The Phoblographer

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

“...it’s like I’m uncovering the secrets of the universe and seeing the impossible,” says passionate photographer Timothy Ozimec. “What appears to the naked eye as a few hundred white dots in a black sky are revealed to be a veritable sea of stars among the cosmic latte plane of the Milky Way.” What’s more, Tim gets these images using the Sony Xperia 1 II smartphone, announced earlier this year. It’s opened his eyes to what could be possible with a more serious camera.

This post is presented by Sony. Experience the power of the Sony Xperia 1 II from Amazon, Adorama, or the Sony Store.

The Story of Timothy Ozimec, a Passionate Photographer

“I’ve always liked taking photos since I was little, though I was never any good at it,” says Tim. “A few years ago, a friend of mine bought a DLSR and began his foray into amateur photography. Back then, I didn’t really understand the difference between mobile phone cameras and full-sized cameras in addition to the options the latter get in terms of shooting, and when I saw the photos he took, I was fascinated.” Since then, Tim’s received heaps of guidance. It’s made him more confident.

Tim is like most other consumers who enjoy the photo-taking process. His phones have been his only cameras, yet he shares the same passion for photography as many others. To that end, Tim has wanted something more since using the Sony Xperia 1 II. Part of this is the phone’s Photo Pro app. Inspired by the Sony Alpha camera lineup, Tim found it to be an eye-opener. For years, Tim knew that various images were just impossible to do with phones. But when he pointed his Xperia 1 II up to the sky and did astrophotography, he was stunned.

“If it can take photos that good and that easily, I’d love to get my hands on a full-sized camera.”

Sony’s devices, especially the phones, have always had a soft spot in Tim’s heart. Remember the Xperia PLAY? That was his first smartphone, and he adored it. He upgraded to the Xperia 1 II because he wanted something that did everything his old XZ Premium did and more.

“So many manufacturers were removing expandable memory and headphone jacks and putting in smaller and smaller batteries, so there were few phones I really wanted to look at,” explains Tim. “In the end, the Xperia 1 II won out over the competition because of its standout camera features, in addition to those core features that are becoming harder and harder to come by.”

I’ve been wanting to get into photography for years, so I figured its cameras paired with Photo Pro would serve as an introduction to amateur photography and allow me to learn and experiment before investing a significant amount of money into a full sized camera.

The Sony Xperia 1 II is pretty much Tim’s first camera. And it’s taught him a ton! “Before this phone, my knowledge and prowess was limited to tweaking the EV slider and experimenting with touch to focus and how that would often change the exposure,” says Tim. “Now, I frequently use all of the settings in Photo Pro, and I’m confident that a full-size camera would probably not be wasted on me.”

The Thirst to Be Inspired

Tim draws inspiration from a myriad of places. “I grew up looking at the spectacular photos from various scientific observatories around the world in news articles, social media posts, and more,” he states. “I also found long exposure shots really cool as you can get some really unique and amazing photos in otherwise uninteresting everyday situations.” Another great place that Tim goes to be inspired is Reddit.

Most folks are inspired by their everyday life. They’ll document things like food, their children, friends, etc. Tim goes on walks, takes photos of his dog, car, etc. Those are all just snapshots though. Tim gets really serious about his long exposure and night sky photography. “So many incredible views can be seen with a 30-second exposure that the n...

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

We’re huge fans of the Micro Four Thirds platform here at The Phoblographer. The system’s small size and weight give it an advantage over many bigger systems such as APS-C and Full Frame. Honestly, you’re not giving up much in image quality either, regardless of what M4/3 detractors might say. I have used the platform professionally for two years now, and I’ve never had a problem. The five lenses we’ve listed are small, light, sharp, have rapid autofocus performance, and they are all incredibly affordable. If you’re new to the Micro Four Thirds platform and are looking to build up a solid lens collection without going broke, check out the five lenses we believe are must-haves for all Micro Four Thirds users.

Olympus 17mm f1.8 M.ZUIKO (for the Street Photographer)

In our review, we said:

“Besides the image quality, which we will get to in a bit, the number one reason to buy this lens is the autofocus speed–it’s insane. When mated to my OM-D in good to decent light, it really is instantaneous. Pick an autofocus point and it feels like autofocus confirmation is made before your finger even makes it to the bottom of your half-shutter-press.”

