Meet Storyteller Josh Hart

Josh Hart Storytellers Abroad Workshop in Lima, Peru [NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 28800, ƒ/4, 1/200, Focal Length = 24]

Mr. Positivity is how I would describe Josh Hart. He was the first person to introduce himself to me when I first met the group in Lima, Peru. He was eager to learn and had a wonderful smile.

We sat by his computer and talked about his story on Darwin and Azucena Diaz. He went out and interviewed them, and then the next day, I was able to go with Josh as he spent more time getting B-Roll.

In film and television production, B-roll, B roll, B-reel, or B reel is supplemental or alternative footage intercut with the main shot. 

Here is the story that Josh produced during his week in Lima, Peru.

Josh Hart’s story on Darwin & Vanessa Diaz. He is a teacher at the Iglesia Evangelica Bautista “Las Flores” in San Juan de Lurigancho area of Lima, Peru. To the left is ABWE missionary Jon Stone who teaches at the seminary. During our time in Lima, Jon was a translator, driver, food coordinator, and more for the Storytellers Abroad Workshop in Lima, Peru
  [NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/640, Focal Length = 28]

Each student had time with their subjects at a meal with everyone when we arrived. Then the following day, they hung out with them again, getting to know them better.

Josh Hart’s story on Darwin & Vanessa Diaz. Storytellers Abroad Workshop in Lima, Peru [NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/640, Focal Length = 28]

Josh loves technology and shot his interviews in 4k. If you are not a geek, he shot the video with a high-resolution camera. This way, he could shoot the couple side by side and zoom in on one person at a time. This made it possible to shoot with one camera but get some variety out of the interview.

While working together shooting his B-Roll, I just hung back and watched. Since he had told me what he wanted to capture, I would add suggestions when he ran out of ideas.

Josh Hart’s story on Darwin & Vanessa Diaz. [NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/640, Focal Length = 28]

The one thing I was helping Josh with was how to put into words his direction to the couple and translate what he needed next. He could tell them he needed them to walk in order, but he was having difficulty telling them what they should think about when they were filmed.

“We capture you when you come to the church and have to take the taxi and unlock the building. Please do this a few times so I can film you from your front, back and side. Just do what you do every day when you make this trip.”

[NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/640, Focal Length = 28]

“I want to capture the two of you doing a bible study together that you talked about in the interview. Find a passage you guys have been working on together. I need you both to talk back and forth.”

If you want to learn how to tell a mission story like Josh, join us this June in Romania with Storytellers Abroad.

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Shocking Blog Stats

So I was working on my resume, which some clients wanted, when a friend asked me about my blog. I had not put this into my resume.

He pointed out that I had a pretty broad reach. So I started to dig into Google Analytics. My Analytics includes my website & blog. Most of the traffic goes to the blog since that is new content.

The map above shows the past couple of years of the countries that have visited my blog. The reach is more significant if I go back to when I started in 2006, but I changed from Blogger to WordPress and lost some of those stats.

I have visited the blog over the last two years in one hundred ninety-two countries.

I had over 81,000 new users. WOW! I was shocked. On average, when they visited, they went to about four different pages.

They were translating my page into 151 different languages.

Click on this chart to see it larger

My top ten posts are where people look for camera settings or technical blogs. Users were spending about 5:44 on “Nikon D5 Sports Settings”. I can understand why. That camera has a menu that resembles the cockpit of a jetliner.

Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.

John Wooden

How do you toot your own horn without coming off as cocky? You want to showcase your best accomplishments on your resume so that they are right there in black and white. If you do this right, they will pop out and help separate you from the pack. This isn’t bragging but instead helping to show that you indeed are the right candidate for the job.

In polishing my resume, I discovered to find someone who really knows you to review it. It helps if they are good at communication.

I am discovering that I have been hurting myself because I took some of my most significant accomplishments for granted.

Another huge thing I learned is I was overthinking the details and not enough about broad brush strokes of what my skills were beyond just photography.

After much self-examination this week, I recommend you do the same. Revising your resume is an excellent exercise to help you know what value to bring to the table. It is a good thing to do to start the year. It helps you celebrate your accomplishments and evaluate your weaknesses that you might want to work on this year.

Storytellers Abroad Peru Workshop

Storytellers Abroad Workshop in Lima, Peru [NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 2000, f/8, 1/200, Focal Length = 24]

This was a whole week for the team in Lima, Peru. We were getting up around 7 am and going to bed around midnight or later every day.

