The Phoblographer

If you’re looking for the Blade Runner look, it’s all about tweaking a simple camera setting.

Of course, it depends on what generation you belong to, but the Blade Runner look is still something often copied. Folks love it! And we too admit it’s entertaining. There are two variations of the look. Arguably, the older and more classic look has defined lots of fantasy. You can surely do it all in post-production, but you’ll spend a lot less time at a computer editing if you just understand how it works in the first place.

Absolute Daylight and Exposure

First off, you should understand light and what it does. It starts with having the right light. What do we mean by that? We’re talking about Daylight. We know most folks don’t know what that means, so think about the idea of white light. Otherwise, think about white LEDs. Lighting that’s more pure and white to the naked eye is closer to daylight. Warmer light is closer to tungsten. Cooler light is also pretty much daylight. For portraits, lots of folks like to add warmth to their photos. That basically is going beyond daylight.

Let’s show you. The following image was shot under a very warm light. Daylight white balance on your camera is set to around 5500K. (We’re talking about manual kelvin numbers here.)

So here’s the situation. White balance works by you adapting to the lighting situation. In the case above, I shot the photo at Daylight. Warm light plus warm white balance equals a warm photo.

This photo above was re-rendered to be 3200K. That’s tungsten and a very cool white balance on your camera. Warm light plus a cool white balance equals a very balanced image.

Further, the exposure is pretty balanced here. And that’s very paramount to how the final look will render.

This photo above shows why it’s impossible to do this look with warm, Tungsten light as the starting point. Most cameras don’t have the color range yet.

Classic Blade Runner Look

When you see the classic Blade Runner look, you immediately know it. It’s very iconic. It defined many Sci-Fi shows like Star Trek and a ton of others. If you play video games and like No Man’s Sky, you’ll also see it there a bit.

The classic Blade Runner look takes daylight and then filters it through white balance. It’s using Daylight, which naturally is pretty cool or neutral depending on who you ask. Then they balance to 3200K and add even more of a cooling effect.

If you’re going to do this in post-production, here’s a simple formula.

3200K

Super low contrast

Highlight nerf

Blue hue shift

But to start it off in-camera, work with daylight. Ideally, go shooting at night. Look for a place with Daylight lighting. If you’re in a big city, it’s usually easy to find. Lots of LED lighting is already pretty cool. Now just set your camera to 3200K. Manually put that white balance in. It’s usually better than choosing Tungsten or Incandescent. Most camera manufacturers vary on what’s Daylight or Tungsten.

For even more of the effect, we recommend shooting with vintage optics.

Here’s another situation above in Daylight. This scene was shot in Times Square.

The photo above goes to 3200 Kelvin and gives the Blade Runner look.

The photo here warms the image up and gives it a more modern look.

New Blade Runner Look

The new Blade Runner look takes the opposite effect. Again, you have to start with a very neutral light.

14000K

Super low contrast

Highlight nerf

Orange Hue Shift

These macro lenses are often overlooked, which is a shame because they are pure gold.

Macro photography has skyrocketed in popularity, thanks to the ongoing pandemic. This exciting and interesting genre can make everyday items in your home take on a whole new form. The world of macro photography is magical. Once it sucks you in, it’s hard to escape from the joy it brings. Not only can macro lenses make small objects appear larger than life, but they also double as excellent portrait lenses. Many think dedicated, specialized macro lenses cost an arm and a leg, but that’s not always the case. There are some absolute gems on the market that are affordable and that don’t compromise on image or build quality. After the break, we take a quick look at three macro lenses you can pick up without making your wallet cry.

IRIX 150mm f2.8 Dragonfly Macro Lens

In our review, we said:

“In the case of the IRIX 150mm f2.8 Dragonfly Macro Lens, it’s hitting the ball right out of the park. This lens exhibits great image quality in a lightweight body. Somehow or other, the company managed to cram 11 aperture blades, solid weather sealing, sharp optics, and an overall nice feeling into a moderately sized lens. Granted, they’re doing this at the sacrifice of autofocus, but I’m okay with that.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now Canon EF: $525

Buy now Nikon F: $525

Pro Tip: There’s a lot to learn when it comes to macro photography. It may seem like an easy genre, but learning how to light, compose, and focus stack takes time. Along with practicing by yourself, we recommend picking up some training materials to help you get the most out of your macro lenses. This guide will teach you all you need to know.

