bwuphoto.com

© Provided by Refresh Lifestyle

Explore funny T-Shirt ideas on Amazon.

Many of us have no idea what it is like in the army. Sometimes we hear prejudices or assumptions, but rarely are we aware of the reality. No wonder, after all, we seldom have direct contact with people in the army and accordingly do not know how everyday life there is or which people actually work there.

When we turn our attention to the pictures of Brazilian photographer Paula Mariane, light comes into the darkness. As the first civilian in history, she accompanied the Brazilian army for several years and documented their daily lives. How she came to do this and what a formative experience it was, she tells us in an interview with ZEITjUNG.

ZEITjUNG: What inspired you to start the photo series „Laces of Honor: The other side of the Brazilian Army“ and how can we understand the title?Paula Mariane: I was never interested in nature or landscape photography. I wanted to see images of people. Also, I always wanted to deal with stories that hadn’t been reported yet. For this reason, I am also the first civilian who wanted to, and ultimately was able to, report on everyday life in the Brazilian army. I am proud of this reportage because the Brazilian armed forces were not accessible to the civilian population before. Many people didn’t even know what they did or how they were structured. A big focus was to document the trainee fighters of the Brazilian Armed Forces and at the same time it was important for me to counteract the lack of knowledge about the Brazilian Armed Forces . As I said, it is the first time that this topic is presented from a civilian perspective.

How long did you accompany the military academy to get such an up-close look at its everyday life?Paula Mariane: I accompanied the academy of the Brazilian Armed Forces for almost four years. I then started the project on February 5, 2016.

How did you, as a civilian, get access to this field?Paula Mariane: When I was a student for a year, the Brazilian Army offered a course for journalism students with the ambition of bringing the armed forces closer to the students. That’s how I met the armed forces for the first time in my life. I have no parents or relatives there.

What was the biggest problem for you when you shot these photos?Paula Mariane: My biggest problem was to believe in my own ideas when I felt alone with them. But I have never been alone. God was with me. I heard „NO“ many times, but I never gave up. I am extremely stubborn about what is good and bad. I found important people who helped me and had support from many people in the army. Also, a Swiss friend who is also a photographer gave me a new camera because he also works in the same field as me and wanted to help me. I noticed that the support had crossed country borders, which I am still very happy about.

What was the most fascinating event you experienced while photographing during your project?Paula Mariane: The most fascinating event I experienced was climbing Pico das Agulhas Negras together with the army. It is the fifth highest peak in Brazil. This military activity was organized by a special department, a group that is considered military elite that works in the academy.

What do people need to know about the army?Paula Mariane: It is a safe career, but it is not easy. I have seen how the soldiers work and suffer. It’s very hard. But on the other hand, I have also learned a lot about special missions. For example, the army does a lot of social work that helps a lot of people. Unfortunately, almost nobody talks about that.

Back to your pictures – what makes a good photo for you?Paula Mariane: At the end of the day, your camera is not the most important thing in your career as a photographer. Before you become a good photographer, you have to be a good person. It’s a great advantage if you can turn your prejudices into curiosity and empathy, so that you can influence the world in a better way. Our essence is the key to a good photo. Remember where you come from and who you are. Give thanks for everything.

Explore funny T-Shirt ideas on Amazon.

Image source: Paula Mariane

Explore funny T-Shirt ideas on Amazon.

As part of Sigma’s Contemporary lens line, the 56mm f/1.4 DC DN is designed to offer exceptional image quality and performance all in a small, convenient package. With a 35mm equivalent of 84mm, this lens is great for portraiture, street photography, pet photography, travel work, and any low-light shooting situations.

Specifications

• 10 elements in 6 groups 
• Angle of View 28.5° (Sony E, L Mount, Fujifilm X), 26.9° (Canon EF-M), 21.9° (Micro 4/3)
• Number of Diaphragm Blades: 9 (rounded)
• Maximum Aperture: f/1.4
• Minimum Aperture f/16
• Minimum Focusing Distance: 50 cm / 19.7 in.
• Filter Size: 55 mm
• Maximum Magnification: 1:7.4
• Weight: 280 g / 9.9 oz. (Sony E, Canon EF-M, Fujifilm X), 285g / 10.1 oz. (L Mount), 256 g / 9.0 oz. (Micro 4/3)
• Dimensions: 66.5 x 59.5mm / 2.6 x 2.3 in. (Sony E, Canon EF-M), 66.5 x 59.8mm / 2.6 x 2.4 in. (Fujifilm X), 66.5 x 57.5mm / 2.6 x 2.3 in. (L Mount), 66.5 x 58.1mm / 2.6 x 2.3 in. (Micro 4/3)

Build Quality

The 56mm f/1.4 is made very well and has a premium fit and finish. The lens has a large, rubberized focusing ring and a weather-sealed brass mount that fits snugly to the camera body. When fitted to the Fujifilm X-T4, it feels similar in build quality to the camera and makes for a great pairing. The lens is constructed of TSC (Thermally Stable Composite), which is less susceptible to deforming than aluminum and results in a precision construction.  

Ergonomics and Handling

One of the best things about this lens is how compact it is. The 56mm is a small, yet fast option that will travel well for street photographers or those out for a day taking portraits. The large focusing ring is appreciated and makes manual focusing a breeze. Even with the lens hood attached, the lens retains a quite compact form. The size and shape of the lens make it a perfect balance for a camera like the Fujifilm X-T4, and taking it along for a full day of shooting was enjoyable without the combo ever feeling heavy or burdensome. The only criticism I have regarding the handling is that the lens lacks a physical aperture ring. This is by no means a dealbreaker for me, but I would prefer the physical aperture ring over using the rear command dial on the camera to change the aperture. If you are using a camera without analog dials, this is obviously not a concern.

