The Phoblographer

There is a common misconception that men are much easier to photograph. While this holds when it comes to men’s much less demanding styling, women can be every bit as easy to work with as men. Understanding a bit of psychology at play, setting expectations, and communication are vital elements of a successful shoot. These skills are not difficult to learn and are easily mastered with practice. Plus, they will help you take better portraits.

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Table of Contents

Communicate

Stock Poses

Bring It To Life

Sensual Over Sexual: The Key to Better Portraits

Communicate

Let clients know in the beginning that you are getting to know their angles. It’s like dancing with a brand new partner in the beginning and working together to get your footing and develop a rhythm. Tell them of your pattern and any quirks you may have. I almost always forget my lens cap at least once during a shoot. I also have a habit of trailing off in thought when the images start coming together.

Communicating this in the beginning always elicits laughter when it comes to fruition during the shoot. Women naturally put a lot of stress on themselves and showing that you’re very human eases the moment. It also helps to build a natural rapport with them quickly. That rapport is instrumental in creating powerful portraits that build confidence and a positive reputation. Those relationships that are produced as a result are everything.

From our article: How to Communicate with a Portrait Subject.

“Then I recommend that you take a test shot of some sort and with the model holding the pose or relatively close to it, show them what the framing will be and how to work with it. Then after each shot, just tell them to change it up a bit.”

It is also essential to provide positive feedback during their shoot to get better portraits. Don’t be afraid to show clients the image and encourage us to get it better with a few tweaks if you want a little more. On the other hand, be honest when a proposed shot just isn’t working. For example, sometimes, a proposed picture just isn’t working. Rather than push something that isn’t there, acknowledge that the angle and timing aren’t coming together. Also, communicate that the two of you can do even better with something else. Circling back around to that idea once the cadence has been developed is always a possibility.

Eventually, successful communication often leads to connecting empathically. When this happens, both the photographer and client build off each other’s energy. This immersion allows communication without words, and the results are always worthwhile.

Stock Poses

One of the key ingredients to better portraits is having a list of basic poses and adapting them for every body type. Examples of these poses include a simple head and shoulders shot. A properly positioned hand by the face always works. Give them directions like bringing their forehead to the lens and show them the result. The accentuated jawline extinguishes the angst of a double chin while simultaneously building their confidence in you.

Another stock pose is an asymmetrical knee-to-head crop. For women, the focus is on creating an S-curve. Directions include placing their weight on the back leg and hands either at the side or in their pockets for a more pleasing look. I tend to photograph men pretty square on. Additionally, I tend to have them put their weight on the front leg to look more powerful. Try nailing these basic poses towards the beginning.

Bring It To Life

Sometimes heavily directing an image sucks the life energy out of it. It becomes static and dull. A simple remedy is telling them that was practice and now it’s time to bring the image to life. Tell them you will give them a countdown and then ask them to hit it. Repeat it a few times and then direct them to laugh or try to cap...

I have a very love-hate relationship with it when it comes to retouching. It is incredible to have a recipe of minor fixes that gives an ordinary image something extra. To get the desired result, switching between programs is frustrating and time-consuming. Capture One has made vast improvements to its software and continues its reign as the industry standard. The software could become the standalone raw editor for most photographers’ arsenals if they were to double down on this Capture One wishlist with a future update.

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Capture One does a lot of things well. Color grading, black and white tones, and basic global adjustments are easily performed within the software program. Recent upgrades such as Canon native wireless tethering, panoramic stitch, and HDR merge are welcome functionalities. As good as the program is, there are some improvements I would love to see them make. Answering this Capture One wishlist would allow them to become the all-in-one editing suite they’re capable of being.

Masking and Selections

Photoshop is still the go-to if you are looking to make precise adjustments to a specific area of an image. Their selection functionality is significantly more advanced than what is possible with Capture One’s magic brush. It simply lacks the precision and, therefore, the speed offered in Adobe. Take window pulls in real estate as an example. Even with the added benefit of HDR merge, precise selections within the highlights are still challenging to achieve well. For portraiture, making adjustments to the background should be much more efficient.