Samyang 100mm f2.8 Macro

In our review, we said:

“The bokeh is very creamy and positively beautiful. There are zero complaints here from me on that. I wish that other manufacturers made bokeh like this.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Pick one up for Canon EF: $549

Buy now Fujifilm X: $549

Buy now Nikon F: $549

Grab one now for Micro Four Thirds: $549

Buy now Pentax K: $548.40

Get yours for Sony E: $428.50

Tokina 100mm f2.8 Macro FiRIN

In our review, we said:

“The image quality is overall very pleasing. The muted colors lend themselves to rendering a look reminiscent of Kodak Portra–or at least the closest that you’re going to get on a Sony camera of any sort. The bokeh is also beautiful. Beyond that, it embraces the look of being soft yet sharp. The only thing I can liken it to is using color negative medium format film. If you haven’t done that, please know that it’s a trillion times better than any filter you can pop on a digital image.

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now Sony E: $529

Tamron is continuing its push to make Sony’s Mirrorless platform the most well-rounded out there.

It took Tamron a while to start pumping out lenses for Sony’s E mount, but man, the flood gates have opened. Over the last year and a half or so, Tamron has released some stunning yet highly affordable glass for the platform. This, of course, should be expected, seeing as Sony owns a double-digit percentage in the company. Still, the rate at which Tamron lenses are popping up is impressive. The line up of Tamron lenses featuring Sony’s E mount is set to grow more too. New patents have shown up on the web. They might not be the most exciting lenses ever. Still, they will help round out their current collection. Read on past the break to find out what’s coming.

A recent post over at Hi-Lows, a Japanese site, shows patents for two new Tamron lenses. In the works is a Tamron 24-70mm f4 and a 90mm f2.8 macro lens. As we said in the intro, these aren’t the most exciting lenses ever. However, they will go a long way in rounding out Tamron’s E Mount line up. If Tamron decides to follow its recent pricing strategy, there will be two more affordable lenses on the platform. This is a win-win for everyone who shoots with Sony cameras.

Tamron Lenses In the Pipeline

These two lens options from Tamron make a lot of sense. Tamron has a 28-75mm f2.8, which is brilliant and costs just $879 (on sale for $799). A 24-70mm f4, which is honestly enough for all but the most demanding photographers, will be a great move. F4 variants of 24-70mm lenses are light and versatile. They’re perfect for event photographers, everyday photographers, and those who like going on photo walks. They’re great workhorse lenses. If Tamron can weather seal this lens, give it their great autofocus motors, and keep it priced under $700, it will be a sure fire winner.

The 90mm Macro Will Be Well Received

Macro is now more popular than ever. Photographers who have been stuck indoors during the pandemic have gravitated towards the genre. There are some great macro lenses with a Sony E mount. For instance, Sony’s own 90mm f2.8 OSS is fantastic and relatively affordable at $1,098. If Tamron’s 90mm f2.8 can match the sharpness of Sony’s offering and they charge less. Well, it’s game over. You might expect this Tamron macro lens to offer less than 1:1 reproduction. You’d be wrong to think that, though. This 90mm f2.8 offering will be another Tamron lens that will wow when it comes to specs. Again, we have no clue if the lens will be weather sealed. I’ll take a stab at it and will say it will be. All of Tamron’s new lenses are weather sealed. It’s what makes them one of the most progressive lens manufacturers around.

Tamron’s Sony Push Is Paying Off

Tamron’s push into Sony’s ecosystem is paying off in a big way for the company. Many photographers I speak with have decided that Sony cameras might be for them. This is due to the number of affordable lenses on the platform. Other platforms such as Canon’s RF system and Nikon’s Z system are scaring people off with the price of the lenses. Tamron is making Sony’s platform one for the masses. This can only bode well for both Tamron and Sony going forward. We’re looking forward to seeing what other Tamron lenses might be coming in the future. What do you think about these patents for Tamron lenses? Let us know in the comment section below.

All images by Frank Jackson. Used with permission.

