đ¸ SNAPSHOT - Issue 115
Welcome to a brand new Issue of my Magazine. A truly brilliant one, enjoy the read :)
In this Issue
Light Lens Labâs New 50mm f/1.9 - A Closer Look
This week, Light Lens Lab announced the 50mm f/1.9 âRigid-ZS6,â a modern recreation of the classic Dallmeyer Super Six 50mm f/1.9 lens. While the optical design is heavily inspired by the original Super Six formula, the mechanical design takes a different direction by using Light Lens Labâs existing âRigidâ platform.
For a bit of context, original Dallmeyer lenses are highly collectible optics from the late 19th and early 20th century, known for their distinctive rendering and shallow depth of field. The Super Six series in particular became known for its fast aperture and unique image character, especially its swirling bokeh and softer, more classical rendering style.
Light Lens Lab says the new 50mm f/1.9 Rigid-ZS6 is designed to preserve those original rendering characteristics while also making the lens more practical for modern digital cameras. The company is offering the lens in two versions. A standard model and a low-contrast variant, which is meant to stay even closer to the original âSuper-Sixâ look with softer tonal transitions and a more film-like response.
âThe 50mm f/1.9 âRigid-ZS6â pays homage to the original 50mm f/1.9 âSuper-Sixâ optical schematic and rendering characteristics, while integrating them into the proven mechanical platform of the 50mm f/2 âRigid,ââ Light Lens Lab explains.
The âRigidâ platform itself is basically a shared mechanical chassis that the company uses for several historically inspired optics. Besides this new lens, the lineup already includes the 50mm f/2 Rigid and 50mm f/2 Rigid-SPII, with more lenses reportedly in development, including a 50mm f/1.9 âS5â and a 50mm f/2 Apochromat.
Optically, the new lens uses a classic double-Gaussian layout with six elements arranged in four groups. Light Lens Lab says the design has been refined to maintain the expressive Super Six rendering while improving centre sharpness and compatibility with digital sensors. The lens covers full-frame 35mm image circles and has an aperture range from f/1.9 to f/22.
The MTF chart that the company provided show performance at both f/1.9 and f/4, measuring contrast transfer at 5, 10, 20, and 40 line pairs per millimetre. Looking at the graphs, centre sharpness appears relatively strong wide open, especially in lower spatial frequencies, while contrast and resolution naturally begin to fall off more toward the edges. Stopping down to f/4 noticeably improves consistency across the frame, although the lens still keeps some of that classic rendering behaviour rather than having perfectly clinical performance.
Physically, the lens is fairly compact for a brass-bodied 50mm f/1.9. It measures 45mm in length, 54mm in diameter, and weighs approximately 263 grams without accessories. It uses an M-Mount quick-change bayonet system, supports E39 filters, and can be paired with an optional A42 clip-on hood.
The lens focuses from 0.7 meters to infinity and uses a preset diaphragm system with half-stop aperture increments. The brass chrome version of the Light Lens Lab 50mm f/1.9 Rigid-ZS6 will retail for $799. Both the standard and low-contrast versions are expected to begin shipping on May 31.
A few sample shots:
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Interview with Luke Lucis
This weekâs Interview with Luke, a talented street and travel photographer from Germany. I am truly honoured to have had the opportunity to interview him again, this time with a closer look at his newer work!
You can find him on Instagram as: @lukelucis_
Enjoy the amazing Interview ;)
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Luke, Iâm a photographer from Cologne, Germany, and most of my work sits somewhere between travel and street photography, though Iâve never really liked putting strict labels on it. What pulls me in most are moments that feel nostalgic or strangely timeless, scenes that could belong to today, but also maybe twenty or thirty years ago. Iâm much less interested in photographing a location in the typical âtravel contentâ way. What I care about is atmosphere. I want a photo to feel like a memory, even if the viewer has never been to that place before.
How did you get into photography?
It started in a pretty simple way, I was just documenting my trips and everyday life, like most people do. At first, the photos were more about the places like the landmarks, the views. But over time, I noticed that the photos I liked most were the ones that captured a feeling rather than just a location. The way the light hit a street corner, or how the colors of a wall matched with someoneâs jacket walking past. Thatâs when photography stopped being just a casual hobby and started turning into a passion of mine.
How do you approach storytelling through your photos?
I always try to make my photos feel like they belong to something bigger, like a frame pulled from a film. I donât necessarily want to explain everything to the viewer. Actually, I prefer when there are unanswered questions. A lot of storytelling comes from very small details. The direction someone is walking. A reflection. A shadow cutting through the frame. Sometimes itâs just the atmosphere itself that creates the story rather than a specific action.
I like when viewers can project their own experiences onto a photo instead of being told exactly what to feel. One person might see loneliness in a photo, while someone else sees peace or nostalgia. That ambiguity makes photography much more interesting to me.
How do you define street photography in your own terms?
For me, street photography isnât really about documenting chaos or chasing dramatic moments constantly. Itâs more about finding atmosphere in everyday life. A street photo can be incredibly simple. It doesnât need ten people running through or some crazy event happening. Sometimes one person standing in the right light is enough. What matters more to me is whether the photo creates a feeling.
I see street photography somewhere between documentary and cinema. The moment itself is real and unstaged, but the way you frame it, compose it, and use the light can completely change how it feels at the end.
What attracts you to street photography compared to other types of photography?
The unpredictability. Thatâs undoubtedly the biggest thing. With other genres, you can control almost everything. In street photography, you can prepare, but ultimately youâre reacting to life as it happens. A scene can completely change within one second because of a person entering the frame, a shift in light, or even just a small gesture. I love that challenge because it forces you to stay alert all the time. You canât drift away mentally. You have to constantly observe your surroundings and anticipate what might happen next. At the same time, street photography also rewards patience. Sometimes you find a composition first and then wait for someone or something to complete it. That process of observation and timing is what makes it addictive for me.
How do you capture emotion in your photos?
For me, it comes down to timing and light. Emotion often shows in the smallest details someoneâs posture, the way a shadow falls across their face. Light plays a huge role because it sets the mood. Warm light can make a scene feel hopeful, while harsh shadows can add drama. When I edit, I try to keep the tones film-like and a bit nostalgic, because thatâs what best reflects how I felt in the moment.
What gear do you use?
I mainly shoot Fujifilm, especially the X-T5 and the X100V. I really love the experience of using Fuji cameras because they feel intuitive and encourage a slower, more thoughtful way of shooting in my experience. Lens-wise, I use the XF 23mm f/1.4 and XF 33mm f/1.4 the most. The 23mm especially fits the way I naturally see scenes because it gives enough environmental context while still keeping subjects intimate. For travel, I sometimes bring the XF 16â55mm as well because itâs flexible and practical when moving around a lot. Iâve also started using the DJI Mini 4 Pro drone more often because it lets me see the world from a totally different angle.
What are your favourite shooting conditions?
Sunrise is my absolute favorite. The light is soft and changes every minute, the streets are quiet, and you have this feeling of being alone with the city. It gives me time to think and really compose carefully. Sunsets can be beautiful too, but mornings just feel different as in calmer, less crowded. I also really enjoy harsh midday light. A lot of photographers avoid it, but I like how it creates deep shadows and strong contrast. It makes photos feel bold and dynamic.
How do you approach photographing strangers in public spaces?
I try to bring good energy when Iâm out shooting. Most of the time, people sense that and respond positively. Sometimes theyâre even curious about what Iâm doing. If I take a photo where someone is clearly visible, Iâll often offer to send it to them. Thatâs led to some nice exchanges and even friendships. Of course, not everyone likes being photographed, and I respect that. But Iâve found that if youâre open and approachable, people are usually fine with it.
Is there a type of photography or genre you havenât explored yet but would like to?
Definitely portraits again. I actually started with portraits years ago, and Iâd love to revisit that with the experience I have now. Fashion photography also interests me because it combines storytelling, atmosphere, and styling in a really interesting way. Iâve also been experimenting more with drone photography lately. It changes the way you think visually because youâre suddenly dealing with scale, geometry, and patterns differently than on the street.
What does photography mean to you?
Photography completely changed how I experience the world. It made me slower and more observant. I notice things now that I never would have paid attention to before. It also became a way of preserving emotions and memories. When I look back at old photos, I donât just remember the place itself, I remember how the moment felt.
