There are religious architectural structures almost all around the world. When talking about religious structures or architecture, it includes churches, cathedrals, mosques, synagogues, temples, pagodas, monasteries, etc. Religious architectural photography is a bit complicated because the architecture itself can be very detailed both inside and out.
When capturing photos of religious places, one needs to compose carefully, make use of the available light and use the right camara settings and gear wisely in order to get the best results. A tripod will be of great help when shooting indoors and a wide angle or tilt-shift lens to get the entire building in the frame, or a moderate focal length to capture the architectural details.
Here are 24 religious architectural photos, that speak of their time and place.
Architectural photographs are great subjects for black and white photography. It is advised to not shoot directly in black and white, but to capture the colours in raw format and then convert it to black and white when post processing. There is more to converting an image to black and white, than just dragging the saturation slider all the way down to the negative end. If you wish to produce dynamic black and white images, check out this eBook, “Better Black And White” by Photzy, that will teach you how to properly convert a colour file to a black and white image.
Jure Tufekcic
Sonia Dauer
Manasa Putnala
Fernando Lavin
Roozbeh Eslami
Danylo Istominov
Andy Bridge
Miguel Baixauli
When capturing an image for black and white conversion, you will need to decide when photographing the structure itself, whether the image will work well in black and white. Good light and tonal range in the image is very important. Contrasting colours do not always convert to contrasting tones in black and white. If you are starting out in black and white photography, check out this eBook, “Better Black And White” by Photzy, which is a practical follow along guide that will help you to create compelling black and white shots every time.
Ricardo Gomez Angel
Jason An
Pond Gotishatiankul
Siborey Sean
Mich Stella
Benjamin Merkle
Raul Taciu
Sanjar Ganiev
When you are out in the field, depending on the light and the colours that are right in front of you, you should be able to decide whether a shot will work great in black and white. Learning how to look in black and white will greatly help and there are also a few post-processing tricks that will help you get the best results. If you wish to take your black and white photography seriously, check out this eBook, “Better Black And White” by Photzy, to understand tone, contrast and master black and white photography.
I once wrote that “what if?” was the central question for creative people. I also once wrote that our expectations of what we hope for—of a place, a subject matter, even an idea—can blind us to the reality of it.
You show up in Venice to photograph the city in fog and experience agua alta, the high flood waters of winter, only to arrive to a sunny week with nothing but blue skies and sunshine. You go to the pyramids to find them under renovation, flanked by scaffolding.
Most recently, I arrived on the Chilcotin plateau in British Columbia, only to discover I’d come too early. What was “right on time” the past five years (the past 38 years, according to my guide, Brian) was poor timing this year. The aspens hadn’t yet turned, the weather was unusually warm, and the salmon that would be the main attraction for the bears once they had spawned and died had themselves only just arrived and still had work to do before they gave themselves to the bears. It was all out of whack, and with the change in schedule (of which I had not been apprised), all my “what ifs” about my time photographing the bears became “what nows.”
It happens more often than I would like. All the plans, the gear lists, and the packing, the shot lists I dream up all go out the window with some frequency. This year, I built a rig to float on the water and get some split shots with the bear in the top of the frame, the salmon underwater in the bottom third. It was going to be epic! But 2/3 of the frame was empty in the absence of the bears, and without tools and some reimagining (read: fabrication), there was no way to use the rig. It never left my truck.
I had another shot in mind, too. So many sockeye salmon wash up on the shores after spawning that I thought it would be easy to put one aside and do some macro work. I had this idea that the green curve of the cheek against the red scales would be a nice image, not knowing the salmon would mostly be alive, still in the water, and too preoccupied with spawning to get ready for their close-ups. Also? When they turn red, they have lost their scales. Well, there goes that idea.
But “what now?” can be as helpful a creative question as “what if?” The latter is proactive, an act of the imagination, and results in plans and daydreams, shot lists, etc. The former is reactive, an act of response. No less imaginative, but a little more grounded in reality, the biggest hurdle is getting over the disappointment and wiping the mental slate clean to make room for new ideas and perceptions.
