Couples, Mount Bonnell – Austin, Texas

I mentioned yesterday how a late April visit to Mount Bonnell was filled with a surprising number of visitors. So much so that I was a little uneasy given the recommended social distancing protocols. My intent was to shoot the colors just after sunset, making slow, deliberate landscapes on a tripod. My early arrival changed my photography plans.

Sunset is the ideal time for visitors, with spectacular western views. I just didn’t expect so many during the pandemic slowdown, but I seized the opportunity and switch to street photography. Instead of the larger groups, I mostly shot couples. While exposing these kinds of scenes could be tricky in the past, with the capable dynamic range of the Fujifilm GFX 50R, I had no fears of backlit people.

The 40mm equivalent framing with the Fuji 50mm f3.5 worked well. At f3.5, I got the desired amount of subject isolation while still being able to incorporate the scenic background. The GFX 50R and the 50mm lens together are Fuji’s smallest and lightest combination. Though not compact by most standards, it is for medium format. The package was not so imposing that I felt uncomfortable making people pictures on top of Mount Bonnell.

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