📸 SNAPSHOT - Issue 77
Welcome to a brand new Issue of my Magazine. A truly brilliant one, enjoy the read :)
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In this Issue
TTArtisan’s New 40mm f/2 Lens - A Closer Look
TTArtisan has added a new lens to its autofocus lineup with the AF 40mm f/2, a compact full-frame prime available for Sony E and Nikon Z mounts. An L-mount version is on the way, but for now it’s just these two systems getting the slightly unusual 40mm focal length. It sits between the more common 35mm and 50mm, giving a natural perspective that works well for street photography, travel, environmental portraits, and general everyday shooting. On APS-C bodies it acts more like a short telephoto, around 60mm equivalent.
Optically, the AF 40mm f/2 uses nine elements in six groups, including two high-index elements to improve contrast and sharpness, one extra-low dispersion (ED) element to reduce chromatic aberrations, and one aspherical element to keep distortion under control and maintain clarity across the frame.
The aperture has seven blades and ranges from f/2 to f/16. You can focus as close as 0.4 meters (15.7 inches), which gives a maximum magnification of about 0.1x. That’s not enough for macro work, but close enough for small products or detail shots.
The body is made from 5052 aviation-grade aluminum, so it feels solid without being heavy. The Sony E version weighs 167g (5.9 oz), and the Nikon Z version is slightly heavier at 176g (6.2 oz). It’s 44mm long, 61mm in diameter, and takes standard 52mm screw-in filters. TTArtisan includes a metal, petal-shaped lens hood in the box. There’s no weather sealing, so while it should handle day-to-day shooting fine, it is not one you’d want to take out in heavy rain.
Autofocus is driven by a stepping motor (STM) paired with a lead screw mechanism, which is generally quiet and smooth. The aperture ring is clicked rather than stepless, giving tactile feedback for photographers who like manual control. For firmware updates, there’s a USB-C port integrated into the rear lens cap, so users can update the lens without buying extra accessories. Pricing for the new lens is currently at $168.
A few sample shots:
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Interview with Carlo Cafferini
This week’s Interview with Carlo, a photographer from Italy. I am truly honoured to have had the opportunity to interview him!
You can find him on Instagram as: @carlocafferini
Enjoy the amazing Interview ;)
Can you tell us a bit about yourself ?
I'm Carlo, 39 years old from Piacenza, northern Italy, but I live in Pisa, the city of the famous leaning tower, since 2010. I'm passionate about photography (of course!) and architecture, especially contemporary one, although I never did architectural studies.
How did you get into photography?
I started taking photos in my teen years, during family travels around France, Spain and Portugal. My uncles are both skilled and passionate photographers, so I easily fell in love with photography. In the beginning I had a rickety film camera, then moved to digital reflex in 2010.
How do you approach storytelling through your photos?
I think there are two main approaches regarding storytelling. The first one is to have an idea, a concept, a project in mind and so the story starts from a good planning, thinking about a fitting location and possible elements that can add value to the concept and strenghten the narration. The second approach is the more spontaneous way, my favourite: I go to a place to take pictures, I see something that captures my attention and then from the first picture (or pictures) I develop a story. What I want from my images is to make people feel that they're inside the scene: breathing the salty air of a seastorm, feeling the rain during a rainfall, mesmerizing in front of a surreal sunset. I try to tell a story involving as few elements as possible, minimalism is the way.
How has your photography style evolved since you first started?
When I started "getting serious" about photography, I focused myself on architectural and minimalist photography. At that time I worked in a printing center, near the faculty of Engineering, so clients were mostly engineering/architecture students and firms. This working experience deeply influenced my photography growth: having architectural projects in my hands and speaking with such type of clients every day contributed to my style of taking pictures. Even if I explored different photography genres through the years (recently I focused more on landscape and wildlife photography), the architectural influence never abandoned me. I think there's a bit of architecture also in my recent nature/wildlife photos: certain compositions, with huge tree-lined roads and tiny animals passing by, remind me of my first architectural photos, where I usually put in comparison the majesty of structures and buildings with the smallness of human being.
How do you capture emotion in your photos?
What I usually try to do is to present reality (aside from the photographic genre) in a moody way. Talking about mood means to me to look for particular weather conditions or a particular light that can convey feelings or transmit certain sensations. I love, for example, the early mornings in the park, when the first sun rays filter through the branches of the trees, the surreal and dreamy mood of a foggy day, the alluring charm of a storm on the sea, the human struggle under a heavy rainfall...Minimalism is also important to me: a lonely human figure or silhouette, a solitary tree, a colored umbrella in a gloomy day...the less the better. This way I think emotions are conveyed more directly.
