The Phoblographer

These digital cameras may have a few years on them now, but they still have enough about them to stand out in 2021 and beyond.

There are plenty of fantastic cameras on the market today. So many, in fact, it has become all too easy to forget about the great cameras that came before them. Cameras have been released at such a rapid pace that some cameras simply didn’t have time to establish themselves as greats. That doesn’t mean that you can’t hunt them down and but them today, though. In this roundup, we’re going to take a look at some digital cameras that simply didn’t get the face time they deserved. These four cameras are masterpieces that should be hunted down and snapped up at the first opportunity you get. Their image quality will stun you. Their ergonomics will delight, and their overall performance will make you ask yourself why you didn’t look more closely at them when they were released. Join us as we look at four of our favorite older digital cameras.

Nikon Df

In our review, we said:

“The ISO capabilities of the Nikon Df are truly amazing. Images are more than usable at ISO 12,800 and still usable at the highest possible ISO setting. This is where the Df shines–it truly is the king of the night.”

Buy now new: $3,296.95

Buy now used: $1,939.95

Fujifilm X Pro 1

In our review, we said:

“The Fujifilm X Pro 1 is the company’s first entry into the mirrorless camera market. When it was announced at CES, it shocked everyone and excited all. With a design that harkens back to the old Contax G2, it also has stunning retro-style good looks. But you don’t buy a camera like this just for the looks unless you’re Justin Beiber. Behind the very good glass currently available for it, it also can take some very wonderful images that are easily worked with in the post-production phase. Couple this with the fact that the metering is often spot on, and its small size that begs you to carry it everywhere, and you’ve got yourself a winner.

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: Used from $514.95

Pro Tip: If you pick up one of these old but gold digital cameras and perhaps need a little inspiration to go along with it, we highly suggest getting your peepers into a good book. Bruce Barnbaum’s ‘The Art of Photography’ will help you see things in a whole new light. With the knowledge from this book, you’ll be able to create like never before. It’s available as a hardback and on Kindle.

Olympus Pen F

In our review, we said:

“This camera has all the knobs, dials, buttons, and more in just the right places. Everything is designed to look very analog, and Olympus did a fantastic job of embracing the aesthetics. The only camera that comes close here is the Fujifilm X Pro 2, but its ergonomics aren’t overall as great as this. Sure, the X Pro 2 has some 1ups like the ISO and shutter dial being together and better image quality; but ergonomically, it’s almost impossible to beat the Olympus Pen f.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $999

Leica M (Typ 240)

In our review, we said:

“Without the shadow of a doubt, one can say that the M Typ 240 is the pinnacle of Leica’s rangefinder camera evolution, and most certainly one of the best digital cameras currently around. Granted, it’s way out of the financial range for most of us. But for those who are committed to the system and are ready to shell out the big $$$ for it, it will deliver the ultimate M-mount rangefinder experience.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $4,519.95

Buy now: Used from $3900

All images by Juan Antonio Hoyos. Used with permission.

“At least here in Germany beer is cheaper than coffee and orange juice, so even if you go with a normal process not using chemicals, beer can be cheaper,” explains photographer Juan Antonio Hoyos to us in an interview. To that end, it’s one of the reasons why he’s been developing his black and white film with beer. Juan is a long time veteran of the analog photography community. And now, he’s teaching you how to develop black and white film at home using beer.

Why develop film with beer? How is that different than coffee or anything else?

Well, first of all, it’s cheaper and easier to get. At least here in Germany beer is cheaper than coffee and orange juice, so even if you go with a normal process of not using chemicals, beer can be cheaper. But the important part is that all of this is organic materials; with the usual chemical mix, you need to dispose of your chemicals in the right way and place (these chemicals are abrasive and bad for the planet). Many people skip the right process and just drop the chemicals down the drain, which is an easy way of poisoning our waters.

Beer, on the other hand, can be disposed of through the drain, and the best part, the beer production is mostly local, which means you are not using imported materials like coffee or chemicals. This way, your developer doesn’t have to travel as far to arrive on your film. All this helps reducing greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to improving our carbon footprint.

