’t aware of this, the sun only making it through by metres, enough to light half of the rock during the best light directly after sunrise. I don’t mind the look, however, as it provides shape to the dome in the background.

At the top lookout you can turn in any direction and find a mighty peak. Here’s Crater Bluff, an imposing peak that looks ripe for climbing. It was lit with the most magical light during sunset, but I wanted a comp a little out of norm. The result is actually my favourite image from the trip.

While the Grand High Tops is great, there are so many other peaks around the area that seemingly go missed, such as Timor Rock right next to the road. One morning we waited for sunrise and drove madly shooting all the peaks we could in the good light. Although the bushfires a few years ago were terrible, what they have done is remove the vegetation from many of these peaks, giving them an alien, spiny look. The lack of trees really allowed you to see the shapes and structures of the peaks unhindered. The new growth coming through is also photogenic in its own right.

Often I find the journey to a destination is just as interesting as the destination itself. The ‘Golden Highway’ is alive with expanse fields and rolling hills, but I was particularly drawn to abandoned structures, such as the motel and train station below in Dunedoo. I took these images handheld and they are perhaps the least processed of any of the shots I took during the trip.

A perfect stop on the way back to Sydney is Lake Windamere with its haunting trees. I could resist a quick long exposure (read: 30sec).

So, what are my thoughts on the Sigma DP1 Quattro after a year then? It truly has been a game-changer for me, putting me much closer to the kind of images I want to take. The detail and dimensionality continue to blow me away, but it is not without its faults. My biggest gripe is dynamic range, especially when the Sony sensors offer so much. I’m hopeful the new SD-H might address this, and a few other issues, such as a viewfinder and exposures longer than 30sec. It will be interesting to see how it compares.

Perhaps the greatest part of travelling with the DP1 has been its portability. It really is a pocket camera, taking up barely any room in my bag but delivering files that rival medium-format. Given its lack of high ISO usability, average screen and so on, it’s very much what I imagine using an older Phase One P25 would be like. I’d love to do a side-by-side some time.

People still look perplexed when I pull the DP1. Sitting next to a Mamiya RB67 on my shelf here it looks very, very small indeed. Honestly, I don’t think fellow photographers take it very seriously at all. Their loss, I say.

As for the Warrumbungles, get there ASAP if you can. The walks are super-accessible and I dare say the view from the top of the Grand High Tops is one of the best in the whole country. It’s ancient, mysterious and complete cat-nip for photographers. Go and see why.

Sigma Quattro DP: Medium Format In Your Pocket

For the last couple of years I’ve been agonizing over a replacement camera for my landscape work. My Canon 5D MkII served me well, but it was time to move on. At one stage I was a mouse click away from an A7R, looking forward to the increased dynamic range, portability and lack of an AA filter. When I started looking a little closer at the kind of photos I wanted to produce, however, I realised what I really wanted was the look and feel of medium format, that depth, detail and clarity you can never get with a 35mm sensor. So, I got serious about an older Phase One, something like a P25+ in the range of $10,000 AUD second-hand with body. I realised it would be no good at high ISO, slow and outdated, but it seemed like the only way to get on the Phase train.

Sigma DP1 - Looking up at orange lichen-covered rocks at Cape Forbin on SA's Kangaroo Island. f10, ISO 100 1/3sec

The Pentaz 645Z popped up. I started looking at the older 645D as well, but both were still a grand investment. This was around the time award-winning Australian landscape photographer Christian Fletcher started preaching the Sigma Quattro gospel. I’d looked at the Quattros before, thought of them as a gimmicky love child of a boomerang and a remote control, but the more I looked at Christian’s Sigma files, the more I could not tell them apart from those shot with his Phase. Even Christian himself admits the Sigma Quattros are ‘medium format in your pocket’ and some of the best value cameras on the planet. When he told me you can happily print the Sigma files up to 60x40 inches without a problem, I was sold. Combine that with a frame and you’ve got a serious piece of art on your hands. It’s certainly large enough for my purposes.

Honestly, the last camera I expected to buy was a Sigma Quattro. I was expecting to pay $10,000 for a medium format camera, not $999 for a glorified compact, but I’m glad I took the gamble. What I’ve discovered since is that Sigma’s Foveon sensor combined with the fixed lenses of the Quattro series provide mind-blowing amounts of detail and a dimensionality (there’s a word for you) much more in line with medium format. It instantly stands out. I look at my Canon files now (anything non-Foveon, actually) and cringe. The Sigma ‘look’ is something that cannot really be defined, but something I believe will help distinguish my images from everyone else's out there. As someone said once, somewhere, in some place, if everyone is headed in the same direction, the only to stand out is to go against the stream. Amen.