Performance

The focusing on the 56mm is fast and quiet, and I found it to be similar in speed and accuracy to the Fujifilm 16-55mm f/2.8, which I have used extensively. In video as well as with still photos, the lens focuses smoothly without a lot of hunting. I did have an issue with brightly backlit subjects, however, especially when taking pictures with a bright sun in the background. Since the X-T4 struggles in this situation no matter which lens is attached, it is more likely the limits of the camera than any limitation in the lens that I experienced.

Image Quality

The image quality of the 56mm is excellent. I shot a variety of images over the course of a few days and was impressed by the sharpness, color saturation, and overall quality. I took the lens along for a day of shooting portraits and scenery in a beautiful town on Long Island called Northport, as well as to a local nature trail. Although I used a few of Fujifilm’s native film simulations, most of the images I took were in the standard Provia simulation and edited in post. As expected, this lens is wonderful for portraiture and provides pleasing bokeh and skin tones. According to Sigma, the Super Multi-Layer Coating of the 56mm makes it resistant to flaring and ghosting when photographing with a strong backlight. I found that in my images, the flaring was very well controlled, as in the photo of my daughter above. Overall, I was quite pleased with the image quality.

Conclusion

This is the second Sigma Contemporary lens I’ve tested, and as with the 18-50mm f/2.8 that I previously used, I was extremely impressed with the 56mm regarding build quality, size, handling, and image quality. The lens is an excellent value for the dollar and robust enough for everything from professional to casual use. Photographers who do a lot of outdoor work in a variety of weather conditions will appreciate the robust construction that it is dust- and moisture-resistant. Finally, the small footprint means that the 56mm f/1.4 will pair nicely with many compact cameras and even the not-so-compact ones. The lens is available for Canon EF-M, Micro Four Thirds, Sony E, Leica L, and Fujifilm X Mount cameras. 

What I Like

• Robust Build Quality
• Weather-sealed Metal Mount
• Quick and Silent Autofocus
• Excellent Image Quality
• Compact Size

What I Don’t Like

You can pick up a Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens by clicking here.

© Provided by City AM
Seasonal agricultural workers are part of the growing group of people in non-traditional employment. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

For better or worse, unions currently feel omnipresent. But within this political quagmire of public sector pay demands and strikes, the oft-quoted defence of unions is not merely their position as an immense vehicle of wage bargaining, but their historic role in the development of basic employment rights.

So it seems unusual that there still is an increasingly popular world of work that is for the most part unregulated and unrepresented, and arguably underestimated.

I’m talking about the people in “non-traditional” work. According to the Tony Blair Institute, 18.4 per cent of adults – 5.5 million people – did non-traditional work in the UK between 2019 and 2020.

While much of non-traditional work tends to focus on the gig economy, atypical employment actually spans multiple different types of work. It includes a broad range of different jobs – freelance consultants, self-employed tradespeople, Uber drivers, ambulance staff, or seasonal agricultural workers.

Given its sheer dynamism, non-traditional work necessitates an approach that explicitly acknowledges its unique nature, as opposed to applying old frameworks onto substantively different business models.

But there are obstacles to this. Employment regulation gets caught up in a predictable, tired debate that draws out the dogma on both sides of the political spectrum – heavy interventionism on one side, and radical deregulation on the other.

As with many policy problems caused by technological advances, it demands a more thoughtful, innovative approach transcending the same old arguments. Fundamentally, the nature of work is evolving, and this needs to be mirrored in public policy.

Yet employment regulation shouldn’t simply be an ambition of the left. There is, of course, a compelling fairness argument to be made. But aside from eroding worker rights, haphazard employment regulation limits the flexibility of both businesses and individuals. It can fly in the face of productivity as firms underinvest in training – contributing to the UK’s burgeoning skills crisis. Analysis from the Tony Blair Institute suggests that traditional workers are one and a half to three times more likely than non-traditional workers to receive employer funded training.

It should also not be underestimated how gaps and uncertainties in employment law are bad for businesses as well as – obviously – for individuals. Businesses who play by the rules are unnecessarily penalised against those evading them, which risks creating a race to the bottom on wages and working standards to remain competitive. Regulatory uncertainty limits innovation too – for instance, some platforms are held back from offering better conditions to their workers in case it’s taken as evidence that they are employing them.

Non-traditional workers are currently faced with an unlovely combination of weak bargaining power and weak employment regulations. The UK has the worst of both worlds – neither strong unions nor a robust system of legal protections for non-traditional workers.

To achieve more consistent regulation, actually tailored to the unique needs of non-traditional work, unions may be part of, but not the whole answer. To compound weak union membership, labour market regulation in the UK is haphazard and difficult to navigate, especially for non-traditional work. The decline of trade union power since the 1980s was not replaced by an alternative system of workers’ rights. Sporadic improvement through voluntary arrangements and lengthy court battles are about the extent of progress for non-traditional workers.

And as ever, it is not merely as simple as just moving on to a different job if the working conditions are so precarious. There are numerous benefits to non-traditional work – control, flexibility and a higher income –  and workers rightfully want to retain this. It can be a mutually beneficial arrangement.

Ultimately, it should be perfectly plausible to have a world with both employment rights and the flexibility offered by more freelance-like work. But it requires fundamentally different methods to those that have been applied before.

There can be very different settlements as to the right balance of rights and freedom in different types of work. Yet the need for representation so the worker can influence that settlement is common to all – even though representation might not always look like a traditional union. Two things can be true at once: unions are instrumental for worker representation, and new problems require new solutions.

The post As the nature of work evolves, we need fresh solutions to employment regulation that go beyond union membership appeared first on CityAM.