MARDEE MAREE – Who am I?
Warning: The following facts are loosely based on experiences and lessons from a lifetime of over indulgences, humorous puns and obscene use of adjectives that makes up the life I live.
Im a coastal guy, raised in Jeffreys Bay, always been interested in all forms of art. Although my roots in photography weren’t forged at birth in the fires of Mordor. My Formal training only started in the mid 2000s in London while I was your average basement IT geek.
My support strategy was the cliched – “have you switched it off and back on again?”
Which sadly also rang true for the support I received from previous camera brands. I am so proud to say that the friendly Fujifilm staff and personal service is only ever a phonecall away.
My Journey with Fujifilm, starting with the X-T1, then onto the X-T2 and a few test units in between has spanned over 5 years and more than 400 000 problem free shutter releases.
I don’t believe in perfect images or perfect lighting – I truly feel each light source has its own personality you need to click with (pun intended). The tools we use to translate those conversations are what truly makes us unique – if your camera can’t interpret what your imagination captures, then believe me, no amount of post processing will either.
As childhood develops into manhood then slowly advances back into immaturity – life’s strongest memories are sometimes captured in the last places we expect to attain them. My first step over that ridge of immaturity was that first click – as that image you just captured exposes itself for a moment of bliss before you take your eye away from that glorious EVF. You cant help but smile a deep gratifying smirk or even a giggle, followed by a shake of your head in disbelief that what you hold in your hands can finally, truly capture your imagination – and I challenge anyone out there to say that isn’t exactly how their love affair with their Fujifilm started!
My mission is to evoke emotion and tantalize with colour and quality, which obviously drove me to my obsessive relationship with Fujifilm…
In the battle that rages, burning film and pillaging shutters – a true hero will emerge.
One who holds his glass up high, dreaming of sweet emulsions, whispering promises of a clearer, crisper future.
A stroll through his mind will conjure up images of saturated landscapes and the sweetest of bokeh trickling its way through autumn leaves. Golden beads of light washing across his sensor,
breathing life into images. Light gleaming off his graphite armour arousing the senses as it drapes along the clean lines of his body.
He is the Fujifilm X-T2, Leader of the Mirrorless Revolution. With whom I’ve shared my fair share of selfies, portraits, portfolio and fashion work with I might add. I over indulged in my purchasing of lenses, but would say that the 50-140mm F2.8, 56mm F1.2 and even the wide 10-24mm F4 have been my staple diet for roughly 99% of my work.
If I could give advice to anyone taking the glorious leap into the X-series of cameras it would be this…
Mardee Maree
Instagram: www.instagram.com/mardeemaree
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mardeemaree
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mardeemaree
Website: www.shoot2print.co.za
