maurice kammholz

How to: Photos in Bad Weather

Dreary clouds, rain, fog and wind are definitely not ideal for an outdoor shooting. But especially bad weather offers many interesting and new sceneries for photo motives.

Match Colors

Rain is a great scenery to capture, but the colors are often not emphasized enough in normal settings. Consequently, the picture looks dull and dreary. Therefore, +Correction helps the colors regain their luster. The adjustment slightly overexposes the subject and lifts the color mood. These corrections can be made in aperture or time mode, as well as in full automatic mode. If the colors still look dull, image processing can help them out.

Capture Raindrops

Raindrops are excellent design elements. Deciding whether to photograph rain drops or threads is the first decision to make. If you want to “freeze” drops, a shutter speed of 1/250 is recommended. For thread rain that runs through the entire image, you need slower shutter speeds. Of course, you can bring out interesting details again. For example, capturing a drop at the moment it hits a water surface. To capture this magical moment with a camera, it is necessary to shoot as close to the ground as possible. This will make the jumping raindrops look even more expressive. Leaves where the rain bounces off also make a fantastic subject.

Explore different motives

Raindrops are one of the go to’s, but there is so much more to discover. Thunderclouds, for example, bring more dynamics into the picture. Light reflections on wet streets or puddles that reflect the skyline can also be skillfully used for image composition. Moreover, the wind is also photogenic. It gives the image more tension and creates that certain something. To capture these elements, it is important to work with motion blur. This will give the image more dynamics.

Photos in fog

Fog creates the mystic atmosphere in a photo. Especially when sunlight hits the fog, fantastic color effects are created. The fog then shimmers in a light yellow-golden or even in a delicate bluish tone. This is not only interesting, it is also the perfect backdrop for captivating photos. Missing out on the classic in fog photography is not an option for any photographer: Rays of light making their way through the fog have a fascinating effect. Here the position is crucial! Standing in such a way that it is possible to work with the backlight. This brings out the light rays particularly well.

However, the autofocus of many cameras can fail with foggy subjects. The reason for this is the often low contrast. Therefore, focusing manually or using the hyperfocal distance is the way to go. In addition, the exposure needs to be readjusted manually as well.

Header Image © Pawel Kosicki

How to: Tips for Photo Editing

Raw Format without Loss

Nowadays most cameras, especially professional ones, include a RAW-function which allows saving images in a raw data format. This setup is perfect in order to rework pictures without a loss thanks to its large dynamic range. Unfortunately, there is no standard of RAW data yet, causing differences between camera manufacturers and models. Nonetheless, the internet offers a wide range of converter tools, helping to easily edit raw image data. For example, the Adobe-DNG-Converter transforms your data in a uniform format. Afterwards, the pictures can be adjusted with common photo editing tools. All RAW data not only have marginal differences, they also share two substantial characteristics. Firstly, the original image quality remains, including all details captured by the image sensor. Subsequently, the pictures always need to be edited. Secondly, the storage requirement increases.

Lightroom to edit image raw material

Not all shots are always 100% perfect. Honestly, they probably are never immaculate at first. Consequently, many photographers rework their data with editing tools such as the professional image editing software Adobe Lightroom. Lightroom was designed specifically for RAW formats. Beneficial is that this tool does not work destructive, meaning it is always possible to undo all changes made. The finished results can be synchronized with the original images on the user’s own computer. This gives Apple users an advantage for the time being, but an APP for Android devices is already planned.

LightZone 4.0 as free RAW converter

A free substitute for Lightroom is LightZone which is an open source project since its 4th version. Thus, it is a freeware under BSD licence for Windows, macOS, and Linux. LightZone is not only suitable for converting and processing RAW files, but also for JPEG or TIFF. Additionally, it offers similar tools for editing individual image areas as Photoshop.

JPEG decreases Image Quality

Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG), representing a cooperation of experts who developed this format. It is the most common used imaging formation, but has one major downside, the loss of picture information. Even though most camera models enable to choose the compression ratio, but it does not prevent a loss of details on photographic prints. In addition, there are some limits occurring while editing JPEG photos because the internal software of the camera already performs some editing processes. Especially, once changes have been made, they can only be edited afterwards to a limited extent. Overall, JPEG uses less storage capacity, but therefore provides fewer possibilities to enhance and edit the image professionally.

Image Optimization through FUJIFILM Ordering Software

The automatic image enhancement of myFUJIFILM is perfect for everyone who has not the possibility to optimize an image template for photo prints themselves. This is particularly suitable for unprocessed image files that need to be brightened. Please deactivate the automatic image enhancement in the ordering software or on our Internet platform for all images that have already been edited.

