The Phoblographer

Sensuality can often translate into sexy, but the same is not always true in reverse. There are a lot of factors at play that determines the outcome of the shoot. A sexually charged shoot from the start will always be just that. Sure, there’s a time and a place for it that works. However, that’s often not the desired result and it leads to a feeling of being objectified all too often. Regret can ensue before, during, and after the shoot if you don’t choose to focus on sensual over sexual. Below are some tips that can be used all throughout the shoot and leave clients feeling empowered and confident.

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Table of Contents

Meet and Greet

Provide a Safe Space

Choose Your Words

Final Thoughts

Meet and Greet

Take the time to greet your client at the beginning of the shoot. Offer them a drink and start talking about logistics. Working models usually have had their booker communicate the details beforehand. On the other hand, new models or clients for more intimate shoots benefit from setting the tone together upon arrival.

Go over their various garments and formulate a plan. If there is an article of clothing they aren’t very comfortable with, either find a way to layer it or scrap it. The most impactful images will be created when they feel confident. Plus, they may very well come back to it on their own once you have won their trust.

Provide a Safe Space

Make sure that clients have a safe space to change their clothing. I also make sure there is a mirror to get it styled almost perfectly on their own. This cuts down on clothing adjustments that need to be made on set.

If something needs to be adjusted, ask them if they’d like you to get it for them or if they’d prefer doing it themselves. Both men and women have boundaries here, and it’s important to respect them. They will let you know what is and isn’t okay.

Choose Your Words

A safe space will develop trust that often builds a natural rapport and connection. Use words of empathy instead of expressing sexual feelings. Connecting with a feeling of sensuality through the lens will create an entirely different image than the image created from “That’s so hot! Do more of __.” The choice of words can be the difference between a beautiful implied or suggestive image and full frontal nudity that falls short and lacks substance.

Using sexually charged language creates images that are precisely that. Once that theme has been established, it can be difficult to walk back from that detour. It’s awkward as hell, to say the very least. A lack of confidence and sometimes regret result when communication breaks down and creates a feeling of objectification.

Instead, choose words that are confidence builders to paint the mood with a sensual focus. Use words like beautiful and stunning. “Wow!” is often fantastic once the client sees how impactful it is. Then ask them to bring more of that to the camera and see what happens. Learning to communicate positively and effectively builds trust.

Something magical can and often happens once a solid foundation is established. The ability to connect and feed off each other without speaking a word is incredible. The images created are more beautiful, empowering, and sensual than anything created with words. True moments and connection are being captured.

Final Thoughts

We’ve seen our industry shift from a sex sells mentality to wanting to feel a connection with the person selling it. Pushing a sexually charged theme makes both men and women feel insignificant. Although men haven’t had as grand a scale as women in this case, they have also felt objectified.

At the end of the day, people want to feel confident and beautiful. Focusing on sensual over sexual is a great place to start. Tapping into sensuality guides clients to feel sexy ...

“My current number one topic in photography is intimacy,” says Ada Maria Jakimiuk, who is based out of Poland. She found her way back to analog photography after dipping her feet into professional digital photography for a while. Not wanting to pigeonhole her creativity to any one genre, she draws inspiration from various sources around herself to create magical photos.

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Are we focused on improving our photography in specific departments only? Do we tend to add labels to our photography style, so much that we don’t venture outside our comfort zone to other genres? How do we convert our daily distractions into inspirations if we’re more easily distracted these days? These are some of the questions that cross my mind when I pick up a camera. Yes, I’d love to be considered an expert in a field of photography, but should that focus stop me from trying something new once in a while?

When was the last time you shot something different from what you’re good at shooting? Ada doesn’t stop herself from experimenting. She urges photographers to enjoy themselves and also makes an important point about how the images we take end up defining the times we live in.

The Essential Photo Gear Used By Ada Maria Jakimiuk

Ada told us:

Yashica Mat 124

Canon EOS 30

Canon EOS 6D

Minolta XD-7

Minolta SRT303

Start 66

Lubitel 166B

Impossible I-1

Polaroid Impulse AF

Instax Mini 90

Diana F+

Diana Mini

Lomo LC-A

Manfrotto 055XPROB tripod

I use a lot of different equipment: digital, analogue, 35 mm, medium format, instant. I have my own peculiar vision that I’m attempting to capture in the pictures and every tool that gets me closer to it comes in handy. I do many self-portraits, so self-timer and/or remote control are very welcome.

