I am Ab Sesay, a multidisciplinary commercial advertising photographer, and creative producer/director. In my line of work, I blend the ability to analyze ideas, technology, and resources to educate those interested in upping their lighting game on how to get to the next level. Now that you know a bit about me, let me share why I chose a Fujifilm GF zoom lens as a must-have. But before I do so, let me speak about gear in general and why a photographer ultimately chooses their kit.
Does Gear Matter in Photography?
As photographers, our creative choices, gear, tools, and equipment directly affect the outcome of our images. A question I get asked every year is, does gear matter? The answer to that is yes. Do your creative choices matter more? The answer is sometimes. Yup, I said it. A scientist photographing the moon for scientific purposes or a museum curator photographing a piece of art for archival purposes is very similar.
Take the Fujifilm GFX 100 II, for instance. This camera will produce a higher-quality image than the iPhone 15 Pro Max. But if you put both of these tools into the hands of a content creator looking to do an on-the-street interview, the iPhone or the GFX may be insignificant. Of course, we question quality, the energy presented, and how engaging the subjects are. In my opinion, gear cannot fix poor narratives or a terrible creator. But it does feel good to hold. I mean, they call it a tool for a reason.
Photo by Ab Sesay using the Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4 R LM WR Zoom Lens
Which Lens Do I Recommend for GFX Photographers?
The most important question to ask is what gear will elevate your idea. As a photographer, my camera of choice is the Fujifilm GFX 100 II for fashion, editorial, and portrait work. And the first lens I would recommend to anyone that uses this camera is the Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4 R LM WR Lens. For those unfamiliar with medium format cameras and lenses, this is equivalent to a focal length range of 36mm and 79mm on a 35mm format system.
When shooting fashion and portraits, I find that a 45mm focal length makes getting full-body shots easy without much distortion. At 100mm, it is an exceptional option for beauty photography. Making it work for all kinds of genres. This lens also has an aperture of f/4, and on a GFX sensor, it is similar to f/2.8 when talking about the visual depth of the field.
Photo by Ab Sesay using the Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4 R LM WR Zoom Lens
The Creative Process
So, before diving more into gear, let us talk about my creative process. The first question I ask myself is, am I looking for images, or am I simply the observer waiting to capture something in front of me? Over which I will have little to no control? Or is it my job to completely control the situation and deliver an image based on a brief?
When it comes to being the observer, I like the simplicity of a prime lens. With a prime, I know my field of view before I even take a photograph. Positioning myself in the right place is part of the excitement, even if I walk away with a single image. But when it comes to commercial work or fashion and beauty jobs where efficiency is sometimes more important, I LOVE Zoom lenses! In the same way, I love autofocus.
Practice Shooting with Your Gear
Sometimes, I may find that a model may have a particular pose. My goal at that moment then becomes to capture all kinds of compositions. Therefore, accomplishing a wide, tight, and medium shot is Key. Having a Zoom lens that is versatile, compact, and includes a 5-axis image stabilization becomes the perfect tool for this. Knowing I will have sharp images throughout the photo shoot with camera shake. Changing lenses would mean either the model needed to hold the pose or you could lose the pose altogether.
Good models can recreate the pose, but people lacking experience and awareness in front of the camera will have a hard time. It intensifies when working with young children or animals. There are even situations where portrait subjects may only sit for 30 seconds, and spending 5-10 seconds to change a lens could consume valuable time you could use taking images.
Why Focal Length Matters
Photo by Ab Sesay using the Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4 R LM WR Zoom Lens
45MM Focal Length
Take a look at this image above where I placed the model in front of a red textured background, zoomed out. It allowed me to capture many different crops handheld, and kept its consistent performance. I wanted to achieve a fashionable look, setting my focal length to 45mm (36mm equivalent on a 35mm format camera), knowing I would get a seamless shot of her. It allowed me to capture her complete, showing no signs of warping, providing tack sharp images.
Photo by Ab Sesay using the Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4 R LM WR Zoom Lens
65MM Focal Length
For this shot in particular, I wanted to get a tight shot of the model with her hair blowing. It didn’t bother me that her hair was in her face since I ultimately wanted to show movement. I photographed her at 65mm (51mm on a 35mm equivalent) and got a clean beauty shot. If this was intended for a campaign shoot, I would still have plenty of room for text and title. I also may be biased, but it’s a classic look for any cover shot.
Photo by Ab Sesay using the Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4 R LM WR Zoom Lens
51.8MM Focal Length
I asked the model to produce another position, knowing I wanted to reframe her entirely. On set, I am constantly thinking of the next crop, and naturally, a three-quarter image followed after. I took this image of the model on the distressed red background at 51.8mm (41mm equivalent), Which enabled me to capture three different crops simply within moments.
My overall thought process throughout my time photographing a model is to get all kinds of looks for better storytelling. I have been a photographer for some time, so getting all angles and compositions is always necessary. For yourself, the model, and if you are working with a client. It matters because the options of how you choose to frame can work for what they need.
Photo by Ab Sesay using the Fujifilm GF 45-100mm f/4 R LM WR Zoom Lens
Behind the Scenes Frame
I wanted to insert this behind-the-scenes photo to showcase the lighting, as it was particular. You will see that there is very little room for me to move around to achieve different crops, even if I wanted to use a single lens for this shoot. The light was behind me the entire time, and having moved the light and its position relative to the model would have completely changed the look of the shoot. From this angle, you can see how simple this shoot was and how stunning the images came from it.
In Conclusion
The Fujifilm GF 45-100m F/4 R lens is the first lens I would buy for the Fujifilm GFX system if I were shooting commercial fashion and beauty images. I find it sharp edge to edge, has excellent color, and pairs nicely for video shoots. So, out of all the lenses I own, it is my most used lens for a reason.
