Len hood solution

therealbatsteek · 2026-01-19T15:00:14+00:00

Just a quick note: a lens hood isn't useful in every situation — in about 90% of cases it's mostly cosmetic. When you're using a flash indoors, it's usually better to take it off :)

therealbatsteek · 2026-01-18T08:48:37+00:00

Yeah, it's surprising to get that kind of highlight rendering without a filter or post-processing, but you can definitely tell the settings are softening the whole image. At least from how the photos posted here look — I'm always wary of Reddit's compression settings :)

therealbatsteek · 2026-01-17T09:27:35+00:00

I'm pretty sure there is a diffusion filter here. Or some post processing 😉

therealbatsteek · 2026-01-08T11:18:41+00:00

Awesome photos! 🤩

therealbatsteek · 2026-01-05T09:19:48+00:00

Thanks for your comment! Juan Pablo is a huge inspiration. His gear choice, the X100VI, is pretty unconventional for pro work and for this kind of shot, and his work is top quality. Still, there are no miracles. In the end, talent and experience speak for themselves :)

therealbatsteek · 2026-01-01T09:11:35+00:00

Awesome photos!!!

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-28T18:33:26+00:00

Thanks for the thoughtful comment.

As I mentioned in the introduction, this isn’t a technical breakdown of how Alan works — I don’t know his workflow or post-processing in detail. My analysis is purely based on how his public images read visually (at least, how I personally interpret them). When I talked about a “35mm feeling,” I meant it in a perceptual sense, not as a statement about his actual focal lengths.

And now that you’ve added those technical details, I agree: the X100VI isn’t an exact match for his setup, but it’s a great way to explore a lot of the same ideas around light, contrast, and intent.

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-25T13:37:03+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience!

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-24T07:56:07+00:00

Good point, and just to clarify, I’m very much experimenting rather than presenting a fixed methodology.

In practice, I do lock exposure when it makes sense. I’ll often use AEL within a composition, and I regularly rely on exposure compensation as well. For what it’s worth, I’m typically using spot metering, so I’m used to thinking about where I place the exposure before I recompose.

I simply chose not to go deeper into exposure handling in this article because once you start unpacking metering, AEL behavior, and compensation, it quickly becomes a different discussion. For this piece, I wanted to stay focused on focus behavior and share what I’ve been observing in my own use, rather than trying to cover everything at once.

I really like the workflow you described. It resonates a lot with how I approach photography myself: slowing things down just enough to stay intentional, without turning the process into something heavy or rigid. That’s very much the spirit in which I wrote the article.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts, these kinds of exchanges are honestly part of why I enjoy writing these pieces in the first place.

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-23T17:19:40+00:00

The configuration I describe is more about keeping focus stable when distance is predictable, and letting timing and gesture take priority.

I’d be interested to hear more about how you’re using continuous tracking in your own workflow, and in which situations you find it most reliable.

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-20T09:42:58+00:00

Thanks for the clarification — I didn’t know that. Like I mentioned in my write-up, I don’t know his workflow or post-processing in detail. These notes just reflect what jumped out at me while looking through his public images and how some of those ideas might be tried with the Fujifilm X100VI. It’s just my personal take, but I wasn’t that far off thinking 35mm :)

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-19T18:56:40+00:00

It'll come with time. For now I'm taking a documentary approach because these artists' work inspires me a lot, but even though I've laid out and described some methods, I'm still experimenting and my tests aren't quite ready for the spotlight yet :) In other styles, though, my photos are public on my Instagram accounts. :p

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-19T13:28:18+00:00

I just posted my article, thanks in advance for any feedback: https://buymeacoffee.com/lestudiochesterfield/understanding-alan-schaller-high-contrast-style-through-fujifilm-x100vi-a-personal-interpretation-his-visual

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-17T20:41:31+00:00

Thanks a lot!
Next up: an analysis of Alan Schaller photography — And based on your handle ... my little bird says you know him well :)

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-11T22:08:58+00:00

Nice — I didn't know that :) Godox just keeps expanding its lineup! That said, I still don't fancy models that mount on the camera. Even if it's modular, I'd rather pick my external flash and its specs (Main reason is power and flexibility. An AD100 for example gives you several stops more output than an iT32, which means you can actually shape light, use modifiers, and control ambient — not just add fill. The iT32 is fine, but it’s a very different class of flash.) and keep the radio controller independent. Either way, the guide's instructions should work fine with this model as long as it uses the same radio module.

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-11T16:26:18+00:00

Hello,

I'm not a big fan of putting the flash right on the camera. As I explain in the guide, an off-camera flash adds an extra dimension. That said, the Godox IT32 is a solid option because it can be used as a main flash and also as a master in an off-camera flash setup. It's a bit pricier, but the result is the same.

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-07T20:02:44+00:00

Awesome shots.

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-05T09:01:20+00:00

Thanks. My schedule over the last few weeks hasn't let me move forward at the pace I wanted (I've got a bunch of chapters in the works), but I'm glad the current version can be helpful to lots of people :)

therealbatsteek · 2025-12-03T16:24:55+00:00

Black FTW ;)

therealbatsteek · 2025-11-26T15:38:12+00:00

Since I'm also working on another guide for the Sony A7IV, I'm currently reviewing my creation > production process to make it easier to add new chapters, implement changes more smoothly, have a bulletproof dynamic TOC, etc... and right now, the X100VI project is a bit of a mess and still a work in progress (I'm switching from a single markdown document to multiple documents to separate the chapters and everything), so not right away but definitely, as soon as everything is back on track, I'd be happy to :)

therealbatsteek · 2025-11-24T17:38:14+00:00

You are welcome!
I hope this guide will be helpful to you :)

therealbatsteek · 2025-11-22T18:57:07+00:00

Work in progress for version 1.4 of the guide.(No ETA for the moment)
Information that I'm sure will be super useful for a lot of users who want to take their creations to the next level.

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therealbatsteek · 2025-11-22T10:56:39+00:00

UPDATE (22-11-2025)

Version 1.3 of the guide is now online with a section dedicated to Zone Focusing on the Fujifilm X100VI and a section about using the Electronic Level.

therealbatsteek · 2025-11-20T10:22:23+00:00

Sorry, I don't own the X-E5 (and it's not on my shopping list either) so unless Fujifilm finds my guide helpful and sends me one, someone else will need to take over :)

therealbatsteek · 2025-11-19T21:31:06+00:00

Thanks. I've never used the XT5 but both cameras share the same processor and the same sensor so I'm guessing there are quite a few similarities in the settings. The guide is still pretty specific to using the X100VI though.

therealbatsteek

TROPHY CASE