Fujifilm X-H2 + XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR: Golden Hour Street Portraits with Yasmina in Downtown Roseville

A fall street session in downtown Roseville with Yasmina (@minashakirovaa), shot on the Fujifilm X-H2 with the XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR. We started around 5:15pm, about an hour before sunset, when the sun was low enough to come in soft and golden from behind her.

Yasmina put together an easy fall look: a cream fleece bomber, a dark brown scarf worn loose over her hair, a black mini skirt, black slingback heels, cat-eye sunglasses and an iced coffee as a prop. The cream and dark brown read beautifully against the warm backlight, and the black skirt and heels anchor the full-length frames.

Every frame in this post is wide open at f/1.2 and ISO 125. The XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR is an 85mm full-frame equivalent, and this shoot is a good demonstration of what I like most about it: it is just as good for full-body frames as it is for half-body portraits, and the contrast holds up even shooting straight into the sun.

Gear:

• Fujifilm X-H2
• XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR

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Gear & Settings

• Camera: Fujifilm X-H2 (40MP X-Trans CMOS 5 HR)
• Lens: XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR (85mm full-frame equivalent)
• Aperture: f/1.2 for every frame, full body and half body
• Mode: Manual, ISO 125, shutter 1/800s to 1/2500s as the light changed
• Light: Low sun behind her, about an hour before sunset
• Film Simulation: Provia (recipe below)
• Editing: VSCO and Facetune on iPhone

My Provia Recipe for Golden Hour

This is the in-camera recipe I used for every frame in this post:

• Film Simulation: Provia
• Highlight: -1
• Sharpness: +1
• Noise Reduction: -2
• Color Chrome Effect: Weak
• Color Chrome Blue: Weak
• White Balance: 5900K

Provia keeps skin tones natural and true to life, and the 5900K white balance gives the frames that warm golden glow without turning her skin orange. Highlight -1 protects the bright sky and sunlit sidewalk when shooting straight into the backlight, Sharpness +1 and NR -2 keep fine hair and skin texture instead of smoothing it away, and Color Chrome Effect plus Color Chrome Blue on Weak hold detail in the warm tones and the blue sky.

My full Classic Chrome and Provia recipes, white balance tips and autofocus setup for this camera are in the Fujifilm X-H2 camera settings guide.

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Tree-Lined Sidewalk

We started on a sidewalk along the main street, with the trees and storefronts behind her and the sun filtering through the leaves. Cat-eye sunglasses and the iced coffee gave her something to do with her hands, which made the half-body frames feel natural.

This is where the 56mm's backlight performance shows up right away. The sun is directly behind the trees, but her face and the cream jacket keep their contrast instead of washing out into haze, and the street behind her melts into soft, round bokeh. The cover photo of this post is from this set.

XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR · f/1.2 · 1/1000s · ISO 125 · Model: @minashakirovaa

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Crosswalk: Half Body to Full Length

Next we moved to the crosswalk. I started close for half-body frames, playing with the sunglasses, then backed up for full-length walking shots with the crosswalk lines and long shadows running across the frame.

At 85mm equivalent, full length means standing a fair distance back, and that is usually where a fast lens shows its weaknesses. The 56mm f/1.2 stays sharp from her face down to her heels, and she still separates cleanly from the cars and trees behind her at f/1.2. The sun was brighter here, so the shutter went up to 1/2500s.

XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR · f/1.2 · 1/2500s · ISO 125 · Model: @minashakirovaa

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Storefront Corner, Sunglasses Off

On the corner by the storefronts, the sunglasses came off and the mood got softer: eyes down, eyes closed, hands in her hair. The sun was behind her and slightly to the side, which put a warm rim light on her hair and the edge of the scarf while her face sat in soft open light.

This is my favorite half-body set. The 56mm renders her skin with real depth, and the soft fall-off from the scarf to the background is what makes it look like a portrait lens rather than just a sharp lens.

XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR · f/1.2 · 1/2000s · ISO 125 · Model: @minashakirovaa

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Awning Shadows

Under the storefront awnings, the low sun cut long diagonal shadow stripes across the sidewalk. The awnings and the storefront line run straight back into the frame, so the leading lines pull the eye right to her, and the stripes of light give the full-body frames a strong graphic pattern.

Here the contrast of the WR lens really stands out. The light on the sidewalk is bright and the shadows under the awning are deep, but the blacks of her skirt and heels stay rich and clean, and the cream jacket still holds its texture.

XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR · f/1.2 · 1/1000s · ISO 125 · Model: @minashakirovaa

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Into the Sun

We finished out on the street facing straight into the sun. This is the hardest test for any f/1.2 lens: the sun right behind the subject, nothing to block it. The XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR gives a warm, soft glow around her without the milky veil or colored flare artifacts that would kill the contrast on her face.

The golden backlight through her hair and scarf in this set is exactly why I like to shoot about an hour before sunset.

XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR · f/1.2 · 1/1250s · ISO 125 · Model: @minashakirovaa

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Why the XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR Works for Street Portraits

A few thoughts after this session:

• Great for both full body and half body. At 85mm equivalent you can fill the frame with a half-body portrait or back up for full length, and it stays sharp head to toe at f/1.2. I never had to switch lenses or stop down.
• Contrast is the standout. Compared to the original XF 56mm f/1.2, the WR version has noticeably better contrast wide open. Blacks stay deep, and skin and fabric keep their texture even in bright backlight.
• Backlight and flare control. Shooting straight into a low sun, it gives a soft warm glow instead of a hazy, low-contrast frame.
• Smooth bokeh. The street, cars and trees behind her turn into soft round highlights, so a busy downtown background never competes with the subject.
• Closer focusing and weather sealing. It focuses down to 50cm (the original stopped at 70cm), which helps for tighter half-body and detail frames, and the WR sealing means dust and weather are one less thing to worry about.
• Base ISO all session. With f/1.2 and plenty of golden hour light, I stayed at ISO 125 the whole time and got the most out of the X-H2's 40MP sensor.

If you're choosing between Fujifilm portrait lenses, I compared the 50mm f/1, 56mm and 90mm in which Fujifilm portrait lens is better for the X-T5 or X-H2. For more from this same lens, see my summer garden portraits with Rosina on the X-H2 and XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR.

Thanks to @minashakirovaa for a great golden hour session. Follow along on Instagram and YouTube for more.

Shop the Gear

Amazon:

• Fujifilm X-H2
• XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR

B&H Photo:

• Fujifilm X-H2
• XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR