Close-Up Transformations

By Jenn Gidman
Images by Cameron Jurysta

Using his Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 G2 and 70-180mm F2.8 zoom lenses, Cameron Jurysta turns ordinary scenes into something special.

Cameron Jurysta grew up in the age of iPhones and selfies, so taking pictures on the fly has always been second nature. At some point, he started thinking about taking his image-making to the next level. “I pondered buying a camera for the longest time,” he says. “Finally, my fiancee said, ‘You bought me this ring—to reciprocate, I’ll buy you your first camera.’”

Cameron has since tried his hand at everything from nature and street photography to close-up work, experimenting with the latter with the Tamron 28-75mm F/2.8 DI III VXD G2 standard zoom and 70-180mm F/2.8 DI III VXD telephoto zoom for his Sony mirrorless camera. “I use the 28-75mm more than any other lens I own,” he says. “Anything to do with portraits or street photography, that’s the lens I pull out. It’s the perfect focal length. I’ll use the 70-180mm for sports photography, or anytime I’m further away from my subject and need that extra reach. The sharpness on both lenses is amazing, and they both have that F2.8 maximum aperture that allows me to shoot at higher shutter speeds when I need to.”

As for photographic fodder, Cameron aims to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. “I live in a small town in Pennsylvania where absolutely nothing goes on,” he says. “I try to make it the most interesting place on Earth with my camera and Tamron lenses.”

28-75mm (41mm), F2.8, 1/2000 sec., ISO 250

CAMERON’S QUICK TIPS

Add a bit of mystery to your images.
The greatest stories behind a photo are often the ones in your imagination. When you look at this silhouetted man here, you’re left to wonder: Did he have a rough day? Did his girlfriend just break up with him? We did this portrait session in an alley, and it was dark, so we had to try a few different positions until I had him where I could effectively bounce the light onto his arm, hair, and neck. You can just barely make him out, but the image still says so much.

70-180mm (70mm), F2.8, 1/800 sec., ISO 200

Spend a good amount of time on one subject.
It can be a refreshing change of pace to slow down and pick one thing to focus on. I was in McConnells Mill, a state park here in Pennsylvania, after most of the leaves had already dropped for the season. I was setting up to take photos of the sunset when I spotted this lone leaf lying on the ground, with the descending sun backlighting it so you could see the intricacies of its veins. I became obsessed and took about 50 pictures of it, from all different angles.

28-75mm (28mm), F2.8, 1/500 sec., ISO 500

Be ready for surprise close-ups at events.
When I’m photographing concerts, I’m of course taking photos of the performers. But I also like to capture the fans, and so I’m always on the lookout for interesting scenes in the crowd. I was in the audience watching my friend’s band play and doing my usual fan-scanning when I saw one guy throw up the devil’s horns, and then another throw up the peace sign immediately after that. Without even thinking, I whipped my camera up and captured those silhouetted gestures. If I’d been one second slower, I would’ve missed the shot.

70-180mm (108mm), F2.8, 1/800 sec., ISO 2000

Incorporate water.
A splash of morning dew, the remnants of a nice rain, even a tiny spray bottle that you carry in your gear bag to add a few drops to a flower or plant can enhance your closeup images. This bright pink flower is stunning on its own, but those water droplets add a bit of texture and make the flower’s surface feel less flat.

28-75mm (28mm), F4, 1/320 sec., ISO 640

The photo of the spiderweb I spotted in a local park wouldn’t have been as nice of a photo without the water droplets clinging to the web and catching the light. These types of images are hard to take, as it’s challenging to get most of the image in focus. I shot this particular photo in manual, because Sony cameras have a “peaking” feature that highlights the outlined area in focus in bright white or another color.

28-75mm (75mm), F4, 1/250 sec., ISO 640

Envision what a nondescript scene might turn into.
Normally, a puddle on the street might not seem like a terribly compelling subject. But I thought to myself: What if I just hang out and wait for someone with a nice pair of shoes to step in it? Finally, my guy came along. I loved the ripple and the reflection, plus the shoe added color to an otherwise gray-looking scene. The image has a cinematic, moody, Gotham-style vibe I really like.

70-180mm (85mm), F2.8, 1/200 sec., ISO 640

To see more of Cameron Jurysta’s work, check out his Instagram.