Specifically, you’re talking about black and white, right?

Yeah, the process I’ve been trying is made with black and white film. However, I read articles about people using the organic B&W development process to develop color film, and it works as well. However, you will not have the right color looks, but something way more experimental.

What sort of results would you get if you souped the film in beer before shooting it?

As always, film soup is unexpected; beer is a very sugary liquid, so expect to see that sugary water stick to your film even after it is dry, creating dark bubbles and liquid patterns. I once developed a film with Patrice Baunov (he was the one who introduced me to this process, check his Instagram for more crazy stuff). Somehow the part of the film that was supposed to turn negative was positive, and the positive was negative. It was really weird.

We’re naturally in a pandemic right now, so why is it a good time to shoot and develop film at home?

It’s the best time to do it! You are reducing personal contact, and traveling times, you have a lot of free time on your hands, and you are saving money!

Hurry! You can watch Juan’s class for free on Skillshare for a few more days!

All images by Guy Carpenter. Used with permission.

“Of course, the vast majority of my professional life came to a crashing halt in 2020,” relates professional photographer Guy Carpenter to us in an interview. “I spent a few weeks in March and April 2020 at home, reading a lot of books. I barely touched a camera.” Guy’s words resonate with us as it speaks volumes to the general mental state of photographers. Like many other passionate photographers though, Guy also shoots for fun. So when his godmother asked him to come help with their upland sheep farm in Yorkshire Dales, he brought the camera along.

The Essential Photography Gear of Guy Carpenter

Fujifilm X Pro 1

Fujifilm 35mm f1.4 R

Fujifilm 18mm f2 R

Fujifilm XT2

Guy says:

In early 2016, after several years of being curious about the Fuji system, I bought myself a Fujifilm X-Pro1 with 35mm and 18mm lenses. I loved it immediately. Within a week I’d sold all my Pentax gear. Since then I have chopped and changed a bit but now use a pair of X-T2s with a variety of lenses, including my original and much loved 35mm f1.4. I have only prime lenses until the telephoto range: I’m an evangelist for the creativity that prime lenses force from users.

As well as the Fuji gear, I’ve got a Mavic Pro 2 drone. It’s a remarkable bit of kit that I’m always grateful to have when I need it. It has flown in all kinds of conditions, including a blizzard, and not let me down. The sensor and lens on it are pretty incredible, given its size.

I don’t believe that gear alone is the prime factor in producing any photograph, but some gear seems to inspire more than others, and I think I found that inspiration with Fujifilm cameras. Though the trend they set seems to be creeping out to other manufacturers, I think Fujifilm were the first to return to all mechanical controls, rather than scroll wheels and shooting modes etc. For beginners, that can really help them learn the fundamentals of photography.

And for those with more experience, it brings you back to the fundamentals of photography, which is what it did for me. I learned a new appreciation for simple but effective imagery, always created solely within the camera, without any gimmickry or digital manipulation. Don’t get me wrong: I shoot RAW and I process everything I take in Lightroom, but the difference between a straight out of camera JPG and my final JPG is usually minimal: Lightroom is obviously the digital equivalent of an analog darkroom, and I try to use it as such: photography is not about computer-generated trickery.

So, Fujifilm helped me to return to photographic basics, and in doing so, it made me stop and evaluate what I was doing from a business perspective too. Landscapes certainly weren’t going to make me a living. I was finding, particularly with the Fujifilm cameras, that I much preferred to be photographing people.

Talk to us about how you got into photography.

My first camera was an Olympus Trip 35, which I still have. Both my parents were keen photographers, and in fact, I have photographs taken by members of my mother’s family going back to the late 19th century. Last year my mother gave me one of my grandmother’s cameras, a Kodak No. 1 Pocket, which can be loaded as-is with 120 format film. I shot and developed a few rolls of that recently, which was quite a thrill using a 100-year-old camera that still works perfectly today.

