My name is Béatrice and I’m a wedding/portrait professional photographer and Sony Europe ambassador based in France. I have developed a passion for photography over the last 13 years, specialising in destination wedding photography. Since 2015, I have been working with Jeremie, a filmmaker, to create the duo called The Quirky and capture couples’ special day all over the world. To put the Alpha 7R V through its paces, we took it along to capture the unique atmosphere on a shoot in Morocco.

You were one of the first professional photographer to test the Alpha 7R V. What were your first impressions and stand out features for you?

One big highlight for me is the new autofocus system powered by AI technology. The improvement to the Eye autofocus is incredible – you can detect people’s eyes from very far away now or properly track someone from behind which is key in my work. It is surprising how it understands where the body, arms and face are, and it gives an extra reassurance on how consistent this autofocus technology works; really important when capturing unique moments that cannot be repeated like a wedding photoshoot.

The first thing I noticed when picking up the Alpha 7R V was the new 4-axis screen. I like to shoot with my hands up, low angles or sometimes other angles to give an organic look to the images so it is a welcome upgrade for my style of shooting to have this flexibility. I am sure it will help wedding photographers to get more creative with different angles.

Another big highlight is for me the image quality, detail and sharpness of the image – they are just incredible!  I used the camera in low light situations with moving subjects in burst mode. It is not a camera designed for sports, but I wanted to push the camera to its limits, to see the boundaries of what I could shoot. Happily it passed all tests perfectly!

Last but not least, and an important factor for photographers who focus on people photography - I found the colour science very good. The skin tones are on point, and it is great to see this micro adjustment made with each iteration to perfect this true-to-life render.

How will those features impact/help the type of photography/content creation you and others in the same field do?

Switching between wedding shoots, portrait sessions and fashion/commercial work, I need different features depending what I’m shooting. This camera brings the best of both worlds: photographers who will need high resolution, to go deep into details will love it. And for those who still or need a fast workflow in their work, they will love the autofocus and the pace at which this camera performs to capture unique moments.

The Alpha 7R V strives to provide professionals the image quality, operability and autofocus performances they need to carry out their projects no matter how demanding they are. Do you think it achieves this goal?

It feels like the Alpha 7R V was developed with working professionals in mind. Photographers who want the best in everything - resolution, low light capability, fastest autofocus, and all in a package that's not too big or heavy to carry on the go.

We have sometimes different assignments where you may or may not have time to setup – you need to have a main camera that can keep up with different requirements for a job. This camera can be the answer to many working professionals or creators because its technology is developed to allow photographers to completely focus on the creative part without being too limited by the technicality and operability of the camera.

Lenses and accessories are another core component of creating images. Which Sony lenses and accessories did you use for your initial test and why?

During our shoot in Morocco, I primarily used the Sony 35mm f/1.4 GM and 24mm f/1.4 GM, two of my favourite lenses. I love the look of primes and they work extremely well on my Sony cameras. In particular, the 35mm f/1.4 allows me to shoot portraits and wider shots at the same time, to create intimacy or give context to people I am shooting. I have to say I am really pleased with the combination of the Alpha 7R V and the G Master lenses - amazing autofocus performance and great detail.

What advice would you give professionals who look up to you and your work?

Try, test, practice, get out of your comfort zone, sleep and repeat. This is the best way to discover what suits you, technically and also creatively. Becoming a better photographer requires curiosity and experimentation. It takes times, but it's worth the effort.

Thank you to Sony for giving me the opportunity to test the Alpha 7R V and to let my voice be heard as a female photographer. A big thank you also to Jeremie and the team who worked with me on this project. You have so much more creativity when surrounded by creative people.