The Phoblographer: Please tell us about yourself and how you got into photography.

Ada Maria Jakimiuk: I was born in central Poland 35 years ago and spent most of my adult life away from my hometown, studying and working in bigger cities. I returned here a few years ago to settle down in the countryside. I’m a physician by profession, but currently, I stay at home with my small children.

Photography has always been part of my story. As a kid, I was in awe of my father, who would regularly document our life on slide film. Every now and then, the whole family would have a sit down with sweets and snacks and watch the slides from the projector. I loved those evenings. Sometimes I wonder if the colors of my childhood, in my memory, come from my actual memories or from his pictures. For a long time after that, I was focused on my medical education and writing. I enjoy writing, even though nothing I wrote ever really satisfied me enough to publish. I rediscovered analog photography seven years ago when I felt that those digital cellphone pics from holidays just weren’t cutting it. They never did justice to how I remembered things. And my words rarely were enough to describe things and feelings properly either. So I borrowed one of my father’s cameras, bought some cheap Kodak stock, and started learning and experimenting.

After a while, I started dabbling into studio work with a DSLR, doing some portrait work, a bit of fashion. But it got old fast; I needed to do something that held more meaning to me. I went back to analog and started doing personal, experimental work. It finally felt right.

The Phoblographer: What camera gear do you use for your work?

Ada Maria Jakimiuk: The choice of camera for the specific photo, for the specific idea, mostly comes down to what each piece of gear can help me achieve, but also the feeling of the moment – as long as the light allows. Also, the best camera is the one you have with you. Sometimes it’s forced by external circumstances – you can’t have 6400 ISO color film, which is when digital comes into play.

Recently I rediscovered instant film. I fell in love with the creative possibilities it...

Do you remember Minolta? Well, the brand is back and making a resurgence into the photography world with its take on instant cameras. Don’t worry if you haven’t heard of the Minolta Instapix 2-in-1 camera because you are not alone. They’ve been available on QVC and Amazon for over two years. There are a lot of questions that come to mind, with the most pressing question being why?

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To preface this, we haven’t actually held or tested the camera. But given our 12 years of experience, we’re basing our opinion on a lot of previous experiences. Further, this isn’t the same Minolta that was bought by Sony. It’s the brand name being used. The Minolta Instapix creative team seems to have put more effort into checking a lot of features boxes than designing an actual user-friendly camera. Smartphone app? Check. Bluetooth connectivity? Check. 10MP and a few camera features? Check. Is it user-friendly, and does it produce a quality product? Not really. The candy-colored options are fun, and the features sound great on paper. However, it’s a completely missed opportunity.

The Instapix needs to be on par with Fujifilm Instax and other instant camera companies that utilize Zink printing. Fujifilm Instax is on top of the instant camera mountain and for good reason. First, the quality of their film is really good. It is sharp, colorful, and consistent. The company continues to create instant cameras and smartphone printers their customers want. The company has managed to create all of this in functional products that are attractive, fun, and easy to use. Zink, on the other hand, isn’t even film.

Part of the success of Fujifilm Instax is that it has the nostalgia factor alongside the simple functions of older cameras. This is not the case with the Instapix. Users will need to depend on either the thumb-sized LCD on the back of their smartphone to compose the image properly. I’m not sure why Minolta even chose to have an LCD screen in this case. They would have been better served to opt for an optical viewfinder that syncs with the camera for users to see the final result.

Minolta has chosen to print its images on paper instead of actual film. Sure, it is smudge-proof and waterproof. But the final result is still a paper print that is trying to be a film print. Not to mention, Zink products already provide a similar product without the environmental impact (but with none of the quality). The 4PASS cartridges cost about the same as Fujifilm Instax. So why not just use instant film? Everyone loves instant film, even beginners. Watching an image develop and come to life will always be more satisfying than watching an image print. We highly doubt it has to do with the environment.

I think Minolta would have been better off focusing on either a smartphone printer or an instant camera and committing to making a user-friendly product. The attempt to do both is a disservice for the Minolta Instapix. Money is better spent on an actual smartphone printer or an instant camera that uses real film in its current state.

