The Perfect All-Rounder: Capturing Cannes with the Sigma 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN Art Lens

Before this year, I had never experienced Cannes during its famous Film Festival. Like most people, I had seen the glamorous photos of the red carpet and the iconic Palais des Festivals, but I honestly didn’t know what to expect.

Knowing how unpredictable and fast-paced the festival would be, I packed the Sigma 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN | Art, a lens with a versatile zoom range that felt well-suited for everything, from environmental scenes and candid moments to portraits and red carpet arrivals.

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Stepping Into the Energy of Cannes

From the moment I arrived, the city was buzzing. Photographers lined the barricades, fans gathered outside hotels, and every café seemed filled with filmmakers, journalists, and industry insiders discussing screenings and premieres.

My early afternoons were spent covering panels and events, followed by red carpet arrivals at the Palais, while evenings often stretched late into the night with parties and gatherings. Opportunities came up constantly, in every setting.

With such a packed schedule, I kept the 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN | Art attached to my Sony full-frame camera throughout the trip. Its range made it easy to move between wider environmental frames and tighter compositions without slowing down or changing lenses, which was essential in a setting where moments rarely repeated themselves.

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Experiencing the Glamour In Person

What surprised me most about Cannes wasn’t the red carpet itself, but everything surrounding it – the anticipation, the movement of the crowd, photographers working every angle, and fans hoping for even a brief glimpse of talent.

During the festival’s red carpet arrivals, I photographed celebrities including Javier Bardem, Sebastian Stan, Stellan Skarsgård and Sharon Stone as they stepped out of cars and made their way onto the carpet.

Red carpet photography moves quickly. Expressions shift in seconds, and moments are often gone before you can think twice. Having the flexibility to adjust framing on the fly, with extra reach when needed, made it easier to stay responsive without missing key moments.

Through Flawless AI, I also spent time photographing actress Virginia Gardner, adding another memorable moment to an already eventful week. When shooting her with the Sigma 28-105mm, I loved being able to shoot at F2.8 throughout the zoom range. With crowds everywhere during Cannes, the shallow depth of field helped separate my subjects from the busy backgrounds and keep the focus where it belonged.

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From Panels to Parties

Not every memorable moment happened on the carpet.

Throughout the week, I photographed panels and events for Flawless AI and the World Woman Foundation, capturing conversations and candid exchanges between speakers and attendees. These environments required constant awareness, balancing wider contextual frames with more intimate moments as they unfolded. The Sigma 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN | Art was perfect for this type of work.

Later in the evenings, the atmosphere shifted entirely. Covering parties for Rendezvous brought a completely different energy – dim rooms illuminated by colorful lights, spontaneous interactions, and fleeting moments that unfolded in an instant. The fast aperture and versatile zoom range made it easy to adapt as the mood changed throughout the night. As a photographer who shoots events regularly, this has become my go-to lens because it keeps up effortlessly in fast-paced environments and delivers reliable, sharp focus throughout.

One thing I quickly learned about Cannes is that you never really know where the day will take you. Having a lens that can handle everything from events and portraits to candid moments allowed me to stay focused on the experience instead of constantly changing gear.

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A Quiet Finale

On my last full day, I escaped the crowds and explored some of the nearby villages. Mougins, Mouans-Sartoux, and Grasse offered a completely different pace from the excitement of Cannes. Walking through centuries-old streets and quiet squares felt like the perfect way to unwind after a week of nonstop activity.

Although sightseeing made up only a small part of the trip, it was a reminder of how rewarding it can be to slow down and simply explore. Photographing the charming streets, colorful facades, and postcard-worthy views of these villages was the perfect way to end the trip and felt like the cherry on top of an already unforgettable week.

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A Festival of Firsts

Looking back, my first Cannes Film Festival exceeded every expectation.

From photographing celebrities to covering panels, parties, and everything in between, the week was defined by variety and unpredictability.

Through it all, the Sigma 28-105mm F2.8 DG DN | Art became the lens I reached for most. Its range and responsiveness made it a reliable companion in an environment where everything was constantly in motion, and for my first experience at Cannes, that made all the difference.