Digital Night Photography - new observations

July 25, 2018

The Challenge

With an early digital background I almost exclusively took analog night images over the last couple of years. I was really embracing the lovely look of Kodak Portra that could reveal the details in the shadow of almost any scene and still convey the beauty of a night scene. The natural and aesthetically pleasing look of the final image never drew me back to my clumsy trials getting something similar from digital. But over the years not only the capabilities of digital cameras improved but also my approach to post processing changed. Time to revisit digital night photography.

New Work for my series "American Fast Food" [working title]

December 21, 2017

I have not yet decided on the the final title of these series and at the moment the working title seems to be a bit misleading. This is an ongoing series that concentrates on the restaurant, shops and stores at night. Many of these places have a very unique architectural appearance and some - like Chips restaurant and Norms in West Hollywood - fall in a category called Googie architecture. As a side track from the mid century modernism, Googie emphasized the futuristic atmosphere of the 1940s to the 1960s with the jagged lines and modern elements.

New Work for my series "Between the Light"

November 29, 2017

After completing my "Between The Light" book I initially wanted to finish the project and concentrate on other series. But after a while this did feel right for me anymore. I had the desire to continue to work on the project, refine the series and re-work it into a slightly different direction. The new images I planned to create should show more of the unnoticed streets and houses, the well kept secrets, the less beautiful and more exciting places. Light would play a even more important role than before. So after a longer break I brought my Hasselblad on one of my latest visits to San Francisco for some more night time shooting. I concentrated on lower Russian Hill, North Beach, Chinatown and Marina.

Between The Light - "Field Notes"

July 6, 2016

My idea behind the "Filed Notes" series is simple. I want to provide some background information about the intent of my projects and series. In certain intervals I will be posting "Field Notes" that either contain technical or conceptual background information of my work.

INTRODUCTION

What is it that draws photographers to film, despite its somewhat outdated nature? I've written at length on this blog about the tactile, emotional, and aesthetic qualities of analog photography — and I still believe that digital can rarely replace the joy of loading a roll, advancing the film lever, hearing the satisfying shutter sound, and embracing the beautiful uncertainty of results.

Still, digital photography is often more practical. That’s why so many film photographers — myself included — look for tools to emulate the feel of analog film in a digital workflow. Over the years, a number of companies have emerged in this space: Mastin Labs, RNI, The Classic Presets, Dehancer — and now, a new contender: ColorPrecision, developed by film enthusiast and colorist Owen Markham.

Exploring the Floating City with a Canon AE-1

Venice in the fall. The city breathes differently when the summer crowds fade. The soft, diffused light reflects on the water, casting subtle ripples on ancient facades. The damp air carries the scent of salt and history. I arrived with no fixed plan—just my Canon AE-1 and a few rolls of Kodak Vision3, ready to capture whatever unfolded in front of me.

DEHANCER FILM LIGHTROOM PLUGIN REVIEW

A personal take on one of the most popular film emulation tools

This isn’t your typical review! Instead, it’s a report on my hands-on experience with Dehancer Film, breaking down the key aspects of the software. After experimenting with its interface and creating a range of looks, I wanted to see if Dehancer could complement my digital workflow, especially since I primarily shoot analog film.

ColorPrecision Review

A FRESH TAKE ON KODAK FILM EMULATION FOR LIGHTROOM

A SILENT JOURNEY THROUGH VENICE

The Ultimate Way of Digital Film Emulation

No. 24 — A Visual Journey

Introduction On many of my travels, I often seek out architectural gems: small houses that are iconic and stylistically significant but lie off the beaten tourist paths and aren't featured on every influencer's account. One of these significant masterpieces is the Alvar Aalto House in Helsinki, a place where architecture and light form a poetic symbiosis. During my visit, I was impressed by the thoughtful spatial design and the warm, natural lighting. The flowing forms and organic materials tell the story of an architect who masterfully knew how to direct light. To view the rooms undisturbed and in peace, the Alvar Aalto Foundation limits group sizes to a small number of participants. After a very knowledgeable and engaging tour, I had the opportunity to explore and photograph the house on my own. I will elaborate on the specific photographic techniques later, but first, let’s take a brief look at who Alvar Aalto

Camera Scanning Part IV

If, like me, you've been captivated by scanning over the years and simply enjoy digitizing film, it's clear that you follow the market and the countless options available to you. I've written several times about the possibility of building your own small scanner setup. By now, my own setup has changed significantly and what started with a few simple components has grown into a very precise tool. I get a lot of joy from it and can finally scan films the way I want. However, to get this far, I had to overcome several hurdles. But let's start from the beginning.

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A FRESH TAKE ON KODAK FILM EMULATION FOR LIGHTROOM

INTRODUCTION

Exploring the Floating City with a Canon AE-1

DEHANCER FILM LIGHTROOM PLUGIN REVIEW

A personal take on one of the most popular film emulation tools