What gear do you use?
I have always used Nikon since the beginning. At the moment I have a full frame Nikon D850. My favourite and most used lenses are 14-24mm and 70-300mm. I occasionally use a 24-85mm + tripod for long exposures, such as in case of lightning shots and a 150-600mm (Sigma) for wildlife photography.
What are your thoughts on street photography?
I have to say that street photography isn't exactly my main photographic genre, but it's surely a kind of photography that I like and probably the one that more inspires my creativity. Compared to other types of photography, maybe more technical and linked to planning, street photography is more spontaneous. The variables involved are uncountable, I like the idea to go out and don't know what will happen and which photos I will take home.
What backup systems do you have in place in case of equipment failure during a shoot?
I admit that I'm not so prepared in case of accidents. I often find myself in “uncomfortable” weather situations while shooting, during rainfalls or seastorms. I already damaged my previous camera, due to a big wave and salt water seepage. The only thing I can do is cover my camera the best possible and pray that the tropicalisation works well. Regarding the eventual loss of photos, due to a malfunctioning of the SD memory card, I have never experienced it since now, but my camera allows the use of a second slot for a CFexpress card, as backup during the shooting. This type of card can be really expensive and since I essentially shoot out of passion, I haven't worried too much about it yet.
How do you approach photographing strangers in public spaces, do you ask permission or shoot discreetly?
I'm a discreet person, some would say shy, so it's very difficult that I approach directly a stranger. I avoid taking photos where people are clearly recognisable and I often shoot with a telephoto lens at great distance. When instead I shoot with a great angle lens, I like to play with shadows, hats, hoods, umbrellas, all that can be useful to hide the identity of a person. I prefer to act this way also for an obvious reason: if I'm in the middle of a storm shooting a stranger running under the rain, what should I do? I take the photo and then run behind him to ask permission? Who would consider me in a moment like that?
Is there a type of photography or genre you haven’t explored yet but would like to?
Macro photography is a genre that I would like to explore more, probably due to my preference for telephoto lenses and the idea to "move near" to a subject and make it bigger in the frame. I like the way macro photography can show an ordinary subject, like a water drop or a tiny insect, in an extraordinary shape, opening the doors to a hidden and wonderful world.
What does photography mean to you?
Photography is a breath of fresh air to me, it is and has been a lifeline in difficult periods of my life. All my memories of the last years are linked in some way with a photographic anecdote or a specific photo. Photography is the way I express myself, my photos are a mirror of my mood of the moment, they offer a key to understanding my feelings and thoughts. Photography is also sharing and connecting with other people around the world.
Do you have a favourite time of day or weather condition?
I'm not a great fan of clear blue skies and sunny Summer days, on the contrary I love bad weather conditions: rainfalls, lightnings, seastorms, spectacular clouds...I think these kinds of conditions are by far the most interesting, a real goldmine in terms of photographic ideas. Anyway in street photography also the sun can be a good ally: I like to play with shadows and strong contrasts. Fog is another weather condition that I love, but very uncommon where I live now. It's that side of nature that more places the reality near to the dream: it reshapes ordinary things and well-known places, giving them a surreal touch. If I still lived in my hometown Piacenza, in the North of Italy, it would probably be one of my main subjects.
How do you define street photography in your own terms?
I would say 'face to face with the unexpected'. It's a wide photographic genre that despite its narrow definition can be practised wherever you want, with a huge variety of subjects, sometimes playing also with the absence of it. It allows me to show my personal vision of the world and what I have around, a constantly changing vision, depending on what is happening in front of my eyes, the subjects involved in the situation or even just depending on my mood and what I feel that day. The last point is decisive: the same situation seen by the eyes of two photographers will lead, perhaps, to completely different images, because each photographer interprets reality and situations in his own way and style.
Do you have a specific location or city that you think offers the best opportunities for street photography?