Jay York interviewing Elvira Cuevas and Andrea Carhuachîn  Translates during the Storytellers Abroad Workshop in Lima, Peru[NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 2200, ƒ/4, 1/200, Focal Length = 24]

We had a big group of 18 people. Jeff Raymond organized all of us. We had three instructors, four administrative staff [one of those a translator], and ten workshop participants working on nine stories. Two of the team worked together on one story.

James Dockery teaching on Adobe Premier during the Storytellers Abroad Workshop in Lima, Peru[X-E3, XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS, ISO 4000, ƒ /4.5, 1/100, Focal Length = 29]

Eight of the nine stories were done in Spanish with subtitles in English. 

Josiah McConville interviews Lucho & Rosa Martinez while David Heim translates the Storytellers Abroad Workshop in Lima, Peru [NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 1800, ƒ/7.1, 1/200, Focal Length = 24]

One of the first things that the first-timers noticed was how long it took to do an interview when you must work with a translator. 

We taught what a storyline includes and how to do a better job interviewing people to improve the quality of that story.

Every story we did was about a person impacted by a ministry.

Jay York’s Story on Elvira Cuevas
Storytellers Abroad Workshop in Lima, Peru[NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 4500, ƒ/4.5, 1/200, Focal Length = 68]

Life Before & After

What was the difference this ministry made in your life? Due to the ministry, what is it now that is different than before?

Josh Hart’s story on Darwin & Vanessa Diaz. He is a teacher at Iglesia Evangelica Bautista “Las Flores” in San Juan de Lurigancho area of Lima, Peru. Storytellers Abroad Workshop in Lima, Peru [NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/640, Focal Length = 28]

The Inciting Moment

What was the moment you realized you needed some help, and how did you find this ministry to help you?

This is from the first getting to know you dinner we had where Jay York is meeting the subject Elvira and her son Chris during the  Storytellers Abroad Workshop in Lima, Peru [NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 51200, ƒ/4, 1/100, Focal Length = 105]

Call to Action

Unlike going to a movie where the film’s primary purpose is only to entertain, all of our stories had a call to action. After hearing this story, would you like to support this ministry somehow? 

Josh Hart’s story on Darwin & Vanessa Diaz. He is a teacher at Iglesia Evangelica Bautista “Las Flores” in San Juan de Lurigancho area of Lima, Peru.
[NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 1/640, Focal Length = 28]

B-roll

There are two parts to the finished projects. There is the interview, and then there is all the B-roll shown while they are talking that compliments what they are saying.

Marissa Dickey, a Columbia missionary and workshop participant, gives the devotional during the Storytellers Abroad Workshop in Lima, Peru. [X-E3, XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS, ISO 6400, Ä/4.8, 1/100, Focal Length = 300]

The students learned how to shoot a series of photos from a scene and then would put these to help move the story along visually. 

Josh Hart shot many videos of the subjects getting in and out of a cab, walking to the church, opening the door, and walking in. He shot this from their front, their back, and from the side. That was just one scene. He had scenes of the pastor walking from the back of the church to the pulpit and then another series of him preaching.

After doing many more scenes, he had enough b-roll to help compliment the interview so that you felt like you saw and heard the story.

If you are interested and want to learn more, then go here and learn more at StorytellersAbroad.com.

Why you should be data-informed and not data-driven

Storytellers Abroad Multimedia Workshop [X-E2, XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS, ISO 400, ƒ/4.5, 1/150, Focal Length = 83]

In data-driven decision-making, data is at the center of the decision-making. It’s the primary (and sometimes, the only) input. You rely on data alone to decide the best path forward. Data is a crucial input among many other variables in informed decision-making. You use the data to build a deeper understanding of what value you are providing to your users.

I have sat in many meetings hearing about analytics. When I first learned about analytics, I was thrilled. One of the very frustrating things is how the content you create is seen, but no one clicks the LIKE button.

However, analytics doesn’t rely on the audience to “LIKE” your content to know if they have been to it or even shared it. It can record if someone came to the page and how long they were on it, as well as many other tidbits.

FANZONE for Georgia vs. Alabama SEC Championship game Georgia World Congress Center[NIKON D5, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 65535, ƒ/4.8, 1/4000, Focal Length = 62]

Are you aware of “Blind Spots” in your analytics, such as images?

