📸 The Magazine For Photographers

Welcome to a brand new Issue of my Magazine. A Christmas special, enjoy the read :)

December 29, 2024

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In this Week's Issue

A Modern 4×5 Film Camera

Zhuoyao Chen and her partner, both big fans of large-format cameras, made the leap from frustrated photographers to inventors. Originally from China and now based in Tokyo, the two found existing large-format camera options lacking in ways that really mattered to them. So, like many dedicated hobbyists, they decided to just build their own. That passion project eventually turned into the Smartflex Camera—a clever, lightweight camera aimed at making large-format photography less intimidating, especially for newcomers.

The idea was straightforward: create something that’s simple to use, portable, and doesn’t break the bank (well, relatively speaking—it’s still a large-format camera). They leaned on 3D printing to keep the size, weight, and cost down, and things got rolling earlier this year. The first prototype was based on a Pentax 6×7 SMC 165mm f/2.8 lens, but the lens turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. Instead of tweaking it, they decided to go all in and design their own lens from scratch. After some trial and error, they landed on a 178mm f/2.5 lens, which works like a 50mm standard lens—super versatile for pretty much any kind of photography.

Chen calls the design “purposeful,” meaning everything on the Smartflex has a job, and there’s no fluff. The camera is made of carbon-fiber panels, CNC-machined aluminum, and 3D-printed parts, making it surprisingly lightweight at just 2,150 grams (4.7 pounds). That’s not bad for a large-format camera, which are usually built like tanks.

What really sets the Smartflex apart, though, is its flexibility. It’s not just for film photographers. You can attach your smartphone to it using a depth-of-field adapter they designed, which lets you take photos or even videos using your phone’s camera and the Smartflex’s beautiful focusing screen.

Of course, designing and building a camera like this doesn’t come cheap. On Kickstarter, you can pre-order the camera and lens bundle for $2,900, and after the campaign ends, the price goes up to $3,400. Sure, it’s not pocket change, but in the world of large-format photography, it’s not outrageous either.

The Kickstarter campaign isn’t just about funding; it’s also a way to see how much interest there really is. Spoiler alert: there’s a lot. With 26 days left to go, they’ve raised nearly $160,000—absolutely crushing their original goal of $30,489.

The Smartflex is expected to ship to backers in March 2025, and you can follow their journey on Kickstarter or Instagram if you want to stay in the loop.

Image credits: Smartflex

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Interview with Bruno Sousa

This week’s Interview yet with another amazing street photographer from Portugal named Bruno Sousa.

You can find Bruno on Instagram as: @the.brunosousa.view

Enjoy the amazing Interview ;)

Can you tell us a bit about yourself ?

I'm Bruno, I'm 42 years old and I was born in the city of Porto, I love taking photos and walking, which is perfect because I can combine two things I like and take photos around the city

How did you get into photography?

I gained a taste for photography a little late, only at the age of 35 or 36 with the purchase of a Huawei p9 lite, as is well known, Huawei has always been focused on photography, without really knowing how I found myself in a photography group from Huawei, it was here that my love for photography began to be born, I saw what they posted and thought about it for myself, I would like to  take some photos like that, from then on I started taking photos and I never stopped until now.

How do you approach storytelling through your photos?

Apart from a specific case, I don't usually have the typical approach that every photo has to have a story to tell, I like to photograph freely, I go for a walk around the city and just photograph what I like, be it people, monuments, landscape, the only thing I really like is fog, so I like the photos to always have that mysterious atmosphere.

How do you define street photography in your own terms?

I usually say that street photography is the moment, you take the photo at that moment and it is unique, you can try to recreate it but it will never be exactly the same, we are left with moments that are ours forever.

What attracts you to street photography compared to other types of photography?

What attracts me is that sometimes in street photography it's all a matter of seconds, if you miss that window of time you won't get it back, but when you get the click in the perfect timing and see that it turned out the way you wanted it gives a great feeling of accomplishment.

How do you capture emotion in your photos?

Capturing emotions in a photo has a lot to do with what you can photograph, for example, people's expressions whether happy or sad or displays of affection like kisses or hugs, I think it's the best way to convey emotions in photography

What are your favourite shooting conditions?

My favourite conditions for shooting are with fog, rainy days so I can make my reflections, a type of photos I really like to take, cloudy days, and at sunset and sunrise.

Is there a type of photography or genre you haven’t explored yet but would like to?

Yes, I would like to explore more photographing people, portraits and starting to do photo sessions, I recently did my first photo session and I liked it but it is definitely the type of photography that I am least comfortable doing and that I need to explore more.

What does photography mean to you?

Photography is very important for me, it is my escape from the daily routine, it is my natural therapy so to speak and in addition it has allowed me to meet a lot of people, some of whom I can call friends.

Do you have a specific location or city that you think offers the best opportunities for street photography?

Yes, in the historic center of the city of Porto, the streets and alleys with the city's residents are a perfect setting for street photography in Porto

How important is lighting in photography?

Light is the most important element in photography.  The word "photography" comes from the Greek and means "to draw with light", which highlights its relevance, we have different types of light, natural, artificial, continous or blinking, which allow to explored the varied styles of photography, As a photographer, understanding and mastering light allows you to create impactful images and tell visually powerful stories.

How important is composition?

The rest, 10 more questions, of this Interview are for Premium subscribers only.