Now what? I came home with thousands of images, only a few of them contained a bear after one lone grizzly showed up to check things out. Finding his timing was off, I suspect he went back to his colleagues to report: “Not yet, friends. Almost.” In those eight days of waiting before my own timing ran out and I had to move on, I asked myself many times: What now?
The answer was all around me. The Chilco River, cold and turquoise, was running crimson with the most salmon the river system has seen in something like 15 years. Over 3 million of them, if the guy from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is to be believed, and all of them making their way upstream to their natal spawning grounds, a riot of reds and greens that seemed as good a subject as any, and would fill a hole in my work that I hadn’t yet explored. Fleshing out the story, if you’ll forgive the pun. After a while, it captured my imagination enough to become its own “what if?”
What if I could capture this extraordinary colour, this dazzling motion? How would I do that? What tools did I have that might help with that? Weirdly, I had a polarizing filter with me. I never have a polarizer. What made me throw that in at the last minute, I wondered. That would make it easier to get through the reflections on the surface of the water. I also had an Insta360 X5, an action camera I bought this summer (highly recommended!), along with a water case and a 12-foot pole.
Every day, twice a day, we went out looking for bears. We never gave up on them. But as we looked, I played with the salmon, both above and below the water. Fast shutters, slow shutters, intentional camera movements sometimes, and more literal efforts at others. I put the video camera in the water and worked through the learning curve of that, giggling away at both the failed attempts and the unexpected successes. I combed through thousands of frames shot from the surface, looking for one or two that felt right.
In the end, I learned a lot. I found myself infatuated, newly fascinated by the salmon, too. And I got a couple of images and some video that I love—neither of which is disconnected from my existing work with the bears.
So important to bears and the forests in which they spend so much of their lives that we call them salmon forests. Bears drag the salmon by the millions into the forests to eat them, leaving much of their bodies to decompose, their nutrients returning to the forest.
To the bears themselves, the salmon provide the calories necessary to survive the winters and, for the females, the body fat needed to allow the embryos of their future cubs to implant, which only happens when they reach 33% body fat. A bear needs to consume over 20,000 calories a day to prepare for denning in the winter, almost all of which comes from the fat-and-calorie-rich salmon. To say the two species are connected is an understatement.
I didn’t get what I hoped for on this trip. But looking back on most of my trips, I often don’t. I get different, for sure. Sometimes I get better. Rarely do I get nothing. The “what if?” prepares me and gets me thinking, but as long as I don’t let it blind me, it’s the “what now?” that’s usually responsible for the work I actually make. I would be surprised if I were the only one.
Portrait photography is a genre in photography where the photographer captures the subject’s personality and story. In order to capture effective portraits, the photographer needs to make use of the right light, background, props, attire and poses, as long as they are not candids where instant moments need to be captured.
Portraits can be captured in any environment under any light situations and it depends on the story and mood you are trying to capture in the image. Here are a number of resources that cover everything you need to know about capturing authentic portraits, from lighting to different styles and types of portraits.
Photo by Amir Geshani
Portrait photography may seem like a boring genre for some people who have not actually shot portraits or gotten deep into that genre. When it comes to portraits, there are a number of types of portraits that you can actually shoot and in many creative ways. It’s not just a couple of types like professional, candid, wedding, event, etc. This article talks about 23 different types of portraits you can try today.
Photo by Jason D. Little
Most photographers rely on natural light for their photography and this also applies to a lot of portrait photographers. Natural light is beautiful and if you have a good understanding of light, you can manipulate natural light to your advantage to capture stunning portraits. This article provides tips that will be useful for natural light portrait photographers.
Photo by Leonardo Toshiro Okubo
Professional photographers mostly tend to shoot portraits in studios because they can have full control over the lighting, background and other elements that contribute to the process. It also saves the photographer from scouting for locations which in itself can sometimes be a tedious task. Shooting portraits in a studio also requires taking care of a lot of things and this article provides a ton of tips for shooting studio portraits.
Photo by Aloha Lavina
When we talk about natural light, we immediately think of grand landscapes, outdoor architecture, wildlife, outdoor, sports, nature photography, etc. Portraits can also be shot under natural light and they look really stunning if the light is used wisely. If there are times where your subject may require light to fill in shadows etc., you can use reflectors to fill in light. This article talks about the art of capturing natural portraits using reflectors.