At the moment the main set of my photos is the city of Pisa, where I live. It surely offers some nice spots for street photography (and not only). I like to shoot mainly in Lungarni, the roads running along the river Arno, that divides the city in two parts, Tramontana and Mezzogiorno. The old style street lamps and the beautiful palaces overlooking the river add some mood and are a perfect scenery to the shots. Another place that I love is Piazza dei Miracoli, with its surprising architectural wonders. It is always overcrowded with tourists, a bad thing for some kind of photos, but a perfect condition for street photography with all the potential subjects and situations you can find there. Stepping out of my comfort zone, geographically speaking, other cities where I loved to shoot are Milano and Lisboa. Milano, where I took my degree, is a city with a charming contrast between its contemporary and financial side and on the other side a millenary history and ancient architectures. Lisboa, that I visited several times, has the unique charme of a seaside city, with its old 'Elétricos' running up and down the hills and the old peeling facades full of hanging clothes everywhere.
What are your thoughts on AI in photography?
I never used it, so my opinion is based on feelings only. I think that AI will be of huge help in certain photographic fields, where the use of retouching and composite images can be massive. I think mostly about photography for commercial uses, like advertising, food, fashion... At the same time I'm a bit scared about the potential damage to other photographic genres, that should be candid, like street and wildlife photography. The wrong use of this technology could create distrust and let people think that every image is fake.
Any tips for beginners?
I don't think I am in the position to teach something, but I can suggest what I did in the beginning and continue to do nowadays: take some photos every day, or at least every time you have the occasion. Daily practice becomes experience. Regarding street photography, choose a theme or a concept and then try to take photos fitting the subject. Or simply go to a place and look at which situation could attract your attention and your eye.
Are you a professional photographer or is it just a hobby?
I'm not a professional, I'm just an amateur photographer with a limitless passion for photography. I trained myself as a self-taught photographer, so I think my photography isn't very technical, but more instinctive and the result of years of practice. Of course I thought many times to do the jump into void, but I still haven't find the right motivation: anyway I know for sure that photography is among the things that have given me more satisfaction and gifted me the most exciting experiences of my life.
What do you love most about photography?
I think my photography is essentially instinctive, I rarely go to a place with a precise idea in mind: as a consequence one thing that I love is the excitement that I feel while taking photos, you never know which situation could come in front of your eyes and what photos will you return home with. Of course there are photos that must be thought of and planned in advance, for example moon photos, but it's a kind of photography that I practice every now and then and usually with friends. I'm more a solitary guy, for certain kinds of photos I prefer to be just me and my camera (for example when I take wildlife photos in the beautiful natural park near my city), I love to be alone in the middle of the forest and to be the only witness of the beauty of nature. But photography is also connection and sharing of emotions, knowledge, experiences and it's great to take photos with friends and other passionates.
Where do you see your photography career heading in the next 5 years?
I'm not good at making long-term plans, I usually prefer to live and see what life has in store for me. That said, I thought many times about doing a "jump into the void" making my photography a work. Hopefully this life-long dream will be reality in the next future.
What’s a dream project or location you’d love to shoot someday?
The rest, 6 more questions, of this Interview are for Premium subscribers only.
A Polaroid SX-70 Inspired Folding Camera
Chinese camera brand 10Art.CC is working on a foldable instant camera called the Pocket Fold 66, directly inspired by the legendary Polaroid SX-70. At first glance, it sounds like just another retro revival, but the company insists it’s not simply a ‘‘modernised’’ SX-70. Instead, they say it’s been built completely from the ground up, with every major system redesigned.
The optics, electronics, and mechanical transmission have all been re-engineered, and the only part carried over from the SX-70 is the folding structure itself, which 10Art CC calls “extremely compact and clever”.
The SX-70, launched in 1972 and produced until 1981, was a folding single-lens reflex camera that used Polaroid’s instant film and became sort of a design icon. It was the first SLR to use integral instant film, and it folded flat to fit into a coat pocket, something no other SLR had done at the time. More than 40 years after production ended, it still has a devoted following thanks to its tactile mechanics, unique optical system, and the look of Polaroid film. That legacy is what 10Art.CC is hoping to tap into.
The Pocket Fold 66 is still in development, but the company says it will be built from aviation-grade aluminium alloy and feature a newly designed 110mm f/5.6 Macro 1x aspherical lens. The lens will focus from 15 centimetres (5.9 inches) to infinity, and the camera will include an optical viewfinder, automatic metering with exposure compensation, and a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery. In terms of size, the original Polaroid SX-70 measures 180 by 105 by 43 millimetres (7.1 by 4.1 by 1.7 inches) when folded, whereas the Pocket Fold 66 is expected to be slightly more compact at 160 by 100 by 45 millimetres (6.3 by 3.9 by 1.8 inches).
