Portrait Photography
caliallstaring
Lens reviews, portrait tips, and camera gear by Xing Liu — based in California.
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Sony
Sony A7IV + Samyang AF 135mm F1.8: Downtown Street Portraits with Aranza
Downtown street portraits on the Sony A7IV with the Samyang AF 135mm F1.8, shot across a few different city backdrops with Aranza — plus a quick lens swap to the Sigma 85mm F1.4 Art for a change of outfit and look.
Canon
Canon EOS R6 Mark II + RF 85mm F1.2 L: Urban Style Portraits with Andrea
An urban style portrait session with Andrea on the Canon EOS R6 Mark II and RF 85mm F1.2 L — Tiger Mist outfits against concrete backdrops around the city, shot wide open for creamy bokeh and muted tones.
Panasonic
Sigma 135mm F1.4 DG Art Wins EISA Portrait Lens Award — A Late Summer Shoot with Rosina
The Sigma 135mm F1.4 DG Art just won EISA's Portrait Lens 2026-2027 award. To celebrate, I took it out for a late-summer session with Rosina at Sutter's Fort — her summer dress against the season's first hints of fall color, right at that in-between moment before autumn takes over.
Canon
Canon EOS R6 Mark II + RF 50mm f/1.2 L — A Spontaneous San Francisco Street Style Session with Anna
A spontaneous meetup turned into a full street style session in downtown San Francisco with model Anna (@anna.vsz), visiting from Germany — Chinatown color, red lanterns, and Financial District high-rises, shot on the Canon EOS R6 Mark II with the RF 50mm f/1.2 L.
Nikon
Nikon Z5 II + NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S — Western Portraits in Old Town Auburn
Second round with the Nikon Z5 II, this time paired with the NIKKOR Z 85mm f/1.2 S for a western-inspired portrait session with model Nicoleta in historic Old Town Auburn, California.
Canon
Canon EOS R6 Mark II in 2026: Still Worth Buying Now That the R6 Mark III Is Out?
Is the Canon EOS R6 Mark II still worth buying in 2026 now that the R6 Mark III and R6 V are out? A real answer from someone who's shot 190+ videos on this body — plus what's actually rumored for the R6 Mark IV, and why new camera prices have spiked due to the 2026 memory shortage.