It's been a long time since I've been excited about creating photos – which has always sounded contradictory to me. Photography has never ceased to fascinate me. I'm naturally more creative by sight than by word, and there's something deeply enchanting about seeing real moments captured and suspended in time.

The desire to create photos has always been there. I always wanted to take my camera with me, explore new places and experiment with angles, lighting, compositions... But in practice, what discouraged me was the weight and all the logistics involved. My camera was a Canon DSLR with big, heavy lenses. It took beautiful pictures and I loved the quality – but the whole thing weighed at least two kilos. It's not exactly the kind of thing you throw in your backpack and carry around without a second thought.

No matter how good the camera was, it was no use if it sat idle. That's when I started to consider replacing all my equipment with something lighter – a camera that I could actually carry on a day-to-day basis, that was practical, easy to use and didn't turn every outing into a logistical mission.

Another factor that weighed on my decision was discovering that my Canon 5DS R had gone out of production. This meant that maintenance could become more difficult over time, and resale even more devalued. After a lot of research, I ended up choosing the Fujifilm XT5. And look, I'm very happy with my choice.

I'm loving using this camera – firstly, because of its lightness and size. Secondly, because the quality is second to none. My old camera was 50 megapixels and each click took up a monumental amount of space on my external hard drive. The Fujifilm has 40 megapixels, continues to deliver excellent quality and takes up much less space. In other words: more economical, more practical and without compromising on what really matters.

Fujifilm has only surprised me so far. The camera's filters are unique. The colors and the texture it leaves on the skin are phenomenal, the photos need almost no post-editing. In these photos I only had to lower the highlights (the whiteness of my skin reflected too much light!).

Another recent change in my photography has been to swap zoom lenses for prime lenses. Instead of carrying several options, I go out with just one lens and explore all the possibilities it offers me. This forces me to think outside the box, to move around more, to test angles and compositions – and, in the end, I feel that this has stimulated my creativity much more.

For this photoshoot, I used a Fujifilm 56mm f/1.2 R lens – an incredible lens, but still challenging for me. I'm not used to such a shallow depth of field, so every detail matters. In this photo with Pokie, for example, you can see that the camera wasn't far enough away to frame us properly. I still underestimate the distance I need to keep between the lens and the subject – but I'm learning, making mistakes and adjusting in the process.

That said, I've never cared much about equipment. Having a good camera that allows me to create freely is more than enough. What really attracts me to photography is the composition, the concept and the intention behind the image. The equipment has always been just a tool – what moves me is the look, not the gear.

The Self-Portrait Photoshoot

I arrived at the location at around four in the afternoon – and had about an hour before the sun started to set. The light was beautiful, but it took me a while to get the right frame. As I said before, I still underestimate how far away the camera needs to be from me, mainly because my other lens is a wide angle. This one, being a 56mm, requires more distance – and until that becomes automatic in my head, it takes trial and error.

It was cold – and as time went on, it only got worse. In the photos of me with my feet on the stone, I just froze. Literally. My fingers and toes came out hard and hot pink. The aesthetics were great, but the frame was pure thermal suffering – a real photographic hardship! 😅

I wanted to test different poses by focusing more on the arms and hands, rather than the whole body. The light was perfect – soft, just right – which allowed me to use an f/1.4 aperture and a shutter speed of 1/80 for all the shots. That way I could keep an ethereal feel to the image, but still look sharp enough in the frame.

Pokie is quite a companion. Sometimes she would stop right in front of the camera – and I would have to ask her nicely to leave. She'd leave just fine, but always with that thoughtful look on her face: "but what exactly are we doing here?" 😂 Even though she was confused, she took part in the rehearsal like a true partner.

This photoshoot reminded me of the magic of shooting with a real camera. I was getting too used to the practicality of the cell phone – and, without realizing it, I had lost that enchantment with the process, with the time the camera demands, with the more attentive look.

It was good to rediscover that part of me that had been dormant. May there be more rehearsals, more beautiful light and more experiments. What about you? Have you ever rediscovered something you loved and had put aside?

Until the next sip,

NOTE: the printed pants I wore for the photoshoot – is this one. This is an affiliate link. This means that if you buy through it, I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work!