Color Corrections

Capture One has simplified color-correcting inconsistent skin tones. Normalizing magenta fingertips to match the more golden hues has become relatively easy. After perusing the forums, it has become evident that many photographers are requesting frequency separation type capabilities.

The addition of a color-matching brush would be a great start. This would allow portrait photographers to blend skin colors for close-up beauty images better. Real estate photographers could even out color casts around the edges of the frame. It would be fantastic to do all color finessing within the construct of one application.

Ethical Skin Retouching Capabilities

The anticipation of the addition of style brushes within Capture One was met with a slight feeling of deflation. Dodging and burning brushes with the pen pressure is pretty good. It could be improved with updates to overall opacity and flow capabilities, perhaps multiple options. The healing brush and clone stamp are sufficient for near-flawless skin or digitals for model test shoots. However, more notable imperfections become problematic within the software. The addition of a patch tool that is on par with the quality and speed found in Adobe would be a huge upgrade. As it is, it is lethargic and feels a bit proprietary in comparison. In an industry where time is money, time is best-suited working with skin in a different program.

Final Thoughts

One of the things I appreciate most about Capture One is that they are a company that listens to its customers. Now that many of these desired tools have been integrated into the software, I’d love to see them commit to making it as competitive as possible. I hope that one of their subsequent upgrades will let me fully untether with Adobe.

Nikon is pretty big on telling photographers to adapt their old F-mount lenses onto their Z-mount cameras. And if you’ve been a long-time Nikon camera user, then maybe it’s time to come to mirrorless. The Nikon Z system has really grown up. And best of all, you don’t have to throw away all your old lenses. We’ve reviewed lots of Nikon lenses over the years. Here are some of the best lenses to adapt to Nikon Z cameras.

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

Pro Tips on Choosing Lenses to Adapt to Nikon Z Cameras

Here are some pro tips when considering lenses to adapt to Nikon z cameras:

With the Nikon Z lineup of cameras, all you really need is an adapter like the Nikon FTZ device. But if you’re using a more manual lens, then anything can work. By that, we mean if you’re using an old school lens with an aperture ring built in.

Nikon E lenses removed the old interface for aperture control. So you really need the FTZ adapter for them. These may be some of the most difficult lenses to adapt to Nikon Z cameras.

Go for older lenses. They’ve got a bit of charm and sparkle to them. Plus, they can be had pretty affordably.

With a lot of Nikon F mount glass, you’ll lose weather sealing when adapting to a Nikon Z camera.

If we really had to choose one camera, we’d say go for the Nikon Z5. It’s got a lower resolution sensor and will hide flaws of older lenses easily. Years ago, Nikon even talked about this themselves.

Nikon 28mm f1.4 E

Why This Lens?: The Nikon 28mm f1.4 was one of my favorite Nikon F mount lenses made in the mount’s later days. The colors tell the entire story.

In our review, we state:

“If you’re a fan of Nikon’s colors, then you’ll be happy to know that the Nikon 28mm f1.4 is pretty much consistent with everything that you’ve come to expect from Nikon. This lens is fantastic is so many areas of image quality parameters. It keeps the distortion down, doesn’t suffer from fringing issues when dealing with images right out of the camera, has nice bokeh, and is pretty darned sharp. For a lens that’s right under $2,000 you have to expect that the quality is just top notch. And in all honesty, that’s all that I’d truthfully expect from a lens like this.”

Buy Now

Nikon 35mm f1.8 G ED

Why This Lens?: The Nikon 35mm f1.8 is a full frame lens that pretty solid image quality at a very affordable price point.

In our review, we state:

“Wedding photographers, enthusiasts, and photojournalists will all be more than happy with the sharpness that this lens can deliver in the right situations. Granted, this lens is most targeted at the enthusiast, and we feel that as far as sharpness goes this is the best that you can get.”

Buy Now

Zeiss 15mm f2.8 Milvus

Why This Lens?: The sharpness, build quality, and weather sealing from this Zeiss lens are beyond fantastic. Plus, there’s an aperture ring, so you can use it on your Nikon film cameras too if you wish.