My name is Frank Jackson. My first photography job was in 1975 as a staff photographer for New York City Summer Work Program; it was all Disco Music, Sun Dresses, Music Festivals, and Block Parties that went on till the next day. I moved to Los Angeles in 1976 to work for IBM for three years; I quit IBM and started photographing for an architect after showing a portfolio of some houses with my 4×5 camera.

Be sure to follow Frank on his website and on Instagram. Want to get featured for Black History Month, Women’s History Month, or Asian American Month? Here are the details on how to do it. The earlier you send your submissions in, the better.

The money I made working for IBM fixing office equipment was spent on a large-format camera and darkroom…the money earned with the architect was spent on more gear. All things do come to an end. By 1980 this evolved into me working on IBM equipment for Transamerica Life, which after a photograph of mine was the winner of an employee art contest “morphed” into them asking me if I would like to become their corporate photographer…(I said YES after getting up off the floor).

After almost nine years in 1989 after photographing several annual reports, 1984 Olympics, covering business meetings in Asia and Europe…this prepared me into an interesting double-life freelance: my first passion is fine art black and white photography while the other life building a robust commercial photo business doing cars, food, people and editorial.

The one significant evolution is that after owning every size film camera from half-frame to 8×10 inch and multiple constant and strobe light systems, I’m consistently producing my best work with just one camera> one lens> at times one small LED light.

The best camera is the camera you always have with you.

My photography is not for everybody, and I am ok with this, but most often, after someone has seen one of my photographs they

Usually want to see more.

Why did you get into photography?

I concluded around the age of 15 that I was spectacularly awful at drawing, so I picked up a camera to discover I could take a photograph by using the camera as a pen that uses light for ink.

What photographers are your biggest influences? How did they affect who you are and how you create?

Andre Kertész, Gordon Parks, Roy De Carava, and Edward Weston. These men managed to capture the “life” in a person, place, or thing. I learned to understand light by placing an egg in a window to see how different this egg was shaped by light through the day.

Tell us about your photographic identity.

Fundamentally (1989), “fotographz” is the name I created to showcase the details of any visual moment in shadow and light, and that is my identity. There is also being “at see level” this is simply when I’m out and see something I never think about if I’ll photograph this, I photograph without hesitation because you should never see an image AND not photograph it to later wish you had…

I don’t have a favorite subject because what fuels my passion visually is the power that “light” can give any subject. I discovered that my talent was the ability to “see” and understand light. Every new photographer has to learn to work with available light. This means you better learn to respect the Sun.

Sunlight can be bright, soft, hazy, dim, reflected, and dark. These different lights create that “feeling” which is the “passion” (the power) of a photograph.

After learning how to use Sunlight, I used the same method to understand and use studio flash, even mixing with available light to create that perfect “mood.”

So back to my statement that everything is my favorite subject as long as I get the light either available or created by me is there.

This, for me, is being at the “see” level.

Tell us about the gear that you’re using.

Film cameras were simply drawing pens that use light as the ink to draw on

film, and I soon...

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My name is Paul Howard. I’m a portrait and headshot photographer in Red Deer, Alberta, in Canada. Like many, I find I’m happiest behind the camera. I revel in images of people, particularly faces. The when and where is any time, any place. My “how” is pretty basic, at least I think it is: find or make the light I’m looking for and capture it. The why is a little more difficult to explain.

I’ve played around with a camera for probably fifty years but rediscovered my love for it about 13 years ago and didn’t realize that it was portraits I had a passion for until 2012. I had an inkling decades ago. I’d see the photography in National Geographic, or Time, or Life, but those photos didn’t bring out the feeling that I wanted to go to those places or meet those people. It made me want to take those photographs. I don’t know how else to explain that. When I did my first ‘real’ portraits, that is, purposefully made a portrait of someone, it made me quit breathing. It made me see that there’s something in everyone that’s amazing. That should be shown and celebrated. It made me want to let my subject see what it was that I was seeing in them, that certain something that makes them amazing. When I can create an image of someone that they can look at, and it makes THEM hold their breath or brings tears to their eyes, there’s nothing better.

I’ve photographed weddings, wildlife, landscapes, birds, still life, real estate, architecture... but portraits excite me to a point where I’d rather do nothing else.

I got more intently and purposefully into photography when I turned 50. I had wanted too much earlier, but I didn’t feel I could justify the expense when trying to raise a family. I lamented that as I turned 50 and my wife pretty much told me, “now or never.”

