[cabstar]

Pentax really is missing a trick here. Those of you that mention athletes & their kit etc... Athletes actually get paid to wear their gear itscalled endorsement.

I work in live music & event photography, so I get to work alongside some of the worlds greatest music photographers Andy Willsher, Danny North, Mick Hutson, Carsten Windhorst, Todd Owyoung, Jill Furmanosky etc...

At photokina Nikon also anounced some kit launches, the same day Todd Owyoung had reviews on his blog linked from his flickr group 25000 members, his facebook page poss 5000 more users plus who knows how many registered on his wordpress blog twitter pages.

Having someone on board like that at product anouncement certainly gives a lot of reassurance & brand awareness. What did this cost? A few lenses & body!!! nothing compared to the awareness brand profile...

Ben good luck whichever way you choose to go, great work as always & proof as always vision is all in the creator...

[wed7]

Superb images Ben!

[benjikan]

Just out...Harper's BAZAAR en Español images...Here is a sample

[jpzk]

Ben:

Here's the deal:

I want all of your tricks for doing portrait photography.
Oh man! Maybe it is because of your photography equipment! I want that too!
You can send all of the written material to my attention, in PDF file, all visually explained and script-detailed so I can reproduce your skills! .... just joking!

What I really mean is this:

How in the world can Pentax "refuses" to sponsor someone with the right professional credentials?
I don't quite understand their logic (if any) behind all this.

No patronizing here ... but your images are examples of professional skills. No matter how I look at them, they always are a pleasure to the eyes.

Stay with us! I'll need help when I start doing portrait shots of my family (by request from my dear daugther who doesn't know what she's getting into! ).

Cheers!

JP

[jpzk]

Just out...Harper's BAZAAR en Español images...Here is a sample

That is ONE GREAT shot!

JP

[magkelly]

That's nice Benji. I really like that one. Very silver screen era type classy, but with an unexpected surreal twist. She looks a bit like a modern Carole Lombard, interesting....

[cyclingshooter]

This is why us Buckeyes hate the folks from Ann Arbor...

After reading this thread, I am very sad your little 'spat' with Pentax has been allowed to go public (again). I understand your disappointment, but I now better understand why Pentax is NOT willing to give you any gear, or offer a sponsorship. I support their decision.

Your post appears to be an adolescent and spiteful attempt at a shake-down - totally prissy. If the 'other' sponsor candidate gets wind of this unprofessional dump, they may sense similar treatment. If so, kiss your proposal, and perhaps your career, the careers of your support people, and the dreams of those who depend on you... good-by.

It is possible to publish AND perish. These are highly uncertain times. Clients feel it. They are terrified and can be very fickle. Loyalty and being discrete are highly valued personal traits. Being loyal, yes, even loyal to those 'little people' who may slight you is worth tons more than sympathy offered by total strangers in this forum. You may be good, but you are not so good that you can show disrespect towards old and influential friends. You will not get away with it and they will not help you win.

I hope it's not too late, but wake up and screw your head on straight, or soon you will be toast!

Cheers...

[mireille]

Hi benjamin,

Le portrait de Paulo Coelho est sublime! Il y a une magnifique ambiance, une espèce de sérénité qui émane et la lumière et post traitement sont vraiment super!
Bravo quel beau travail!

[rod_grant]

Until today I had never heard of benjikan. I don't care much for fashion photography, and I don't have an opinion on whether Pentax should sponsor a particular person at all.
BUT... millionaire tennis players get free gear, (and golfers, footballers, etc etc) and millionaire filmstars are used to sell soap. Somewhere there is benefit seen in paying celebrities to use your gear - even if they don't 'need' the free gear or the advertising fee.

(No offense, benjikan, we just don't mix in the same circles! - Your fashion suff is outstanding, just not my cup of tea.)

[cwood]

If you look at the mountain of crappy images that usually hit the internet in the pre-production (photo leaks) phase of a Pentax release you can easily visualize a strong argument for more widespread sponsorship. They should be coordinating with a large(ish) pool of working professionals to get these pre-production cameras out on assignment so that they (Pentax) can control the quality of the leak. How about next time Pentax comes out with a camera... instead of having to look at an out-of-focus shot taken at the Tokyo Zoo we can see a front page fashion photo? Ben knows well enough that politics will play a role in whether Pentax wants to give up $500 worth of equipment to him in order to be on the front page of a fashion magazine... but at least get some gear into the hands of SOME working guys who can provide some juicy leaks to go with the marketing release.

And... why is it that the surf-doc-Pentax-sponsored-photo-guy had to release a video for the k-5 announcement that was shot exclusively with a k-7? It would sure be nice to see some of these marketing mistakes corrected.

[jon.partsch]

Just out...Harper's BAZAAR en Español images...Here is a sample

Hi Ben. This photo is stunning. May I ask what lens you used and what you did in PP? The frame is soft and dreamy around the edges (assuming PP here) and the subject is nice and sharp and well set off from the background, which displays buttery-smooth bokeh. I am assuming you are using an FA Limited here. If so, I am jealous as I will probably never own one myself. I am a bit inspired though to load some NPS and shoot a roll with my Sekor C 80mm f/1.9 - another great portrait lens.
I'm sorry about the rough relationship you are having with Pentax. I wonder though, if they really are going to be discontinuing the FA Limited series outside of Japan, it seems their focus is shifting away from portrait/fashion (since these are the only serious lenses they have for those applications) and towards attracting more business among 1)Japanese, 2)young amateurs, 3)women, and 4)outdoor shooters. It's a shame if they don't want to court wedding/portrait/fashion photogs, but I hope you will still share your work with us, as well as your tips and comments.

[Haakan]

I fully agree to the proposal that started this thread. I do not understand how Pentax marketing are completely neglecting the value they do get out of Ben's usage of Pentax in high profile magazines, coupled with his willingness to stand up for his choice of the Pentax gear.

For me personally Ben's, as well as other professionals (many who are also members of this forum), usage of Pentax and the excellent results they produce have been a key factor when doing my initial digital SLR choice. Even though I did a lot of reading up, comparing specs etc, and felt that Pentax would be the best camera for me, it was still the proof, given by these photographers, that the Pentax gear could produce professional results in a very competitive environment that gave me the guts to not follow the conventional route and buy Canikon but instead follow through on the result of my comparisons and go with Pentax.

Now I also feel lucky of being part of a brand where these professionals are so willing to spend time on forums like this and share their images and expertize.

Pentax - as a small brand, please do not underestimate the value of this !

And, I can hardly wait to see what stunning results Ben could produce with the 645D.

Best regards,
Haakan

[benjikan]

That's nice Benji. I really like that one. Very silver screen era type classy, but with an unexpected surreal twist. She looks a bit like a modern Carole Lombard, interesting....

The whole story is called the "Elegant 50's" So you hit the nail on the head. :-)

[benjikan]

Hi benjamin,

Le portrait de Paulo Coelho est sublime! Il y a une magnifique ambiance, une espèce de sérénité qui émane et la lumière et post traitement sont vraiment super!
Bravo quel beau travail!

C'est gentile...merci!

[Marc Langille]

Ben, that last two images are dramatic and captivating - I love it.

Meilleur,
Marc