Photo by Warren Wong
Portraits can be shot either indoors or outdoors depending on the time of day, purpose of the shoot, the results that you are looking to achieve, the weather and so many other factors. When capturing portraits outdoors, care needs to be taken when choosing the location and the type of light (golden hour, overcast, midday, night, etc.). This article discusses some secrets to capture perfect outdoor portraits.
Photo by vahid kanani
Portraits that have a black background can look very professional and lend a certain mood to the overall image. In order to get a black background in portraits, you can either choose a black background and use the light settings effectively to keep the background dark. Or, you can make use of the contrast between the light and dark and make the background dark, no matter what the colour. This article discusses how you can capture a portrait with a black background.
Photo by Tanja Heffner
In photography, shooting with available light is a skill as it requires a good understanding of light and some creative thought on how available light can be used for the best images possible. The same applies when capturing portraits – they do not always require additional or artificial lights and can be shot beautifully with available light if well planned. This article discusses how to use available light for good portrait photos
Photo by Cottonbro
There are times, especially indoors or outdoors when the sun is behind the subject and you need some light to bounce off something onto your subject for better illumination of your subjects in portraits. This is where bounce light comes in handy to fill in areas that are dark or need better illumination. Light can be bounced off walls, ceilings, reflectors, etc., and this article talks about some simple ways to bounce light to capture better portraits.
Photo by Timothy Dykes
There are times when the available light is just not enough to capture sharp details and the right colours in your portraits. If you shoot portraits often, then it is good to have a speedlight to improve the quality of your photos. With a single speedlight, there is a lot that you can achieve. This article talks about using speedlights to capture some of the best portraits.
Photo by Samarth Singhai
Having a camera, a good lens, location, subject and maybe a speedlight cannot help with capturing the best portraits all the time. In order for your portraits to be powerful and effective, you need to make use of compelling compositional guidelines that can take your portraits to the next level. Effectively placing the eyes and taking care of other factors when composing a portrait is important and this article talks about some fundamental composition techniques for portraits.
Photo by Pablo Heimplatz
Couple portraits are something that are most sought after in the field of portrait photography. Capturing couples in their candid moments can portray the bond or connection that they have with each other, but it is also good for experienced photographers to know some classic methods for posing in order to get the best results. This article talks about poses for impressive couple portraits.
Photo by Kinga Cichewicz
If you are someone who loves to capture portraits but are nervous to be in front of other photographers, or to capture photos of other people, you can capture your own portraits, which is self portrait. When capturing self portraits, you are working with yourself and you are both the subject and the photographer. You have the freedom to capture your personal moments without worrying about the fact that you have to pose in front of someone else. This article discusses how you can capture storytelling self portraits.
Photo by Taya Iv
Portrait photography does not have to be done with posed subjects, looing into the camera in a perfect location. There are times when you may have limited resources and space, but portraits can always be captured using the available light, simple props lying around the house and sometimes some DIY filters or hacks. This article talks about 10 ways in which you can elevate your portrait photography.
Photo by Brad Starkey
If you are a street photographer, you can also capture stunning and powerful street portraits. Streets are full of moments, stories and colours and it is a great place to capture candid moments of people going about their daily lives. The right location, good use of light and some observational skills along with some patience will yield great street portraits. This article discusses tips on capturing stunning street portraits.
If college students know anything, it is how to find products that give you a bang for your buck. Everything is an investment that takes serious consideration, and when it comes to cameras, you don’t want to take any chances. In my case, this comes in the form of finding lenses that are high-performing, versatile, and reliable.
A little background
I am a film production undergrad student at Chapman University, on track to pursue cinematography as my major emphasis. I didn’t always know I wanted to pursue film, but photography was a central part of my upbringing, and once I hit high school, I naturally became “the camera friend”.
Chapman University film student (and Sigma Ambassador) Sophia Chew
Shooting in your dorm room is an essential part of the film student experience.
Outside of photography, I’ve directed and DP’d a handful of shorts and video projects, but some of the ones I’m proudest of are fan projects. Specifically, two films inspired by songs from Taylor Swift’s album Folklore – August (2024), and Betty (2023). Much of my work is inspired by books, music, and films I love, and I think my obsessions and phases add a personal touch to my work!
As a film student, your creative possibilities can feel limitless, but they can also feel intimidating. There are so many new things to learn, and it can be overwhelming. Thankfully, the safety net and supportive culture of my school program have offered a lot, and my Sigma lenses have been dependable additions to my kit and frequent topics of conversation on my sets.
My go-to gear
Student films and fan projects often operate on strict and fast schedules, which leads me to reach for my zoom lenses more often in order to optimize time. My favorite lenses (at the moment) are the Sigma 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary and the 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN | Art.
28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary
The 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary has been perfect for photography and video shoots on location. As one of most compact full-frame zoom lenses available, the small size makes it perfect to travel with, and the light weight allows for fast setups and efficient shot execution. I feel confident with my close-ups and my portraits. I put a Pro Mist diffusion filter on the end, and love the freedom to construct the look of my images off Sigma’s clean lens builds.
28-105mm F2.8 DG DN | Art
The addition of the 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN | Art to my kit has been game-changing. I recently shot a short film for one of my director friends on the Sony FX6. We shot a simple dialogue scene in an small bedroom. It was a tight fit and I needed a solid range to cover all the shots we needed. The 28mm focal length was ideal for the establishing shot, and as we get closer to the characters in the scene, the 80-105mm range was ideal for capturing their emotions and progressing dynamics. I threw in a few handheld shots when both characters started stressing about their parents coming home. One of them dives under the bed and hides, and this lens could capture all of it!
This location was tiny, cramped, and dim – but the Sigma 28-105mm was able to handle every shot.
When I show the lens to my peers, an unexpected part that stands out is the aperture ring. The satisfying manual addition to the lens makes the relationship between the user to the camera more personal, which is something I’m finding to be important to me when operating cameras.
A manual aperture ring is a nice addition for filmmaking. All Sigma’s latest Art line lenses, as well as the all-metal I series primes, have this feature.
Recommendations
Both lenses quickly became essential for me. As a student photographer and filmmaker, my visual style continues to evolve, and I’ve found these lenses can keep up with my pace. My love for the 28-70mm was part of how I became an ambassador, even before I got the invitation to join the Sigma team.
Whether you’re a starting photographer or an experienced camera user, I can’t recommend these two lenses enough, and I’m excited to use them in my projects next semester!
Welcome to our weekly community wrap-up. It’s been another great and exciting week on the Light Stalking forums with some great photography by the community. Members have been submitting high quality photos the past few weeks, which makes it even more exciting.
The weekend photography challenge from last week was “Light Of The Ordinary” and members had their creative take on the theme with very interesting shots – some of them are shared below.
This week, we have a new challenge that has some very beautiful submissions already. Join the challenge here – Everyday Stories
Here are some amazing shots from the past week that we thought were great and should be included here:
Backlit Flowery Bokeh – Copyright Robert Apple
Copyright Patrick
In a world of pixels and make believe – Copyright Patrick
Music in black and white! – Copyright David C
Dock Leaves – Copyright Tersha
Purple Haze – Copyright Robert Apple
Dandelion Seed – Copyright Tersha
Please, sir, I want some more … – Copyright Patrick
Light – Copyright Tersha
Copyright Michael
Copyright Holly K
Copyright Marty E
Copyright Marty E
Copyright Marty E
Copyright Rob Eyers
Copyright Patrick
Here are photos shared by members in other forums like General Photo Chit Chat, Landscape Photography, Macro Photography, etc.
Steve shared another powerful storytelling shot of a little girl full on athlete activity
Copyright Steve
Patrick is working on a series of abstract photos and has kindly shared the process on the thread here.
Copyright Patrick
And, Patrick has also started a new hobby. Head over here to check the photos!
Copyright Patrick
Rob captured a photo of crashing waves om his iPhone. The intent was to get a shot that shows scale Let him know what you think here.
Copyright Rob Wood
Discussions:
How do you improve? – Rob started a very interesting discussion on how photographers may fall into a few different groups. Join it here.