Sigma DP1 - The unusual and remote Cape Borda Lighthouse. Defined subjects like this work very well when converted to 32bit HDR files from the DP1 if you want to suck out every last drop of detail. ISO 100, f7.1 1/125sec

ERGONOMICS

To put the Quattro DP1 to the test, I recently thrashed it on a three-day family holiday to South Australia’s Kangaroo Island, staying at the remote Cape Forbin. I took my 5D MkII as well, mostly for shots of the kids, but what actually happened is that the only shots the 5D took were of the Sigma.

The Quattros are fixed lens but come in a few different models. I went with the DP1, around 28mm converted, so wide, but not ultra wide. Much like Sigma’s Art-series lenses and complete brand overhaul, the Quattros share that same Batman-esque, minimalist aesthetic, one that has actually grown on me. Many have been quick to level criticism at the camera’s handling, but once you know how to hold them they’re actually much extremely stable (see here).

The slick styling runs into the menus and every aspect of the camera. It really is a stripped down, image-dedicated machine without fluff like video and 10,000 user modes. It has few buttons and many quirks. For example, shutter speed is limited to 30sec, ISO is only really decent between 100-400 before serious noise and the screen's a bit hard to see in direct light. Once you get to grips with everything, though, and the minimalist approach, it’s actually a beautiful and very simple camera to use.

Almost always looking for maximum detail and DOF without diffraction, it was simply a case of setting focus to infinity on screen, manual mode, ISO 100, a 2sec timer and somewhere typically between f8-f11. With those settings locked in, I found I was freed up to spend more time on what matters—subject and composition.

Sigma DP1 - The infamous Remarkables are massive, the size of houses, and a perfect study in composition. ISO 100, f8, 2sec

This is where the Sigma has improved my photography. I had to work within the constraints of the camera. That forced me to think and to shoot in different and unique ways. It was so refreshing not having to consider what ISO I needed, what f-stop and what lens to grab. All that was removed, allowing me to concentrate on the landscape itself and spend my time poring over possibility,

From the very first image that popped up onto the back of the camera, I knew I was onto something. I don’t know what voodoo is going on in that sensor, how many virgins have been sacrificed putting it together, but it is amazing. Almost like film, I’m dying to get back home and open the files up to 100% just to see the detail gathered—every little pebble, grain and blade of grass. The lack of an AA filter helps, but it’s the fact Sigma has been able to match the lens perfectly to the body that delivers such incredible results. Just look at what they’re doing with those Art lenses of late.

The portability is a thing of beauty. Medium-format cameras weigh a ton, as do DSLRs to an extent. This was like carrying around a feather. My Induro tripod (number six in a long line and the best so far) weighs about five times as much as the Sigma. The two look especially silly combined together, but I like things rock solid. And yes, you can fit the Sigma in your pocket, albeit awkwardly. It just looks a bit… weird. Definitely don’t try it on the subway.

Yes, the tiny Sigma looks very, very silly atop my Induro tripod, but its strength lies in its portability.

It’s all so damn light in the backpack. Hell, you don’t really need a full backpack for it. You’d never guess it either, but the Sigma attracts a lot of attention from other photographers, mostly keen to see what the hell that “doorstop-looking thing” on your ballhead is. True story.

Sigma DP1 - The use of a polariser did away with glare and allowed the camera to see right through the crystal clear water surrounding Kangaroo Island. ISO 100, f11, 1/2sec

PROCESSING

Workflow has been serious issue for most who have tried the Quattros. They key is keeping it consistent. I shoot RAW and JPEG HI together. This allows me to quickly look through the JPEG files back home to see what I want to process before moving into the Sigma RAW editor, Sigma Photo Pro 6.

Much has been written about Sigma Photo Pro, most of it scathing. Many suggest it’s a deal-breaker in terms of speed, but with recent firmware updates I found it fine. You wouldn’t want to process a wedding with it, no, but for landscapes and a small group of files, it’s more than adequate. Speed isn’t blistering, but even with my humble PC it was a non-issue, especially batching.

The software itself is actually quite good. It really makes the most of the RAW files, tampering noise and doing away with the fringing that seems to plague this sensor. The fill-light function in particular is rather magical. Even shadows can be rescued significantly.