So photography definitely has some family history for me, and I enjoyed it as a child, but it rather vanished off my radar for about a decade or so. In my early twenties, I did some teaching English abroad, and before I headed off to start a job in Istanbul in 2007, I bought myself a Pentax K100D. While in Istanbul I muddled through learning how to use it, and with hindsight I can say that while my technical knowledge was still very limited, I did get some shots with it that I am still proud of today. I can also say that the Pentax K100D was a great camera, as I gave a...

There’s a chance Apple might bring back the SD Card Port.

All that I’ve wanted as a photographer is an SD card port. More specifically, I’ve wanted one that doesn’t suck. The one on the iMac 2019 doesn’t play well with new SD cards. In fact, having an SD card port is mandatory for me to buy a computer. That’s why I still use the early 2015 MacBook Pro. Couple that with a great keyboard and good specs, of course! And the word on the street is that there’s a glimmer of hope for us photographers in a concept I’d like to call the Apple MacBook Pro Classic.

After reading an article on Input, I became very excited. Some cool things may come back to the MacBook Pro lineup. Of course, they’ll never admit they were wrong. Instead, they’ll say that they had courage. In this case, I think that having the courage to undo all the mishegas will be wonderful. MagSafe is apparently going to be making a come back. And if that’s the case, then I’m holding out hope.

Apple, admittedly, had a bit too much faith in the camera manufacturers. Yes, there’s the wireless transfer from a camera to a computer. But it takes forever. SD cards still dominate as the megapixel wars didn’t end. File sizes became larger, and the SD card capacities did too. Further, Apple never shared AirDrop protocols with camera companies. If that were done, things would be much different. No one should ever discount how fantastic using AirDrop is. If you’re a working journalist or creative, it makes life so much simpler. With all this said, the idea of the Macbook Pro Classic seems exactly like what we need.

Maybe that’s one reason why they got rid of the SD card port. But the truth is that we really need it. I hate having a million dongles. It’s one of the most frustrating parts of being a modern creative. The point of using Apple products is because they’re supposed to be simple. You’re not supposed to make things complicated. Everything is supposed to just work! That’s why we pay so much extra money. But if you take that away, no one wants your products anymore.

And for many a creative, taking away the SD card port really annoyed us. Reviews Editor Hillary Grigonis and I have spoken about this on phone calls with one another. When the MacBook Pro 16-inch dropped, I was irate about the lack of an SD card port.

For better or worse, Apple’s relationship with creatives is an abusive one. Many creatives have drifted away from Apple. Gear Editor Brett Day uses a custom PC for his daily work. But as much as creatives need Apple for their daily work, Apple needs them. Yes, I’d like to fully declare that. The current iteration of Apple lacks the innovation and cool factor they had years ago. The new M1 processors are surely helping. But Apple needs creatives to seem as cool as they are. It’s basically like the idea of gentrification. The much older Apple was like old NY. Folks didn’t really like it. But then they captured the hearts and souls of creatives. So the creatives helped to make Apple’s brand better. Walk into any cafe, and you’ll see a fleet of Macbooks. Then everyone else came.

Apple needs creatives. And if they don’t start giving creatives what they need, they’ll start flocking to other spaces. Razer, Lenovo, Microsoft, Asus, and others make desirable options for us.

These photography accessories will help you elevate your images to a whole new level of wow.

We talk about cameras and lenses a lot. Still, there’s so much more that goes on behind the scenes when it comes to creating great images. To get the most out of the RAW files that your camera produces, you need to have the right tools in your office or studio to make them come to life. If you really want to make your pictures stand out from the crowd, this roundup is for you. After the break, we’ll share five photography accessories with you that will help bring your creations to life.

BenQ SW270C 27 Inch Monitor

In our review, we said:

“While there are plenty of low-cost monitors on the market, they lack the color accuracy that professional-grade color-accurate monitors can reproduce. Their build quality also doesn’t come anywhere near what you’ll find with the BenQ SW270C. Although US $799.99 is not an inconsequential sum, the BenQ SW270C provides an excellent value for photographers working with color-critical workflows in search of a comparably affordable workhorse monitor.”

