A behind-the-scenes video shows Lebrecht, normally a Canon shooter, working with a Moto Z smartphone. The modular smartphone also allowed the photographer to snap a Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod on the back of the phone so he could shoot with a 12 megapixel, 1/2.3” sensor and a 10x optical zoom.
Sports Illustrated approached LeBrecht about the cover nearly a year ago — and just before the shoot, the magazine threw in a twist by requesting that the photographer shoot the cover with a smartphone. While the cover image is from the modular smartphone, the photographer’s usual Canon 5DS was also on scene to shoot a few outtakes, along with a professional lighting setup.
LeBrecht also used a tripod to hold the smartphone camera in place. Because the mod format of the phone has a protruding lens on the back, he had to use the smartphone adapter backwards, which blocked off part of the screen, creating one of his biggest challenges on set.
LeBrecht said that after learning Sports Illustrated wanted the shot done with a smartphone, he set up a few practice shoots both to get comfortable with the smartphone camera’s menu and to see how the image quality held up working with both ambient and continuous light.
On the shoot, LeBrecht said the 18th shot was the one that made the cover — the smartphone format made it easy to show Johnson the images, then shoot again for better expressions.
LeBrecht won’t be ditching his DSLR, but said the Moto Z with the Hasselblad True Zoom could serve as an excellent learning tool since some of the same controls are available on an advanced, dedicated camera.
Sports Illustrated’s interview with Johnson, as well as more outtakes from the shoot, are available in the Dec. 5 issue as well as online.
