MEET OLYMPUS PHOTOGRAPHER JAIME PENZELLNA
WHO ARE YOU?
I’m Jaime Penzellna, a young enthusiastic Front-end Engineer & Photographer based in NYC who loves to design, code and shoot. My photographic passions are portraits, cityscapes, and architecture. When not in front of a screen, I love exploring the outdoors and taking photos for fun & professionally!
Aside from my photography, I can be found most of the time working as front-end engineer, visualizing designs that are user-friendly and developing code that is interactive, so it is pleasing to the target audience on the web through a handful of web development tools! I’m a quick learner, always striving to learn new web technologies just because I love telling the computer what to do!
WHEN DID YOU REALIZE YOU WERE A PHOTOGRAPHER?
I got into photography during my senior year of college when I bought my first DSLR camera for a beginner photography course. I just fell in love with the concept of being able to capture a still moment frozen in time, which you can experience and feel every time you see the image.
I didn't have a particular genre or genres that I was focused on at the time, but was more of being jack-of-all-trades just trying out different types of photography as my course required. I first started to shoot street candids in black and white just to practice with random subjects and whatnot in the city, until I adopted my current orange-teal tone style shooting cityscapes and portraits. The reason for that change all points to the question: how can I differentiate my work and my vision from everyone else and still be able to tell a captivating story? It is simply based on color and mood.
INTRODUCING OLYMPUS
How did you get started with the Olympus system?
In 2018, I collaborated with Olympus on their social campaign #MirrorlessOnTheMove with the OM-D E-M1 Mark II. I started out shooting with the E-M1 Mark II camera with the M.Zuiko 17mm F1.2 PRO lens.
What’s your go-to Olympus setup?
My Olympus setup is really utilizing all of my Olympus gear. I use my OM-D E-M1 Mark II camera with the M.Zuiko 17mm F1.2 PRO lens for dynamic environmental portraits where I want to add a wider background element within the frame. I also use my M.Zuiko 40-150mm F2.8 PRO and M.Zuiko 300mm F4 IS PRO lens for more creamy bokeh and background compression or capturing cityscape shots in the far distance.
How does Olympus help you do your job?
The OM-D E-M1 Mark II is a one-of-a-kind, must-have micro four-thirds camera! You could never go wrong with having it due to its lightweight nature to be able to take more shots without wearing me down. Even with my M.Zuiko 40-150mm F2.8 PRO telephoto lens, its still very mobile and ready-to-go!
I love how the OM-D E-M1 Mark II has in-body image stabilization to compensate handheld movements when using slower shutter speeds which gives me that extra peace of mind at times when I don't have a tripod or time to set up a tripod and still nail that sharp photo.
Some people say the bigger the sensor size, the better quality of the pictures which is true in some cases! But wait! Olympus truly developed a workhouse micro four-thirds camera that can perform just as well as a full-frame camera in a compact and lightweight factor! It's also tack sharp in the corners, edge-to-edge!
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING A MEMBER OF THE OLYMPUS FAMILY?
I've been truly blessed to be part of the Olympus family. It's just an amazing feeling to be a part of one of the best camera manufacturers in the micro four-thirds sector. I love using their products for my photography needs and adventures. The engineering technology incorporated into their mirrorless cameras and lenses will continue to impress me for years to come and surely look forward to what they'll bring in the prosperous future. I ain't going anywhere anytime soon! Huge thanks to Olympus for giving me first-hand opportunities and insights into the new emerging mirrorless camera technology and the potential it holds over traditional DSLR.
TIPS FOR OTHER BUDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS
The greatest piece of advice I can give to other photographers is to get out of your comfort zone, be inspired to always try something new and different than the norm. Be creative and go with the flow.
TIPS FOR OTHER PRO PHOTOGRAPHERS
A good tip I can give to other pro photographers like myself is to always push the boundaries. If you love what you do with a passion, you'll want to do more like it.