How did you find your photography style?
In the beginning, I experimented with everything. Bright edits, dark edits, heavy colors, minimal edits, basically trying different directions until something started feeling like me. Over time, I noticed I always came back to film-inspired colors and nostalgic atmospheres. Movies had a huge influence on me, especially films with strong mood and color grading. Eventually that naturally merged with my love for travel and street photography. I still think style evolves constantly though. Hopefully it never completely stops evolving.
What are your thoughts on AI in photography?
AI can be useful for editing or workflow, but it doesnât replace the act of being there and experiencing the moment. Photography is about perspective and emotion, and thatâs not something AI can replicate. Iâm not against using tools that make life easier, but for me the core of photography is still about human connection and seeing.
Do you have a specific city that offers the best opportunities for street photography?
Venice is my all time favorite, itâs just timeless. Every corner looks like a painting, and it works in every season and weather condition. I also love Paris for its energy, Naples for its rawness, and Lisbon for its light. But, I think you can find good opportunities anywhere if you approach it with curiosity. Sometimes even your own city, where you think youâve seen everything, can surprise you if you look at it differently.
Any tips for beginners?
The biggest one is consistency. Set yourself days to go out and shoot, even if you donât feel like it. Thatâs how you improve, by putting in the hours. Travel as much as you can, even if itâs just to nearby towns. Donât get stuck chasing gear. Iâve seen people buy expensive setups and then barely use them. A simple camera and a willingness to go out regularly will take you much further.
How much gear do you usually carry with you on a street photography outing?
Usually just one camera and one lens. Iâve found that keeping it simple helps me focus. If Iâm exploring a new city, I might take a zoom for flexibility. At night, I sometimes bring a fast prime. But most of the time, one setup is enough. Carrying less means I move more freely and think more about the photo than about which lens to use.
Are you a professional photographer or is it just a hobby?
It started purely as a hobby, but over time it developed into something much bigger. I still have my regular job, but photography has opened doors and opportunities I never expected. Right now, I enjoy having that balance because it keeps photography feeling personal and exciting instead of commercial.
What do you love most about photography?
Probably the endless learning and the community around it. Photography introduced me to so many interesting people online and in real life. Some of those people became close friends. At the same time, photography never really ends creatively. Thereâs always another genre, another technique, another way of seeing to explore.
How important is lighting in photography?
Lighting is everything. It sets the mood, changes the colors, and creates atmosphere. Cloudy days make for soft, dramatic tones, while harsh sun creates energy and contrast. Personally, Iâm more drawn to natural light than artificial, but I admire photographers who master neon and rain-soaked nights.
How important is composition?
Composition is key. At first, I didnât think about it much, but once I started paying attention to how lines, framing, and space worked, my photos improved a lot. I often use leading lines, symmetry, or layering. Once you understand the rules, you can also break them to create more interesting results.
Who are some artists that inspire you?
Photographers like Andre Josselin, Eren Jam, Billy Dinh, Roman Fox, Jord Hammond, Thomas Kakareko, and Monaris definitely influenced me. Outside photography, films are probably my biggest source of inspiration visually. Directors like Denis Villeneuve or Guy Ritchie completely changed how I think about atmosphere and color.
What editing software do you use and how long does it take you to edit a shot?
I mainly use Lightroom, sometimes Photoshop, and DaVinci Resolve for video work. If itâs a really important image, I can spend over an hour editing and testing different versions until it feels right. But once you develop a consistent style and build your own presets, the process becomes much faster because you already understand what works for different moods and lighting situations.
Do you ever return to the same location over and over again?
All the time. Some places almost become part of your routine after a while. I think people often assume photographers constantly need new locations, but some of my favorite photos came from spots I had already visited ten or twenty times before. The difference is usually the light, or just my own mood that day. Thereâs one small street in Venice that Iâve photographed multiple times across different seasons. In summer it feels completely different than in winter. The same goes for Cologne or Paris. A familiar location can suddenly feel brand new when the conditions change.
How important is weather in your photography?
