Ben Bond - Photographer

[rpcrowe]

We all know that we need gazillions of dollars or pounds worth of equipment to achieve good imagery Well, don't we

I stumbled on this young photographer's work on YouTube and the images that he achieves with really basic equipment are really quite something. His name is Ben Bond and he is located in Ghana. I think viewing some of his YouTube videos might be a reality check for some of us. I know that it was to me

This is just one of his videos showing the images he shot with a 55mm f/1.4 lens. By the way, the lens is a manual focus 55mm f/1.4 Sears Auto which is usually available for under $50 U.S. Dollars on eBay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO9XE63Vso4&t=12s

His skill is the winning ticket here. However, having some ravishingly beautiful subjects certainly doesn't hurt his imagery a bit

Note: Sears never made any of the lenses that it sold. The 55mm f/1.4 Auto Sears lens is a rebranding of the Fujinon 55mm f/1.4 lens which has quite a cult following...

[pschlute]

Yes, the most expensive kit in the world won't make you a good photographer if you lack the skills.

[davidedric]

Yes, great images.

But, Blimey O'Reilly, what a model

Dave

[Manfred M]

Sorry Richard, but his work is no better or worse than a dozen or so photographers that I shoot with on a regular basis.

While you are right that the complexity and cost of the equipment does not make a great image and it's all about the photographer's skill. There is no doubt that he is good at what he does.

In the case of this video, not only are we impressed by his subjects, but also by the setting he is shooting in. Exotic locations get a lot more attention than places that are local. If I do a model shoot at some of the local places where tourists flock to and show these image, I will get a big "so what", but if I head out of town and shoot the same model at a location that is equally beautiful, people will pay attention.

[Shadowman]

Nice link, I checked out some of his other videos and he does use additional lighting equipment.

[Panama Hat & Camera]

There is no doubt that he is good at what he does, but the beauty of the girl helps him a lot.

[rpcrowe]

There is no doubt that he is good at what he does, but the beauty of the girl helps him a lot.

The best way to get a beautiful image of a woman is to start by photographing a beautiful woman... The second best way is to photograph a woman whose hairdo and make-up are applied with professional care. Combine the first and the second and it is pretty hard to dork up the picture