It would be great to see Minolta make a splash in the photography world again. The 2-in-1 Instapix is like jumping into the shallow end. The brand needs to go all-in with its next instant film camera, should they make another attempt, and dive into the deep end.

The pandemic has permanently changed our lives. We’ve been forced to realize that technology can come to a screeching halt. The sound of the brakes on assembly lines has many photographers looking at other means of sharing and displaying their work. The chip shortage has had Sony suspending orders on several of their cameras. It’s also forced Canon to relinquish its vice grip on their toner chips, making printing more accessible than it once was. And for photographers who want to print their work, this is excellent news. But more than anything, it proves one of the reasons why printing is just so awful to begin with.

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We are one of the few photo specialty publications that actively use and review printers. Maybe it’s because many of us started in the darkroom and remember the impact of seeing our work on paper. As much as digital screens try, they can’t reasonably produce what an printed photograph can.

I used to be one of those who would opt to send my large prints to a lab. It was more cost-effective to outsource than to keep up with the nuances of an in-home printer. When everything shut down on a global scale, I found myself once again looking at a professional printer.

If you aren’t too familiar with printers, you already know what we’re talking about. If you’re very familiar with the printer world, we’d hope you agree with us. To be fair, this problem isn’t exclusive to Canon. It’s happened with other brands too, like with HP. Stupid problems can occur where you won’t be able to print a photo unless an ink cartridge that has nothing to do with the print, is replaced. Seriously, why would I need to replace a magenta ink cartridge to print a black and white photo?

Canon’s incessant need to have complete control over the process is a deterrent. Their DRM warnings often prompted consumers to upgrade the cartridges that still had plenty of ink in them. It’s as if the company only wants you to enjoy the product if you’re willing to waste money. Not only is this annoying, but it’s also wasteful.

These problems with their toner chips indicated that the company cared more about profit margins than the consumers who keep them afloat. We understand a company needs to make profits, but the harder they make the printing experience, the worse it will be for customers. Sometimes, Canon and other brands even seem out of touch. In early 2020, they released a brand new pro-grade printer without Bluetooth. Why?

Incredible photographs are meant for a scale more significant than a smartphone screen. Photographers should be able to choose what toner they ultimately want to use in their prints. Recipes ought to be created the way we used to mix chemicals and paper in the darkroom. Photographers should be able to print as they choose and not have to waste money in the process. If the biggest inconvenience is seeing firsthand that a cartridge is depleted without warning, this should have happened long ago.

Hopefully, Canon will come to terms with the fact that competition is necessary to get the most life out of their printers. It’s not always essential to have a vice grip on a facet of the industry. DRM should become a thing of the past. Preserving the photographic print is more important for our industry than unnecessarily squeezing extra pennies by way of half-empty cartridges. A little competition often yields incredible results, and that’s a win for everyone.

Additional input was provided by Chris Gampat.

“It was not easy,” states French designer and photographer Niko when asked how bad the lockdown was. He adds, “.people were not very motivated.” As with many of us, he took to doing creative projects with his camera to cope with the limitations imposed by the pandemic. And he’s come out with a visual parody to show just how much we depend on masks in our daily lives.

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Face masks have become part of our everyday fashion. There’s always one within arm’s reach for me. A box of disposable masks is at home. A spare in each of my camera backpacks. And a handful in my car’s glove compartments. I’d rather not be outdoors without wearing one for my safety and that of others around me. But this surge in mask usage has led to their careless disposal everywhere. Masks are even seen littered more commonly than cigarette butts in many places. It’s essential to mask up, but it’s equally important to ensure they aren’t discarded carelessly. Niko took a humorous take on this for his photo series, Pandemic Lifestyle.

The Essential Photo Gear Used by Niko

Niko told us:

Nikon D7200

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di II VC LD

Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX

I’m not a techno geek who wants the latest camera or latest better lens of the world. Unfortunately I don’t have enough money for that. I just need tools to bring to life my ideas. I use modest but efficient gears.

The Phoblographer: Hi Niko. Please tell us about yourself and how you got into photography.

Niko: I am Nicolas Bigot, a professional UX/UI designer in Brittany (France). I have created images as an amateur photographer under the pseudonym Niko Photographisme, for more than 10 years. I work mainly on surrealist, offbeat or funny compositions based on real shots supported by photo manipulation (Photoshop).

