I believe our purpose in life is to be happy
but each of us achieves that state in different ways.
And that is what I look for, to go to the roots, back to the origins
of people and also places.
JOEL SANTOS TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY
EOS R SYSTEM TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY
I'm a professional travel photographer, an author
and a documentaries' producer for TV.
I'm particularly interested in documenting remote places
in our planet, mainly individuals and traditions and people
who are disappearing or whose culture is changing
due to modernity, but also urban spaces that little by little
give place to urbanisation. With that in mind, I try to travel
to countries like Niger, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Mongolia
so, those are the type of places I look for the most.
Actually, there are several things in this system that enthusiasm me.
And the word says it all, system. I cannot talk only about the camera
or only about the lens. Both the body and the lens
were designed for a much higher level
and that's present in the different technologies available.
For example, the new mount is wider, the distance between the last
optical group and the sensor is smaller and the number of the existing
electrical points of contact is also much higher
this is something that has been created with the future in mind.
One of the advantages of the R system is that, because of its mount
the optics' design allows for the light to travel
that is, the way that light travels through all the lenses
to result in less deviations. Therefore, since the light
doesn't need to bend in order to reach the sensor
that chromatic aberration phenomenon and the colour fringing are minimised.
It's reassuring for me that the optics doesn't produce chromatic aberrations
especially when shooting a video, which is very important.
For me, the dual pixel system is the best focus system there is
so, to have the benefits I have, when it comes to focus velocity
from a phase detection system, with the precision of contrast detection.
But it has another specific feature, going back to video.
If I want to make a change to the focus plan
where I go from the first plan to the second one
that transition of focus is smooth, natural, the dual pixel system
gives me that in a spectacular way, which I cannot find anywhere else.
My preferred lens is without a doubt this one, the 28-70 F2, for one reason
it's a dream come true. In just one lens I have a set
of fixed lenses. It's like I had a 28 F2, a 35 F2, a 50 F2
and a 70 F2. And then, there are other things
such as the control mount ring. I can easily rotate and change
my exposure compensation or change the aperture.
The focus system is well optimised in these new lenses from the RF series.
It's extremely fast, precise and above all, quiet.
Another thing that can be overlooked is how the aperture is produced
in this lens. It not only produces 1/3-stop apertures
but also at 1/8-stop. Again, for those that shoot video
and make transitions from very bright areas to very dark ones.
It's amazing how this is achieved very smoothly.
Another lens from my lot of favorite lenses is the 15-35 2.8
with image stabilisation. Not only do I gain another millimitre
compared with my typical 16-35, I also have a lens that opens the 2.8
with image stabiliasation. It's really a unique lens.
In reality, together with two others, the 24-70 2.8 also stabilised
and the 70-200 2.8 also stabilised, they become a "trinity of lenses"
which I would say it's the perfect kit to any photographer, like myself.
And what I'll do while the exposure takes place
is to change the zoom I'm doing.
This lens's zoom is so precise and so smooth that all the lines
become perfectly straight, don't they?
As you can guess, after being fotographing for 16 years with Canon
I have a large collection of lens, not only EF series but also FS series.
Using an adapter, that comes included with the camera
I can use in this camera, without any loss in performance
when it comes to focus and optical quality levels.
Going into more detail regarding adapters, there are three types:
the mount, the control mount ring and the drop-in filter mount.
Personally, I only use the last two.
Regarding the filters, I can insert the polariser, so all my lenses
can be polarised. Instead of carrying three, four filters
depending on my lenses' diameter and when it comes to the ND
which is variable, I can easily obtain longer exposures
and drag the water or people passing by in my framework.
One of the advantages of having the polariser in the back of the lens
and not at the front, is that, for example, I can easily choose
the polarisation I'm setting for this image, while if I had a filter
installed at the front, I wouldn't be able to reach
with my fingers and rotate. Many times, what I did was
take the lens hood out, adjust the polarising filter
and put the lens hood back.
The new EOS R body has several features, which to me are a plus
to my current usage. To start, its ergonomics.
When I hold it, I need to feel that it's secure, balanced and won't slip.
The handle must have good quality rubber to which my fingers adhere
and this ergonomics is also conveyed into the interface
to the buttons arrangement. With a single move from my thumb
I can access to all the functions.
Since all these buttons are also customisable, the EOS R isn't just
"the camera" for many, but it's the camera for everyone using it.
To me, one of the most important characteristics in a camera is to feel
I can trust it, because when you're photographing in a remote place
we obviously cannot afford for the camera to brake down.
And this camera in particular, I've photographed with it in Iceland
at very negative temperatures, and also in Niger, well above 40 degrees
and always in an absolute exemplary way.
Besides, these are two countries where it rains a lot in one
there's a lot of dust in the other, and sooner or later
I will have to change the lens.
Something I really like in this camera is when I take the lens out
to place another one, the shutter curtains remain closed.
So, this assures me there won't be any dust entering the sensor
and I won't have images contaminated by points of dust.
This is a perfectly normal day in Sintra, so...
a lot of wind, but I'm sure this will hold
and we'll take great photos before flying away!
Both the equipment I use and myself are tested at every moment
so, there's this partnership between the photographer
the videographer and the equipment. It has to be a perfect union
and actually, the equipment works like a natural extension of my body.
That is, everything I imagine in my mind, my vision
what I wish to document, the camera works like a lung
like a heart and works in unison. In order for that to happen
I really need that whatever I'm using
is able to do this integration in a simple way.
I can do photography, I can do video, but I can also do timelapses.
In just one body, I have access to every
type of visual expression I need to present my work.