Steve started a discussion on Magnetic Filters. Join over here to participate.
If you are someone who captures images with your smartphone, we have a Mobile Photography Challenge where you can post your mobile photos and also check out the works by other photographers. The images must be captured and edited on a smartphone. Join to submit the photos over here.
Pat shared a stunning photo of the Aurora Borealis along with the Big Dipper to the mobile photography challenge, that was captured on her iPhone! Pat shared her experience when capturing this photo.
The sky was dark without any hint of what darkness was hiding. For the heck of it I grabbed my phone and took a shot of a black sky – a sky hiding beautiful shimmering colors.
Aurora Borealis along with the Big Dipper – Copyright Pat Garrett
There are also some members’ picks that are featured. These can be chosen by any of the members and are put in a whole new thread of their own and called out as being a great addition and shot for the forums. Check out those stunning captures here.
Patrick started a thread late last year – “Community Inspired Photo Story Challenge” – capture a story in 3 to 6 photos that hold personal significance and post them with a brief description. While that thread was started to be completed within a week, it has been open with ongoing submissions for the past year and is still open where members can post their stories.
Here are some throwdowns to follow and post your own photos, or you can start your own throwdown too.
Trees That Go Bump In The Night – Robert has started a throwdown and invited members to share their unusual photos of trees (Not Your Normal tree photos)
2025 Reflections Throwdown – a unique way to capture your own reflection, whether abstract or otherwise. There are many beautiful images to go through for some inspiration.
The night sky is stunning and the objects in the night sky are one of the most beautiful subjects that can be photographed mostly from your backyard. One of the most interesting and the brightest subjects in the night sky is the moon. Knowing the moon phases and a good understanding of controlling exposure in your camera can help you capture beautiful images of the moon.
In order to capture details on the moon’s surface, it is good to use a narrow aperture between f/8 and f/11. You will need a tripod, focus manually and use a shutter speed based on the focal length you are using to avoid motion blur. A remote trigger will also greatly help with capturing sharp images.
Grab your Milky Way Photography Blueprint for free righthere.
Here are some resources for effective moon photography tips and techniques.
Image by nousnou Iwasaki
When starting out with moon photography, most of us imagine those closeup shots of the moon that fill the frame, with a lot of details of the moon’s surface visible. When actually capturing the images, they may turn out to be a white blob or spot in the frame. This can be quite frustrating, but without giving up, check out this detailed guide on how to photograph the moon.
Image by Sebastian Voortman
If you are looking for some quick tips to refer to when photographing the moon, then this article quickly goes through a checklist that will help you to capture a quick shot of the moon. Always remember to make minor adjustments based on light, sky conditions and the gear that you use.
Image by Dahlia
Did you know that the moon is not just white but has some interesting colours? This is due to the mineral deposits on its surface. If you have not seen the colours yourself, the next time you photograph the moon, switch to live view and zoom in on the surface of the moon. You will be able to see the colours on its surface without the help of any accessories – just make sure the sky is very clear. Now you can capture the moon and post process to bring out its colours. This article will take you through all the steps required to capture and edit a mineral moon.
Image by Dahlia – shot on iPhone 7 Plus
A lot of photographers these days start their photography journey with their smartphones and some continue to do so for a while. While a smartphone can be a great tool for most genre of photography, it can be quite tricky when it comes to capturing photos of night sky objects. With some patience and understanding of camera settings you can capture decent images of the moon. There are also telephoto lens attachments sold for smartphones that can be used to capture closeup photos of the moon. This article discusses all the essentials required to capture a photograph of the moon using an iPhone or an Android.
Image by Ganapathy Kumar
The rising or setting Moon glows in a bright orangish colour very similar to the rising or setting Sun. This is due to the fact that the light from the rising Moon needs to pass through the thick atmosphere, before you can see it. Most of the shorter wavelengths of light in the blue end of the spectrum are scattered while the longer wavelengths towards the red end are visible. During this time the moon can look a bit fuzzy without great details but with some care, stunning photos of the rising Moon can be captured. This article discusses 3 tips to capture a perfect moonrise.
