When it comes to the conventions of shooting landscape images, Dutch photographer Albert Dros doesn’t play by the rules. “I don’t like using a tripod; I shoot 80%, maybe even 90% of my images handheld,” says Albert. With his preference for shooting handheld, it is even more surprising that Albert often uses telephoto zoom lenses to shoot his landscape shots. He has recently added Sony’s FE 70-200mm f/2.8 Master II lens, with its optical Sony Steadyshot stabilisation, to his camera bag.

Albert’s choice to use zoom lenses comes down to their versatility. The lenses enable Albert to experiment and play around with different types of shots.

“I was shooting in Tuscany earlier this year, and I took the majority of images with my Sony Alpha 7R IV and the FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens. The lens produces super sharp images, so even with the 60 megapixel resolution of the Alpha 7R IV, I’m not compromising on image quality. However,” he continues, “one of the most important things for me is that the lens is light; this version is much lighter than the previous 70-200mm f/2.8 GM. I have to travel around the world with my camera kit, carrying it through airports and up mountains, so weight is always a consideration. Every time Sony release a new lens, I am always surprised at how light it is.”

Using a telephoto zoom lens is one of the ways that Albert helps to give his landscape images a distinctive look.

“I shoot a lot of landscapes that have different layers. For example,” he explains, “Tuscany provided the perfect locations for me to shoot parts of the landscape that are further away. It is easy to see a scene in front of you and capture everything with a 24mm focal length lens, but with a lens like the 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II, you have to challenge yourself to find the shot you want within the landscape scene in front of you. And then,” he adds, “there is the compression effect of using a telephoto lens that add depth and layers to a landscape image.”

The lens isn’t just employed to shoot landscape shots; it has proved to be a valuable lens for many different scenarios, with Albert finding the f/2.8 aperture a helpful feature.

Like the rest of the G Master series, the FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM II lens has an aperture ring that allows Albert to change the aperture quickly, always keeping one hand on the lens and the other on the camera. And whilst the lens also has Function buttons that photographers can use to switch several features, Albert leaves them to their default application of autofocusing.

A recent shoot saw Albert photographing five galloping white horses, providing a real test for the 70-200mm. “The sun was low in the sky, behind the horses, creating strong golden light. The water splashed as they ran through it. It was both spectacular and beautiful.”

“The horses ran towards me very fast,” he continues, “so the focusing distance constantly changed. I just put the Alpha 7R IV in Continuous Autofocus mode, and the tracking meant that the horses were always in focus. It didn’t switch focus to the splashing water in front of the horses or anything else. It just kept focus. It works super well.”

A familiarity across a range of lenses is essential for any professional photographer, which is why Albert favours the G Master range. “Often, I can be using a new Sony lens, such as the 70-200mm f/2.8 G Master II, except it is not new to me in terms of layout. I know exactly where everything is. If the landscape or light suddenly change I can go into my bag, pull out a lens I’ve not used before, and everything is in the same place it is on my other G Master lenses. It is another great thing about the G Master line-up and why I’ll always continue to use them.