Canon EOS mag

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World of EOS photography

don’t speak very good English. They know the aeronautical terms, but can struggle when it comes to shooting directions. Sometimes this has to be just hand signals. What do you think will be your next photographic purchase? I’m looking at purchasing the EOS 5D Mark III. Clients are requiring more videography as well as stills, which is slightly frustrating as the two mediums have to be treated quite differently and a lot of clients don’t understand this. So I have to go back to my roots – the London College of Printing where I studied television and feature film making, as well as photography. Videography is about the editing and how the piece is cut together, but the versatility of the latest EOS cameras makes everything possible. Which water sport do you most enjoy photographing? Shooting superyacht regattas is truly amazing. The size of the yachts these days is ridiculous and just gets more impressive, as designers are given the freedom to push the envelope of design to James Bond levels. To shoot these yachts crashing around a racecourse makes for impressive imagery. The crew appear like ants as they clamber around the deck. The sculptural designs, reflective glass and metallic paint make futuristic imagery. How do you ensure you stay at the top of your profession? I have a passion for photography that drives me to find new ways to shoot and hopefully create evocative images. I am lucky that clients find this attractive and keep me at the forefront. I also have a very good understanding of what is either art and/or what is a great commercial image – this almost crosses into marketing knowledge rather than photography. In the commercial world, there’s no point taking a picture that no one either values or can use. I pinch myself everyday to think I get paid to do a job I adore, and that other people find pleasure in my work.

Walking on Water Kos Evans demands exceptional performance in extreme circumstances.

From shooting Maxi yachts for a Rolex advertising campaign to chasing a boat through London for an action sequence in a Bond movie, Kos Evans – together with her EOS cameras – has been at the forefront of marine photography for 30 years. What are your biggest challenges? My biggest challenge photographically, unlike most photographers, is the conditions in which I work. Unlike shooting on land, working on the sea means you are dealing with an environment that doesn’t suit cameras. The salt is extremely corrosive, the vibration from working on fast powerboats shakes camera screws loose and the lenses get bashed and also covered in seawater at times. Plus you are working from a moving platform shooting a moving subject. To protect my equipment as much as possible I use a large cool box as my camera bag – the cameras and lenses remain much drier and protected even if the boat is awash with water. It’s essential to know how to direct the driver of the powerboat to go where I need to go so we don’t get in the way of the event, but position me to get a great picture. I don’t have a fear of heights so I can shoot from a helicopter dangling out of the open door standing on the skids. The same goes for shooting from the masthead of a yacht. I can change lenses up there, or use a zoom to crop into events on deck, as well as shooting wide for an overview. How have advances in camera technology (e.g. faster lenses, increased frame rate, file size, etc) affected your photography? The improvements in technology have been so amazing it gives the photographer the freedom to shoot anything at any time. The increased ISO range gives the ability to shoot in more

extreme conditions – similarly the HDR facility. File size gives a longevity (we hope) to the quality of the image. Where will we be in 100 years from now? The fact that lenses are becoming lighter helps in my game too. Which are your favourite lenses, and why? My favourite lenses tend to be zooms. Working on wet boats I don’t want to change lenses too often as there is a risk of getting a wave over my camera at the same time. How effective is the waterproofing on the EOS 1Ds Mark III and what precautions do you take? I love my EOS 1Ds Mark III. It’s a really balanced camera when working with long lenses and I have never had a problem with corrosion – the contacts are well sealed. The camera is like a tank – almost bombproof. I am careful, however, to always clean my equipment after each shoot with surgical spirit. This takes off the salt without leaving any moisture. What special camera settings or lenses do you use when shooting from a helicopter? I like to work in Av mode and shoot at no less than 1/1000 second as there is usually vibration from the rotor blades. Explain the importance of the helicopter pilot for achieving some of your iconic shots. When working with a new helicopter pilot, I first find out if he had military training as these guys are usually the very best – you can push them harder to do what you want them to do. I usually map out a storyboard of the shots I need to get. I try to always brief them fully before take off. Sometimes they

For more of Kos’ images visit www.kospictures.com

For more information: Kos’ new book, ‘Walking on Water – The Daredevil Acrobatics of a Pioneer- ing Photographer’ is available to buy from good booksellers (Adlard Coles Nautical, hardback, £30). The book encapsulates Kos’ most dramatic pho- tographs and offers thrilling anecdotes of her life. The book also includes a Foreword by Duran Duran singer and keen sailor Simon Le Bon.

Kos’ kit includes:

2x EOS-1Ds Mark III EF 300mm f2.8L USM EF 14mm f2.8L II USM

EF 100mm f2.8L IS Macro EF 70-200mm f2.8L USM EF 28-70mm f2.8L USM Extender EF 1.4x EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM

10 Reproduced from EOS magazine January-March 2013

Reproduced from EOS magazine January-March 2013 11