Why is image resolution so important?

Digital images are converted into small dots when printed (so-called dots per inch – dpi). The more dots per inch there are, the less individual dots the human eye can perceive. This means that the dots blur into an overall image and the photo looks razor sharp. Therefore, it is important that the image has a resolution of 300dpi. Moreover, it is decisive to consider the fact that the subject might look perfect on the computer, but the print can still be blurred later.

The reason: most monitors have a resolution of 72 or 96 dpi. This corresponds to about one third of the image format. To ensure a flawless print resolution, you should therefore rather determine the actual dpi number with the following formula: dpi = (horizontal pixel count of the photo x 2.54) / width of the photo

For example, a picture width of 15 cm and a horizontal pixel count of 1600 will have 271 dpi. Of course, calculating the value for each photo is not necessary at this point. Our software (ordering software / internet platform) shows via a warning triangle if the image quality is sufficient or insufficient for the selected format. If the image does not meet the requirements for a photo print in the desired size, there is the option of selecting a smaller image format via the selection menu. The formula is still very practical, as it helps to check shots at random. This makes it easy to calculate the right image format in advance.

Once the image processing and a quality check is completed, the next step is to order the prints. Fujifilm’s photo labs expose digital images on smudge-proof FUJIFILM photo papers. The images that are developed in this way are always of high quality. Digital photos that are printed out on your PC at home will therefore never meet this standard.

Header Image © Jerred Zegelis

World Cancer Day 2022

World Cancer Day – every 4th February – is a global initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). Starting more than 20 years ago, World Cancer Day has grown into a positive movement for everyone to face one of our greatest challenges in history. By raising global awareness, improving education and collective action, we are all working together to reimagine a world where millions of lives can be saved through preventive care and access to life-saving cancer treatment is equitable for all.

While we live in an era of impressive advances in healthcare – from artificial intelligence to hyper-technological devices – many of us seeking cancer treatment encounter barriers at every turn: income, education, geographical location and discrimination. That is why the Union for International Cancer Control has chosen as the theme for this year’s World Cancer Day, #ClosetheCareGap. To raise awareness of this gap that affects people all over the world, in both high- and low- and middle-income countries.

And we, at Fujifilm, are also promoting this initiative. For years, our goal has been to find solutions for society’s problems. One of the main goals of our Sustainable Value Plan 2030 is to improve access to healthcare globally, reduce the burden on patients by providing innovative solutions for medical imaging and enable early detection of diseases using AI and IT.

Last year – on 4 February 2021–we inaugurated NURA*, a Fujifilm cancer screening center in India. Its cancer screening program includes 10 tests, including breast cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer. With NURA, our vision is to introduce the culture of regular health screening. We will continue to support the development of healthcare by providing state-of-the-art products and services that help improve the health and quality of life of people around the world to #CloseTheCareGap.

*In partnership with Dr Kutty’s Healthcare

“NOTES FOR AN EYE FIRE”

Aleix Plademunt’s long-term, research-based projects are replete with philosophical questions that explore issues of time and distance, and examine how photography conditions the way we see things.

Formerly, he wanted to become an engineer, but quickly realized that photography was his passion. Consequently, he abandoned his technical engineering studies and dedicated himself fully to photography. Since his graduation in 2003 he has not stopped working on personal projects such as Espectadores (Spectators; 2006), Nada (Nothing; 2007), Trafalgar (2019), Iberia (2019), Intempèries (Hinterlands; 2021) and many more. Plademunt is also an author of eight books, has been an artist-in-residence several times and has received different scholarships to develop or continue with his projects.

The “Almost There” project has been one of the highlights of his career, hosted in the Le Bal room (Paris), IMA Gallery (Tokyo) and the Centro de Arte Alcobendas (CAA; Madrid, 2016). Overall, he has had more than 20 individual and more than 50 collective exhibitions since he finished his photography based studies. His next exhibition will be presented by the Sala Canal de Isabel II (Madrid) the Matter project in its entirety in May 2022.

Aleix Plademunt’s work unpacks constellations of images that put carefully composed photographs into relation with one another to generate new dimensions of meaning. His project “Notes for an Eye Fire” is the first exhibition of a new series of transdisciplinary projects entitled Panorama. It displays 18 photographs expressing ontological contemplations of human culture, its origins and evolution, and its relationship to the universe, the earth, and matter. Accompanying the photographic installation is a panel with footnotes that shed light on the artist’s motives for choosing these very specific themes. He is taking us on a journey that begins with the static noise of an analogue television and ends with a sunset in Hostalric, his birthplace in Spain.