Buy now: $799

Datacolor SpyderX Elite

In our review, we said:

“So should you go for the Datacolor SpyderX Elite? If you print a whole lot, heck yes–it’s pretty much an item that I’d consider essential when coupled with a good printer that I’m sure you have. If you’re tethered down to a workstation, then it probably wouldn’t hurt all that much to use one.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $250.84

Wacom Intuos Pro Creative Pen Tablet – Small

In our review, we said:

“If you have always wanted to have extra control over the edits you make to your images and don’t want to spend a ton of money on a tablet, the Wacom Intuos Pro Small might just be what you’ve been looking for. This tablet is feature-packed for the price. It will allow you to make sophisticated edits effortlessly. The tablet and pen are well built, the wireless functionality is fantastic, and the levels of customization will really impress you.”

Brett Day – Gear Editor

Buy now: $237.59

Pro Tip: Printing your images is the absolute best way to bring your images to life. Fortunately, the photography accessories we have listed here can help make printing easier than it used to be. Still, if you’re new to printing and you need a little help with it, check out this guide that will help you get your images ready to print.

Epson SureColor P900

In our review, we said:

“The Epson SureColor P900 is a fantastic printer aimed at photographers who want to create prints with impeccable quality. The Epson SureColor P900 is easy to set up, it’s a joy to use thanks to the huge touchscreen and the friendly user interface, and the images it produces are rich, accurate, and detail-filled. The accompanying print layout software is easy to use, and being able to print directly from an iPad or iPhone is another added bonus.”

Brett Day – Gear Editor

Buy now: $1,295

SK Hynix Gold S31 SSD

In our review, we said:

“Overall, I have to say I have been impressed with the SK Hynix Gold S31 SSD. Being an SSD, it’s silent, it provides ridiculously fast data transfer rates, and it will save you time. A minute here and a minute there may not sound like much, but the time savings will add up with continued use.”

Brett Day – Gear Editor

Buy now: From $43.98

Stop simply capturing images and start creating them; this is how you’ll put your unique stamp on your photos.

Everyone always talks about capturing images, but not about creating them. We can create in Photoshop, but so too can anyone else. It’s my firm belief that creating in camera is the best way as it means the photographer took all the methods and steps to create a photo organically rather than by compositing, layering, etc. in post-production which makes a photographer a better photo editor than a photographer. Though this idea could be controversial, these methods aren’t in use much because everyone is afraid of them. So, why not try them?

Multiple Exposure Mode

Everyone says multiple exposures are difficult. And yes, they are not easy. Our lead image is a multiple exposure photo as is the one above. What makes them hard is they require a photographer to have a clear creative vision. Once they do, they can go along for the ride with the execution. Like anything else, it takes practice. Many modern cameras have multiple exposure modes built into the camera, we just have to use them. Some even provide previews of what you can expect. By using these previews and reaching deep into our technical and creative side, we can express ourselves more deeply.

Try this: Photograph your day or an environmental portrait using the multiple exposure mode in-camera.

Second Curtain Flash Sync

The first thing you should know is that tons of photographers are afraid of the flash: yes, even the bigger and more popular photographers. But flash is magical and adds extra sparkle and pizzaz to your images. Certain flash methods, such as second curtain flash, are even better. It allows you to capture light trails while stopping fast-moving action in a scene. It’s what you’re probably used to seeing in many party photos.

Try this: Look for light trails in the streets and photograph someone with frontal lighting. You’ll need a very slow shutter speed.

Stroboscopic Flash

The above image is a single shot with flash. The flash is very specific and direct in order to emphasize a certain area. That’s an effective method to setting a mood, but if you want to do more than just capture what someone is doing with a flash, then try stroboscopic flash.

The stroboscopic method lets the flash quite literally strobe. When it does that, it captures a trail and a number of movements all at once. It is similar in how it lets a photographer do what multiple exposures can do, but in a different way. However, this often requires knowledge of math and, as we all know, math is hard.