Buy now: $399

Panasonic 20mm f1.7 II (for Event Photographers)

In our review, we said:

“The overall image quality from the 20mm f1.7 II lens from Panasonic is truthfully pretty damned good. There is a healthy amount of sharpness, contrast, and overall solid color rendition built into this lens. When you couple this with its great build quality and focusing abilities you’ve got yourself quite the winner..”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $267.99

Olympus 45mm f1.8 MSC (for Portrait Photographers)

In our review, we said:

“Overall, I can’t help but recommend the Olympus 45mm f1.8 lens. It should be the portrait lens in the bag of every single Micro Four Thirds camera user, and I will not retract or take that statement back.

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $299

If you’re new to photography or perhaps want to brush up on your photography skills, we highly recommend checking out these awesome guides. Want to be a better street photographer? There’s a guide for that. Do you want to improve your landscapes? Guess what? There’s a guide for that too. Hit the link above and broaden your skill sets.

Olympus M.Zuiko 9-18mm f4-5.6 (for the Landscape Photographer)

In our review, we said:

“During the short time that I have owned it so far, this lens has quickly grown on me. This is mostly due to the fact that in contrast to the wide-angle primes I used previously, it offers me much greater flexibility. Whenever I need an extremely wide angle-of-view, it is right there for me with its 9mm initial focal length. If I need a tighter crop, I can zoom in up to 18mm, which is close to the classical journalistic focal length of 35mm.”

Buy now: $549

Olympus 12-45mm f4 PRO (for the Everyday Photographer)

In our review, we said:

“While Olympus 12-45mm f4 PRO is super small, you should also note how weather sealed it is. I mean, look at it. We did this photoshoot and the camera/lens continued to still work. Additionally, we tested it out in Costa Rica amongst the sand and all. It kept working flawlessly. Combine this with a very small size and you’ll be a happy photographer. We can’t really complain about the build quality here.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $526.44

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

The Sony Rx1r II was a pretty decent camera. The idea is so simple; take a small camera, give it a solid lens, a good sensor, and an EVF, and people will buy it. Of course, it’s a luxury compact camera and the price reflects that. But I believe the Sony RX1r III will be even better if it hits the market. If Sony still cares about the product line, it’s being delayed for a very good reason.

The Lens

The first reason why I think the Sony RX1r III hasn’t hit the market yet is because of the lens. Zeiss announced a camera that no one is really paying attention to called the ZX1. For all accounts and purposes, this camera is weather sealed, has lightroom built in, and is revolutionary. It’s also got a 35mm f2 lens on it. This lens is probably a special version of the one that was found on the RX1 series of cameras. The difference here is that this one is weather sealed.

It’s also no secret that Zeiss and Sony had a falling out a while back. These days, Sony is a partial owner of Tamron. If you really think about it, Sony could’ve easily made a camera like this. Better yet, they probably could’ve found a way to cram Capture One into their camera.

If the Sony RX1r III ever comes out, it’s going to need to be weather sealed. These days, we’re strong believers that everything should have weather sealing.

Weather Sealing

It’s very, very apparent now that the next Sony RX1 camera needs weather sealing. If they’re charging that much money, and all the competing products have it, Sony needs to include it. Their cameras are already built fairly well, but they can be much better. Further, they can also be redone to not feel like computers in a camera-shaped body. The RX lineup is perfect for that. There are tons of great film compacts that felt really nice: the Lomo LCA+, Canon QL17, and the Olympus Trip just a few to name. But Sony should find a way to weather seal the entire camera.

If I really just wanted one device to take with me everywhere, it could easily be the Sony RX1r III. But they need to make it as such. Even if it gets larger, I’m sure they could pull it off. True to their past, they could draw on inspiration from old Minolta rangefinders. They could probably even pull inspiration from the Konica Hexar AF or old school Minolta SLR cameras.

Finding a way to weather seal a small camera can be a challenge. And Sony will need to solve it.

Autofocus

Of course, autofocus is the biggest thing here. It’s very important for candid style photography and the documentary work folks will most likely do with this camera. So Sony will need to cram in the a9’s autofocus into here. Depending on how they do it, they might not even need a high resolution sensor the way the last camera had.

It could also just be something fun for people to play with. Afterall, not everything has to be for professional photographers. I’d like to think that we’re all passionate photographers. This means pros and hobbyists alike. There are pros who hate their job and aren’t passionate, and there are hobbyists who do this for the love of it. The middle crowd is what we think this camera needs to cater to.

In our tests, the processor from the Sony a7r IV wasn’t so great at performing with higher megapixel sensors. Sony will need to improve this even more.

You can shoot street photography in almost every country, but the experience is seldom the same.

I’ve been lucky enough to shoot street photography all around the world. My passion has allowed me to enjoy a fruitful life, and I’m incredibly grateful for the experiences I’ve had. It’s not uncommon for street photographers to combine their lust for the candid frame with their love for travel. We love to experience different cultures, and our cameras make it possible for us to document the variants in human nature. Having traveled the world, I’ve shot street in some spectacular places – and some less desirable places. Let me share them with you, as we look at the best and worst countries to shoot street photography in.

Best Countries for Street Photography

First, let’s look at some of the best countries to shoot street photography. Regarding the criteria, I’m going to focus on things like architecture, culture, society’s attitude towards street photography, and safety. The same will also apply to the worst countries.

Street Photography in Thailand

I had a lot of fun shooting street photography in Thailand. I was lucky to land in Chiang Mai right at the beginning of Songkran (Thai New Year). Songkran is also the water festival – which means thousands of locals and tourists hit the streets for a massive water fight!

Thailand is full of beautiful architecture, and it’s especially different from what you would see in the western world. Temples like Wat Arun in Bangkok are lots of fun to shoot in. The grounds are huge, with plenty of people passing through to photograph.

The general attitude towards street photography in Thailand is passive. The people are used to tourists, so nobody really cares if you snap them with your camera. I had no altercations in the three months I spent in the country.

Shooting in the United States

Cliche? Possibly. But I had a fabulous time shooting street photography in the United States. My journey started in New York City – the epicenter of street. It’s the larger than life feel that the US gives you. It almost feels like a world away from the world you know, a fantasy land some may say.

I visited five cities during my time in the States. NYC, Philadelphia, Washington DC, LA, and Portland. All of them offered something different. From large skyscrapers to old towns rich with history, there was always something to direct my lens towards.

The US seems to receive street photographers pretty well, especially NYC and LA. There was a slight sketchy moment in Philly. “Who are you pointing your camera at?” But nothing more than that.

Mexico

Mexico has a special place in my heart. I spent five months in this wonderful country, and I fell in love with everything about it. Mexico City is especially a location I’m very fond of. Areas such as Condesa and Roma Norte are full of so much life and pure Latino energy. Just walk around with your camera and shoot, and you’ll soon see the day quickly passes you by.

Away from the bustling city is the coast. Quintana Roo, home of hot locations like Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum are amazing to shoot the candid frame. It’s a carefree lifestyle combined with beautiful sea and sand – mindblowing!

Mexican people are super friendly. I struggled to see them without a smile on their face. I had no trouble shooting street photography here, and honestly, I can’t wait to go back!

Worst Countries for Street Photography

Now let’s take a look at some of the worst countries I’ve shot street. It doesn’t mean they were completely terrible, but some factors made them far less desirable than the better experiences I’ve had.

India

I know I’m going to get shot down for this. And I do understand why. India is beautiful, and it’s a world so unique that any street photographer would want to shoot there. Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy myself, but it was a challenge.

First, the pace of life is super fast. This is coming from someone who lived in London ...

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

I’m very excited to announce the winner of the contest we’ve recently hosted with Leica. This was a tough contest to judge, and also difficult in a different way for you folks as well. The stories that came out easily tugged at the heart. But of all entries, we’ve got a solid winner, and some fantastic runners up.

Before I announce the winners and runners up, I have to give a very big thank you to all the folks who work at Leica. For 11 years, this site has worked to champion Feminist values. And when I presented this contest, they loved the idea. Further, they’re a brand that believes in sustainability. How many camera companies will repair a product for you that’s over a decade old? They don’t believe in forcing you to upgrade, feeding into the disposability culture mindset that dominates much of what we buy these days. And they deserve a massive round of applause for their accomplishments.

Thank you, folks.

Winner

“This is the last photo I took of my girlfriend before she died. We met while I was working on a book project called SaltyGirls, about women living with Cystic Fibrosis. We became friends and eventually we fell in love. Justina had already had 2 double-lung transplants, one in her teens and the second in her early 20s. During the second one she had a stroke which partially paralysed her right side. In early 2019 her lungs began to fail, and there were no medical options left for us. She died in October 2019. She inspired me with her bravery in the face of such daunting adversity. She inspired me to become a better person. She showed what strength and resilience truly were. And she made me discover what true love actually meant. And I know how much she truly inspired other women living with this horrible disease.”

Ian has long been committed to projects around Cystic Fibrosis. He’s Kickstarted them, got them on major news stations, etc. I’m choosing this photo for a few reasons. Primarily, I think the combination of the lighting, composition, and subject matter are perfectly balanced. The lighting is telling us where to look. Obviously, we’re looking at this woman against a plain background, but she’s surrounded in a shadow that further separates her from the rest of the scene. She’s composed according to the rule of thirds, and this rule makes our eyes move around the entire scene. Finally, the subject matter. When you look at this woman today, you might think she had COVID-19. And unfortunately, it may scare you into thinking about the life-lasting effects of the virus. But that’s not the case in this photo. It’s equally unfortunate that she didn’t make it. Many of you shared stories of women who passed away in your lives. During the holidays, we’re bound to remember them.

Ian’s photo is quite memorable. He deserves the Leica Q2. Congratulations, I hope it goes on to help you make some fantastic work.

Please contact me at [email protected] and we’ll make sure you get your camera.

Runners Up

Here are the four runners up. These four will be receiving an Amazon Gift Card from us. Shoot me an email at [email protected] and we’ll get it sorted for you.

Matt Yessian

“My wife, the upset 6 year old’s mother, handles a contentious toenail clipping with grace and beauty. She convinced our daughter that it’s better to be crying and scared while clipping her toenails than doing anything else at that very minute. I’m not entirely sure what exactly it took to get my daughter to this point of acceptance but know that my wife used a deadly combination of patience, bribery, compassion, brute force and love. This killer combination of skills is necessary to manage the outlandish requests from two additional children, a dog and a husband. She commands respect and desires results. Her followers grovel at her feet for a smile of approval and a hug. She flows between tantrums to homewo...

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

I’m delighted that the world of black and white photography is a more accepted place than it was nearly a decade ago. We’ve come a long way from the days where it was looked at as just a crutch. Instead, it’s a movement. It took the age of Instagram, the analog revival, and the democratization of image-making for it to happen. Though black and white photography was often frowned upon in the photo industry, we can all speak to its importance in history. And more importantly, we can speak to its importance in the arts.

Editor’s Note: This piece is presented by Leica. Discover how the Leica Q2 Monochrom can change the way you shoot.

Bit by the ShutterBug

“I needed to break the cycle of being silent, as I learned from my Cuban family’s past, where there was always a subtext of hidden secrets and fear,” explains photographer Joseph Michael Lopez to us in an interview. “I yearned for a new way to be, with a new form of communication, being bi-lingual and being in between two cultures – I needed autonomy to pursue my own path and my own freedom of expression through a different course of action.” Mr. Lopez started out in filmmaking but fell into photography. With most creatives, it seems to go the other way!

Mr. Lopez aimed to tell as much of the story as he could in a single frame. He didn’t want to do it with 24fps, but a single photo. This, among other things, is majorly hammered into you in photojournalism school. Every single image needs something leading back to the theme of the story being told. At least one needs to do this as much as possible.

“I remember asking myself how am I going to say something with twenty-four frames a second if I don’t master the still frame as a form of communication.”

A quote from Joseph Michael Lopez

These days, one could label Mr. Lopez as a street photographer. But he doesn’t like labels. Instead, Mr. Lopez sees himself more as a personal reporter. A unifying theme in his work is questioning life and learning from it. This is cemented together with a sense of curiosity. He’s inspired by folks like Gordon Parks, Eugene Richards, Eli Reed, Donna Ferrato, Joseph Rodriguez, and Larry Fink, amongst many others.

“As far as I can remember, I’ve always had a love for photography,” explains photojournalist Cheriss May to us. “I was the little girl showing up for family functions with a camera in my hand. My mom was a teacher and advisor for her school’s yearbook; I remember playing with her film camera, shooting around the house.” Film is a wonderful place to begin being inspired by the black and white format. And luckily, her parents encouraged and nurtured her artistic side. They got Ms. May her first camera when she was eight. Gordon Parks, Laylah Amatullah Barrayn, Sheila Pree Bright, Lawrence Jackson, Dee Dwyer, Ami Vitale, and Maggie Steber are people who inspire Cheriss.

For Ms. May, the professional side started in graphic design. But she eventually made her passionate photography hobby into a more serious business. Her first big gig was her friends’ company holiday party at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

“I did it scared! Did my research, had to rent gear, and it turned out to be great! They were pleased, I got paid, and I realized...wait, I can get paid to do something I really love to do!”

A quote from Cheriss May

After a decade as a graphic designer, she was laid off. This was the impetus to pursue photography full time. She joined some organizations, including The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), continued to shoot, and set up a website to share her images. Eventually, she started working with NurPhoto to document the second term of former President Obama’s administration.

Falling in Love with Black and White

Lots of photographers fall in love with black and white imagery. Show a client what they look like stripped of color, and ...

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

Mirrorless cameras are fantastic. They have ushered in new autofocus technologies, IBIS systems, electronics viewfinders, focus peaking, and more. However, one area where they still lag behind DSLRs is in how rugged they are. Mirrorless cameras have come a long way, don’t get me wrong, but many pros who still prefer DSLRs simply because some of the most rugged cameras come from this era. I use both Mirrorless cameras and DSLRs, but I still reach for my trusty DSLR when the going gets tough. If you want ultimate durability, exceptional battery life, and stellar image quality, these are the five rugged cameras (DSLRs) we’ve reviewed that you should reach for.

Nikon D850

In our review, we said:

“At one point during the Nikon press trip, the Nikon D850 took quite a splash from the whitewater river. But it survived with no issues; my shirt, on the other hand... In addition to that, I took the Nikon D850 and the 28mm f1.4 out into a small rainstorm here in NYC. They both survived with no problems. I’m very confident that the Nikon D850 will survive most of what you throw at it as long as it has all the ports closed shut. In the hand, the Nikon D850 feels really great and surprisingly never hurt my wrist at all, carrying it all day long. It’s amazing that Nikon was able to pack this much into a camera like this. Professional photographers looking for a solid DSLR will find it with the Nikon D850 for sure.

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $2,799

Pentax K1 Mk II

In our review, we said:

“This camera is designed to be used out in the wild where the elements can get in its face. I took this camera out into the pouring rain, heavy snow, dense fog, 45 mph winds, and into temperatures that dropped to -3 Fahrenheit, and it never missed a beat thanks to the 87 weather sealing points found around the body. The Pentax K1 Mk II is built like a tank. The camera is so tough and well built that if you dropped it, the floor would probably break.”

Brett Day – Gear Editor

Buy now: $1,796.95

Canon 7D Mk II

In our review, we said:

“The Canon 7D Mk II went out with us during a rainstorm in NYC and it survived with all the durability that Canon DSLRs after 2011 have been well known for. We didn’t expect anything less to be honest. The original Canon 7D was a beast of a camera and after I sold mine, I very much missed just how much sturdier and tougher it felt than my 5D Mk II–which I still own.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $1,620

The rugged cameras we’ve listed in this roundup are all pro-level cameras. In the right hands, they can create stunning images. If you’re unfamiliar with DSLRs and want to improve your skills, there are guides on the market that can help you. Check out the guides, soak up the info, and put into practice what you’ve learned.

Nikon D500

In our review, we said:

“The Nikon D500 is an incredibly capable camera–and I honestly recommend it for both pros and semi-pros. It offers very good image quality, superb battery life, great ergonomics, high reliability in the autofocus department and a load of other cools things like WiFi. It’s a seriously great camera that I’d recommend to sports, photojournalist,s and wildlife shooters. They’re bound to make the most of it.

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $1,496.95

Canon 5D Mk IV

In our review, we said:

“We tested the Canon 5D Mk IV in a whole variety of situations. It trekked with me many places in a backpack, and overall the camera seriously held up. Something that I noticed, in particular, is how well the finish kept up. With the 5D Mk III, I was rubbing the finish off fairly quickly. That doesn’t happen here. I’ve shot with the camera in the rain, and as long as a weather sealed lens is attached, you shouldn’t have any sort of issues.

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $2,299

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

I’d like to preface with a truly important point: Your editing software is the one true constant in your photography workflow. We often use different cameras, from different brands, lenses, filters, lights and so on, but your software touches every photograph you make, and your images deserve the best. This is just part of the reason why we use Capture One.

Editor’s Note: This blog post is presented by Capture One. As a note, we also do all of our camera testing in Capture One, and we have for over three years.

It might surprise you to learn how common the choice of what software a photographer uses is made simply because it’s what they’ve heard of, or are familiar with. Usually that means they picked something at the start of their journey because they heard of it, and as they progress it’s just easier to stick with what’s familiar. But a lot has changed in the last 5 years or so, making it easier and more compelling to switch, and sticking with what you started with could mean you’re letting the best pass you by...

Capture One is generally regarded as the gold-standard for raw processing, but it got pigeonholed by many as only for top-notch studio-shooters because it was associated with Phase One medium format cameras whose files it was originally built to handle. But that was a long time ago (Capture One is older than Lightroom), and Capture One is really for everyone who cares about their images and just happens to be the choice of the most discerning.

Here are just a few reasons Capture One should be your choice in 2021:

Image Quality (IQ):

At the end of the day, this is what it’s all about; materializing the true potential of your images. One of the greatest joys is to take old images that might have been used in Lightroom or something else, drop them in Capture one and let it breathe new life into them and see just how good they can look.

How could the same file look different, you ask? For one, all raw formats are interpreted differently by different processors so the output is different. It can help to think of the raw file as a basket of ingredients, and if you give the same ingredients to two different chefs your final dish will turn out differently.

Beyond that, camera support in CO isn’t like anything else. Supporting a camera in Capture One is a laborious process that does not depend on just a few supplied raw files; rather, the dev team tests the software in various photographic scenarios with the specific camera actually in-hand. This ‘real world’ system ensures the software will handle files from that camera in any situation to bring out its best, and the new ProStandard Profiles are even further meticulous for those who need the utmost accuracy and consistency for things like product photography.

Speed Edit: The Fastest Way to Your Best Edits

Unique to Capture One, this features allows you to edit images without the need to navigate to any editing tools. You simply hold down a hotkey that’s mapped to an adjustment tool, then scroll with your mouse, trackpad, or other input like arrow keys and the changes are made! This means you can edit in full screen with no distractions, without ever removing your eyes from the image to search for a slider. It’s a truly immersive experience and allows for true precision and speed, without the need of an external device like Loupedeck.

Side-by-Side Editing and Editing Multiple Images Simultaneously

Most shoots require some level of consistency in the final aesthetic, and we often will edit one image, love it, decide it’s the base/reference image, then edit others in the set accordingly. But in order to match them in Lightroom you set a reference image, and you can then pull up another image in the Develop Module as the one you’re working on. But while you have it as a visual reference you don’t have it as a technical reference because you can’t see the...

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

Photographer Louis Dazy always amazes me. He works with film and has done a whole lot involving the neon portrait trend. But Louis takes it further. You see, Louis is an actual creative with amazing amounts of foresight. He’s honed his craft and doesn’t Photoshop. Even better, he does it all with film. He gets asked how he does this often. And Louis was elated to tell the world in an interview with us.

“Everything that happens in the night time is far more interesting; I tend to see things differently, take time to reflect, be in touch with what I feel and what I want to reveal in my photos.”

Louis Dazy

With the Lost in the City Lights series, how did you execute this? Did you go out and shoot the roll, then came back and reshot on it?

That’s a question that I get asked a lot, so I’m glad I can answer it here with The Phoblographer. Basically, I have 6 différent SLR film cameras; I load them with film (usually Portra 400 or Gold 200, sometimes Lomo 400), I go out shooting, and whenever I shoot with one, I write down on my phone what it was, location, framing, etc. I used to have only one camera for shooting all the time but now that I’ve got 6, I feel like I can have more control over what I shoot. I don’t shoot the whole roll, then wind back and reshoot on it. It’s a bit too messy for me, so I just shoot one frame on one camera, and if I see something that can make a nice double exposure, I shoot it again on the same frame. I hope that makes sense.

What sort of creative vision did you have for this? Did you know what was going to come out beforehand?

I usually know what is going to come out before getting it developed. As I said earlier, I write down everything I shoot on my smartphone, so there’s not much surprise anymore when the film comes back from the lab. My creative vision has kind of always been the same for a while, mostly double exposures, neons, nights, low light, shooting at night gives me that nostalgia feeling I never get in the daytime. Everything that happens in the night time is far more interesting; I tend to see things differently, take time to reflect, be in touch with what I feel and what I want to reveal in my photos.

Technically speaking, were the patterns of neons overexposed, and then you underexposed the portraits? I’ve known that to be the case at times with how these work.

Most of the time, I use the same settings, so I don’t even look at the meter that much. F2, 1/125 for neons because they’re bright, and F2 1/30 for portraits to get as much light as possible in without a tripod. I’m not sure if they’re overexposed or underexposed, but they’re mostly right this way. I find it to work like a charm, so I never questioned why I always shoot with the same settings.

What attracts you to neons, stars, and city lights?

I was always intrigued by night time growing up. It always felt very different to me, and my mind sure doesn’t work the same at night; it feels like I’m a regular person in the day and turns into an artist at night, I guess, haha. Neons are that safe light in the dark, sort of a lighthouse for night roamers.

“Not much; I usually post my scans untouched.”

Louis Dazy

How has shooting in the pandemic changed you as a photographer and creatively?

Unfortunately, I just stopped shooting during the lockdown. I had no choice. We couldn’t go out for any other reason than groceries, so I started working on a 3D animated short film meanwhile. Now that the lockdown is over, it didn’t change much for me. I keep shooting, but it’s been tough financially speaking, so I need to work more most of the time, which leaves me tired and out of energy for personal projects. I hope the situation gets better soon; I need to get back to shooting more.

Just curious, how much Photoshop is typically done with this stuff? I know you create in-camera, but we’ve always wondered about skin and...

We’re streaming daily on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, and Spotify!

Perhaps the biggest downer about Fujifilm cameras is that the X series system is a closed one. While Sony has opened the gates so that Sigma, Tamron, and others can create lenses without reverse engineering their AF system, Fujifilm does not want to go this route. This is fine, simply because Fujifilm creates gorgeous lenses. However, having choices in lenses (and price points) is always a win for the consumer. Still, there are, in fact, some third party lenses for the Fujifilm X mount; and they’re incredible. Not much attention is given to these mostly manual focus Fujifilm X mount gems. They should really be on your radar, though, if you want to branch out a little when it comes to lenses. After the break, we’ll share 5 third party lenses for the Fujifilm X mount that will leave you speechless.

Rokinon 12mm f2

In our review, we said:

“The Rokinon 12mm f2 is a nice lens. It has good sharpness when stopped down and balances that with a characteristic film softness when shot wide open. Then there’s the small size, the effective depth of field scale, and the overall nice feeling in the hand.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $249

Zeiss Touit 12mm f2.8

In our review, we said:

“This is one heck of a sharp lens. We almost never wanted to stop it down beyond f2.8, but in many sunny situations, we needed to. Its sweet spot is around f4 or f5.6. But even then, it doesn’t get drastically sharper than at f2.8. When you incorporate this lens sharpness with the way that the Fujifilm X Trans Sensor renders sharpness in images, you’ve got an extremely killer combination.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $849

Lensbaby Trio

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

Buy now: $199.96

Zeiss 50mm f2.8 Touit

In our review, we said:

“The Zeiss 50mm f2.8 Touit has excellent sharpness, creamy bokeh in the right situations, super punchy and vivid color rendition that takes full advantage of the Fujifilm X Trans Sensor, and also does a great job in how it handles skin tones. In fact, we don’t have a single major complaint about this lens’s image quality: and we doubt you will either when it is used in the correct settings.

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $849

Manual focus lenses for the Fujifilm X mount platform will help you become more in tune with your images. This is one of the key benefits of using manually focusing lenses. You’ll also find that your creativity will go through the roof. Take the time to master these lenses, utilize focus peaking, and you’ll be rewarded handsomely.

Samyang 50mm f1.2

In our review, we said:

“This lens is razor-sharp, has a decent build quality, a very smooth focusing ring, gorgeous bokeh, and has a fantastic price attached to it. If you’re an APS-C camera user, then you’ll be hard-pressed to find something better for portraits.”

Chris Gampat – Editor In Chief

Buy now: $379.79