Images are increasingly taking over social media and becoming a significant way of engaging and talking about your brand. Prints are generally more memorable and shareable than text.

There are over  300 million active daily users on Instagram alone; it’s clear images are a vast social commodity. But why is the intent behind sharing images such a big deal? For starters, not all images are accompanied by text. Sometimes the whole point is that words can’t adequately convey the emotion or event, so it’s shared in image form. If your social media listening is all about text, these posts and users aren’t accounted for in your analytics. This is your “Blind Spot.”

This means there is no way to get accurate analytics about photos unless you could employ eye-tracking technology. Most people will not allow the cameras on their phones and computers to be turned on to watch how they behave while looking at your content.

Georgia vs Alabama [NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 14400, ƒ/5.6, 1/250, Focal Length = 52]

Why are clickbaity headlines working? Content that piques users’ curiosity does well. Instead of writing clickbaity headlines, can we integrate this insight into our content strategy? Write about topics people are curious about but may not know enough.

I think Henry Ford once said, ‘If I‘d asked customers what they wantedthey would have told me, “A faster horse!”’ People don’t know what they want until you show it to them. That’s why I never rely on market research. Our task is to read things not yet on the page.”

Steve Jobs
Lifeshape Third Annual Legacy of Leaders Golf Classic [NIKON D5, 35.0 mm f/1.4, ISO 100, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250, Focal Length = 35]

Editorial judgment is still needed alongside analysis of quantitative data. Each newspaper and station adopts its news values. Good “news judgment” means understanding your audience and your organization’s principles and values.

Being a good storyteller/journalist is akin to being a good parent/teacher. You rely on data to help you know what is working while simultaneously looking out for them and distilling information into a digestible form.

Nikon Z6 & Fuji X-E3 Contemporary Worship Service

Photo Above Data [NIKON Z 6, Sigma 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0 ART, ISO 16000, ƒ/6.3, 1/200, Focal Length = 95]

Contemporary Service at Roswell Presbyterian Church on Sunday, December 30, 2018, in Roswell, GA. [NIKON Z 6, , ISO 51200, ƒ/4, 1/80, Focal Length = 24]

I have owned the Fuji X-E series cameras for a few years. I love them. Then I bought the Nikon Z6 to be able to shoot mirrorless with some of my Nikon glass.

Contemporary Service at Roswell Presbyterian Church on Sunday, December 30, 2018, in Roswell, GA. [NIKON Z 6, , ISO 6400, ƒ/4, 1/200, Focal Length = 105]

I think the Fuji X-E3 compares pretty well to the Nikon Z6. I like that the Fuji X-E3, when you are close to someone will find their face and eyes. 

Contemporary Service at Roswell Presbyterian Church on Sunday, December 30, 2018, in Roswell, GA. [X-E3, XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS, ISO 800, ƒ/4.8, 1/100, Focal Length = 300]

The Nikon Z6 camera automatically detects the subject and selects the focus area. At default settings, the camera gives priority to portrait subjects; if a portrait subject is detected, the selected subject will be indicated by a yellow border (if multiple faces are detected, you can choose your subject using the multi-selector). 

Contemporary Service at Roswell Presbyterian Church on Sunday, December 30, 2018, in Roswell, GA. [X-E3, XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS, ISO 1000, ƒ/4, 1/125, Focal Length = 143]

To get some photos from the service, I left the 55-200mm on the Fuji X-E3 and the 24-105mm on the Nikon Z6.

Contemporary Service at Roswell Presbyterian Church on Sunday, December 30, 2018, in Roswell, GA. [NIKON Z 6, , ISO 51200, ƒ/4, 1/60, Focal Length = 95]

No question that the larger full-frame sensor on the Nikon Z6 had less noise. However, I was also pretty happy with the noise on the Fuji X-E3.

Contemporary Service at Roswell Presbyterian Church on Sunday, December 30, 2018, in Roswell, GA. [NIKON Z 6, , ISO 51200, ƒ/4, 1/50, Focal Length = 35]
Contemporary Service at Roswell Presbyterian Church on Sunday, December 30, 2018, in Roswell, GA. [X-E3, XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS, ISO 12800, ƒ/3.5, 1/25, Focal Length = 83]

I think that the dynamic range is better with the Nikon Z6. You can see some of that comparison here.

