Steve Day
Hello, my name is Steve Day, and I am a self-taught amateur Fine Art Photographer from Melbourne, Australia.
I have had a camera since I was given my first one when I was around ten years old, a Kodak Instamatic 56X. I have owned a variety of compact cameras along the way, but it wasn’t until I purchased my first DSLR in 2013 that I started to take photography seriously.
I have tried different photograpy genres like macro and landscapes, but I eventually fell in love with black-and-white fine art architectural photography.
I often shoot long exposures, and I am also drawn to minimalist compositions. At times I experiment with creating abstracts in my post-production work.
My favourite approach to photography is just to wander and explore while either travelling or just around my hometown.
Sometimes I research and plan a visit to a certain location or building, but often I stumble across an amazing building or urban setting with great light that I hadn’t planned on.
The Nikon D750 has been my camera of choice for a few years now. I upgraded from my first DLSR, which was a Nikon D3100. The Nikon D750 has been a fantastic camera for my architectural work.
Recently I acquired a Fujifilm X-S10, which is my first leap into the mirrorless world, and it has quickly become my favourite camera for travelling because of its compact size and weight compared to the D750.
The Tamron SP 24-70mm F/2.8 lens is what I prefer with the D750, as this combination has served me well with my architectural fine art photography.
I also have a Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Macro lens for the D750 for the rare times I like to play around in the macro world.
The Fujifilm X-S10 is now my primary travel camera, and I combine it with the Tamron 18-300mm F/3.5-6.3. I have found this lens to be a great all-around option for my architecture work while travelling and the occasional sea or landscape.
My most recent acquisition is a Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 lens. I always wanted a wide-angle lens for my architecture work as I sometimes felt constrained when in tight spaces in cities.
For my long exposure work, I use Formatt-Hitech Firecrest ND filters. I have three, six and ten-stop 100mm filters and a holder along with a circular polariser. These let me get those long-stretched clouds or smooth, silky water, which give a sense of surrealism to my work.
I use a Manfrotto 290xtra Tripod with a ProMaster SPH36P Ball Head. This is a carbon fibre tripod and is a great balance between sturdiness and weight.
I also have a Vanguard VEO 265CB Tripod, which is a great addition to my kit as it is good for travelling, being compact and lightweight.
To carry my gear while out exploring, I have a Lowepro Transit Sling 250 AW. I love how the sling gives me easy access to my camera and has plenty of space for the gear I need, and it is not too large.
I use a Peak Design Cuff Camera Strap for when I am wandering around exploring, as I like to keep my camera in my hand, ready to go.
As a fine art photographer, most of my creativity occurs in post-production, where I use Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. I have slowly improved my Photoshop skills, and now most of my post-processing is done in Photoshop.
An essential element in my post-processing is the wonderful B&W Artisan Pro X plugin for Photoshop created by Joel Tjintjelaar. I use this for all my architectural work as it allows me to express my artistic vision without having to know too many of the intricacies of Photoshop.
As much of my creative time is spent in post-processing, I use a Wacom Intuos Pro Tablet. This allows me much finer control when working on intimate details than when using a mouse. I also have a BenQ SW270C Monitor, which is fantastic for processing my images as it offers great clarity and is affordable.
When I am out shooting with my Fujifilm X-S10 I carry a Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 2 10k Power Bank and an Inca CD-SD020 USB Dual Battery Charger. This lets me charge my spare batteries and phone while on the go or my camera while I’m taking a break.
I don’t consider myself to be a gear junkie, but after compiling this list, it made me realise I have acquired quite a bit of gear along the way.
Cheers!
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