In our review, we state:

“Since this lens is an ultra wide angle lens, there is almost no point to try to get any bokeh from it. So you’re better off just going for straight sharpness. Indeed, this lens delivers that and you’ll appreciate how sharp the images will come out. Beyond f11, there is almost no point in stopping down unless you’re shooting film and using the Sunny 16 method.”

Buy Now

If there is one camera that has frustrated me, it’s the Sony a7r IV. In some ways, I felt Sony didn’t go far enough. And in other ways, I felt Sony just missed the boat. To this day, I still adore my Sony a7r III. And with the Sony a7r V probably around the corner, we wanted to go over what we’d like to see in this new camera. I mean, does it need to be all about the megapixels?

Do We Really Need More Megapixels?

The Sony a7r IV stuck over 60 megapixels on a sensor. That’s awesome!. But at the same time it felt like way too much. Even 50 megapixels is a bit daunting. So do we really need more? Does Sony need to make this camera into a 100MP monster to compete with medium format options on the market? If so, then I really hope the Sony a7r V has some crazy dynamic range and color depth.

Massively Improved Autofocus

My biggest problem with the Sony a7r IV was the autofocus. There were times that I wanted to throw it across the room. And even in her reviews, Hillary noted that the hit rate wasn’t as high as with other cameras. The Sony a7r V should be much better to use in low light and just overall. If it’s going to have worse autofocus, it’s fine if we’re getting something else that justifies the loss.

Vehicle and Bike Autofocus

This is the next evolution of things. Nikon, OMDS, and Canon have it in their cameras. Sony should bring it into the Sony a7r V. Of course, I really don’t expect it to come to this camera body before it comes to the Sony a1 or Sony a9 II. I’m dreaming here, of course. But at the same time, I shouldn’t be surprised if Sony puts it into the Sony a7r V.

Wireless Radio Flash Transmission Built Into the Camera

Here’s where things are starting to make more sense to me. The Sony a7r V should do what the industry has lacked for years. Why not build wireless radio flash transmission into the camera? The A7r series was always better for studio work than anything else. And a flash is critical to that style of work. So why do we need to buy an external radio transmitter? If Sony can put GPS, Wifi, and Bluetooth into a camera, why can’t they put a radio in?

This alone would be a reason for me to consider buying Sony’s flashes. But it would be far better if they made it work with third parties like Profoto or Elinchrom. It would also mean that Sony has a lot more control.

Sweep Panorama RAW

Years ago, Sony had this cool feature called Sweep Panorama. I’d love to see that brought back and modified to capture raw images. The Sony a7r V should capture the photos, stitch them together into a RAW file, and then record the individual RAW files if a photographer wishes. It would make landscape photography easier.

Multiple Exposure Mode

I’ve been begging for Sony to do this for years now. Multiple exposure modes used to be available to us through the Sony PlayMemories store. But it’s been long gone. The Sony a7r V should allow users to have it. Every other camera system except for Leica has it. This would be the perfect camera for multiple exposure mode!

Touchless Shutter

With more megapixels come more concerns. I know too many photographers who don’t even know how to hold cameras properly. More megapixels mean that your own bad habits will be intensified and magnified. You’ll get camera shake. Years ago, Sony also had the cool touchless shutter feature. Basically, all you had to do was move your hand in front of the eye-sensor and the camera shot an image. Combined with a sturdy tripod, a touchless shutter could make the Sony a7r V great tool!

Longtime readers of the Phoblographer, we sincerely thank you for continuing to be with us. As many of you know, we take the more ethical route often. It’s one of the reasons why we’ve got a lot of banner ads on the site. Those ads helps us pay ethical wages to our staff. But we also know that lots of you hate ads. So a plan has been in the works to deliver an ad-free version of Phoblographer since 2019. But this past month, we realized it. And it’s in our app. You can view the entire website with no banners ads in our brand new app for iOS, iPadOS, and Android. And for $24.99/year, you can have a banner ad-free experience.

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I typically prefer backpacks for camera gear — but when I knew that I would be shooting a 10-hour wedding while seven months pregnant, I invested in a waist belt with lens pouches. I parked the heavy backpack, but could still quickly access the essentials without adding additional weight to my back. My son is now two-and-a-half, yet I still switch from my backpack to a waist belt for long wedding days. So when Manfrotto announced the new Street Camera Waist Bag — in one of my favorite colors — I was eager to try it out.

