Sigma BF Travel Photography: A Journey Through Peru with a Truly Unique Camera

Peru is a country rich in culture, cuisine, and colors – lots of colors! If only there were a way to capture them all! So, when planning my gear list, I knew I needed a camera capable of rendering these rich tones right out of the camera, because the last thing I want to do when traveling is spend countless hours behind a computer screen editing raw files.

Enter the Sigma BF. By setting the BF to my favorite built-in color profile, Foveon Classic Yellow, I was able to create photographs that instantly did justice to Peru’s array of vibrant colors. When I did feel like tweaking the photos, I’d play with the BF’s intuitive internal raw processor to create new versions (just be sure to shoot DNG + JPEG).

---

The travel kit: why the 35mm and 90mm primes complement each other

For the trip, I opted for a two-lens prime kit consisting of two Sigma I series lenses, the 35mm F2 DG | Contemporary and the 90mm F2.8 DG | Contemporary. These two focal lengths complement each other very well.

The 35mm served as a great all-rounder for street scenes and environmental portraits. With enough room, it is wide enough to capture a travel scene without the usual lens distortion of wider focal lengths. Meanwhile, the incredibly compact 90mm telephoto provided the necessary reach when moments were a bit further away. The lens’s 2.8 aperture did an amazing job blurring any busy backgrounds I encountered.

35mm F2 DG | Contemporary

90mm F2.8 DG | Contemporary

Both lenses share an ultra-compact, all-metal build: tough, small, and beautiful. Just like the Sigma BF and the Peruvian people!

---

Food and street photography in Lima with the Sigma BF

Lima is world renowned for its culinary scene, so I made sure to order the prettiest (and tastiest) dishes I could find. I used the 35mm F2 lens to create some postcard-worthy shots of ceviche, causa, and arroz con pato. To create beautiful, soft, painterly light, I used a portable LED light with a small scrim. Yes, I definitely turned a few heads in the restaurants, but it was totally worth it. I can still taste the flavors in these photos!

As I explored the area, I also tried my hand at street photography with the BF. There was no shortage of interesting scenes to photograph, and thankfully, autofocus was quick and precise, allowing me to easily capture moments as they unfolded.

---

Capturing the “Fiesta de la Cruz” in Ollantaytambo

After flying into Cusco, I headed straight into the Sacred Valley to the ancient town of Ollantaytambo. What a pleasant surprise to discover that I arrived just in time for the annual Fiesta de la Cruz celebration. The town was alive with music, chaos, and, yes, colors everywhere. The sharpness of the 90mm F2.8 DG | Contemporary was perfect to highlight the intricate details of the vibrant costumes of the festival. In addition, the 90mm allowed me to stand back safely to frame up the action from a distance, without having to jump into the dancing crowds.

Speaking of capturing the action, my preferred method of shooting the Sigma BF is in a semi-automatic mode (effectively aperture priority). By locking in my desired aperture manually via the lens aperture ring, I let the camera manage the ISO and shutter speeds, leaving me completely free to focus entirely on composition and timing. To fine tune the exposure, I relied on the exposure compensation setting.

---

The emergency I series lens

My journey concluded with an early morning trek to the scenic high altitude waters of Humantay Lake. Now, although the 35mm and 90mm are perfect travel companions, I had a little trick hidden up my sleeve for the wide sweeping vistas: the tiny Sigma 17mm F4 DG | Contemporary lens. Ah! I bet you didn’t see that coming!

When trekking in altitudes over 13,000 feet (about 4000 meters), every ounce of gear matters. Having an ultra-lightweight setup allowed me to focus on the trail, the vista, and, most importantly, my breathing.

---

Peru was magnificent. For a prime lens shooter like myself, the Sigma BF and this small three-lens setup allowed me to bring the country to life, and it was a joy to use. The simple design, weight, and versatility allowed me to focus on the most important parts of the trip: the views, the people, and the food. And, of course, do justice to those beautiful colors!