Joe Flemming – Bonafide Beards
Triumph Scrambler: Even without a prime lens the Fuji X-A2 was able to get some really nice close up shots while on the @SabieBubbleRun. This photo was taken during a little pit stop along the road of a Triumph Scrambler motorcycle. I’m falling in love with the #TriumphScrambler
Photo by @SoTallRightNow
I was skeptic at first, but in a fast paced life I couldn’t imagine going back to a bulkier camera.
I bought my first real camera when I was in Iraq, back in 2004, I was 20 years old. My job back then with the US Army was to be an infantryman. Meaning I was on the ground every day walking around, sitting in the back of tanks, conducting raids and searches, meeting people and seeing the country. When I first arrived I had a little Sony Cybershot, and I used it all the time. During my time there I decided to upgrade to a DSLR. I had the eye for shots, and the DSLR helped me capture better quality photos.
Bonafide Barbers: I’m like a kid in a candy store with our new barber shop. Lighting and photography was our priority when it came to designing our shop. We wanted to make sure that photos were easy to do here with as much warm light as possible. Photo taken by @sotallrightnow during a storm at @Bonafide_Beards with the X-T1. #BonafideBarbers #BonafideBeards #UrbanGrindRoasters
Since my time in the Army and owning my first DSLR my love and passion for photos has grown more and more every year. I’m clearly not a full time photographer, but no matter where I go or what I do I always have a camera by my side.
What has been difficult for me is the bulk of the camera and all the gear to come along with it. Not being a full time photographer means that I really can’t justify bringing a lot of gear with me.
6 months ago I started using a Fuji X-A2 (and currently an X-T1). At first I was a bit hesitant to use it because it was much smaller than what I was used to and I didn’t think it was going to meet my expectations. I was wrong.
I had to re-learn shooting on this new camera and it was a bit of a challenge. On my DSLR’s I shot on full manual, and with the X-A2 I had to learn my way around a new camera trying to figure out all the buttons. I enjoyed the challenge of learning something new and just about every night I would google/troubleshoot all my issues and they would get sorted out quickly.
I eventually got to know the X-A2 on a very intimate level and I was able to make it work exactly how I needed it to. It came with me and the family on our trips, monthly rides with #BonafideMass, used it with product shoots for Bonafide Beards and what I really fell in love with was the fact that I was able to carry it around my neck while riding the bike.
Mobility
Sabie Bubble Run: @SabieBubbleRun was a motorcycle event that I hosted at the end of last year. It was the second #SabieBubbleRun. Pictured: @Alanshenton leaning down with the rest of the #SabieBubbleRun group riding up Long Tom pass. I had one hand on the throttle, leaning down and over my bike, the Fuji X-A2 in the other hand and all while traversing up a mountain. It was actually quite easy and fun to capture. Photo by @SoTallRightNow #SabieBubbleRun2015 #BonafideEvents #BonafidePhotos #MeetSouthAfrica
In December last year I hosted a motorcycle run called the Sabie Bubble Run. There were 25 of us that went to the mountains, and the theme of it was “If it doesn’t fit on your motorcycle, it stays behind.” We camped, we got to know one another, we talked bikes and most of all we got to ride.
On the second day of the run I happened to sling my Fuji around my neck on the way back from the store. My buddy was riding beside me and I decided to take a pic. When we got back to camp I synced a few of the photos directly to my phone, edited them and realised I was onto something.
For the next 2 days of the run I slung my camera with me no matter where we went. I’m a very skilled and confident rider so riding with one hand and snapping photos of the guys while riding through the mountains
was not a challenge for me. It was a thrill.
There’s no way I’d be able to enjoy my riding and photographing if I was using a normal DSLR. Having a light and mobile Fuji around my neck makes it very easy for me to do what I need to.
WIFI
Along with the mobility of the FUJI, having the wifi capability really changed my life with taking photos. I now had the ability to work with these photos instantly. At our barber shop (here at Bonafide Beards) I’ve been able to take photos of clients that come in, send them to my phone, sync them instantly to my desktop, quickly edit and push them out on our social platforms.
This functionality is vital for our business in providing our customers with quality photos, real time.
First Photo of the Bubble Run. This was the first photo I took while riding on the @SabieBubbleRun. It was at this moment that I knew I was going to keep the Fuji X-A2 slung around my neck for the rest of the trip. Photo by @Sotallrightnow #bonafideevents #Sabiebubblerun2015 #bonafidephotos