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The Manfrotto Street Camera Waist Bag is a compact, 2L bag that can fit a lens or two from compact mirrorless systems, a compact camera, or a smaller drone. Besides being worn around the waist, it also doubles as a sling. And despite being quite tiny, it can still house a water bottle or compact tripod using connection straps on the bottom. While another extra pocket would make this bag nearly perfect, the Street Waist is a good option for minimalist photographers.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Innovations

Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Ease of Use

Conclusions

Likes

Dislikes

Too Long, Didn’t Read.

The Manfrotto Street Waist is a small “fanny pack” style bag that also converts to a sling. I loved using it as a lens bag for fast swaps, but it needs a few tweaks to be perfect. All of that may be forgivable for a $40 price tag.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Minimalist design

Quick to access lenses

Comfortable

Can be worn as a waist bag or sling

Straps for mini tripod or water bottle

Great color

Really affordable

Cons

No SD card pockets

Pretty small, only the smallest bodies will fit here, but works great for a lens bag (excluding big telephotos)

There’s no strap padding when worn as a sling

Zippers are not weather-sealed

Gear Used

I used this bag with the Leica M Macro 90mm f4, M Summilux 90mm f2, and the M Telyt 135mm f3.4. I also tested this lens with the Fujifilm 50mm f1 R WR and the Fujifilm 90mm f2 R LM WR. In both cases, I used the Street Waist as a lens bag for holding multiple lenses, rather than holding a body and one lens. I still was able to — just barely — fit the Fujifilm X-T4 in with the 90mm detached.

Innovations

While waist bags aren’t as plentiful as backpacks and messengers, they are not impossible to find. The Manfrotto Street Slim isn’t the only bag that converts from waist to sling or even the only one that allows a tripod attachment. But, it sits at a very competitive $40, is one of the few options that are not black, and has a minimalist design.

Tech Specs

Manfrotto lists the following specifications for the Street Camera Waist Bag:

Minimum Weight: 0.66 lbs

Internal Dimensions: 8.66 x 2.76 x 5.51 in

Camera Insert Dimensions: 7.48 x 2.76 x 4.72 in

External Dimensions: 9.45 x 5.12 x 5.91 in

Volume: 2 L

Tripod Connection: Yes

Compatible Drones Models: DJI Mavic Pro, DJI Mavic Pro Platinum, DJI Mavic Air, DJI Mavic 2 Pro, DJI Mavic 2 Zoom

Material: Synthetic Fabric

Types Of Gear: Point & shoot, Smartphones, Mini tripod

Type Of Bag: Carrying Solution

Water Repellent: Yes

Ergonomics

The Manfrotto Street Waist bag is quite compact. Vertically, it won’t fit lenses that are longer than about 2.75 inches; stashed horizontally, a single lens under about 5.5 inches can ride along. For mirrorless cameras, I find the small size works best as a lens bag rather than one to carry all your gear. I could fit one lens and my X-T4 body, but I had to detach the lens first. As a lens bag, it fit my two Fujifilm lenses nicely, with a narrow spot between that could stash batteries. With the Leica M system, which has much narrower lenses, I fit all three lenses and still had an extra slot big enough for extra batteries. As a small bag, photographers should carefully measure their gear to see if the Street Waist is the right fit.

The Street Waist is a very minimalist bag....

Some folks believe that a new year is a great time to start something brand new. You know, some sort of commitment to yourself. But, the truth is that unless you stay committed to your goals, you’re not going to get them done. And with this new year, every photographer should find ways to create organic growth for themselves. So we’re rounding up four ways photographers can do this. Make the promise to yourself!

Creating Tangible Evidence That Your Work Is Getter Better

Ask yourself seriously, how many creative projects have you done? What are you doing that shows your work is better than it was last year? And at the end of 2022, how will your work look different than how it is today? This is why personal photography projects are incredibly important.

Feeling burned out? That’s fine. Sometimes the bravest thing you can give yourself is a break. And once you’ve recovered, you can let yourself feel and create again!