We’ve got a fuller tutorial on how to use Stroboscopic flash right here.

Try this: Photograph an athlete or a dancer using stroboscopic flash.

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Lensbaby launched when founder Craig Strong literally took part of a shop vac hose to mount a vintage lens on his DSLR. The company’s first lens took on a similar look, with a plastic bumpy black tube creating a tiltable lens. The new Lensbaby Spark 2.0 mixes that heritage with a few modern updates, including mirrorless compatibility.

The Lensbaby Spark 2.0 shares a lot in common with the original Spark. It has a mount that’s now compatible with mirrorless systems like the Sony E, Canon RF, Nikon Z, Fuji X, and Micro Four Thirds as well as long-standing mounts including Canon EF, Nikon F, and Pentax K. The aperture now boasts 12 blades and a wider range, from f2.5 to f22. But the character of the original lens MacGyvered from a shop vac hose still stands. The question that photographers should ask before picking up any Lensbaby still stands, however. Does the character of the lens make up for lack of autofocus? Is the lens too niche to see much time out of the camera bag?

Pros and Cons

Pros

Oozing with character

Spectacular blur

Fun to use

Reminiscent of accordion fold cameras

Compatible with Lensbaby’s interchangeable optics

Compact and Lightweight

Affordable

Cons

Strong blue aberration in JPEGs

Plastic build

Manual focus

Tricky to tilt

Gear Used

I tested the Spark 2.0 with the Nikon D850. The Spark 2.0 is compatible with Lensbaby’s optic swap system. It ships with the Sweet 50, which is the setup that I tested.

Tech Specs

Taken and summarized from Lensbaby’s own website:

6.5 oz

12 Aperture blades

Made for every single camera mount except for Leica M

2 elements in one group

2 inches high and 2.5 inches wide

46mm filter thread

Manual focus and close distance focusing of 15 inches

Fixed f2.5 aperture

Ergonomics

The Lensbaby Spark 2.0 is a very minimal lens. The only control on the lens is the aperture ring. There are no other switches or even a focusing scale.

The barrel of the Lensbaby 2.0 reminds me of a miniaturized black plastic corrugated drainage pipe. Those bumpy black sides are essential to the lens — the barrel flexes to focus and tilt the “sweet spot” of sharpness away from the center.

The front element of the lens, the Sweet 50, twists to adjust the aperture from f2.5 to f22 with a satisfying click. Making the $200 plastic lens feel a little fresher, the Lensbaby and Spark names are cut into a round plastic piece at the front. This design feature gives the lens a bit more character.

The rear of the lens has only a simple dot on the metal connector to line up the lens with the mount. A dot on the outside would help mounting the lens a little quicker and simpler. The lens doesn’t have an electronic connection with the camera, so there are no lens corrections applied to the JPEGs and features like metadata are lost.

Build Quality

For around $200, don’t expect much in the way of build quality. Most of the lens is constructed from plastic, except, of course, the glass. The plastic feels lighter than even the construction of most basic kit lenses. Even the metallic lens mount feels rather lightweight.

The plastic ring at the mount feels a little fragile, twisting the lens on. The twisting aperture ring feels a bit sturdier, though still made from plastic. I don’t mind the plastic corrugated barrel because that’s essential to the lens’ flexibility, both literally and figuratively.

The perk of the plastic construction is that this lens weighs next to nothing — 4.7 ounces. Of course, I wasn’t expecting metal or weather-sealing for the price, so the build quality certainly isn’t a deal-breaker.

Focusing

Like all Lensbabies, the Spark 2.0 is a manual focus lens. But, unlike most manual focus lenses, there’s not even a focus ring. The Spark 2.0 instead focuses by physically bringing the front lens element closer and farther from the subject. This is done b...

Capturing immense detail in your landscapes or picking up small details in product and fashion photography is easy with high-resolution cameras.

