For cultural documentary photographer and longtime Sony Artisan Ira Block, the best travel photographs begin with attention: to a fleeting expression, a change in light or the energy gathering just before a celebration begins. On a recent journey through Hokkaido, Japan, Block put the Sony Alpha 7R VI to work across vibrant festivals, quiet shrines, intimate portraits and dramatic landscapes – exploring how its speed, resolution and responsive autofocus help him turn passing moments into enduring stories.
Photographing Hokkaido’s Energy In Motion
As a Sony Artisan for the past decade, my recent go-to camera has always been the Alpha 1 II. I always thought that there isn’t much else Sony can do to step up its game, it’s gear is already ahead of the curve. But Sony has consistently proven me wrong. So, I take their latest camera as a challenge.
Recently, I traveled to Hokkaido, Japan with the new Alpha 7R VI. The Alpha 7R VI with its 66.8 MP sensor, 30 fps, stacked sensor and AI-based Real-time Recognition AF+ exceeded my expectations as a people travel camera.
As a cultural documentary photographer, my eyes are peeled for moments and scenes that tell a story about a place and its people. This requires experience and a trained eye to know where the action is going to happen, and a fast, responsive camera that won’t miss any important slices of time. The Alpha 7R VI was perfect for this especially covering the high energy, enthusiastic crowds at the Belly Button Festival in Furano.
Paired with some great Sony lenses I was able to photograph the essence of this festival where locals get their bellies painted and march in joy. When I am working, I shoot a lot, especially if things are happening – I move around, change angles come in close on faces and just keep the images writing to my cards – there is no time to wait. I was concerned that the high-resolution sensor might slow down the buffer, but there was no issue with this camera.
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 24–70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/3200-sec., f/4, ISO 200
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 24–70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/250-sec., f/7.1, ISO 250
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 24–70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/200-sec., f/4, ISO 320
Finding The Details That Tell The Story
When small elements add to the story I am trying to tell, like the angled light at the Tokyo International Forum, or this kid’s cheeky smile at the lavender fields in Biei, I have the fast auto focus to photograph these split-second moments. I find joy in interacting and learning from the locals.
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 24–70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 1/1000-sec., f/3.5, ISO 640
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 50-150mm f/2 G Master. 1/1000-sec., f/4, ISO 200
Capturing Drama From Coast To Horizon
One of Hokkaido’s famous cultural landmarks is the Toyosaki Kompira Shrine. Sitting in the Sea of Japan, it is a strong symbol representing the country. A sunset sky added to the drama and graphics of this landscape. The dynamic range on this camera made sure I got the reds in the shadows, alongside the beautiful blue hues of the golden hour light. As it was a really clear day, I had the added advantage of an unobstructed view of the Rishiri Island on the horizon, which is revered because it resembles Mt Fuji. The high megapixel sensor combined with the super sharp 14mm lens meant that there is incredible definition in the distant island. That level of detail is only possible with the Alpha 7R VI.
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 14mm f/1.8 G Master. 63/100-sec., f/5.6, ISO 160
Portraits With Depth, Detail & Emotion
The Alpha 7R VI is also a great camera to photograph details. When people think of Geishas, their makeup is the first thing that comes to mind. But to me, it’s the person’s eyes that carry their stories. In this portrait below of a Geisha, I photographed the details in her eye and the lashes with the Sony 50-150mm lens at an aperture of F2.8. The smile in her eyes carry a subtle yet powerful emotion when isolating it with this kind of depth of field. The crop at 100% holds up and the image is tack sharp.
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 50-150mm f/2 G Master. 1/125-sec., f/2.8, ISO 400
Exploring Color & Creative Possibilities
Knowing that this camera has a great dynamic range, I had the confidence to get more experimental with my portraits. In this image of a Geisha holding a fan, I photographed her face looking away from the light and the image still held detail in both shadows and highlights. You can still clearly see the vibrant color of the makeup around the eye, the black lashes and her white oshiroi.
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 50-150mm f/2 G Master. 1/125-sec. f/2.8. ISO 400.
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 50-150mm f/2 GM. 1/400-sec., f/2, ISO 400
Rendering Hokkaido’s Distinctive Color
When it comes to impressive, accurate color rendition, my photos of the Shirogane Blue Pond in Biei come to mind. The pond looks ethereal in person with its unique blue color and graphic white ‘forest’. The Alpha 7R VI with its nuanced color separation and tonal gradations produced the pond’s famous blue straight out of the camera, and the peaceful sensation I experienced being at the pond has now been transported into the image. In addition to the color renditioning, in this image of the yellow flowers, I was surprised by how close I was able to focus with the Alpha 7R VI and the 50-150 lens.
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 50-150mm f/2 G Master. 1/250-sec., f/9, ISO 200
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 50-150mm f/2 G Master. 1/400-sec., f/3.5, ISO 250
Confidence After Dark
The Sony’s low-light capabilities have always dumbfounded me, and even more so as the sensor size has grown. Sure, small megapixel sensors are known for their terrific low light capabilities, but how a 68-megapixel camera can perform so well in dark situations is still a mystery. This images of fireworks display at my hotel in Niseko and this portrait of a street vendor are perfect examples. With the large image sensor and high ISO performance, I can capture a lot of information in the shadows just from the available night light. This capability has also given me the confidence to photograph night scenes handheld.
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 24–70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 20-sec., f/8, ISO 125
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 55mm f/1.8. 1/200-sec., f/2, ISO 4000
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 50–150 f/2 G Master. 1/400-sec., f/6.3, ISO 200
Chasing the Unexpected At Mount Fuji
What is a trip to Japan without Mt. Fuji – but having a clear day when the mountain is visible is not always a guarantee. When I arrived the mountain was clouded in, but the next morning at sunrise I was able to capture an image that showed its grandeur and the swan in the foreground brought the landscape to life.
When I began my career as a photographer, one of my mentors told me that I should never put my camera away as you never knew when an interesting moment would present itself. As I was preparing to go to bed that evening, I looked out my hotel window and saw the silhouette of the mountain with the moon rising.
I opened the windows of my hotel room, balanced the camera with a small tabletop tripod over the ledge and dragged the shutter to capture this magical image of Mt.Fuji at night. The light streaks that you see on the mountain are hikers starting their nighttime climb to reach the summit at sunrise. This was a moment when the camera just did its job and I just pressed the shutter and watched in awe.
Photo by Ira Block. Alpha 7R VI. 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master II. 10-sec., f/4, ISO 500
See more of Ira Block's work on his Alpha Universe Profile, on Instagram @irablockphoto and at irablock.com.
–Click here to learn more about the Alpha 7R VI