Now, here’s an extra challenge. Think about how you’re working to make your images stand out and be a signature of your own style. If someone looks at an image, will they be able to tell automatically that it’s a photo you’ve made?

Do Something Involving Prints

This doesn’t necessarily mean you should make prints and sell them. But what about zines? Or a photo book? You should really do something to get your work and photography into a different medium. But there needs to be intent. If you’re going to make a print, will it be for sale? Or will you use it as part of a mailer for someone who could potentially hire you? Perhaps you’ll use it for a small pop-up show of your work.

Seriously, don’t discount the reliability of snail mail; it can work when you do it correctly. Think about it as giving a gift to someone. Make the presentation really nice, and put a lot of effort into it. Maybe even gift wrap it! Enclose a short note, and make sure that your print or book doesn’t end up not being looked at.

Stop Relying on Social Media and Build an Email List

It’s a little insane how many photographers rely mostly on social media to reach out to their clients. It’s a better idea to control your audience. Algorithms can completely alienate you from the rest of your followers. If you don’t want to grind it out, the best thing to do is to have control. So build your email list! Also, be sure to build up your own personal connections.

We personally use Mailchimp. But there are lots of other platforms out there.

Beyond this, if you don’t have a dedicated website, you should build one. Instagram could delete your profile out of the blue one day. And then where will people see your work? Why not have a personal hub that you’ve got full control over?

Develop Symbiotic Relationships

Speaking of connections, build more symbiotic relationships. Lots of folks don’t know what this means. Essentially, it means that if I scratch your back three times, you’ll reciprocate and do it three times in kind. It’s mutual. But it’s also, in the grand scheme of things, just fair. Both sides have to benefit from something. And most importantly, you should be able to measure those benefits.

There are just some things you shouldn’t buy as cheap off-brands. Oreos. Coffee. Running shoes. But, flashes shouldn’t be one of them, offering in many cases more features and power than options made by major camera manufacturers. The Flashpoint Zoom Li-on III is one of those flashes. With a long feature list that ranges from multi-shot to HSS and built-in radio transmission, the Zoom Li-on III has a lot to offer for under $300.

After switching camera brands to Fujifilm, I needed a new flash. I spent several weeks with the Flashpoint Zoom Li-on III to see if a $290 flash could keep up. After shooting everything from weddings to sports with this flash, I can safely say it’s not going to leave a bad taste in your mouth – like off-brand Oreos.

Table of Contents

Too Long, Didn’t Read

Flashpoint Zoom Li-On III Pros and Cons

Pros

Cons

Gear Used

Innovations

Flashpoint Zoom Li-On III Tech Specs

Ergonomics

Build Quality

Ease of Use

Image Quality

Extra Image Samples

Edited RAW

JPEG

Conclusions

Too Long, Didn’t Read

Too Long, Didn’t Read.

The Flashpoint Zoom Li-on III packs a lot of advanced features for a $290 flash, including multi-mode, rear-curtain, and high-speed sync. It even has the same guide number as Canon’s $1,099 flash. There’s a lot to love about this flash, but there’s a learning curve and it’s not rain-ready.

Flashpoint Zoom Li-On III Pros and Cons

Pros

High-speed Sync

Multi-shot mode

Built-in radio transmission

Modeling light

Fast performance

Lots of power, with the ability to add in just a little light at 1/256th

Affordable

Cons

Partially exposed battery shouldn’t be taken in the rain

The learning curve is a bit higher

Tilt head doesn’t have a lock

Gear Used

I used the Fujifilm-compatible version of the Flashpoint Zoom Li-on III with my X-T4, the 16-80mm kit lens, and the 50mm f1 R WR. I used this flash both on camera, and off with the aid of the Flashpoint R2 Pro Mark II Transmitter. I softened the light with a Godox 32×32 inch Speedlite Softbox off-camera and the MagMod Sphere on-camera. I also used this flash with a 12-foot Cheetah Stand.

Innovations

As a Mark III, this flash sees more minor updates than major ones. It adds a modeling light, a switch on the side to easily go from M to TTL modes, a bigger battery, and a quick-release switch. The biggest innovation is that it offers several advanced features in a flash that’s priced under $300.

