Tamron – Need lightweight, compact mirrorless lenses? Tamron has you covered, with superior optics perfect for any situation. With weather sealing and advanced image stabilization, you’ll open up your creative possibilities.

Radiant Photo – Radiant Photo superior quality finished photos with perfect color rendition, delivered in record time. Your photos — simply RADIANT. The way they are meant to be.

Mylio Photos – Access your photos from anywhere, without the cloud! Easily showcase your photos on-the-go, resolve duplicates, find faces and look for those stunning locations.

B&H – B&H is a world renowned supplier of all the gear photographers, videographers, and cinematographers need and want to create their very best work.

MPB – Grab used but perfectly working cameras and lenses for less, or turn your old gear into cash by trading and selling them on MPB!

In my years as a photographer I’ve bought my way through a few systems worth of cameras and lenses. Be it a medium format film system right through to my current Fujifilm setup as a former ambassador (the program ended, not my love of the system). My current lens setup runs from a 7.5mm fisheye up to 600mm (using a 300mm with a 2x teleconverter). Despite this, I still firmly believe that anyone could be happy with two lenses and shoot the most common subjects with them with ease.

I bet you think I’m going to say the 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8. Sure it’s the classic professional set, but they’re big and bulky and not at all an agile set for the average photographer. The two biggest genres of photography are scenics and portraits. Both of these can be covered with the lenses I’m suggesting. Wide lenses suit landscapes, cityscapes and broad nature, while medium telephotos suit portraits.

In full-frame terms, the lenses I’m suggesting are the 16-35mm and the 85mm. On my Fujifilm X system, it’s the Fujinon XF 10-24mm f/4 and the XF 56mm f/1.2. Now, I’d prefer if there were an f/2.8 version of the 10-24mm for astrophotography, but f/4 is still fine for scenics, where you’d normally be shooting at f/11. The zoom gives you room to change your view and enhance the foreground. 

85mm (56mm on an APS-C crop-sensor camera) is a very flattering lens focal length for portraits. The compression allows the nose to balance well with the face and helps the ears look proportional. Wider lenses make the nose look larger and bloat the face.  I’ve even shot ¾ portraits using this by zooming with my feet. 

Being a prime, you also get beautiful bokeh with the shallow depth of field. While most are f/1.2, Canon’s RF 85mm f/2 is a gorgeous lens for the money and a worthy investment, especially as it also does macro. I love the new 56mm for Fuji, especially the weather sealing.

Best of all, the combined weight and size makes this set easy to bring everywhere. They’re well suited to a smaller messenger bag, or a day bag with your lunch and laptop. You no longer need to worry if you can bring a camera with you for light travel because you know these lenses will cover most of your needs. 

Checkout our complete guide to the best Fujifilm XF lenses

Review by Janel Spiegel & Photography by Diane Fleischman

George Clinton & Parliament – Funkadelic

Service Electric Stage at Wind Creek Event Center

Friday, May, 24, 2024 at 8:00PM

Bethlehem, PA! I’m going to need everyone to take a moment, maybe do a little bit of table drumming… Take a moment and know that we are “One Nation Under A Groove.”

Wind Creek was READY. Everyone was excited. The full moon made an appearance, security and the staff at Wind Creek ARE TOP NOTCH.

The AMAZINGLY talented, Dumpstaphunk opened for George Clinton & Parliament – Funkadelic. Dumpstaphunk is from New Orleans, and the talent is just beyond this world. Ivan Neville on vocals and keyboards just killing it. They performed everything from “Justice” to “Fire & Brimstone.” They did “Itchy Boo”, and an Earl King cover, “Street Parade.”

Dumpstaphunk is: Ivan Neville on keyboards, and vocals. Tony Hall (bass/guitar/vocals), Nick Daniels (bass/vocals), Alex Wasily (trombone), Ashlin Parker (trumpet), and Devin Trusclair (drums). They are funk and jazz at it’s finest.

The show started and it was amazing. The crowd was BEYOND HYPED. George Clinton is a LEGEND. At 82 years young, his eclectic mix of funk, electric funk, and fashion that remains memorable till this day. That was quite a conversation. My section was amazing. Everyone was singing and dancing but they also wondered what would George have on? “Something shiny?” “Something wild?” People had various opinions but in TRUE George Clinton style, George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic all walked out on-stage in different ensembles. George had on a bright and beautiful sequined outfit. George Clinton has been around since the 1970s. His impact on culture, music, fashion, bands, and more is beyond prevalent.

George Clinton’s band is not of this world. The talent just flows. The legendary Kevin Oliver playing guitar and just mesmerizing the entire audience. Sidney Barnes, Benzel Baltimore on drums. The singers, and the band were beyond this galaxy. A few times George Clinton was taking some moments to sit, and they showed his face, and he just listens. He listens to these incredibly talented people sing, play instruments, and just create the most mazing music ever.

They played everything from “Pole Power,” “Meow Meow,” “One Nation Under a Groove,” “Flash Light,” (Bethlehem understood the “lighter moment with the phone flashlights!), “Up for the Down Stroke,” and of course, “P. Funk (Wants to get Funked Up), and “Atomic Dog.”

This show was amazing. Thank you, George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic for all the music. For inspiring so many, and keeping the funk alive.

https://georgeclinton.com/family/kevin-oliver/

https://dumpstaphunk.com/

https://www.windcreekeventcenter.com/

Shooting street photography can be a rewarding experience, but it’s important to find your own voice and style. This fantastic video tutorial offers seven tips sure to help you improve. 

Coming to you from Peter Forsgård, this insightful video explores seven tips for capturing raw and authentic street photographs. Forsgård emphasizes the importance of spontaneity and intuition, encouraging you to shoot from the gut and embrace imperfections. He believes that by letting go of strict rules and conventions, you can tap into a more genuine and personal style of photography. This approach, Forsgård argues, can lead to more compelling and memorable images that reflect your unique perspective. 

Forsgård also encourages experimentation with different formats and gear, suggesting that using simple or unconventional equipment can free you from technical constraints and help you focus on the essence of your subject. He even suggests trying film or a Lomo camera to explore different aesthetics. Forsgård believes that by venturing outside your comfort zone, you can discover new creative possibilities and develop a style that truly represents your vision. 

One of the key takeaways from Forsgård’s video is the importance of embracing authenticity in your street photography. He advises against manipulating the environment or trying to create overly polished images. Instead, he encourages you to capture the reality of the streets as you see them, including imperfections and unexpected elements. This raw and unfiltered approach, Forsgård suggests, can result in more powerful and honest photographs that resonate with viewers on a deeper level. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Forsgård.