Contemporary Service at Roswell Presbyterian Church on Sunday, December 30, 2018, in Roswell, GA. [X-E3, XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS, ISO 2500, ƒ/4.8, 1/100, Focal Length = 300]

I love the smaller size and weight of the Fuji system. I think the quality is excellent.

I think that the image quality and higher ISO are definitely in favor of the Nikon Z6.

Nikon Z6 & D5 at Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Top photo specs [NIKON D5, 14.0-24.0 mm f/2.8, ISO 20000, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000, Focal Length = 17]

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 2018 Florida vs. Michigan [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 450, ƒ/5.3, 1/100, Focal Length = 90]

I was able to do some testing of the Nikon Z6 at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl game of Florida vs. Michigan. The final for those interested in the score was Florida 41 and Michigan 15.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 2018 Florida vs. Michigan [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 18000, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000, Focal Length = 150]

I can say that the Nikon Z6 sensor gives you great dynamic range and very little noise at high ISO numbers.

Andy Stanley – Invocation Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 2018 Florida vs. Michigan [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 40000, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000, Focal Length = 300]

The mirrorless Nikon Z6 used an electronic shutter at 1/4000, which gave some lines if the LED signage was in the photo at those shutter speeds. At the slower speed of 1/100, the jumbotron came out just fine.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 2018 Florida vs. Michigan [NIKON D5, 120.0-300.0 mm f/2.8, ISO 22800, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000, Focal Length = 320]

Regarding the fast action on the field, my Nikon D5 did a superior job of focusing. I do not think the Nikon Z6 is in the same league for sports as the Nikon Flagship D5.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 2018 Florida vs. Michigan [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 25600, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000, Focal Length = 125]

Due to the performance not being equal to the Nikon D5, I put the Nikon 28-300mm on the Nikon Z6 and shot some with it in the Red Zone.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 2018 Florida vs. Michigan [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 14400, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000, Focal Length = 300]

When you compare the image quality, the Nikon Z6 is fantastic. Good dynamic range.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 2018 Florida vs. Michigan [NIKON D5, 120.0-300.0 mm f/2.8, ISO 25600, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000, Focal Length = 600]

The big difference was that whenever the LED boards were in the photos, the Z6 gave those lines, and the D5 didn’t look at the 1/4000 shutter speed.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 2018 Florida vs. Michigan [NIKON D5, 120.0-300.0 mm f/2.8, ISO 32000, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000, Focal Length = 550]

I am still very pleased with the Nikon D5 for sports. However, I do love seeing what you will get with the EVF of the Nikon Z6.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 2018 Florida vs. Michigan [NIKON D5, 120.0-300.0 mm f/2.8, ISO 40000, ƒ/5.6, 1/4000, Focal Length = 460]

So for sports, I will continue to rely on the Nikon D6, but I think the Nikon Z6 is much more fun to shoot for almost everything else.

FanZone at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 2018 Florida vs. Michigan [NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 2800, ƒ/4, 1/100, Focal Length = 52]

I love walking around with the Nikon Z6. It is a lot lighter than the Nikon D5.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 2018 Florida vs. Michigan [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 640, ƒ/4.2, 1/100, Focal Length = 48]

Another thing that the Nikon Z6 is great about, but not a factor at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, is how quiet the camera is when clicking the shutter.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl 2018 Florida vs. Michigan [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 22800, ƒ/5.3, 1/4000, Focal Length = 105]

Many think I should lower the ISO and shoot at a slower shutter speed of 1/1000. I can tell you that the sharpness goes up with the higher shutter speed.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the results from the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. In summary, buy the Nikon D5 for shooting sports, and for most everything else, the Nikon Z6 is just perfect.

Focusing & High ISO with Nikon Z6

First Christmas Eve Contemporary service at Roswell Presbyterian Church [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 51200, ƒ/3.5, 1/50]

The main reason I bought the Nikon Z6 over the Z7 was to have the extra stop for higher ISO and lower noise at higher ISO.

On Christmas Eve, I photographed our church’s service. I was shooting at ISO 51200 at times.

First Christmas Eve Contemporary service at Roswell Presbyterian Church [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 51200, ƒ/4.2, 1/20]

The Nikon Z6 has “Single-AF” as well as “Point-AF,” and this week, I discovered it is best not to use the “Point-AF” when trying to lock on people.