Practically all photographs in the exhibition have been taken with the Fujifilm GFX 50R large format camera and GF series lenses. Additionally, the copying carried out in the Dinasa professional laboratory has been of optimum quality thanks to the Fujicolor Crystal Archive Professional Maxima paper. The exhibition will be displayed until February 27, 2022 in the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona.

How to: The Perfect Winter Photo

The skiing trip is just around the corner, the winter clothes are already packed, and the camera cannot be missing either to capture the beautiful moments and the winter wonderland we all dream about. The Winter season always comes with its magical moods that can become unique shots if you stage them correctly. Here are three important tips we want to share with you to make your winter photography experience even better.

1. Outsmarting the pitfalls of photographing in winter sceneries

Underexposure

Larger white spaces in a motive can irritate the exposure meter because the system records too much light, which causes the aperture to close. Consequently, this will cause the picture to be underexposed. to prevent something like this from happening, use the function “exposure corrections” and try to experiment a little to find the perfect settings suiting your wishes. It is also possible to adjust the value of the ISO. If you reduce it by half, the amount of exposure should double. Perhaps, your camera even offers a preset “snow” programme, which definitely will spare you some time and nerves.

White Balance

Do not despair if the colour scheme is not optimal when having a look at your final results. Nowadays, there are many good photo editing software programmes out there that will help you to adjust the colour scheme accordingly. Simply use a filter that helps to correct colours or selectively choose the colours you want to adjust.

2. Perfect winter motives

The Winter season is perfect for macro shots. Look for details in your motives, like flowers covered in a unique layer of ice. Thereby, it is important to pay attention to a steady camera position, which is essential because the exposure time is longer and the depth of field is only a few millimetres compared to usual shots. Most of the time, digital compact cameras already offer you a preset macro programme. If you can set the aperture, then you should use a small aperture to get the sharpest possible pictures (e.g., f11 to f22).

3. The best equipment

No winter wonderland without some pitfalls. Cold and humid weather are two dangerous characteristics that, eventually, will harm your equipment. The cold weather will decrease battery performance and might cause other damage as well. Subsequently, be prepared and bring additional batteries and keep them close to your body to keep them warm at all times. Additionally, when changing from cold to warm temperatures, be careful not to expose the camera to a sudden change in temperature. This might cause condensation to settle in the camera’s body and harm internal technology. Having a look at the camera’s manual can help to prevent damages too.

Now that we provided you with some useful and important tips, we hope you are even more prepared to shoot some amazing pictures in awesome winter scenery.

Women4Women – The Green Issue

There are more than 7.5 billion people in the world, and human beings have a tendency to separate the animal/natural world from the human world, as if they were two separate things. But in reality, human beings are part of nature, and despite the technological advances that have allowed us to do great things, we are part of this ecosystem. Hence, we must remember to protect and take care of it.

Sustainability is more important than ever before especially, we, as major companies and global players, have to start making changes and rethink our operations. Therefore, the Women4Women magazine goes green. Not only, our newest and already 4th issue of the Fujifilm #Women4Women magazine is all about sustainability in our private and professional lives also the magazine itself is printed on recycled paper.

In the recent issue, women from all around the world share their story about how they got involved in a sustainable work, lifestyle or, why it is so important for them in general. All of these powerful women are already committed to protect the planet and share with us how we can turn our lives “green” with only a few simple daily gestures.

We need to stop being selfish and start to think about the exhausted and drained world and resources we will leave to our future generations. At that point it is no longer about our lives because most dramatic changes will not be visible to most of us and consequently, not affect the older generations.

It is now clearer than ever, that the incredible global sanitary crisis and the acceleration of natural disasters brought us all in front of our responsibilities and made clear that our health is inevitably bound up with the health of the eco-system.
Mary Valsama

Reduction of waste, renewable energies, waste water handling, less overconsumption and many more factors are important to take into consideration. However, not we as individuals are able to change and safe the planet on our own. Companies and corporations are playing a major role in this process as well. Businesses need to adapt the way they use and reuse resources and have to decrease their environmental footprint drastically.

This magazine aims to support and empower women in the business world, but especially the 4th issue also raises awareness concerning an inevitable issue for everyone. Climate change and sustainability in all areas of life matter to ALL OF US!