I love the work of Gregory Heisler, Sue Bryce, Peter Hurley, Richard Avedon, and many many other portrait photographers. I think that the biggest lesson from them was to connect with the subject. Making a connection is key to them being comfortable enough to let themselves come to the surface and show me, and the camera, what lies within.

At my advanced age, I’m not sure that I know what my identity is. I think I can relate to people, I think I have a decent sense of humor, and I think I show them I care that they see that they are more than they think they are. I want them to be able to see that. And I think it’s terribly important that they see that. I think most of them feel that there’s nothing special about them. I feel I have to prove them wrong, that they deserve to see why they are people who think they really are special.

Okay, gear. I primarily use a Canon 5D Mark II and Mark III, and my go-to lenses would be the EF 24-70 2.8L and the EF 70-200 2.8L. I’ll also use the EF 24-105 4.0L, the EF 50 1.4 on occasion. I’m mainly shooting handheld, though on occasion will use my Feisol CT 3472 LV tripod and Feisol CG-50DC ball head, particularly if I’m focussing on headshots.

Studio lighting is with Paul C. Buff AlienBees, from one to five of them, depending on whether I think the shot calls for background lighting, hair lights, or kickers. At times I revert to a single Canon 600EX RT Speedlight, especially if I’m striving for harder light. Most of my modifiers are from StrobePro, and, again, it depends. I use everything from thin strips, to large softboxes or beauty dishes, to bare bulb, or sometimes Rogue Flashbenders on the Speedlight. Gels, smoke machines, v-flats, or whatever else I need to find the light I’m looking for. While I’ve certainly shot with natural light, sometimes modifying with a reflector or two, studio light definitely provides the flexibility to create much more precisely, and I like that.

I’m most definitely more of a creator than a documenter, I would say. Although I do believe that I’m documenting an aspect of someone that they may not have see...

The Leica 28mm f2 APO-Summicron-SL ASPH will run you around $5,195 and is making a huge claim.

Before writing this article, I spent some time researching the big claim Leica is making in the press release. Today, they’re announcing the Leica 28mm f2 APO-Summicron-SL ASPH for the L mount. It’s been a long time coming, but we expected it. It’s the widest prime that they make for the system. And like all things Leica, it’s expensive. In fact, it’s going to cost you $5,195. We can expect that with a Leica lens in terms of image quality. The SL system is also incredibly well weather-sealed. The cameras are IP rated, and the lenses can hold their own with the cameras. But what’s sort of shocking us is their big claim in the press release.

Leica 28mm f2 APO-Summicron-SL ASPH Tech Specs

28mm f2

L mount

13 elements in 10 groups

0.24m minimum focusing

6 aspherical elements

67mm filter thread means this lens won’t be that large

102mm long without the lens hood

700 grams without the lens hood. That’s around 2x as heavy as a can of soup and 1 and 1/10ths as heavy as a basketball.

The Big Claim

I adore the look that Leica lenses give me. But the autofocus of the entire L mount alliance has always driven me bonkers. And in Leica’s press release, there’s a whole section dedicated just to their autofocus and the focusing. Here’s the section we’re talking about:

“The autofocus drive of all APO-Summicron-SL lenses utilizes extremely robust and high-performance stepping motors with DSD® (Dual Syncro DriveTM). This enables the AF to travel the entire focusing range in around 250 milliseconds. Leica Camera also takes an innovative approach to manual focusing technology, including an entirely new manual focus ring construction in the form of an embedded ring magnet with alternating north-south polarization. When the ring is turned, the magnetic field changes its polarity. A sensor monitors the status of the magnetic field and sends the data to the main processor. The drive then shifts the lens to the corresponding focusing position based on the angle of rotation and the rotational speed, delivering even faster and more precise manual focusing to match the lens’s quick and accurate autofocus.”

250 milliseconds! That’s pretty fast. Admittedly, I did a good 10 minutes of research looking up competing products. There really isn’t a lot. No one has done official timing tests of Sony’s 28mm f2. And the Nikon 28mm f1.4 for F mount wasn’t measured either. This means that the Leica 28mm f2 APO-Summicron-SL ASPH can focus from minimum focus to infinity in no time flat. If it has that potential, then I’m thrilled. But I’ll be even more thrilled when the autofocus is at least a bit smarter. Sometimes it’s told us that a face is in focus, but it wasn’t totally in focus. The system is still a bit odd to work with for sure. But Leica has promised firmware updates to fix that in the future. If those come soon, and you bundle that with incredible durability, this will probably make more sense.