High-resolution cameras have come into their own over the last couple of years. Cameras with high megapixel sensors used to be hard to come by. Now, they’re everywhere. The great thing about this is that these high-resolution cameras can be relatively affordable due to the sheer number of options out there. If you need a camera that can capture an immense amount of detail in your landscape shots, or if you need to capture intricate details in product, portrait, or fashion photography, these are the cameras for you. After the break, we’ll take a quick look at five high-resolution cameras that will make capturing small detail as easy as 1,2,3.

Panasonic S1R

In our review, we said:

“You’ll be delighted to see how wonderful the image quality from the Panasonic S1R is. These RAW files are every bit as versatile as those from the previous generation of Sony camera bodies with a 40+ MP sensor. Capture One Pro renders the RAW files to be very useful for portrait and landscape photographers (who I believe this camera may really be targeted to).”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $3,697.99

Canon EOS R5

In our review, we said:

“It does everything that photographers want it to do. If you want good colors, this camera boasts that ability. Need good dynamic range? The Canon EOS R5 delivers if you just know how to meter a scene. If you’re looking for fantastic autofocus, we can’t find a major fault with the Canon EOS R5 within reason. The camera can take so much abuse and keep snapping images. Not only is the camera reliable, but it’s also very capable. I’d gladly make it my main camera.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $3,899

Fujifilm GFX 100

In our review, we said:

“This camera is great for landscape photographers. Photographers who deal with commercial and fashion photography who perhaps want a little more freedom from their tripod from time to time, and for those who demand the very best image quality.”

Brett Day – Gear Editor

Buy now: $9,999

Pro Tip: These high-resolution cameras are fantastic. Still, if you have never used one before, the RAW files’ size might come as a shock. You really need to be prepared to deal with the incredible amounts of data they will produce. Make sure you’re carrying extra SD cards. UHS-II and CFexpress cards are common in these premium cameras, so stock up on them, keep extra cards in your camera bag, and be prepared to use them.

Leica SL2

In our review, we said:

“The Leica SL2 is a camera that landscape photographers, cityscape shooters, portrait photographers, and the documentary photographers that slow down will truly appreciate. Every RAW file sings with information in it. Lots of highlight and shadow details can be recovered from them. Additionally, it handles noise very well overall.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $5,995

Sony A7R IV

In our review, we said:

“The Sony A7R IV is a remarkable Swiss army knife of a camera that comes packed with features that will benefit many professional photographers. The Sony A7R IV’s 61MP BSI sensor surpasses even those found in select Medium Format cameras on the market, making the Sony A7R IV the pound for pound resolution king at the moment when it comes to dollars to megapixel ratio.”

Buy now: $3,498

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Over the past 12 months, The Phoblographer has worked closely with photographers that are doing extremely important work. From climate change to terrible injustice, we’ve shared the stories of nine photographers from across the world. The name of the series is Visual Momentum. Designed by Fujifilm and brought to life by yours truly, we’re proud of the work we’ve highlighted, and of the hard-working photographers who strive to show you important causes. In case you missed them, let’s reflect on what has been one of our most important series to date.

Cameras Used for Visual Momentum

Before we get into the photographers and their stories, let’s first take a look at the cameras used. As this series was sponsored by Fujifilm, it should come as no surprise that all cameras used were manufactured by Fujifilm.

Esther Mbabazi: Fujifilm Instax Mini 9

Melissa “Bunni” Elian: Fujifilm XT3

Nina Robinson: Fujifilm X Pro2

Mette Lampcov: Fujifilm XT2

Michael A. McCoy: Fujifilm XH1

Xyza Cruz Bacani: Fujifilm GFX50R

Katarina Premfors: Fujifilm GFX50S

1. Esther Mbabazi

Esther Mbabazi is a photojournalist based in Africa. Her work over the years has been well recognized, gaining coverage in The New York Times, TIME Magazine, and The Washington Post, to name a few. For her Visual Momentum spotlight, Mbabazi showed us the work she had done in rural Uganda. Her focus was on pregnancy, and the difficult challenges women face during and after child birth. You can read the full story here.