Halide Mark III - Attention Smartphone Photographers

The team behind Halide, the popular iPhone camera app, and Kino, the award-winning mobile video app, just gave us a sneak peek at what’s coming in Halide Mark III. Lux, the duo of Ben Sandofsky (developer) and Sebastiaan de With (designer), is aiming to release the new version next year—fingers crossed!

With such a small team, big updates take time, and waiting months for feedback can be risky. To bridge the gap, they’ve launched a new Discord for Halide and Kino users. It’s not just for feedback—it’s a space to share tips, post photos, and join a 52-week photography challenge in 2025. Complete all the challenges, and you could win some exclusive Halide and Kino swag. Or just hang out and connect with other fans—it’s up to you.

Now, on to Halide Mark III. One of the most exciting updates is color grading. Lux has been experimenting with custom image processing for years, like the natural look of Process Zero. Users have been begging for one-tap color grading like Kino’s, and now it’s coming to Halide—complete with the ability to import custom looks.

Another big change is a fresh take on HDR photography. Halide’s current Process Zero doesn’t support HDR, partly because they’re not fans of the over-the-top look many cameras produce. They’re waiting for a better solution, and with iOS 18 introducing Adaptive HDR, it looks like the timing is finally right.

Halide Mark III will also get a full redesign, with the new interface built around features like HDR and color grading. Lux hasn’t shared any previews yet but promises it’ll be gorgeous and intuitive.

As for when it’s dropping, Lux is aiming for 2025. But if you’re a Halide subscriber, you’ll get early access to new features through their Discord as soon as they’re ready.

Image credits: Lux

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 ;)

Let’s Analyse this Photo

Composition

Positive Aspects:

  • Rule of Thirds: The photo does a great job following the rule of thirds, with the boats in the foreground and the cliff creating a strong vertical element on the right.

  • Depth: There’s a nice sense of depth here, with the boat in the foreground, the water in the middle, and the cliffs in the background.

  • Leading Lines: The lines of the boats naturally guide your eyes through the frame, pulling your attention toward the cliffs and distant boats.

  • Balance: The boats are placed well, creating a balanced composition that doesn’t feel too heavy on one side.

Negative Aspects:

  • Crowding: Having so many boats in the frame makes things feel a little cluttered, which takes away from having a single, clear focal point.

  • Framing: The foreground boat on the right is slightly cut off, which makes the shot feel a little tight.

Lighting

Positive Aspects:

  • Natural Lighting: The soft, warm daylight gives the scene a nice mood and makes the blues of the water and the cliff textures pop.

  • Highlight Detail: The lighting creates some subtle reflections on the water, adding texture and movement to the scene.

Negative Aspects:

  • Harsh Shadows: There are some hard shadows on the foreground boat, especially near the roof and interior, which hide a bit of detail.

  • Flatness in the Background: The cliffs have even lighting, but it’s a little flat—it could use more dramatic shadows or highlights to bring out their texture and scale.

Color

Positive Aspects:

  • Vivid Colors: The colors are super vibrant, with a nice mix of blues, whites, and greens that make the image feel lively and inviting.

  • Water Color: The turquoise water is especially stunning and adds a tropical vibe to the scene.

Negative Aspects:

  • Saturation: While the colors are striking, they feel a little overdone, especially in the water and boats. Dialing them back slightly might make the scene feel more natural.

Technical Elements

Positive Aspects:

  • Sharpness: The image is sharp, and all the details in the boats and cliffs are clear and easy to see.

  • Exposure: The exposure is well-balanced, with no areas that feel too bright or too dark.

Negative Aspects:

  • Depth of Field: Everything is in focus, which is fine, but adding some background blur could make the boats stand out more.

  • Lens Distortion: The wide-angle lens causes a bit of distortion around the edges, which throws off the balance slightly.

Photography Tip of the Week

The weekly photography tip is only accessible to Premium Subscribers of The Magazine For Photographers.

Photographer of the Week

Photographer of the week goes to: Sam O’Shaughnessy

You can find him on Instagram as: @snapsbysamosh

A couple of his images:

Don’t forget to check out the advertisement up top ⬆️

Sandisk’s Logo Redesign

After a string of hardware issues that hurt its reputation, Sandisk is attempting to reset its image with a full rebrand, including a new logo. The redesign also marks a shift in branding, with the company now spelling its name as “Sandisk” instead of “SanDisk.” The updated wordmark, which follows a trend of removing elements from typefaces, has drawn mixed reactions.

According to Sandisk, the new logo is part of a broader effort to relaunch the brand as an independent flash memory innovator by 2025. Joel Davis, Sandisk’s Vice President of Creative, described the design as inspired by the potential of data and the company’s commitment to progress. The new logo, he said, reflects speed, efficiency, and collaboration, starting with a single pixel and evolving into a futuristic wordmark.

New Logo

Sandisk partnered with ELA Advertising, a Los Angeles-based agency, to create the new branding. ELA’s CEO, Andre Filip, described the logo as representing how people interact with technology and data, adding that it aims to feel modern and forward-thinking.

The public response has been surprisingly positive. Many comments on the logo’s unveiling video praised the design, calling it innovative and one of the year’s standout rebrands. On social media, some even suggested the redesign might influence their purchasing decisions, though others remain skeptical of choosing storage products based on aesthetics alone.

Image credits: San Disk

The Rest of this Issue is for Premium Subscribers

The Premium Version of this Magazine is now on a ‘‘Pay What you Want’’ model. Meaning you get to decide the price.