A weeks skiing in La Plagne; the French Alps and some ramblings about FUji and film.
The view from Les Colosses.
There’s something very different about photographing in snow-covered mountains compared to anywhere else. It comes with its own challenges, but it’s incredibly rewarding and carries a kind of magic that’s hard to beat. If I were to try to explain it, I’d say it’s the juxtaposition of adventure and serene calm that the environment offers. And then there’s the fact that I could take the same image year after year, and it would always look a little different.
After sharing a few of these shots the other day over on Instagram, I received a few comments about the “retro vibe.” I’ve definitely found myself gravitating more and more towards film tones in recent years, they’re hard to beat. In fact, the first editing style I developed when I started my career was heavily inspired by Kodak Gold, and luckily gone are the days of relying on photoshop to emulate this.
A couple of years ago, I once again succumbed to the Fuji hype and picked up a Fuji X100 something (I’ve lost track of the models!) for about a year. I’d previously owned an XT and loved both of them. Shooting with Fuji certainly got me photographing for me again. Thanks to the recipes, I really relished the live, creative shooting style, being able to see the finished result straight through the viewfinder and guide my composition based on highlight and shadow tones. It’s a fantastic way of working. Not forgetting to mention, just how cool fuji’s look!! It’s also just dawned on me that it’s a much cheaper than shooting on actual film, thanks to the film emulations. But where are the fun little nuances in that?!
However, after about a year, two things kept nagging at me.
First: consistency. Although I loved the images I was getting (and the lack of editing required), any good photographer will tell you how important consistency is within a portfolio. I was capturing some lovely shots on my daily adventures, so much so that I wanted to include them in my portfolio, but by playing with different recipes, they stuck out like a sore thumb. That really bugged me when dropping them into my portfolio, or even my Instagram feed (first-world problems, I know).
My day-to-day photography world is Canon. I’ve tried Sony and other brands, but I’ve come to realise I’m a Canon girl through and through. Cue the debate about “superior colour science”… I’m joking. For me, it’s really about the interface. I can operate my camera almost with my eyes closed and get the result I want in seconds. That’s probably thanks to 15 years, 15 years! of shooting weddings, where you have to think fast with no room for error.
Which brings me, in a very long and rambly way, to my second Fuji issue: ergonomics and ecosystems. I don’t love where the buttons are, and don’t get me started on back-button focus, if you know, you know. The lack of a quick way to bring focus back to centre eventually became the final dealbreaker. Switching between two systems so regularly just became irritating.
So, I made the bold decision to sell my viral little camera that was holding so much value and picked up a Canon RP with a 28mm lens and a Shortstache PolarPro Mist filter. It’s the closest thing I could find to a “baby” version of my R5 and Canon’s answer to a rangefinder-style camera. It feels great in the hand, the buttons are where I want them, and it’s allowed me to really start nailing down my own personal Lightroom preset (more on that soon).
You can probably see where I’m going with this: I’m trying to take my personal work, the images I shoot just for me, as seriously as my commercial and wedding portfolio. I’d really like adventure photography to hopefully be part of what I do in the future.
Anyway, this is the latest result of that process. I’d say my personal style now pulls influence from both Kodak Gold and Kodak Portra. I don’t really see it as “retro,” more timeless. Film has stood the test of time and remains a medium that’s never gone out of fashion, so I don’t see it as a bad thing to take inspiration from it. Anyone familiar with my approach to photography will know I’ve always tried to steer clear of trends, because in the long run, they usually cost you.
I’d love to know your thoughts, and what you’re drawn to in these images. Soon to come hopefully, are some real life film shots from a beautiful medium format Broncia I also took out there. Really keeping my fingers crossed for that!
P.S. Not going to lie, the algorithm gods have been trolling me hard lately with lots of beautiful Fuji X100 shots… in an ideal world, maybe I just need both?!
Resort: La Plagne, Parakdiski
Where we stayed: Crete Cote Ski
Please note any links to kit may be affialiate links. All this means is that if you buy one of these, I’ll get a small kick back at no extra cost to you.