I consider photography as a playground for my imagination. My designer job has many constraints and users’ needs and expectations. Digital photography and retouching, as well as photomanipulation, offer me great freedom of creation, especially because I mainly work on my own personal projects.

The Phoblographer: It’s self explanatory what brought about the idea for this series, but at what stage of the pandemic did you decide to start the series?

Niko: I wanted to work on this subject after the first lockdowns, which took place in France. During these lockdowns, it was logically complicated to take pictures. It was while finding a little freedom in the spring that I took the first photo of the project. Basically, I thought I would take only one photo. Then I had new ideas. Another of my projects takes place by the sea. It is, therefore, while working on this project with my models, that I added some shots for this project. This project is in progress; I still have a lot of ideas, but it’s currently winter here, so I’m on a break.

The Phoblographer: How bad (or not) was the lockdown situation in your hometown? Was photography a way of coping with this?

Niko: The first lockdown was very strict. No going out, very limited outings, and no possibility of meeting people. I tried doing photo montage challenges on Instagram to stimulate creativity and keep in touch with people. It was not easy because people were not very motivated. The outdoor photos that I really like were not possible. A little frustrating.

The Phoblographer: A lot of photographers and creatives encountered a lot of tough times due to the lockdown restrictions. How did you reinvent your business during this time?

Niko: Photography is my secondary activity, so I did not suffer from an economic point of view. My main work as a designer could be done remotely. I thought a lot about my professional photographer friends.

The Phoblographer: Take us through the making of your favourite image from this series.

Niko: I can talk about the first photo in the series, the one with the girl taking off with a mask as a paraglider wing....

“Lomography fascinates me with its emotional world,” says Lithuania-based photographer Tokia Pėlėda, who goes by the sobriquet Ragaina. She fell in love with the classic Diana F+ camera her father used during her childhood. Putting aside the rules of photography, she prefers to enjoy the process of making images more than anything else.

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Editors Note: For the longest time I saw Lomography as a tangible object; a camera or film roll. However, it seems that over the years it’s become a movement and an art form in itself. So when Ragaina describes herself as “doing Lomography,” we’ve made the decision to keep it that way.

Do the rules of photography really matter if you’re having fun while producing good images? Would someone really criticize a beautiful picture if it weren’t framed according to the rule of thirds? When an image evokes emotion, why do some of us worry whether the photographer follows the same rules we do? Ragaina isn’t a rule breaker when it comes to photography, but would rather immerse herself in the process of making an aesthetically pleasing image than be caught up in the technicalities of it. Lomography cameras give her the creative freedom to be herself. And despite the existing unpredictability of double exposure photography, she adds a further degree of complication by often choosing to use expired film.

The Essential Photo Gear Used by Ragaina

Ragaina told us:

Diana F +

Diana Multi Pinhole Operator

Canon AE-1

I carry Diana with me everywhere because it’s extremely lightweight and I don’t need to focus on the lens (my eyesight is pretty bad and I don’t wear glasses, so I’ve always said this camera is just perfect for me). Diana F + helps me to lomographically convey fragments of the city and portraits of friends, to bring more magic into everyday life. And that plastic lens doesn’t bother me at all – it’s what gives me that dreaminess I’m aiming for.

The Phoblographer: Please tell us about yourself and how you got into photography.

Ragaina: Ragaina, in Lithuanian mythology, means Goddess of the Forest. I feel somehow close to this creature, which is why I chose to use it as a nickname. I was born in Lithuania, and I still live here – I am currently completing my bachelor’s degree in ceramics at the Vilnius Academy of Fine Arts, so I do not only [use] Lomography but also ceramics and occasional painting – I like to explore and test different areas. The newest area I touched has now become cyanotype – I have tried it not only on paper, but I am also trying to combine it with ceramics and textiles. I am also very pleased that I have learned and tried a technique at the academy that allows me to conjoin ceramics with my lomographic photos, which I think will be my area in the future.

I came to photography through my dad (probably as it usually is ). Once I saw pictures he took with Diana F + and immediately became fascinated with them, I fell in love with that playful, cosy, dreamy aesthetic, so I asked my dad to lend me Diana F +. I’ve never let it out of my hands since then. Although I used to try to get into photography with Canon Ae-1 in my teenage years, but it somehow didn’t attract much interest. So it just happened that I came to photography through Diana F +. Although I don’t really consider myself a serious photographer. I haven’t learned photography anywhere, and I don’t know all the technical or composition rules. So it’s just an activity that makes me happy.

