Featured Photographer: hughf.

2012, Guest Post, Inspiration

Photography has saved me, my life.

—hughf.

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hughf

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About.

39 yrs old. Lives in Paris, France. Began working at age 16, and since the age of 19 has worked as a salesman in different places. Currently works 6 days a week, which leaves him with “not enough time” to practice his passion.

Cameras.

Leica M9 and Canon 5D M2 (for tele work with the 135/2 L). He views his gear as “like a little treasure”.

What’s important.

“My Family is my Heart.”

Interesting fact.

Has a twin brother.

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It is my great honour today to feature an exceptional photographer, Hugues, known online by his artistic name, hughf.

I met Hugues almost two years ago, when he contacted me to request advice about Leica gear. Little did I know that the polite and humble person with whom I was communicating possessed a sensitive and powerful photographic vision that would later leave me in awe.

Hugues has that rare ability to see in the most profound sense, and his imagery is imbued with passion and intelligence. If you’ve never seen his photographs before, you’re in for a real treat.

What follows, therefore, are the truly inspirational images, and the brutally honest words, of hughf.

—Peter.

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**Words and text, courtesy of hughf.**

My life has been very confused, and I have done a lot of mistakes during this long period…

I have tried to have a “classic life”, with a good Job and a Person to Love when I was 23.

…But this history has been for me like a “nightmare”

And ever since, I live alone. It is my own choice.

With too much of Work and Alcohol, and I have lived like a “Wolf”…

A bit like my father in fact…

Well sorry to tell you all this, but it has a true importance for the rest, in fact…because Photography has saved me, my life.

Today I really want to have a life with a nice perspective…

With a better health (mental and physical), and the fact to think and practice this passion is better than anything else… When I shoot, I walk a lot and my mind is very aware (I have positive things in my mind )…

… and finally, to make this, it is if I do some sport and have something which [makes me] passionate. I think that it is so important to [find] a way and a passion to become better…

… I don’t have a particular style… But I really like to have my pictures very clean and clear… I think that I am very direct and frontal and I like to have the minimum Things or Person in my compositions….I like moody pictures and B&W of course, and it is for this I compose and frame my shots for giving some shapes and structures…. Nothing very new !!!

But the difference now, is I don’t shoot for shooting…. And more important again, I present only a few pictures that I truly like, technically and “artistically” speaking… For me, what you show and propose to others is like a bit of your soul.

A last thing about my motivation on the Photography: Finally, even if I am a little “wolf”… I am very glad to share my passion and pictures with some Person which are important and very interesting to me…
Speaking with someone about things and passion which are interesting for both is I think the Key of the Life …

Tomorrow: hughf

2012, Guest Post, Inspiration, Portrait

Tomorrow I will be featuring the photographic work of hughf – a true artist.

Stay tuned.

—Peter.

Alex’s teaching session.

2012, Guest Post, Inspiration, Nikon, Portrait, Teaching point

Today’s image comes from Alex, who signed up for a one-on-one teaching session with me.

Isn’t this image great?… It’s an impromptu street portrait taken yesterday, while we were on our photography lesson walkabout.

Now, I can’t promise that everybody will be able to take as nice a shot as this after spending 2 hrs with me (Alex is a natural), but I do promise that I’ll try to improve your photography skills to the best of my ability.

So, if you’re interested in signing up for a no-pressure, one-on-one photography shooting session with me, please click here.

Thanks Alex!

—Peter.

(please click on the image to view)

↑Nikon D40 with Nikon 35mm f/1.8 DX AF-S @ f/2.

Guest Post [2]: Mark develops film for the first time.

2012, Film, Guest Post, Inspiration, Portrait, Q&A, Teaching point

I received this email from Mark this morning and his enthusiasm was so infectious, I just had to make it today’s post. And of course, the images speak for themselves.

Well Peter,

I did it!!

Thanks to your direction and encouragement, I have developed my first roll of B&W film.

Attached below are a few of the results.

I realize they are scratched and full of flaws (flaring and such…) but…I think they are incredible!

I realize I am biased, however; I wanted to take the time to thank you for your efforts in getting me (and hopefully many others!) to this point.

There is nothing quite like the feeling that producing something like this brings…

I am now certain that I am “The (second…) Most Interesting Man in the World” (Dos Equis anyone?? I’ll leave the top spot to you…for now.)

…Mosquitos refuse to bite me, purely out of respect. I can now live vicariously through…myself.

🙂

Anyway, these are shot on a Zeiss Ikon, with a 50 lux 1.4; mostly at 1.4 or 2 with an ND Filter. The film is T-max 400, and they were scanned on the Plustek 7600 (currently on special at B&H!)

Anyway, all the best…I hope we can meet in person some day soon.

Mark, these are so full of LIFE. Wonderful work my friend…

If I had a small part in making this happen, I am honoured.

—Peter.

[Note: For other readers interested in learning about how I process B& W film, please click here.]

Guest Post [1]: Life’s Little Moments.

2012, Guest Post, Inspiration, Life's Little Moments, Portrait

For the first time on this site, I’ve decided to post another photographer’s work.

Luiz Paulo emailed me yesterday (see message below) and, after clicking on his links, two of his images caught my eye and made me think, “I wish I had taken that” — which is the highest form of praise I can convey to a fellow photographer.

In fact, these two images are so in keeping with my personal philosophy of capturing the beauty of Life’s Little Moments, that I was inspired to create this, the inaugural:

Guest Post of Life’s Little Moments,

by Luiz Paulo:

Hi Peter.

May I introduce myself: my name is Luiz Paulo, and I’m from Brazil.

I’d like to humbly say your work is so great and inspiring that it has encouraged me to use a range finder system to capture “Life’s Little Moments“, like you say. Being a father of a young child, I know it wouldn’t be an easy task (by technical issues which you certainly know better than I do). On the other hand, it’s not so difficult as I’d supposed — and the results are better than I could expect.

I think you have a special site where great ideas can emerge. Congratulations on your nice work.

If it doesn’t bother you, please check out my last photos at LFI Kids Category and LFI M9 Master Shots (I’m registered as “furia”).

All the best,

Luiz Paulo

Dear Luiz,

What a wonderful message to receive! Thank you so much.

I think you truly understand what it means to capture “Life’s Little Moments” and it’s obvious your beautiful daughter has served as a wonderful inspiration for you.

I enjoyed viewing all of your images, but I would have to say the two images I’ve posted here are my favourites. There is something very “poetic” about them and I congratulate you for having captured them with such visual eloquence: