Oliver Wallner (@o.w.photography) is a photographer based in Vienna/Austria. He worked for a few years as a sports photographer traveling around the world, but in 2018 he shifted his focus to street and visuals. Now he works as a freelancer and does projects for different brands. He likes to shoot street photography with either the Sony Alpha 7R III or Sony Alpha 7C and the 24mm f/1.4 G Master. "I've been shooting with the 24mm f/1.4 G Master for about 18 months now, and I love it," says Wallner. We connected with him to learn more about his work and why he chooses the 24mm f/1.4 GM for street photography.
Photo by Oliver Wallner. Sony Alpha 7C. Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master. 1/500-sec., f/1.4, ISO 400
Street photographer Oliver Wallner incorporates light and depth of field into his work. See how he does it with his Alpha 7R III/Alpha 7C and Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master.
When you look at Wallner's work, you'll notice it has a distinct style. He finds interesting ways to incorporate light and depth of field into his photography. Many of the out-of-focus background portions of his shots actually provide much of the context and tell part of the story. "I like how wide the 24mm f/1.4 GM is. It's perfect for street shots," says Wallner. "I also like to have bokeh and depth of field in my shots, and for this the 24mm GM is the perfect option. The aperture of 1.4 is perfect for the low light conditions that I shoot in."
Photo by Oliver Wallner. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master. 1/320-sec., f/4, ISO 800
As a street photographer, the performance of a lens isn't the only important aspect. The form factor is a critical feature for those wanting to not only shoot discreetly to make the moments as authentic as possible, but for those wanting to be on their toes and not miss a moment being weighed down by gear.
Photo by Oliver Wallner. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master. 1/1600-sec., f/4, ISO 100
"Another great thing is the weight and the size of this lens," says Wallner. "The Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master lens didn’t change the way I shoot my street photography- but it made it better, sharper. For me it’s the perfect lens for photo walks. It’s sharp, small and compact, and works great with my cameras, the Alpha 7R III and Sony Alpha 7C."
Photo by Oliver Wallner. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master. 1/100-sec., f/2, ISO 200
See more of Wallner’s work on Instagram @o.w.photography.