Weather changes everything for me. Itâs probably one of the biggest factors in whether I decide to even go out and shoot. Fog is amazing because it simplifies scenes and adds depth at the same time. Harsh sunlight can work beautifully when it creates strong shadows and contrast. I think weather gives cities personality.
Clear blue skies can actually be difficult sometimes because scenes end up feeling too clean or flat emotionally. I usually prefer conditions that create atmosphere or mood naturally.
How do movies influence your photography?
Probably more than anything else honestly. A lot of the way I think about mood, pacing, and color comes directly from cinema.
I pay attention to how directors use light and atmosphere to create emotion. Sometimes itâs not even specific scenes, but just the feeling a movie leaves behind that inspires me visually afterward. I think everyone knows that feeling when you watch a movie at the cinema, you lose all sense of time and after you walk out you feel like a completely different person.
Do you listen to music while shooting?
Almost always. Music changes the entire mood of a photo walk for me. Sometimes Iâll listen to ambient music or film soundtracks while walking through a city early in the morning, and it completely affects the way I see scenes. Certain songs almost make locations feel cinematic automatically. However, I try not to disconnect too much from my surroundings. Street photography still requires awareness, timing, and observation. But music definitely helps me enter a certain creative mindset, especially when Iâm traveling alone, which is most of the time.
How important are colours in your work?
Very important, I rarely shoot in b&w. Color is emotional for me. Different tones completely change how something feels. Iâm naturally drawn toward warm nostalgic tones, muted colors, soft greens, deep blues, things that feel cinematic and timeless. Sometimes a photo works purely because of color relationships inside the frame. A red jacket against green walls, warm sunlight against cold shadows, things like that. Color can quietly carry emotion without the viewer even consciously realizing it.
Whatâs your relationship with editing like now compared to when you started?
In the beginning, I definitely overedited everything I would say. Over time, I started simplifying more and focusing on atmosphere instead of obvious editing. Now I actually spend more time making edits feel subtle and cohesive, butI still want photos to feel cinematic (like I said I may spend up to an hour on an important photo), but I donât want editing to overpower the moment itself anymore. Also in recent times I started experimenting with Fujifilmâs in camera recipes where I donât actually adit so much anymore, definitely saves a lot of time and works surprisingly well.
Do you ever shoot photos you know youâll never post?
Yep, all the time. Some photos are just personal experiments or moments I wanted to capture for myself without thinking about sharing them. Those images are actually important because they remove pressure completely.
Whatâs the hardest part about photography for you?
Probably dealing with self-doubt creatively. You can spend hours walking and come home feeling like you captured absolutely nothing worthwhile. Every photographer experiences that regularly I think. Thereâs also the frustration of seeing incredible moments disappear half a second before you capture them. Sometimes timing just beats you.
Youâve been traveling a lot recently, which countries inspired you the most photographically, and what made them stand out to you?
I think it has been about one year since we last talked, and yes I have been pretty busy. I visited Oman, Portugal, Vietnam, Japan France and a few others. But if I had to choose the ones that stayed with me the most, it would definitely be Vietnam and Oman.
Vietnam completely surprised me. I expected beautiful places of course, but I didnât expect the atmosphere and landscapes to affect me the way they did. Most of my time there wasnât really focused on the streets, but much more on the rural areas. Places like Ninh Binh, Ha Giang, and the mountain areas felt unreal at times. The scale of the landscapes, the rice fields, it all felt so incredibly cinematic naturally.
Oman was the total opposite in the best possible way. Everything felt quiet, open, and very visually rich. The light is just incredible, especially during sunrise and sunset. Photographing there felt much slower and more thoughtful compared to most places Iâve visited. I spent a lot more time simply observing the scenery and waiting for the right conditions instead of constantly reacting quickly like I would in a busy city. The desert especially has a calmness thatâs difficult to explain unless you experience it yourself.
Is there a particular photographic technique or visual element you find yourself constantly drawn back to in your work?
The rest, 5 more questions of this Interview + an additional exclusive photograph selection, are for Premium subscribers only.
Meikeâs New 56mm f/1.7 APS-C Portrait Prime
Meike has officially launched the latest addition to its Air Series lineup, the Meike Air AF 56mm f/1.7 for Sony E-mount cameras, which was first shown publicly at CP+ 2026 earlier this year.