First Christmas Eve Contemporary service at Roswell Presbyterian Church [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 51200, ƒ/3.5, 1/30]
Marina Tanjga [NIKON Z 6, 85.0 mm f/1.8, ISO 100, ƒ/5, 1/160]

While shooting in the studio, I quickly got 20% out-of-focus photos using the “Point-AF.” By switching the “Single-AF,” I improved the number of in-focus images.

First Christmas Eve Contemporary service at Roswell Presbyterian Church [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 4500, ƒ/5.3, 1/100]

I prefer the “Single-AF” over the group setting for accurate focusing.

For every camera I have owned, there is a learning curve. You need to learn all the menu settings and find what works best for your way of shooting.

First Christmas Eve Contemporary service at Roswell Presbyterian Church [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 5600, ƒ/5.3, 1/100]

Hopefully, these photos will give you a peek at my learning of the Nikon Z6.

Too Much BOKEH

Christmas Ornaments [NIKON Z 6, Sigma Art Zoom 24-105mm f/4.0 DG OS HSM, ISO 100, ƒ/4, 2.5]

When shooting wide open aperture and getting as close as a lens will let you get to the subject, you will get the shallowest depth-of-field possible with that lens.

Look at the photo above shot at ƒ/4, which is the same photo zoomed in closer.

Christmas Ornaments [NIKON Z 6,Sigma Art Zoom 24-105mm f/4.0 DG OS HSM , ISO 100, ƒ/4, 2.5]

Now the only way to see what I am talking about is to shoot the same photo with different apertures.

Christmas Ornaments [NIKON Z 6, Sigma Art Zoom 24-105mm f/4.0 DG OS HSM, ISO 100, ƒ/16, 2.5]

Now here is a closeup of that ƒ/16 photo.

Christmas Ornaments [NIKON Z 6, Sigma Art Zoom 24-105mm f/4.0 DG OS HSM, ISO 100, ƒ/16, 2.5]

Now I shot this at a variety of apertures. Here it is at ƒ/8.

Christmas Ornaments [NIKON Z 6, Sigma Art Zoom 24-105mm f/4.0 DG OS HSM, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 5]

Here is a closeup of that photo.

Christmas Ornaments [NIKON Z 6, Sigma Art Zoom 24-105mm f/4.0 DG OS HSM, ISO 100, ƒ/8, 5]

I have discovered with all my lenses that the depth-of-field at the widest aperture and focusing as close as the lens can produce what looks to be an out-of-focus photo, but what is happening is the depth-of-field is so shallow that it looks soft.

When getting this close to a subject, I recommend starting with an aperture of ƒ/11.

Here I shot this at ƒ/11. I also changed my ISO from 100 to Auto ISO, which gave me ISO 51200 because I have the shutter speed set to 1/100. As you might notice, the shutter dropped to 1/50. That is because I had capped at ISO 51200.

Christmas Ornaments [NIKON Z 6, 24.0-105.0 mm f/4.0, ISO 51200, ƒ/11, 1/50]

Here is a closeup of that photo, in which you will notice some noise.

Christmas Ornaments [NIKON Z 6, Sigma Art Zoom 24-105mm f/4.0 DG OS HSM, ISO 51200, ƒ/11, 1/50]

When it comes to still-life photos like the ones here, there is no reason not to experiment. Shoot on a tripod, as I have done here, at different apertures. Shoot at ISO 100, ƒ/16, and for 20 seconds. Then shoot as many apertures as you can to the widest aperture. 

When you have the photos on your computer, zoom in and find the picture that works the best to make your object appear sharp and in focus, as well as the soft BOKEH. 

Hopefully, you also see that there is such a thing as TOO MUCH BOKEH.

Headshot for Opera Singer

Sarah Clements, one of my daughter’s good friends from the church youth choir, asked me to help her with some headshots. She is a soprano majoring in voice.

She is in her junior year of college and getting closer to graduation. She is thinking of now having to promote herself for jobs. Headshots are needed since casting often involves getting someone to look the part.

Sarah Clements [NIKON Z 6, 85.0 mm f/1.8, ISO 100, ƒ/5, 1/160]

We took a lot of photos together. I enjoyed using my new Nikon Z6 camera and the Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G lens, which produces incredible quality.