The real test of this lens, I think, is going to come with the Panasonic S5. At the moment of writing this, it’s the fastest camera within the L mount alliance. It’s also had a whole lot of improvements. Plus, it’s the lightest of the bunch. I mean, why wouldn’t you pair a lightweight camera with a lightweight lens? What’s more, said lightweight lens is very well built. Of course, the Leica SL2S isn’t all that much of a slouch either. In my review, I still rate that camera a bit behind Fujifilm.

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My name is Ryan Mitchell. As a photographer, I want to be able to tell stories that I create to mimic emotions, situations, and climatic events that we, as human beings, can recognize within these images. To show that these toys can also emit emotions and feelings in their dark and desperate hours. The hard work that goes into creating the set pieces to the displaying of the figures, and to the technical audacity to capture the dynamic shots I place these figures in.

As a veteran, I also want to be able to connect my experiences and other experiences of veterans in other warlike settings, but also have a connection to my nerdy side of Star Wars and fantastical elements of such. I use what I have lying around my house, such as toilet paper to cover the light source to soften it or poster board as a bounce to illuminate the subjects in the frame. I have equipped on me is a Nikon D3100 switching between 35mm or 50mm NIKKOR lenses. My light sources have varied from various desk lamps found around the house. I switch between black and white to color, depending on the message of the narrative I want to portray. Sometimes black and white have a harsher tone to convey and come across as gritty and desperate to show these characters are going through such hard times they face.

I was going through a hard patch in my life, and I needed to escape. Something to keep me occupied while transitioning from military to civilian life in college. Photographing with LEGOs was something I’ve always done when I was younger, and I figured I should continue since it gave me such joy in the past, and now it makes me happier I found something that keeps me going.

In school, I learned about many different photographers over the years, but Elizabeth Margret Cameron has been a major influence as a contemporary artist. She took photos that told narratives within her work of portraits and large narrative motifs of biblical and mythical elements. David Levinthal is also a big one. His photographs use elements of toys as well to tell stories and various narratives addressing many political and historical themes.

I am a young lad and have been shooting for two years now, and I can say I have seen a great improvement from just shooting on a location that was just “fitting” to building large set-pieces within my apartment.

My identity as a photographer are the figures I use to pose and display them (or trying to) in realistic settings and situations that would be a resemblance to human features.

I am using a Nikon D3100, which is a decent DSLR, and I’ve had it for years, so I don’t see me parting with it soon. Nothing techy about the light sources since they are household desk lamps with various experimentation on soft or hard light using tissue paper to harden or soften those sources. I believe using these. things have helped the motivation and the amount of work I put into each shot. I like the challenge of being limited to what I have.

Artificial light, only because being able to control what and how soft your light can be, where it can be placed to illuminate the figure, and more importantly, working with the settings of the camera to show how much light is within the frame.

Photography and shooting are important because they can tell so much within a snapshot, show emotion, and display a narrative of such within that very second of time. So much can be told in a photograph. I feel I’m more of a creator. I am placing these figures in settings and situations I create within these worlds I think up for them to interact in. With the gear I have told these stories to feel like I am “documenting” these events, but these are the fantastical worlds I came up with to capture these figures in.

The act of setting up a shot becomes a ritual and as important as the final image in processing my thoughts. The attitude that exists within these images reflect...

There isn’t a lens like the Panasonic 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 Macro OIS for L mount yet.

I’m going to be the first to admit that I’m really, really liking what the L Mount alliance is becoming. Like Android phones, there’s still a lot of fragmentation, but the pieces are starting to work better. And the new Panasonic 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 Macro OIS is a critical part of the puzzle. The L Mount needs more native lenses that are affordable yet good. I’ve got a ton of faith in this latest offering from Panasonic. Mind you, this doesn’t seem like a Panasonic Lumix S Pro lens, so it’s not their highest grade option. But they’re packing a lot of quality into it!

