"Mirrorless Monday" in Photography...and New Mexico

Nothing beats the color and fun of outdoor merchandising in Madrid, NM!

Most of you know my passion for photography focuses mostly on the business and marketing sides. I don't make a living as a professional photographer, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate great technology. I'll match my passion for the craft with anybody! Plus, having worked with so many professional photographers over the years, I know more than I let on. The difference is that it would take most of you ten minutes to light a great portrait, and I'd work on it all day!

Last May, Sheila and I headed to New Mexico for a vacation. I've shared a few images here and there in past posts and tweets, but since it's Mirrorless Monday, I decided to share a few more. I took a lot of gear with me, but the LUMIX G9 with the 14-140mm lens wound up being my camera and lens of choice.

From its incredibly sharp and quick focus accuracy to simply being lightweight with a focal range giving me everything I needed, it was a kick to travel with. Every night I'd download the day's images, blown away by the sharpness and the beauty of working with the technology Panasonic's put into this camera.

So, at the risk of sounding like a kid doing a report for school called, "What I Did This Summer," welcome to New Mexico and the G9.

The image on the left is without any post-processing.
The right is using the preset "mild image enhancer" in Luminar.

I shot in every mode from IA to P, A, S, and M. The touch screen adds to the accuracy and fun of this camera. All of the images in this post are mostly right out of the can.

If there is any post-processing, it's in Luminar. Most often I use one of two presets, the clarity booster or mild image enhancer, and that's only because of personal taste. The images rarely needed any work. And remember, every image shared in this post is a screenshot too.

Late in the day shot after a storm and enlarged 100%.  

B-Boys dancing in the Santa Fe plaza.  

The fun of traveling mirrorless, especially with LUMIX, is carrying a minimal amount of gear and weight. I added a MeFOTO carbon-fiber tripod to my gear, and it was perfect. Easy to travel and hike and with - Plus, with the range on the 14-140mm lens, I always had what I needed.
 
One of the highlights of the trip was Georgia O'Keeffe's house, which is magnificent. You're surrounded by the beauty of New Mexico combined with the stunning simplicity of her taste. Because she passed away in 1986, you're struck by the contemporary beauty in the design of her home and the area around it.

I loved the simplicity of this interior courtyard.
​Every corner of the house gives you a feeling of the love she had for this property.

The picture window from her office was designed to capture the view below. That's only a fraction of the panoramic scene when looking out the window. 

The house is only accessible by guided tour, and there's no photography allowed inside her home. So, you shoot "neurochromes" inside and outside your camera's capturing images in every direction.

One of the things that hit us early on was how the preservation team has kept everything as Georgia O'Keeffe left it. From many of her plants and flowers to the spices in the kitchen to rocks she collected outside. The home has been preserved as she left it, and you can't help but feel her love for Abiquiú.

And as a side note - I bought Ansel Adams' '77 Cadillac back in my Hasselblad days, which we sold for charity. Knowing he was good friends with Georgia O'Keeffe, I couldn't help but wonder how many times he'd visited here in that same car that was parked in my garage for a month.

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If you haven't checked out the G9, it's time to visit your LUMIX dealer.

Headed to PPE this week? Make it a point to stop by the Panasonic booth. Check out the LUMIX family, and not only the G9 but the incredible new full-frame S1. They're just inside the entrance to the main hall in booth 707, and I can promise you won't be disappointed! Plus, take the time to meet some of the LUMIX Ambassadors who will be at the show. They represent one of the most diverse teams in professional photography!

Click on either thumbnail for more information as well as the S1 Series below.

LUMIX G9 Mirrorless Camera Body, 20.3 Megapixels plus 80 Megapixel High-Resolution Mode

LUMIX G Vario Lens, 14-140mm, F3.5-5.6 ASPH., Micro Four Thrids, POWER Optical I.S.

Click to meet the new LUMIX Full-Frame S Series cameras.