Sarah Clements [NIKON Z 6, 85.0 mm f/1.8, ISO 100, ƒ/5, 1/160]

The photo above is a closeup showing just the eye of the previous image. The detail is beyond remarkable.

I always want to get the best possible photos during a photo shoot. 

I started with almost 300 images, and after editing for slightly missing the focus due to such a shallow depth-of-field and occasional blinks, I could give her over 200+ images.

Sarah Clements [NIKON Z 6, 85.0 mm f/1.8, ISO 100, ƒ/5, 1/160]

What I love about photographing artists is they understand nuance. As a professional musician, Sarah has to know more than the mechanics of music theory. She knows the difference between being slightly out of tune and in tune—between each note blending properly in a choral group.

We can work on tweaking facial expressions and lighting to achieve the perfect combination that captures the person’s personality in the best possible light.

Closeup of the above photo
Sarah Clements [NIKON Z 6, 85.0 mm f/1.8, ISO 100, ƒ/5, 1/160]

I love the finished images I am getting with the Nikon Z6. 

Sarah Clements [NIKON Z 6, 85.0 mm f/1.8, ISO 100, ƒ/5, 1/160]

By the way, today, everyone needs a headshot. Do you have one?

Nikon Z6 vs Fuji X-E3

Comparing Fuji X-E3 vs Nikon Z6 [NIKON Z 6, Sigma 35mm F1.4 ART DG HSM , ISO 8000, ƒ/4, 1/100]

This is just a quick comparison shooting some ornaments on my tree. First, this is using my Sigma 35mm F1.4 ART DG HSM on the Nikon Z6 using the FTZ Mount Adapter.

Comparing Fuji X-E3 vs. Nikon Z6 [X-E3, XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS, ISO 10000, ƒ/4, 1/100]

With the Fuji, I am using the kit lens XF 18-55mm ƒ/2.8-4. It is close to the same format I shot compared to the 35mm. 

Comparing Fuji X-E3 vs Nikon Z6 [NIKON Z 6, Sigma 35mm F1.4 ART DG HSM, ISO 16000, ƒ/5.6, 1/100]
Comparing Fuji X-E3 vs Nikon Z6 [X-E3, XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/52]

Here I am shooting with a telephoto range using the Nikon 85mm.

Comparing Fuji X-E3 vs Nikon Z6 [NIKON Z 6, Nikon AF S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G, ISO 4500, ƒ/4, 1/100]
Comparing Fuji X-E3 vs Nikon Z6 [X-E3, XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS, ISO 6400, ƒ/4, 1/100]

Here I cropped into about 100% 

Comparing Fuji X-E3 vs Nikon Z6 [NIKON Z 6, Sigma 35mm F1.4 ART DG HSM, ISO 8000, ƒ/4, 1/100]
Comparing Fuji X-E3 vs Nikon Z6 [X-E3, XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS, ISO 10000, ƒ/4, 1/100]
Comparing Fuji X-E3 vs Nikon Z6 [NIKON Z 6, Nikon AF S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G, ISO 4500, ƒ/4, 1/100]
Comparing Fuji X-E3 vs Nikon Z6 [X-E3, XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS, ISO 6400, ƒ/4, 1/100]

Overall I think the Nikon Z6 focused faster. I was using the point to focus. I did the same thing with the Fuji X-E3, but there is a little back and forth with the Fuji.

In my opinion, the larger sensor gave a cleaner file and less noise than the Nikon Z6.

I noticed that the Fuji kit lens compares nicely to the two sharpest lenses I own for the Nikons.

When it comes to travel I still would prefer to carry the smaller Fuji. I think I give up a little performance to pick it, but less weight.

When it comes to performance, I believe the Nikon wins.

Learning to “Peel the Onion” in Storytelling

Stanley is teaching at the University of Nations in Kona, Hawaii. [top photo by Dorie Griggs, bottom photo by Robin Nelson] [Nikon D810, 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8, ISO 3200, ƒ/7.1, 1/60]

While majoring in social work in college, I discovered photography’s power. Specifically, I realized that photojournalism did the best job I could find in educating people about the world around them.

Before graduating with my degree in social work, I had to do an internship in the field. I found an internship working at the mental health center in Kinston, NC.

When counseling a person, I would “peel the onion,” as we would say to move from the symptoms to the cause of a problem in a person’s life. When someone is suffering, it takes them longer to see the root cause of their pain.