Panasonic 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 Macro OIS Tech Specs

These specs are taken from a Panasonic spec sheet sent to the Phoblographer.

17 elements in 11 groups

2 ED lens elements

1 UED lens element

1 UHR lens element

L mount

Optical Image Stabilization

11 aperture blades

1.7 foot close focusing distance

Dust and weather resistant

77mm filter thread

5.83 inches

1.75 lbs

$1,249 price point

For When We Can Travel Again?

The Panasonic 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 Macro OIS is not a small lens. If you’re accustomed to using small primes a lot, you’ll raise your eyebrows. From the technical specifications above, it seems pretty large. There’s a 77mm filter thread, 5.83-inch length collapsed, and it weighs 1.75 lbs. I’m wondering how it’s going to pair on the Panasonic S5. (Currently, that’s the camera I’ve spent the longest with and loved the most.) The Pansonic S1 and S1R, I think, made a lot of mistakes, but the S5 is fantastic and one of the smallest DSLR style full-frame cameras out there.

I dove back into our archives and compared it to the Sony 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 G OSS lens. In our review, I said:

“The Sony 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 G OSS lens looks very much like many other comparable lenses like this in the DSLR world, but this one is a bit more compact. Some of the defining characteristics of this lens are the zoom ring and the focusing ring. Obviously, Sony put more emphasis on zooming vs the super small focusing ring. When zoomed in fully, the lens almost doubles in size. Of course, what makes it seem larger is the lens hood.”

The Panasonic 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 Macro OIS seems lighter by just a little bit. And considering that I felt the lens was pretty balanced with a Sony camera, this one might not be so bad. However, keep in mind just how small the Panasonic S5 is. I won’t be stuffing this lens attached to a camera into a dedicated camera pocket of a bag anytime soon. Let alone, I’m probably not going to get on a plane soon. And I’m still a guy who sticks to small primes. Even though this lens is lighter and about the same size as the competition, it’s probably too big for me.

For the record, Tamron has a smaller option, but at the cost of a smaller aperture at the telephoto end.

But this lens has a lot going for it. Consider the fact the fact that it’s weather-sealed and you get a lot better durability. Without even holding it, I’ll give Panasonic credit over Sony, considering our past testing.

By all means, though, this is the lens the system needs. Panasonic doesn’t have anything like this, and there’s a significant need for more zoom lens options.

Could you travel with the Panasonic 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 Macro OIS? You probably can. I could surely see it being affixed to a Panasonic s5 and taken for a hike. It’s huge, but the system doesn’t have any excellent, small, fully weather-sealed prime lenses.

An Issue of Autofocusing

Further, there’s a mishmash of lens motors and autofocus algorithms talking to one another. Just the other day, I tried using the Sigma 24mm f3.5 DG DN Contemporary with the Panasonic S5. In good, cloud-day morning lighting, with high-speed sync flash and face detection, it couldn’t always nail focus. It’s sometimes very frustrating. Most of the time, L mount cameras should be kept in continuous autofocus.

I’m going to expect th...

Forget Photoshop; these unique lenses will render special effects in-camera!

Have you ever wished that you could create unique images without having to use software like Photoshop? If only there were lenses that could produce dream-like effects and surreal bokeh. Well, good news, these lenses exist, and you can get them without breaking the bank. The lenses are available across multiple platforms, and they’ll get your creative juices flowing. So, if you want to be more creative and you want to spend more time away from your computer, you should really take a closer look at these four unique lenses.

Lensbaby Trio 28mm F3.5 (For Dream-Like Images)

In our review, we said:

““Overall, I think the Lensbaby Trio is a pretty incredible optic not due to the crazy charts and lab tests, but more because the lens has some character to it. If you embrace this character, then you’ll be really happy with the image quality it can deliver.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Snap one up for Fujifilm X mount: $299.95

Buy now Canon EF-M: $299.95

Add one to your collection Sony E mount: $299.95

Rokinon 8mm f2.8 Fisheye (For A Unique Perspective)

In our review, we said:

“Though fisheye lenses are generally specialized lenses, this one was such a joy to use that I would keep it on all day and all night. It would inspire me to find skaters in NYC and get up close and personal. Plus, it often did inspire me to try new angles and get my timing better to capture those perfect moments. And overall, it’s just so much fun to use.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now Canon EF-M: $249

Get one for Fujifilm X mount: $299

Own one for Sony E mount: $249

Pro Tip: These unique lenses may take some getting used to. Especially if you’re used to using technically perfect lenses. Still, don’t let this put you off. You’re going to find that you can be far more expressive and creative with these unique lenses. If you’re short on ideas on how to create one-of-a-kind images, check out this tutorial.