The Phoblographer: A lot of people are doing double exposures these days. What do you do to set your images apart from everyone else’s?

Ragaina: Somehow, I’m not really focused on how my photos could stand out from others. I think it would spoil all the naturalness and enjoyment of the process, so I just create what I like. Although it might be possible to say that these photos stand out by their vivid colors, the brightness that occu...

Our Panasonic S5 Review was just updated. Photographers who own one of the smallest full-frame cameras on the market are most likely enjoying it. It’s got weather sealing, good autofocus, and the CineLike image quality profiles. These help your photos look like Kodak movie-film without the need for a lot of editing. But the way they work is odd and makes complete sense at the same time. You can read all about it in our updated Panasonic S5 review at this link, or you can read the report below.

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In case you’re curious, the CineLike image quality is similar to what you’d get from a few other brands. Fujifilm has their film simulations that look like film. They also change the metering of your scene at times. Nikon has something similar with their Creative Picture Controls. And that’s what the Panasonic S5 does too. But with the Panasonic S5, these profiles were designed differently.

Can these problems be fixed in post-production? Sure. But that’s not the approach we like to take.

Here’s what we’re saying:

A while back, the Panasonic S5 got CineLike image profiles. These are different from the standard ones like vivid, neutral, etc. According to Panasonic, here’s the description: “The new CINELIKE D2 picture style.prioritizes dynamic range, the CINELIKE V2 picture style.prioritizes contrast.”

Basically, you can use these to get the look of something like Kodak movie film. And that’s wonderful. We really like what it does when you lock the white balance to Daylight or even Tungsten. But at the same time, Panasonic’s auto white balance does just as fine a job.

If you’re familiar with other camera systems like Fujifilm, you’ll also probably nice that color profiles can change the way camera metering works. And that’s what Reviews Editor Hillary Grigonis discovered as well. When testing both Sigma and Panasonic lenses using CineLike profiles, we found that the S5 wanted a stop more light. This was really odd because our JPEGs looked normal and our RAW files looked underexposed. So we got on the phone with Panasonic, and here’s what they said:

– Sean Robinson, stating that his opinion doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of Panasonic LUMIX

“Basically, from a technical standpoint, the closer you get to the HIGH circuit, the more gain is being added to the LOW circuit which creates noise. Once you flip over, the gain resets back to 0 on the new circuit, but the noise won’t be exactly the same as the LOW base ISO. My personal advice to users is that if you are shooting at the higher range of the low circuit, some users may find it better to click ISO over to the high circuit for a “cleaner” image if the main purpose is getting the maximum DR / noise ratio. This is all made more complicated since most users do not shoot for technical “perfection” and still shooting rarely offers the ability to force the ideal exposure settings outside of a studio or controlled lighting. Best practice is for photographers to carry out tests for themselves in their environments for best results since ‘Cleaner’ images can be interpreted subjectively in the real world.”

In our eyes, it makes sense and it doesn’t. If you’re a photographer, then the way you meter hasn’t fundamentally changed for years. If you’re shooting a photo and have the CineLike profiles applied to your RAW the way you did in-camera, then you’re fine. It’s when you change to post-production that things become a bit kooky. Sure, you can fix the exposure in post-production. But if you’re shooting with the Cinelike profiles, the idea is to do as little post-production as possible. And if you have to apply it all over again in post-production and then tweak the exposure, what’s the point?

“I’ve actually noticed my images becoming a lot bolder, louder, over the last couple of years,” says photographer Ian Pterrigew. “I’m not sure how you’d subconsciously analyse that.” Ian is a fascinating photographer who has measurably evolved over the years. We initially featured him when talking about the Salty Girls photo project. Then there was Salty Kids, and we saw his Floating Dogs photo project. Today, we’re spotlighting his recent Quarantine project. The Canada-based creative always has some of the most fascinating stories. And this one is no exception.