For more urban or structured images, I will use the camera’s in-built auto bracketing to shoot +2 0 -1 and then convert this to a 32bit HDR image in PS. It can then be worked on like a RAW file retaining all detail. The clarity slider can be pushed to new extremes in this way. Often, though, I find myself processing a single RAW file, or even using the JPEG if there are no fringing or noise issues that need addressing in SPP.

Sigma DP1 - A handheld shot down by the beach at Cape Forbin. Sometimes I find that when you can't find a comp or something interesting looking ahead, you have to look down. ISO 100, f5.6, 1/100sec

From SPP, I shift over to Photoshop for the bulk of processing. Oddly, I’ve found myself doing less processing than I normally would with these files. I’m also adding a lot less sharpening, actually removing it on the web files in many cases. Colours in particular took some getting used to given they’re much more on point. I use the ProPhoto colour space almost exclusively but sometimes delve into the Joseph Holmes DCAM 3 profiles if an extra push is needed.

Note that the dynamic range of the Quattro isn’t amazing compared to the Sony sensors. It tends to be quite harsh with highlights especially, but this is nothing to worry about if, like myself, you are familiar with blending exposures with the use of luminosity masks and the like. It’s a bit of extra effort in post, but given the extra detail and depth offered by the Sigma, I think it’s worth it. It’s also possible to focus stack, but I found at f8, f11, etc. I had no issues with DOF.

Sigma DP1 - You can bet I was hanging onto both tripod and camera real tight hanging out into the open over this drop. ISO 100, f8, 1/3sec

IN THE FIELD

Because it was winter, the weather was really on and off during the trip. Sun, rain, fog, seaspray, mud… the Sigma took it all on and came out unscathed. It does burn through a lot of batteries (Sigma actually supply two in the box), so I took four with me, but really the kit was super simple—the camera, a cloth and two filters (an ND10 and a polariser in 77mm). I just held the latter against the lens when I needed them, but in the future I might grab some with the right thread. I did have a release for the Sigma, but the 2sec timer was so effective I found I didn’t need it, so don’t waste your money. The ND10 was probably overkill given the 30sec exposure limit, so perhaps consider something a little less savage if you’re a fan of long exposures.

Sigma DO1. Yes, the Sigma does handle long exposures up to 30sec (camera limit) fine with no additional noise. ISO 100, f10, 20sec ND10

I’d read from the internet elite the Quattros were useless handheld, with poor AF and read times that killed any idea of candid shots. Funnily enough, I ended up using it for all the shots of wildlife/kids (same thing, really) on the island. In decent light the AF is surprisingly fast, and accurate. The colour rendering on the Sigma is also much better than the Canon, and the detail… well. That said, it works brilliantly tone- and detail-wise for the porcelain skin of kids, but your SO might not be too happy when you look at the files and can suddenly see every single little wrinkle and pore on their face.

Sigma DP1 - A candid of my daughter Emilie. I actually found AF to be surprisingly good. ISO 100, f2.8 1/320sec. Here's a look below at 100%. Note the detail in the hair above and below the lips and even specs of sand on her face even at f2.8. This is a straight JPEG from the camera. No additional sharpening added.

THE WHY

To wrap up, this is a perfect example of why you can’t always buy into what you read online, especially from keyboard warriors stuck taking pictures of their cats and coffee mugs. Take the advice of those out there using this stuff on a regular basis and be surprised. I know I was. I’m excited about photography again, excited about getting out there and then getting home to check out the tones and detail offered by the DP1.

Sigma DP1 - The Quattro DP1 is especially good in B&W thanks to the tonal graduation offered by the Foveon sensor. ISO 100, f8 10sec

It is said a good photographer doesn’t need good gear, but I think you should still be inspired by the equipment you have. The Sigma has provided this inspiration. There’s a lot it won’t do, but what it does do it does amazingly well. I’m actually going to grab a second Quattro soon in the telephoto range (DP3). I think the combination of semi-wide and tele will allow for most subjects. Stay tuned for more on the Super Sigs soon. In the meantime, check out more images from the trip on 500px.

Sigma DP1 - The grass was especially green after recent rains. ISO 100, f16 1/15sec

Note: If you’re keen on giving the Sigma a go (and for $999 you’d be mad not to), I highly recommend Team Digital in Western Australia. PS: They’re also Phase dealers should you need to forgo a house deposit and grab the medium-format real deal instead.

Note note: I am not sponsored by Sigma (sadly). These are just my honest and truthful impressions of the camera. Don’t buy one. Just like Kangaroo Island, It’s probably best kept a secret.

Sigma DP1 - That water. Second Valley heading towards the Cape. ISO 100, f8, 1/20sec (blended)