Meyer Optik Trioplan 100mm II (For the Best Bokeh)

In our review, we said:

“This is the type of lens that will get so many photographers excited about shooting. Sony, we don’t care about your quibbles with onion bokeh. We want this! This is the character your lenses are lacking. You say we can put it back in with post-production, but we don’t want to do that. We want a classic look that’s been missing for a while now.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: Used From $579.95

Lensbaby Spark 2.0 (For The Artist)

In our review, we said:

“Images from the Lensbaby Spark 2.0 are oozing with character. With intense blur wide open, images easily take on a surreal, dream-like feel.

Hillary Grigonis – Reviews Editor

Buy now Canon EF: $199.95

Buy now Canon RF: $199.95

Get yours now Fujifilm X: $199.95

Buy now M4/3: $199.95

Grab one for Nikon F mount: $199.95

Buy now Nikon Z: $

Pick one up for Sony E mount: $199.95

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“Sometimes it feels like something in me is taking the pictures and not really myself,” expresses photographer Gundula Blumi to us in an interview. “...I use photography to put my impressions and emotions from everyday life in order.” Gundula is based in Berlin and does several positively fantastic images. When we found them, they were unlike anything we’ve seen before. Gundula uses the analog format to get her photos, and she connects her creativity to her emotions.

Talk to us about how you got into photography.

Both my mother and my father always took a lot of photos. At home, we had a photo cabinet that smelled so good of photo things. My grandfather, who later gave me the Leica camera that I began to experiment with, also captured his entire life in photographs. One of my first memories of photography was the day I was allowed to borrow my mother’s camera and take exactly ten pictures. I still remember the tingling sensation in my stomach because I could decide for myself what to shoot, and I was so excited to see the results. This tingling sensation in the stomach has remained until today. I soon got my own camera and photographed everything that seemed important to me. These were less aesthetic pictures than pictures of emotional moments.

What made you want to get into surreal photography?

It always bothered me to be dependent on the environment and its motives. And I like strange worlds.

I wanted to be independent of reality and be able to take my pictures anywhere and anytime, so I developed techniques that create surreal pictures. The techniques are the most important and decisive for the result, and the real motif often only acts as a kind of “carrier” for something completely new. I love to experiment without knowing what will come of it! I am also fascinated by surreal photographs, as photos seem to depict reality in the first impression. That is why I find surreal photographs very powerful.

So these surreal effects are done in-camera.

Yes, that’s right.

Where does the creative inspiration usually come from?

Tension builds up in me during normal everyday life, and then at some point, I have the feeling that I have to go outside immediately to take photos, and I feel like high and realize that something is arising. Sometimes it feels like something in me is taking the pictures and not really myself. On other days when I really want to take pictures, it doesn’t work at all. My creativity comes in waves. If there is a wave, I have to take it, and after that, I always have to take a break. I use photography to put my impressions and emotions from everyday life in order.

Tell us about the gear that helps you achieve this look.

I work with different experimental lenses, I mix my photos with watercolors, or I pre-expose films with a special light. My pictures live from experimentation and trial and error and the fact that I often don’t even know what result to expect. And when I expect results, it is usually the case that I prefer those pictures that have completely other results. I like the unpredictable (but only in photography).

The techniques themselves are a process and are constantly evolving and changing, always based on emotions. The secret is to try everything possible and never stop playing with the technology and never plan too much, ideally not “wanting” anything at all.

Lots of your images are at night and look a bit lonely and sad. What attracts you to these scenes?

The sad thing in my pictures just arises. I don’t force it at all. I think I like the different emotional nuances of our existence, including the dark ones. I find interesting what is under the surface, which in our society usually seems so smooth, but never is. Everything that is underneath is actually lively, interesting, and lovable.

You’ve got a few portraits, but not a lot. Are you just happier with landscapes?

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