One thing Christina Mittermeier, Andy Katz, Brian Smith and Robert Evans share is their place in the top-tier of professional photographers worldwide. Each has put their extraordinary talents to work capturing some of the most captivating images of our day. While all take different approaches to realizing their unique creative visions, each depends on Sony’s SDXC/SDHC cards to ensure that what they see, they get.
Mittermeier travels to some of the most remote and punishing environments on earth for her work as a nature photographer and conservationist. She relies on Sony SD media in her Sony cameras. Why? Because in her line of work, you are lucky if you get one chance at the shot – like when tracking grizzly bears in Northern Canada.
"We were shooting under blizzard conditions, sitting by a river waiting every day for the bears to come by. They don't come every day, so you have to be ready. You can't ask the grizzly to go back and catch another salmon! Sure, I stayed focused on my subject. But I also needed to keep a few other things in mind, like it's -10 degrees and that this is a predator close by. You can see why I can't be wondering if my recording media is working," Mittermeier said.
Well-known clients, too, can be as unforgiving as Mother Nature.
"National Geographic likes to remind me that they publish pictures not excuses. That's why I count on Sony cards," said Mittermeier.
Like Mittermeier, Katz also travels to exotic locales for his work and has the stamps of over 90 countries in his passport to prove it. The object of his eclectic eye? A wide range of subjects including fine art and travel that have, so far, produced 12 books, as well as album covers for top recording artists including Dan Fogelberg and the Doobie Brothers.
"As much as my work relies on the capabilities of my Sony cameras, it also depends on something so small and simple as SD cards," said Katz. "Sony's are extremely fast and almost bulletproof. You can even take them through x-rays (at the airport) without worrying."
Beyond in-camera use, Katz also uses his Sony SD cards as his fail-safe backup until he's back in his studio.
"I never erase my cards when I'm out on a job. While hard drives are very popular for archiving, they have moving parts so will eventually fail. Not so with SD cards. There's no moving parts. These are virtually indestructible, so there's nothing better to use for a backup medium," Katz said.
Smith, too, has wide-ranging interests with his work featured on the cover and in the pages of many of the world's best-known publications. His many honors include a Pulitzer Prize for spot news photography at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. That's hard to top, but since he has become even more renowned for his celebrity portraits including many of Hollywood's A-List.
"What I love about Sony’s cards is that no matter how challenging the conditions are, they're going to be fast and reliable. There's no reshoots in this business and these get the shot first time, every time," Smith said.
For Smith, the standout quality of Sony’s SD media is the temperature range. “Sony's cards have been tested to work from well below zero all the way up to 185 degrees” said Smith, “and there have certainly been times I've been shooting in Haiti where it felt like it was 185 degrees.”
Evans, too, is noted for having an eye for celebrity, albeit in a different setting – weddings. His work has been showcased on numerous television shows and on the cover and pages of illustrious publications including People Magazine.
"Shooting a celebrity wedding is as demanding as you can imagine. I can't miss anything. Having a great card is essential because I have to know the images I shoot are going to be on it," Evans said.
For the couple, the moment of truth is at the altar. For the photographer, what follows is the make-or-break.
"Magazines always ask for the shot of the bride and groom walking down the aisle. That has to be great. I have to have a camera and card I can trust. With Sony’s cards, I have complete confidence that I'll get the shot every single time," said Evans.
While weddings often take place inside making for a relatively tame environment, bridal fashion shoots can be as punishing as nature photography in the wild.
"One recent assignment in Minnesota had us outside in sub-zero temperatures. I'd do a few shots, then the models had to warm up, change dresses. But the cameras stayed outside in the ice and cold all day long. Sony’s cards are so reliable that the thought never crossed my mind that the extreme temperature would be an issue. And, at the end of the day, they worked flawlessly," Evans said.
