So I was one of the first people to jump on the Nikon Df getting my pre-order in and rushing delivery to put my hands on it. I held off on writing a review to give a fair shake and really put it through some paces. I was and maybe still am someone waiting on a D300 replacement. While I have had some success in photography as a business I account much of that to making smart spending choices when it comes to replacing and upgrading gear. I am sure some reading this might be saying "why the Df then?"

It was a mix of business and pleasure, probably my best description. When photography becomes work sometimes it's not as fun as you remember. That leads to less motivation to go out and shoot for yourself. Shooting for yourself is what got you to this point in the first place so lose that reference and I think you lose your creative edge. Lose your creative edge and you start to suck and won't get jobs. The Df is a camera that makes you want to grab it and go. It's fun, it gets attention, it's light and easy to carry around for the most part which I will explain. The cost also gives you a sensor capable of shooting in varying conditions at a price less than a D4. All the reviews talk about ergo and I agree, the ergonomics are a challenge for long periods of shooting. With the lack of battery grip it makes shooting sports or repetitive portrait sessions tough. It really shines for street work, editorial and events in my opinion. No need to get into the processors ability, there is plenty out there on that. I do shoot sports and have used it for the indoor gym work along with my D300s. I have no issue with AF speed shooting with a 50mm prime and 70-200 Vr1 indoor. The funky dials really don't become an issue as you can adjust most with the front and rear dials like most Nikon bodies. I set my auto ISO ranges prior so adjusting ISO is not an issue either in that shooting setting. The Df has also worked well with event work. On the lack of second memory card slot, I've been using WiFi while shooting to back up to my Android phone so no issue there. Battery life could be better so I quickly bought a backup.

There are plenty of reviews and write ups online. Overall, it's a fun camera to shoot with and it is capable of getting things done. I think it fits as a great backup in your bag if not a side by side primary camera to get different results on a single shoot (low light event work vs. flashed for example) for your client. I do hope to see a battery grip or bracket of some sort in the future. I also look forward to seeing how it holds up as I use it more in the field. So far so good..  Here are a few shots pushing the AF and ISO in low light or indoor action settings.

For the past two years I've been fortunate enough to work with Hillsborough Community College to provide the Athletics Department with Team, Individual and Action photos for all six of their sports. Students at HCC typically attend two years pursuing Associate Degrees in preparation for specialty careers or with the goal of transferring to a four year college. I took the same route and think there are some benefits to going this way. With athletics in mind, schools like HCC provide another layer of opportunity for players to compete and further develop as athletes. HCC is part of the National Junior College Athletic Association and has success continuing to turn out players with athletic scholarships to big and small four year universities.

When it comes to team photos specifically I tend to look at it as a great team building exercise and want to engage the players in the photo making process. What I've found to work best is having the players bring some ideas to the table, different team poses. I have my own ideas and we can mix things up this was. This can certainly provide a challenge for me to capture the ideas they bring but it works great and creates their buy-in and engagement. That some background.. here are some of the non-traditional, fun photos from this 2013-2014 season. 

The Red Bull Illume Image Quest is the world's premier action and adventure sports photography competition. By browsing the top 250 selections your will get an idea what it takes to be considered the best in the action and adventure sports photo industry. For me this was a personal challenge that required me to think long and hard about my abilities to capture imagery at a higher level.

Currently I don't have any paid assignments that help get me exposure to action and adventure sports at a professional level. Either way that shouldn’t stop anyone. There is plenty of action in this great city of Tampa so I have no excuses. This competition doesn’t require special access to events, credentials and back stage passes. I feel it’s more about capturing the emotion, grit, and elements of the sport in a creative manner. Of course you have to impress the panel of judges to make it through and with over 30,000 entries you can expect a challenge that should push your abilities and gear to the limit. On August 29th, 2013 the winner will be announced in Hong Kong. While I wish I could say I was a finalist.. I was not. I am left with motivation and a taste that I want more exposure, at a professional level, to action and adventure sports with a goal to once again be included in the Red Bull Photographer Pool. Enough talk... I only entered a few photos and wanted to share.

The B-Boy action was all captured at Crowbar in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida over 2012-2013 while the Freestyle Soccer series was captured locally here in Wesley Chapel, Florida.

James Luedde, Fotoset Photography