Image by Ganapathy Kumar
Moonscapes may have a confusing meaning like a Lunar landscape or a devastated landscape, but here in this article, we are talking about a landscape or a cityscape photo, with the moon in the sky. The moon is such a beautiful subject that it can add meaning, story and mood to an otherwise boring landscape or cityscape. In this article, we have provided all the details you need to capture a stunning moonscape.
Image by Temudjin
You may have heard of the term blood moon. During a total Lunar eclipse, the moon turns to a beautiful blood red because of the red light getting refracted and falling on the moon. A Lunar eclipse is quite a common occurrence compared to a Solar eclipse, but a total Lunar eclipse can also be a rare one, depending on where you live. So, if you wish to capture a photo of the eclipsed moon in the future, it is quite easy and this article will go through all the steps required to capture the blood moon.
The Moon is the only natural satellite to earth and the brightest object in the night sky. Depending on the sky conditions and the position of moon in the sky, whether day or night, it is a great subject for creative storytelling photos. If you wish to photograph the night sky or wish to photograph landscapes or cityscapes at night or during dawn and dusk, having the moon in the frame will help to capture compelling, visually appealing photos.
Besides the above, the moon can be photographed during various phases and also during an eclipse. Each of these scenarios provide photographers the opportunity to capture the moon differently. Here are some ethereal photographs of the moon and moonscapes, so you can get some inspiration and ideas for stunning moon photography.
Grab your Milky Way Photography Blueprint for free righthere.
Apart from capturing closeup photos of the moon that fill the frame, in order to capture powerful storytelling photos of the moon, you will need to pay attention to composition. When it comes to capturing the moon, paying attention to composition can be quite confusing, but look for natural or manmade subjects that can be captured along with the moon or shoot through them to frame the moon interestingly. If you are looking to improve your compositional techniques, we would recommend you to check out this eBook, “Advanced Composition” by Photzy.
Photo by Lorenzo Molinari
Photo by Mohamed Shaffaf
Photo by Kym MacKinnon
Photo by Xavier Mclaren
Photo by Nathan Anderson
Photo by Joseph Corl
Photo by Cheng Lin
Photo by Fran Lanza
Photo by Anita ajisic
Photo by Vladimir Kondratyev
Photo by Raffaele Mainini
Beginners in photography may always be stuck with just one compositional guideline – the rule of thirds or leading lines. While this guideline may be effective and form a base to many other compositional guidelines, it is important to think out of the box and work towards more effective compositions. If you wish to go beyond the basics and turn your photos into works of art, check out this eBook, “Advanced Composition” by Photzy that will help you to see light, shadows, lines, curves, space, repetition and focal points.
Photo by Alek Newton
Photo by Andras Toth
Photo by Aaron Benson
Photo by Vinicius de Paula
Photo by Egemen Şahin
Photo by Livia
Photo by Navi
Photo by Nuh Enes Sakallı
Photo by Mike Lewinski
Photo by Grant Davies
Photo by Sanjeev Shakya
If you look at award winning photos, you will notice that there are some important factors in play, which are easy to implement but are not talked about much usually. When composing a shot, there are more than one ways in which a frame can be captured. If you wish to move beyond the rule of thirds and capture photographs with advanced compositional guidelines, then we would recommend you to check out this eBook, “Advanced Composition” by Photzy. It is a 239 page easy-to-follow practical guide, packed with training that includes 38 Assignments, 84 Key lessons, and 117 Self-check quizzes!
Hollywood is rarely short of ambitious ideas, and the historical drama / full-fledged musical The Testament of Ann Lee, starring Amanda Seyfried, is one of the latest to roar past “passion project” and into the mainstream. Telling the story of Ann Lee, the founding leader of the 18th-century Shaker movement, the film blends gritty period piece with lavish choreography, with visuals led by Director of Photography William Rexer.
Rexer frequently uses Sigma Cine lenses in his work, and The Testament of Ann Lee was no exception. We caught up with Will after the film made its debut at the Venice Film Festival in September 2025 to learn more.
Q&A with Director of Photography William Rexer
Sigma:
Did you shoot with only the T1.5 High Speed Prime lenses, or were you able to use the new T1.3 Aizu Prime lenses at all? Any focal lengths in particular?
