Mark Toal - In the Spotlight

Intro by Skip Cohen

Along with the direct members of Panasonic's Luminary team, there are some incredibly talented staff members. One of them is my good buddy Mark Toal. In fact, while we haven't know each other that long, he's one of those guys you hang out with just once and you feel like you've known him for years!

This image was captured with a Lumix GX85. If you're interested in seeing more of Mark's work, check out his regular column on Mirrorless Photo Tips. Each Luminary is also regularly posting images in the Lumix Lounge.

​Just click the link below and be introduced to some of the most talented and diverse artists in the industry!

---

Visit the Lumix Lounge

by Mark Toal

I took this photo while visiting Minneapolis for work. It was my birthday and I asked the people I was working with for suggestions on where to go for my birthday dinner. I was alone on a work trip and just wanted to treat myself to something special. Everybody agreed that the Guthrie Theater on the river in downtown Minneapolis was the place to go
.
After eating at the Sea Change restaurant in the Guthrie, the waiter suggested that I go up to see the view from the 4th floor balcony. I had a pre-production Panasonic Lumix GX85 I was trying out and showing to customers. When I stepped out on the balcony a freezing cold wind was blowing at 35 miles per hour. I saw this amazing grain silo that is now part of a museum next door. As fast as I could I changed the ISO to 6400 and pointed the camera at the silo, and took three photos before I ducked back into the theater lobby to get warm.

I love this image because it will always remind me of that birthday. It also reminded me that a good image doesn’t need to be at a certain ISO or setting. I put the camera in Program with the 12-32mm kit lens and just hit the shutter. It’s a little noisy, but perfect as far as I’m concerned.