Flashpoint Zoom Li-On III Tech Specs

Adorama lists the following tech specs for the Flashpoint Zoom Li-on III:

Guide Number: 197 ft/60 meters @ISO 100 200mm zoom

Energy Output: 76ws

Flash Exposure Control: TTL

Manual Flash: Remote (Master or Slave, with Groups)

Remote or Manual Flash (Master or Slave, with Groups) using the Integrated R2 Radio System: HSS

Lens Coverage: 20-200 mm with automatic or manual zoom control

R2 Radio Range: >330ft / 100m

As a hot-shoe flash with a tilting bounce head, the Flashpoint Zoom Li-on III takes on the traditional I to L shape of most speedlights. It’s slightly larger than my Nikon SB 700 but smaller than Canon’s beefy EL-1. It weighs about 18.7 ounces and didn’t add a terrible burden to the top of my Fujifilm X-T4.

R2 Radio Channels: 32

R2 Groups: 4 Transmitter (A camera/B/C/D) 5 Receiver (A/B/C/D/E)

The back of the flash is dominated by a screen, seven buttons, a scroll wheel with four shortcuts and an eighth button, and the on-off switch. The back is a bit crowded, which actually led to a little confusion. The label for the menu button, for example, is next to the menu button but above the flash button. I confused the flash button for the menu button a few times because of this. I’ll talk more about the buttons here in the Ease of Use section below.

The rechargeable battery is large enough that you see the ends on both the right and left sides of the flash itself. On one side, a button pops the battery out, then it slides out the other side. A TTL to M mode switch also sits on one side.

Triggering Modes: Hot Shoe, R2 Radio Controller (integ...

2021 was a fantastic year of photography. Despite ongoing hurdles, we’ve been balled over by the work rate and creativity of photographers from around the world. Photographers have traveled far and wide, explored new lands, and showed us how beautiful our world truly is. Some incredible nature photography has come our way throughout this year, and in this article we’re sharing 15 photographs that highlight our wonderful world.

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1. Matt Jackisch Shares His Spectacular Nature Photography

This image came our way this summer. Matt Jackisch has a range of nature images that can make you grateful to be alive. On shooting nature, he said, “nature remains my benchmark for reality. I simply wish to express aspects of our reality that have largely become too subtle to appreciate or are too complex to convey.” Camera used: Nikon D810.

2. Ludwig Favre’s Haunting Nature Photography

3. Mitch Dobrowner’s Nature Photography Tackles Extreme Weather

Although extreme weather can be catastrophic for society, it offers spectacular visuals. Mitch Dobrowner recognizes this and developed a series that looks at hurricanes in California shot in monochrome. Camera used: Canon EOS 5DS R.

4. Paul Boomsma’s Nature Photography Makes You Want to Be There

As well as photographing wildlife, Paul Boomsma likes to focus his lens on nature. He’s traveled the world to great extent, and throughout that time he’s amassed a beautiful portfolio. Above is just one example of his remarkable work. Camera used: Fujifilm X-T3.

5. Rod Evans Combines Nature And Lightpainting

Astrophotography is a subset of nature photography that grabs the attention of many photography fans. But it can look similar. Rod Evans decided to combine the starry skies with ambitious light paintings. As you can see from the image above, he did a remarkable job. Camera used: Canon T6i.

6. The Nature Photography of Barney Smith Goes Underwater

Most of us get our nature fix from above sea level. It’s easier to access and often comes with less risk. We’re grateful for photographers like Barney Smith who go into the ocean to give us all a different perspective. As well as seeing the wonders of earth from beneath, we also get access to its inhabitants. Camera Used: Nikonos V.

7. Through Nature Photography Roland Kraemer Fell in Love

Sticking with the earth’s waters, the above photograph by Roland Kraemer is the visual of a love story. “I didn’t know how much I needed the ocean in my life and how calm I feel being close to it,” he told us in his interview. During his time with the calm waters, he created a lovely series of images. Camera used: Sony a7 III.