Rexer:
We primarily used the T1.5 primes and the Classics occasionally for their flares. The 28mm, 40mm and 65mm were our go-to lenses. The Aizu Primes came out after we were finished with principal photography, but we used them for two scenes and flashbacks. We used the 27mm, 32mm, and the gorgeous 75mm.
Cinematographer William Rexer on setOne of Rexer’s many Sigma Cine lenses – an 18-35mm T2.0 High Speed Zoom – mounted to an ARRICAM LT film camera
Sigma:
Were there any specific artistic or logistical reasons for choosing your camera and lens combination?
Rexer:
We tested eight sets of lenses, all spherical. One consideration was how much candlelight we would be using, and the desire for a consistent, pleasing bokeh. Some of the other lenses tested created inconsistent bokeh or star patterns with our candles in the frame. Other considerations included separation, chromatic aberration, consistency through the set regarding color, speed (we were shooting in very low light situations) and size. The film has a lot of dance and handheld camera work. In a blind test, shooting our cast in various situations, the Sigmas won. Director Mona Fastvold and I picked them, and it was a very clear choice.
Low light situations were frequent in The Testament of Ann Lee, and the Sigma Cine High Speed FF prime lenses were very useful for these scenes.
Sigma:
Can you share your overall experience working on the film and how you felt the Sigma lenses performed?
Rexer:
The lenses performed beautifully. We shot in tough conditions, on ships at sea in Sweden, in the heat and dust of an unusually warm Hungarian summer, and in rain and snow. These lenses were chosen because they look great, but they also held up. Functionality is important. I have used my Sigma Cine set on multiple films and series, and have found them incredibly reliable. They have not let me down yet.
Sigma Cine lenses were used in a variety of challenging locations, in this case, at sea with the 28mm T1.5 FF.
Sigma:
Is there any moment or scene in the film that you are particularly proud of, or you would like audiences to notice or special attention to?
Rexer:
The film has many moments that I am proud of. We wanted to stay away from the ordinary, and we ask the audience to come on this journey. Caravaggio was our reference. The old masters were our inspiration.
Screengrab from The Testament of Ann LeeLighting and composition was often influenced by Baroque-era artists such as Caravaggio.
The sequence leading up to and including the song “Hunger and Thirst” is a moment I am extremely proud of. Amanda is in a dark prison cell and the sun slowly rises, striking the ground and eventually her. The scene plays with darkness and shadow and lens flares demonstrating the ability of these lenses to retain contrast and character in very extreme lighting conditions. Sam Ellison, my A-operator and second Unit DP, did an extraordinary work in this sequence; it’s an intimate dance he does with Amanda Seyfried, discovering each gesture for the audience. Daniel’s score, Sam Bader’s set, both perfect. It’s beautiful.
William Rexer overseeing an outdoor shot on the set of The Testament of Ann Lee
Sigma:
What is something you hope people take away from your work on this film?
Rexer:
I love what I do. I love working with talented directors and going all out. Mona Fastvold is truly special. Daniel Blumberg, our composer, is a genius; Celia Rowlson-Hall’s choreography is stunning; Amanda is one of a kind. Making a film is making yourself incredibly vulnerable. We, as a team, made a decision to shoot on film, to light environmentally, to use daylight and candles as our main sources (or justification for lighting) and to keep a small crew that could work collaboratively. Mona created an artistic family and we, like the Shakers, worked because we were inspired. This was a unique experience.
I hope people get transported. I did not want this film to look like what people see everyday. My goal was to give them something very old and at the same time new.
The Testament of Ann Lee
Director: Mona Fastvold Producers include: Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet, Andrew Morrison DP: William Rexer, ASC A operator/2nd Unit DP: Sam Ellison AC: György Horváth
Welcome to our weekly community wrap-up. It’s been another great and exciting week on the Light Stalking forums with some great photography by the community. Members have been submitting high quality photos the past few weeks, which makes it even more exciting.