While in college, I was also taking photos for the school newspaper. I saw how a photograph helped “peel the onion” for a community. Mirroring is a therapeutic technique where you repeat back to a client, usually in your own words but sometimes word for word, the idea that has just been expressed. It can be as simple as the Client: “I felt hurt and confused.”

I discovered that a photograph was even more potent than the mirroring technique.

I finished grading the students in Introduction to Photojournalism at Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.

More than half of the two classes I taught had never owned a camera other than the one on their phone. I was teaching them the mechanics of photography and how to tell stories as a photojournalist.

I discovered that the one skill they needed more than how to use their camera was how to “peel the onion” of the subject.

Togo, West Africa [Nikon D5, Nikon 85mm ƒ/1.8G, ISO 100, ƒ/1.8, 1/200]

The photojournalists that consistently tell potent stories are the ones who spend more time getting to know their subjects.

I will love to help you if you don’t know how to “peel the onion” of a story. In January, I am going to Lima, Peru, with a few other instructors who have the same calling to help ten workshop participants to become storytellers using their cameras.

Each person will work with a person to tell their story. While working on the story, they will have one-on-one time with the instructors to coach them daily through the process. By the end of a week, they will show the community a short 3 to 5-minute video with the subject telling their own story.

I will do this again in March in Trinidad, and then this coming summer, we will bring the team together again and go to Bucharest, Romania. Maybe you want to join us.

James Dockery enjoys taking photos and showing the boys in the Balkans their photos.

Go here to sign up for our trip.  You can also contact me for one-on-one classes, or we can organize a workshop for your organization.

Faith and Human Rights with Jimmy Carter

President George H. W. Bush addresses the Unification Conference. The Atlanta-based German American Chamber of Commerce of the Southern United States hosted the Unification Conference, a historic meeting of President George Bush, 41st president of the United States of America, former Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Dr. Helmut Kohl, and former Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev, at the Georgia World Congress Center on October 3, 2003. The three world leaders discussed their perspectives on the global impact of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the unification of Germany, along with their visions for transatlantic partnership, leadership, and prosperity. [NIKON D100, Sigma 120-300mm + 2X, ISO 800, ƒ/5.6, 1/30]

Today our country buried former President George H. W. Bush. In attendance were all the current living former presidents, including Jimmy Carter.

Conversations at The Carter Center Harmonizing Religion and Human Rights [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 10000, ƒ/5.6, 1/200]

I had an appointment with President Jimmy Carter today. Dorie, my wife, had signed us up to be at the Conversations at The Carter Center: Humanizing Religion and Human Rights, where President Jimmy Carter was the host and on the panel.

If you want to watch the presentation, here is that video link.

Rabbi Jill Jacobs, the exec director of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, speaks during the Conversations at The Carter Center on Harmonizing Religion and Human Rights Wednesday, December 5, 2018. [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 10000, ƒ/5.6, 1/200]

It was pretty refreshing to hear from the three Abrahamic Faiths: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, about how the individual faiths address Human Rights.

Imam Omar Suleiman speaks during the Conversations at The Carter Center on Harmonizing Religion and Human Rights Wednesday, December 5, 2018. [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 14400, ƒ/5.6, 1/200]

For those reading this for photography comments on the Nikon Z6, I want to talk about two things I tested the camera on. First, I tried to shoot on Silent Mode, an electronic shutter but got banding.

Banding due to using the Silent Mode. [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 6400, ƒ/5.6, 1/200]

I also shot just a couple of shots at pretty high ISOs.

Conversations at The Carter Center Harmonizing Religion and Human Rights [NIKON Z 6, 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6, ISO 32000, ƒ/10, 1/200]

This photo is shot at ISO 32000 and cropped a bit as well. I was impressed with the high ISO with the new Nikon Z6.

While I enjoyed testing the camera, I kept pinching myself. I have had many opportunities through the years to be in the presence of President Jimmy Carter. No matter which president in history, it would still be rare for most of us to have so many opportunities unless you are friends/family or work for their administration.

Atlanta is blessed to have The Carter Center in our backyard. We plan to return to Plains, GA, to hear President Jimmy Carter teach Sunday School again.

I admire all he has done with The Carter Center. I also enjoy his Sunday School class.

What a privilege it is to listen to him.