No official product photos have been shown yet, so right now buyers are going in blind. The company has opened a limited presale for 200 photographers at 4,399 Chinese yuan (about $613 USD), with the eventual retail price set at 4,999 yuan (around $700 USD). Preorders are currently being handled directly through customer service rather than an online store, which makes this feel more like a soft launch to a small, dedicated group. There’s no firm release date, but 10Art.CC says it plans to start shipping sometime later this year.
Something You Have To Check Out
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Photography Tip of the Week
The weekly photography tip is only accessible to Premium Subscribers of The Magazine For Photographers.
Photo Analysis
Welcome to the new 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: @jorgemchagas
Let’s Analyse this Image:
Light & Atmosphere
What works well:
The light is coming in from high behind the tram, which gives the scene that sort of clean yet slightly hazy look you get in the morning which is very nice as it gives you a ‘‘sense of time’’.
The yellow of the tram works against the cooler, more muted tones of the cobblestones and the shaded areas. That colour contrast/pop draws the eye straight to our subject.
The highlights running along the tram rails are a nice detail, they’re leading the viewer into the frame straight to our subject. And that little shimmer is what makes the rails feel special and visually interesting.
I like the way the buildings and street surfaces have a bit of texture from the dappled light. It breaks up the monotony of the shadows and adds some depth and interest without distracting from the tram.
What could be better:
The sky up in the background is a bit bright. It’s pulling a some attention away from the tram. Bringing it down a stop or so would make the tram feel even more like the main character. Another possible option would have been to simply catch the tram a little sooner (further away from the light).
On the front of the tram, the light shifts quite abruptly from shadow to bright. A softer transition there would feel a bit more natural to the eye as you look from the street surface/leading lines onto the tram.
Composition & Framing
What works well:
The tram rails are doing basically all the compositional work. They start way down in the foreground and naturally pull your eye up to the tram. It is a great use of the tracks and it transforms this ‘‘ordinary’’ scene into something more interesting and special. Tram tracks work especially great as leading lines since they literally go directly to your subject.
Another cool thing about this photos is the depth from having the foreground out of focus but the tram tack-sharp. That drop-off really helps you feel the distance between you and the subject.
There is nice layering here too: the foreground, the tram and cars in the midground, the buildings framing everything and then the far background.
What could be better:
The foreground being so prominent works for depth and does exaggerate the leading lines in a nice way, but it also starts to overwhelm and it creates a bit of visual imbalance (ever so slightly). Not getting quite so close to the ground or tilting the camera up a bit could have fixed that.
The left side is a little tight where the parked car gets cut off. Repositioning or taking the shot a bit sooner/later could have been an option. To be fair however, it would have been tricky to get it all right: the shadow/light area, the leading lines, no cut-off etc.
Emotion & Story
What works well:
The tram instantly puts us in a specific place, Lisbon. And because it’s one of those classic/iconic yellow ones, it has this built-in nostalgia.
The road being completely clear (no cars driving, no people walking) gives the image a sense of calm. It does feel like a quiet morning in the city before everything gets busy (the light helps to get that point across as well).
What could be better:
It would be nice to have a ‘‘human element’’ somewhere. Maybe inside the tram, someone looking out or their window, a cyclist maybe. Even though that would clash a little with the positive thing I noted before (the empty streets create a sense of calm), it would add a bit of life and make the viewer feel more connected as well as give the shot a second layer beyond just “tram on a street.”
Color & Tone
What works well:
The yellow of the tram really pops against the rest of the image, which is mostly neutral greys and browns. As noted before, that pop pulls your eyes in instantly.
The overall tonality is nice, there’s still detail in the shadows, and the contrast is strong without being harsh.
I like the cooler tones in the cobblestones, they work well to balance out the warmth of the tram and upper building.
What could be better:
Some of the shadows, feel a bit flat. A touch more contrast there could give them more depth.
The tram’s strong yellow is nice , but it does feel slightly overdone. Sure, it makes it pop more, but some people might prefer a more natural, slightly muted tone that feels closer to what you would see in person. Me personally, I am a fan of the colour pop.
The highlights on the right-hand pavement could be brought down a little so they don’t fight for attention with the tram.
Photographer of the Week
Photographer of the week goes to: Anthony
You can find him on Instagram as: @shades_visions.studio
A few photos of his:
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From Italy to a Nasdaq Reservation
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The Rest of this Issue is for Premium Subscribers