Here is the Photo Of The Week that is judged by Federico every week. This week’s photo of the week is by Patrick and you can read what Federico had to say about this photo in the link here – Photo of the Week – September 19th
First Place: The Ghost in the Machine – Copyright Patrick
The weekend photography challenge from last week was “Unseen Beauty” and members had their creative take on the theme with very interesting shots – some of them are shared below.
Copyright David C
Copyright Patrick
Copyright Michael
Copyright Tersha
Copyright Patrick
Copyright Pat Garrett
Copyright Pat Garrett
Copyright Patrick
Copyright Robert Apple
Copyright Tersha
Gonna get things moving round here – Copyright Patrick
Copyright Tersha
This week, we have a new challenge that has some very beautiful submissions already. Join the challenge here – Light Of The Ordinary
Here are some amazing shots from the past week that we thought were great and should be included here:
How do you improve? – Rob started a very interesting discussion on how photographers may fall into a few different groups. Join it here.
Steve started a discussion on Magnetic Filters. Join over here to participate.
If you are someone who captures images with your smartphone, we have a Mobile Photography Challenge where you can post your mobile photos and also check out the works by other photographers. The images must be captured and edited on a smartphone. Join to submit the photos over here.
There are also some members’ picks that are featured. These can be chosen by any of the members and are put in a whole new thread of their own and called out as being a great addition and shot for the forums. Check out those stunning captures here.
Patrick started a thread late last year – “Community Inspired Photo Story Challenge” – capture a story in 3 to 6 photos that hold personal significance and post them with a brief description. While that thread was started to be completed within a week, it has been open with ongoing submissions for the past year and is still open where members can post their stories.
Here are some throwdowns to follow and post your own photos, or you can start your own throwdown too.
2025 Reflections Throwdown – a unique way to capture your own reflection, whether abstract or otherwise. There are many beautiful images to go through for some inspiration.
Welcome to our weekly community wrap-up. It’s been another great and exciting week on the Light Stalking forums with some stunning photography by the community.
Here is the Photo Of The Week that is judged by Federico every week. This week’s photo of the week is by Click and you can read about what Federico had to say about this photo in the link here – Photo of the Week – September 05th
Night Cycle – Copyright Click
The weekend photography challenge from last week was framing cityscapes in interesting ways and members had their creative take on some very interesting shots – some of them are shared below.
This week, we have a new challenge that has some very beautiful submissions already. Join the challenge here – “Perspectives Redefined“
If you are someone who captures images with your smartphone, we have a Mobile Photography Challenge where you can post your mobile photos and also check out the works by other photographers. The images must be captured and edited on a smartphone. Join to submit the photos over here. Here are some photos too.
Copyright Rob Wood
Copyright Patrick
There are also some members’ picks that are featured. These can be chosen by any of the members and are put in a whole new thread of their own and called out as being a great addition and shot for the forums. Check out those stunning captures here.
Patrick started a thread late last year – “Community Inspired Photo Story Challenge” – capture a story in 3 to 6 photos that hold personal significance and post them with a brief description. While that thread was started to be completed within a week, it has been open with ongoing submissions for the past year and is still open where members can post their stories.
Here are some amazing shots from the past week that we thought were great and should be included here:
Patrick is working on something different. Join the conversation here.
The Last Piece – Copyright Patrick
Self Reflection – Copyright Patrick
Steve shared a photo from the Saluda River, South Carolina USA. The image looks classic with the black and white treatment and a powerful composition.
Saluda River – Copyright Steve
Tersha shared a beautiful photo of a Long Tailed Tit and the post processing, light were perfect with a distinctive style.
Long Tailed Tit – Copyright Tersha
Steve also shared another fun photo “Long Necked Gremlin scans their domain” that shows how a change in perspective can make a photo very interesting.
Long Necked Gremlin scans their domain – Copyright Steve
Marty had some fun at the beach and shared some very interesting photos of surfers. Check out the discussions and the surfer shots here.
Surfer – Copyright Marty
She also shared a few highlights from her recent trip to Arizona and California here:
Copyright Marty
Here are some throwdowns to follow and post your own photos,, or you can start your own throwdown too.
2025 Reflections Throwdown – a unique way to capture your own reflection, whether abstract or otherwise. There are many beautiful images to go through for some inspiration.