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The Essential Camera Gear of Ian Pettigrew

Sony a7r II

Leica SL

Leica SL2

Sigma Art 35mm

Sigma Art 50mm

PCB Digibee

Rotalux deep octabox

16” MacBook Pro using Capture One

The earliest 2 were the Nun and Queens gambit, that was Sony A7rII, after that I switched to the Leica SL for the Audrey Hepburn and the the Leica SL2 for the rest of the images. The Sony I used a Sigma Art 35mm, and for the all the Leica shots the Sigma Art 50mm. I was a 35mm shooter for years and just decided to switch it up to 50mm. All the pics except for the Dorothy pic qere 1 light: PCB Digibee with large Rotalux deep octabox. The Dorothy pic had 2 lights, using the large octabox and a strip light for the legs. I always shoot tethered with a 16” MacBook Pro using Capture One.

Phoblographer: Right before the pandemic hit, how do you feel you were changing creatively, and how do you feel the quarantine changed you creatively?

Ian Pettigrew: Maybe in the months leading up I was struggling to find the next thing. I was dealing with some personal stuff, and was maybe feeling uninspired. Necessity is the mother of invention, as it says. Being in a lockdown situation, and luckily enough being with your girlfriend/muse/model gave us lots of opportunity to explore creatively.

The Queen’s Gambit is the obvious lockdown one, but also exploring Wizard of Oz and Breakfast at Tiffanys. We also moved in the middle of the first lockdown, into a much nicer space with great high ceilings. I can’t begin to tell you – as a portrait photographer – how awesome and inspiring high ceilings are.

Phoblographer: These images are of your partner, Nicole. They’ve got themes and centered around certain colors. Where did the idea for this series come from?

Ian Pettigrew: Orange or yellow might have been our first shoot, I can’t remember now. I have an old Fisherman’s yellow raincoat I thought would be a good idea for a monochromatic shoot, but it morphed into using foods that corresponded with the colour we chose. There were a few colours I wasn’t 100% happy with that I am still planning to reshoot. Maybe it was the food, or maybe the outfit didn’t work well. Pink was one colour that I wasn’t happy with. Lockdown was maybe good for inspiring creativity but not always great for shopping for stuff you need. Once we got going, after 2-3 colours both of us were like ‘Damn, this looks pretty good. Whats next???”

Phoblographer: We’ve featured you a few times. Overall these images feel very “Ian Pettigrew” but there’s been an evolution as well. With Salty Girls, you centered on placing the women with Cystic Fibrosis at the fore. Then with the Floating Dogs project, you worked with pastels. This Quarantine project is very bold and bright. Have you personally thought about colors differently?

Ian Pettigrew: I’ve actually noticed my images becoming a lot bolder, louder, over the last couple of years. I’m not sure how you’d subconsciously analyse that. SaltyGirls was certainly a very heavy and emotional project, and right after that I also started one (but never expanded on fully) with veterans of various conflicts (WW2, Korea, Vietnam). The Floating Dogs was supposed to be a mental antidote to that heaviness – the dogs were only meant to put a smile on your ...

If you like shooting with instant film, then you probably know how large the cameras can be. Not everyone wants to tote around an elephantine camera. Luckily, there are lots of small instant film cameras out there. And better yet, we’ve reviewed a bunch of them. Some are much better than others. So we’re rounding out some of our favorites in this list.

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The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear that we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Pro Tips on Having Fun with Small Instant Film Cameras

There are a lot of instant film cameras. But small instant film cameras that you want to bring with you everywhere don’t really exist. Here are some tips with using some of the best:

These cameras shoot Instax film, which is basically the same as Polaroid film chemically. As long as there are emulsions in the image, then it’s actually analog.

All of these cameras have been tested by us. They’ll fit in a camera bag, a jacket pocket, a hand bag, etc. We’ve tested them ourselves.

Instax film and Polaroid film don’t do well in the cold. This is because the emulsions inside are liquid. And liquid freezes in the cold.

Small instant film cameras can accompany your digital cameras as something on the side to bring around for fun.

These cameras have a plastic build, so be careful with them!

Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay

Shake Things Up!: The LiPlay is a fascinating combo of both digital and Instax photography. It blends the Instax Mini format with a pretty small camera that fits into a jacket pocket easily. It can be your favorite party camera for sure!