2. Nina Robinson

The work by Nina Robison told a beautiful story. From Minneapolis, Nina helped develop a course called Phototherapy. Nina started the program to help senior citizens engage in the arts. Those who took part would make photos and share stories. Being older they often had a lot to share. It soon became apparent this was more than just getting people to become engaged: it was offering them a form of therapy. You can read the full story here.

3. Mette Lampcov

Wildfires have continued to be a big deal in 2020. For Los-Angeles based photographer Mette Lampcov, the impact of climate change was something she was determined to highlight. She began her series, Water to Dust, which looks at how climate change is a two-pronged problem in the state of California. Her goal is to use the work to open our eyes to how this global issue is threatening to cause destruction. You can read the full story here.

4. Michael A. McCoy

Michael A. McCoy is a US veteran, having served two tours for his country. Arlington National Cemetery is home to thousands of US soldiers who have passed away. It contains many sections which attract people from all over the US, as they visit to pay their respects. However there’s one section, McCoy says, that receives little recognition. Section 27 has 5000 resting African Americans, many of whom were soldiers. Yet, when people visit, this area is often void of any footfall, as people tend not to know about it. You can read the full story here.

5. Xyza Cruz Bacani

Xyza Cruz Bacani is a Hong Kong-based Filipina author. For 10 years Bacani worked as a second generation migrant worker. She knows all too well about the harsh realities migrants face in a country that’s adored by tourists worldwide. Moving to documentary photography, Bacani felt it was time to make migrant voices heard, creating images that helped share their story. You can read the full story here.

6. Mario Cruz

Mario Cruz is a Portuguese photojournalist. In 2018, Cruz turned his lens towards the Philippines. Working in the capital, Manila, Cruz zoned in specifically on the Pasig River. The river is not only heavily polluted, but it’s also populated. Families, including children, live in some of the most difficult environments, and it’s heartbreaking that they have to call it home. You can read the full story here.

7. Katarina Premfors

Cysti...

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My name is Ishay “Jesse” Lindenberg. I was born in Israel. My father is a psychologist, and my mom is a consultant. When I was a child, my dad had an old Zorki camera and a darkroom. My sister Yaara (r.i.p.) and I constantly asked him to develop with us. I loved the process; it was magical to me. Later on, I was accepted to a personal program in the Faculty of Art, where I studied and experimented with photography and arts more deeply. In the last few years, I live and work in Berlin.

My first camera was purchased in India at the age of 20. I was photographing as an amateur at that time. Later on, during my studies and personal experiences, I acquired more skills. I don’t label myself as a ‘professional photographer.’ Let others be the judge. I prefer to see myself as an artist who photographs.

Surprisingly I never chose street photography. You could say it chose me ...my love for photography is wide and I also like to take fashion and portrait photos. As for the street, I try to carry a camera with me almost everywhere, and if I don’t have one, I use my phone. The street is fast and unpredictable, with infinite authentic moments that tell a story. To me, these stories have artistic and also social value, so I try to capture them.

The greatest moments are constantly happening around us. Since reality is the best director, it’s a hard thing to plan. For me to develop the senses so they can detect these moments, that is the important thing. The more you observe, shoot, and practice, the senses get sharper, and the results get better. The best photos were just something I saw on the way to somewhere, or while I was doing something else.

I create a body of work that does not limit itself to traditional photography’s concrete guidelines, containing flashes of the human element parallel to a mosaic of our busy modern urban reality. Whether the story is funny, ridiculous, scary, or fantastic, I need to present my perspective in a way that triggers the viewer’s emotion.

At the moment, I use a Canon 7D, mostly with a 35mm f1.4 canon lens. I use it since it has a swift performance rate and I needed a fast camera. I considered buying mirrorless, but I’m an old-school DSLR guy, so it takes me time to get used to the concept.

All images are used with permission. You can find Ishay’s work on his website, on his Instagram, and on his Facebook page. Want to get featured? Here’s how you can do it!