8. Paolo Pettigiani Explores Nature Photography in Infrared

Bolivia and Peru are two of the most beautiful locations on planet earth. Fact. To further amplify their beauty, Paolo Pettigiani shot their landscapes in infrared. We will let this photo speak for itself. And there are plenty more just like this. Camera used: Canon EOS R.

9. Caitlin Fullam’s Nature Photography is Full of Surreal Landscapes

Colorado and New Mexico are the stomping grounds for landscape photographer Caitlin Fullam. Her work is dreamy and the above photo only gives strength to that statement. Even better is that her work involves double exposures shot on film! Camera used: Canon EOS Rebel 2000.

10. Aditya Kinjawadekar Shot a 360° View of the Milky Way

The milky way is one of the universe’s most astounding natural elements. That’s why so many astrophotographers flock to capture it. Aditya Kinjawadekar put his own twist on one of the industry’s most-seen images. He shot a 360° view and, as you can see, had fantastic results. Camera used: Sony A7 III.

11. Dominika Koszowska’s Photo Won Her Awards

Dominika Koszowska’s lucid, impactful nature photograph won her first place in the landscape category at this year’s Mobiography awards. A warm photograph splashed with a hint of gre...

“I feel that it’s important to try and resurrect older cameras,” says Swedish photographer Ian Bakke. A lawsuit some decades ago meant that Kodamatic cameras haven’t had usable film for some time now. After being cooped up indoors during last year’s lockdown, and with access to a 3D printer, Ian Bakke might have come up with a solution.

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I thoroughly enjoy peering into the minds of creators of DIY projects like these. Understanding their thought process and how they tackle the challenges they face is inspirational. It’s fascinating to see how they start with an idea and turn it into what ends up being quite in demand by fellow photographers. Such ideas also tend to highlight a lot of older cameras. Models relegated to dusty corners of antique shops and camera collectable stores end up being sourced globally and are given new leases on life.

For a few years in the 60s, Kodak manufactured instant film for Polaroid, who is still considered a leader in this segment. After Polaroid launched the SX-70 in 1972, Kodak decided to launch their own line of instant cameras, the Kodamatic, in 1976. Polaroid wasn’t too pleased with this move and filed a lawsuit against Kodak shortly after. Soon after the ruling against them in 1985, Kodak was forced to cease production of these cameras and had a sizeable financial payout to deal with by 1990. I picked up an EK6 some years ago, and I’m pretty pleased to know that I can use this chunky camera with Ian’s invention someday.

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

Ian Bakke: My name is Ian; I’m from Southern Sweden. My interest in photography pretty much started from a very young age. I always wanted to be behind the camera and not in front of it. My mother had a digital camera, a Kodak; it was one of the early digital consumer cameras. My godmother, who became like a grandmother to me, took pictures the traditional way, with film that is. She had a Pentax; I can’t remember what model, but it was a consumer camera, albeit a quite advanced one. My first own camera was a Minolta AF-Tele, a very simple camera. My real interest in photography didn’t really start until around the time when Polaroid announced the ending of film production in 2008. I got my hands on a Spectra camera which turned out to not work properly. A couple years passed, and in 2010 I got to use the first Impossible Project instant film, which, to be honest, wasn’t very good at all.

That’s how it all started; I acquired camera after camera, typical of people interested in tech and photography, I guess.

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

Ian Bakke: Photography is, for me, a way to see life and the things that surround us all. Photography is a very powerful medium. Just in the last two hundred years, we have developed technologies for capturing light as images frozen in time. This is part of why I like Polaroid and also positive slide film so much; the final image you see is light reflected off your subject, collected by the lens, and captured by the light-sensitive film. And it all just happens in an instant, click, you have just made it seem like time is standing still. Of course, most of my pictures are now taken with my phone, and I’m not against it; for the most part, I’m for it.

Edwin Land, the inventor of instant photography, had in 1944 a vision of a camera the would be as small as a wallet and where you could press a button and have the picture immediately. He, of course, talked about what would eventually become the Polaroid SX-70, but I like to think of it as him imagining the small cameras we all carry with us everywhere we go.Photography is merely a hobby for me, and I have never really thought of it as something I would work with. I’m more keen on the technological standpoint than the artistic values in photography, whi...