The lens is launching first for Sony E-mount, although Nikon Z- and Fujifilm X-mount versions are also on the way.
On APS-C cameras, the 56mm focal length gives a full-frame equivalent field of view of roughly 84mm, putting it into classic portrait territory. Combined with the f/1.7 aperture, the lens is designed around shallow depth-of-field shooting and softer background blur.
Optically, the Air AF 56mm f/1.7 uses an 11-element, 7-group construction. According to Meike, the design is intended to balance overall sharpness while also helping reduce flare and chromatic aberration. The company also says it has worked on maintaining more consistent colour across the frame, although real-world testing will obviously tell the full story there.
Autofocus is handled by an STM stepping motor, which has become pretty common in hybrid-focused lenses because of its smoother and quieter focusing behaviour during video recording. Meike says the lens supports eye-detection and subject-tracking autofocus on compatible camera bodies while also helping minimise focus breathing during focus pulls.
The lens has a minimum focusing distance of 0.55 meters (1.8 feet) and takes standard 52mm front filters. In terms of length, the lens measures 66.5 mm.
The Meike Air AF 56mm f/1.7 APS-C lens is available for Sony E-mount cameras in both black and white finishes, with pricing at $159. Nikon Z- and Fujifilm X-mount versions are also planned, although Meike has not confirmed an exact release date for those models yet.
A few sample shots:
Photography Tip of the Week
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Photo Analysis
Welcome to the part of the Magazine Issue where we take a closer look at a photo and analyse it so that you can learn and better your own photography from it ;)
Photo by: @moumarion
Letâs Analyse this Photo
Composition & Framing
What works well:
Our subject, in this case the umbrella, is placed very well. It sits right in the brighter part of the frame and becomes the obvious focal point almost instantly.
The tram on the left acts as a huge framing element â it basically creates a dark wall that pushes your attention toward the street, umbrella and background.
The tram tracks/road create some leading lines that guide your eye deeper into the city behind.
Depth is pretty good too I would say. You go from the dark foreground/tram â umbrella â blurry traffic and pedestrians â buildings all the way in the distance â bright sky. The compression and blur give the photo an even better sense of that atmosphere and space.
What could be better:
The left side is very heavy visually. It works stylistically, but it also dominates a huge portion of the frame.
The brightest area in the background there, slightly competes with the umbrella for attention (but it definitely makes for good subject-background separation/it makes the umbrella really pop!).
Texture
What works well:
Texture plays a really important role here, especially on the umbrella (personally, this is my favourite aspect of the photo, I am a huge fan of texture in general) â the raindrops catching the light give it a very tactile feel.
The wet asphalt texture is also pretty great. The slight reflections and shimmer on the road make everything feel more damp and alive.
The softer textures in the blurry background contrast nicely with the sharp textures in the foreground.
What could be better:
A lot of (possibly great) texture gets lost in the very deep shadows on the left side.
Some of the road texture in the darker foreground (near the corners) disappears because the blacks are pushed quite heavily.
Light & Atmosphere
What works well:
The atmosphere is another great part. The rain, wet streets, bokeh, and muted city tones create a cinematic atmosphere.
The wet road reflections subtly brighten the lower half of the frame and add depth.
The background blur combined with the glowing lights gives the photo a dreamy quality.
What could be better:
The background is quite bright and flat compared to the darker foreground, which slightly weakens separation in some areas.
As mentioned before, some of the shadows on the left side are so deep that detail completely disappears.
Colour & Tone
What works well:
Our colour palette is relatively restrained and moody. Mostly cool tones with small warm pops from the traffic lights and street lamps here and there.
The red bokeh lights in the background are a nice touch and help break up the cooler palette.
What could be better:
The photo does lean into that dark teal/blue tone edit, which can feel a bit over-graded, but that completely depends on personal taste (some people absolutely love it, some donât).
Some midtones feel slightly crushed, especially around the tram and darker building areas.
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Photographer of the Week
Photographer of the week goes to: Sere
You can find her on Instagram as: @komorebi_594
A few photos of hers:
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The Rest of this Issue is for Premium Subscribers
