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Turning Medium-format - Jerry Ghionis - part 3 of 1 2 3

by Jerry Ghionis Published 01/10/2009

Camera Ergonomics

Jerry says the Phase One 645 camera is just as easy to use as a DSLR. 'It handles beautifully. When I first held it, and I know this is a bit of a cliche, it really did feel like an extension of my hand. It's got a beautiful, comfortable grip which for a medium-format camera is imperative if it is to be considered as a viable option for wedding photography. And it's not as heavy as you might imagine it to be.'

The Phase One 645 camera offers shutter speeds from 1/4000 second to 60 minutes, with flash sync up to 1/125 second and even faster with upcoming leaf shutter lenses. The mirror and viewfinder system is almost three times larger than a 35mm camera, providing unheralded control over focus and composition, and the TTL phase-difference autofocus system provides three focus points. The camera accepts lenses from Phase One, Mamiya AF/AFD and Hasselblad V and the camera is robust to handle the rough and tumble of wedding photography.

The focusing on the new camera is a lot quicker than earlier models and it's nice to have a different format. I mean, I've enjoyed shooting the 3:2 ratio format on a DSLR, but to have something closer to the RB67 format I started with is really great. The 4:3 ratio is yet another way I can differentiate what I do.

Marketing Advantages

However, Jerry's ideas about formats and style are set to change further still.

'It's pretty easy for anyone to get a good shot out of a compact camera, but to produce medium-format quality which has a distinct physical presence, whether you're looking at the camera or the prints it produces, well, that's really exciting. However, it's important to educate your clients about what you do.

'When we first changed from film to digital, prospective clients would arrive at our studio convinced that film was better, so my solution was to show them comparative prints, one made from a 35mm negative and another made from a DSLR. We enlarged them up to 20x24 inches so they could clearly see the differences and how good digital had become.'

This approach was incredibly powerful and now I can just imagine the effect it will have when I compare prints taken with a DSLR and the new Phase One P 40+. For the clients I want to work for, quality is a major USP (unique selling proposition) and showing off the quality of the Phase One P 40+ will be a huge positive.'

Since starting his new boutique wedding studio, Jerry is looking to position himself at the pinnacle of the market. He has several approaches in mind

'My new studio will only show big enlargements, 48x32-inch and 40x40-inch prints. Basically if you show big, you sell big, but the photos need to have a 'wow' impact so that when you walk into the studio you can't help but be impressed. Medium-format digital will do this. I also visited an Andy Warhol exhibition in Las Vegas a couple of years ago and was really impressed by his large square prints. Why not bring back the square format for wedding photography as well? All I have to do is drop a mask over the ground glass in the Phase One camera and I can choose to shoot square whenever I wish.'

'Arguably you can crop a DSLR image square as well, but I love the idea of couples taking home a large art piece, crystal clear and with amazing quality. I don't see shooting with other cameras as being a negative, rather that mediumformat is a huge positive, especially if you bring your clients' attention to the incredible detail and massive dynamic range.'

And his clients will notice the difference. 'Increasingly I'm finding that my clients have more experience in photography and really understand what quality is all about. Some are camera enthusiasts and it's surprising how many read photography magazines or photographers' blogs on the internet. They know what medium-format is all about and will appreciate the differences.'

'I must admit I made the decision to go to medium-format as an addition to the camera equipment I'm currently shooting with, not necessarily as a replacement, but the more I play with the Phase One P 40+, the more I can see myself using it for everything.'

To see more of Jerry's work, visit his website at www.jerryghionis.com

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1st Published 01/10/2009
last update 09/12/2022 15:00:01

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