Our portraitist from across the pond, Ronan McKenzie, has
a client list that includes i-D, Vogue, Nike and Topshop.
Diverse casting and intimacy are two hallmarks in her work,
both assigned and personal. McKenzie’s mammoth hardbound
cultural publication, HARD EARS, would be a thoughtful gift for a
fellow portrait photographer, as well as her three picks here.
PHOTOGRAPHER’S PICKS
RONAN MCKENZIE
Prices Vary
KODAK PORTRA 400 FILM
What’s the best way to fill a
photographer’s stocking? McKenzie still
“swears by” Kodak’s Portra color film, made with portrait
photographers in mind. “I’ve found that Portra is the best film for
photographing darker skin complexions,” she notes. 43 ( 5 ROLLS)
YASHICA T4
You can still find this classic fully automatic point-and-
shoot camera in good condition online, and McKenzie
loves it, she says, because “it’s so handy to carry
around and it takes such beautiful portraits.” It sports
a Zeiss T* 3.5/35mm lens, which she says combined
with the flash are “great for capturing quick on-the-go candid
moments, as well as more considered images.”
fellow portrait photographer, as well as her three picks here.
$450
FJWESTCOTT. COM
FROM
Our
Friends
WESTCOTT SOLIX
Want to make your portraits pop?
The Solix is the first compact LED with
an integrated, rotatable speed ring so you
can mount soft boxes with ease. You’ll enjoy a
high-quality light with a CRI of 96 and output of up
to 2,125 lux at 1 meter. It’s dimmable and includes
all-metal barn doors and a di;usion cap.
$90
PHAIDON.COM
ANNIE LEIBOVITZ:
PORTRAITS 2005-2016
Where can you find Queen Elizabeth II, LeBron
James, Gloria Steinem and Donald Trump
hanging out together? Between the hefty
covers of this 316-page book published by
Phaidon. A veritable pantheon of contemporary
cultural figures bare their souls (and sometimes
their bodies) before Leibovitz’s lens in 150
images, which are accompanied by biographical
texts, an essay by Alexandra Fuller and an
afterword by the master herself.
ELINCHROM
DEEP
UMBRELLAS
Go deep while keeping it light
with these versatile 41-inch and 49-inch
umbrellas, available in silver and white
interiors as well as a translucent version
that you can shoot through. Their depth
and circular shape focus light powerfully on your
subject, and with the addition of a di;user they
can serve as a highly portable softbox.
SHARMAARKEALIADAN.BIGCARTEL.COM
ALI ADNAN
McKenzie ranks this photo book by Sharmaarke Ali Adnan
as her current favorite, “so much so that I’ve stuck the whole
thing up in my hallway,” she says. “Sharmaarke’s images of
Somalia’s youth are so beautiful and full of color. The way he’s
captured the spirit and energy of his subjects is something
that I strive to create in my own images.”
$1,599
USA.CANON.COM
FROM $97
ELINCHROM.COM
F/1.4L IS USM
You won’t find a more classic portrait
lens than an 85mm prime, and Canon
makes this one an even more valuable
tool for portraitists with optical image
stabilization and four stops of blur-free
leeway that let you transition easily from
daylight to low light. This lens is also
made of the best glass you can buy from
Canon, as part of its vaunted L series.
FOR THE
Portraitist
S10 | PDN + RANGEFINDER Gift Guide 2017
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