In our review, we state:

“One of the cool things about the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay is its integration into the digital world. You’re going to need to shoot a photo and then figure out if you want to print it later or not. You can use it as a classic compact camera if you wish and when you’re ready to print the photo, you can add a bunch of fun filters. In some ways, this is a response to Polaroid’s offerings. However, Fujifilm’s interface is far simpler. Despite the low-resolution LCD screen on the back, the interface of the Fujifilm Instax Mini LiPlay is still pretty simple.”

Buy Now

Lomography Lomo’Instant Square

Shake Things Up!: The design on this camera mimics an old-school Kodak design. It’s a collapsible camera with a bellows system that lets you shoot Instax Square film with ease. It’s seriously one of our favorite cameras for Instax Square.

In our review, we state:

“Here’s the best part of the Lomography Lomo’Instant Square: the image quality. This is the sharpest lens I’ve seen from Lomography, and when you get the focusing perfect you’ll realize that too. It’s possible to get bokeh and all that stuff, but I think the image quality could only have benefited from manual functionality. Couple that with just how good Fujifilm Instax Square film really is and you’ll get some very impressive and fun photos.”

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Fujifilm Instax SQ1

Shake Things Up!: The cool thing about the SQ1 is just how good-looking it is while being pretty small. It’s impossible to not have fun with this camera. We think you’ll really like it.

In our review, we state:

“The Fujifilm SQ1 is Fujifilm’s most visually appealing camera yet in the Instax lineup. This color is called Ter...

If you’ve ever done photography as a side-gig or as a profession, then you’ve probably heard the excuses why you shouldn’t pay for a photographer All of these reasons have always been terrible. Back in 2010, not too long after I founded this website, I rounded up a few reasons. Then in 2014, I shared more reasons. The year is now 2022 and as much as things change, a lot of them stay the same. Here are some terrible reasons to not pay for a professional photographer.

“I’ve Already Got a Friend with a Camera”

The old saying goes that you’ll pay for a professional photographer, but you’ll pay a lot more for an amateur. And that remains true. This is an excuse I’ve heard before. It’s the idea that you can get good enough photos from a friend with a camera. Amongst the many terrible reasons to not pay for a professional photographer, it will always reflect on you. A professional photographer will find ways to make your image stand out more than anything else out there. They’ll work with you on a unique, creative idea. And ideally, they won’t sit around and capture a scene: they’ll work with you to create one.

Years ago, professional photographers used to have access and a little bit of gear. That’s still the case today, but as the lower end of the standard has come up, so too has the higher end. We’ve worked to profile these types of photographers in our No Photoshop series. But there are lots more that we’ve talked to as well.

I’ll Just Get the Photos Off Instagram or Google

Instagram and Google are a whole different ball game. If you’re getting a photo off of Instagram, then legally you need to embed it using the HTML code. This is best done on websites of some sort. It’s not like TikTok where videos are ripped off and go anywhere or everywhere. I once talked to a BBQ pitmaster that ripped a photo off of a Blink 182 album cover to promote his own work.

Here’s the thing: at the end of the day, people know deep down that ripping off images from the web is illegal and wrong. But, they ignore it because they consider it an offense no one will take seriously. So instead, when they get in trouble, they’ll ask for forgiveness instead of asking for permission. They only end up more being sorry because they got caught in the first place.

“We Can Unsplash the Photos”

If you support Unsplash you’re making an awful decision. We each have something about us that makes us special. When a company forces us to give that up, they exploit you. We’ve even seen a few other photo publications using images from Unsplash. Those photo publications include Photofocus, Shutterbug, support from FStoppers via Medium, DIYPhotography, and others. Speaking of terrible reasons to not pay a professional photographer, these are just awful.

We find it unethical to not ask professional photographers for permission, licensing the images, or finding more ethical ways of acquiring photos. It’s pretty easy to do.

I’m an Influencer and I’ve Got a Huge Following, You’ll Be Famous

If anyone ever says this to you, screenshot the images before they delete them. Then run for the hills.

We’re Doing a Trial

Get a contract or create one. Make sure they don’t get to use the photos unless they pay.

We’ll Pay You Free Samples of Our Product

This can sometimes be acceptable. But being paid in brisket won’t pay your bills.

This Is a Charity Event and You Can Use It as a Tax Write Off

I’ve worked with a few non-profits over the years. This is an awful excuse. Non-profits can be very predatory toward artists.