05.03.2021 Anushka Menon

PROJECT PEAK: Anushka Menon x GF80mmF1.7 R WR

Anushka Menon

Anushka is a combination of many things, being the first female fashion & beauty photographer to come out of India at the young age of 21 when female photographers were nowhere to be seen was just one of her many accomplishments.
Anushka is not your typical Photographer ! “I don’t particularly like having just one title, because that really does not sum up who i am. “
She is one of India’s Leading Fashion & Beauty Photographers and has since travelled the world shooting for both local and international leading brands and is now being represented by The Jigisha Bouverat Collective in the USA.
Anushka is part of a generation working towards having more females photographers behind the camera and has paved the way for many young female photographers to follow their dreams and also inspired and influenced the new generation of creatives not just in her field but many others and thats because she herself is not just a photographer but also a dancer, aerialist, yogi, Dj, and musician! There are many personalities that make up this creative artist.
Being a minority in an industry that is still dominated by males Anushka has a different perspective to offer and not just that of a woman but also her unique approach to shooting and having being brought up abroad her visual approach captured the attention of major publications, designers and brands in India. After 13 years of being in the business, Anushka has worked and collaborated with the very best in her home country and her portfolio now extends to the west.
Having lived abroad for 18 years before returning to India, her views and ideas of her birth place are approached differently and this can be seen in her work. Her outlook on Indian Fashion and beauty always has and still has a very western approach allowing her imagery to mix both the old and new, the traditional and the contemporary.
Anushka’s Photography has a very fluid mannerism and this can be seen with her bold imagery and style, her use of colour, composition and choice of subjects.

My Name is Anushka Nadia Menon and I have been a professional photographer for over 15 years now, specialising primarily in Fashion and Beauty photography.

My style of photography is constantly evolving, mostly influenced by current trends but also can be inspired by past traditions. I love the art of being able to create a different reality through my work and the tools that I use to do this play such a vital part.

Most of my work is to share stories around makeup, skincare, hair, jewelry & a lot of patterns. This fascination alone has been fueling my love for Beauty photography for years.

GFX100 & GF80mmF1.7 R WR

In all my years of shooting with various lenses, there are very few that I have used which stand out in all aspects making it the perfect design. I thoroughly enjoyed using this lens and was completely mesmerised by the quality and depth of each capture.

GFX100 & GF80mmF1.7 R WR

The shoot was inspired by the location which I have been too many times and at this time of year, the colour of the grass turns into this sea of gold and is just the perfect backdrop for a fashion shoot!

GFX100 & GF80mmF1.7 R WR

Based on this we then decided that colour blocking and minimal prints and textures for styling would work best and accordingly we casted the model. Casting is very important in for such shoot and the key is to select not only good-looking face that fit the concept of the shoot but also experienced one as we had limited time to complete the project, The hair and makeup were also kept more natural in order to complement and highlight the skin and texture – we didn’t want to distract from the overall look and feel of the shoot with anything over the top!

GFX100 & GF80mmF1.7 R WR

The New GF80mmF1.7 is going to be an iconic lens and a staple in my kit. It will definitely be a favourite amongst other photographers as well.

With a wide F stop at 1.7 it makes it the largest aperture with AF in a medium format (large) today. It also is a unique focal length sitting nicely between the GF63mm & GF110mm fitting perfectly for the kind of images I like to shoot!

GFX100 & GF80mmF1.7 R WR

I wanted to explore the versatility of the lens by shooting various compositions. So I used it as it should be at a portrait focal length and then I came closer and used it as I would a beauty lens and lastly pulled back and used it as I would a fashion lens.

GFX100 & GF80mmF1.7 R WR

I shot against the natural light with reflector and alongside the natural light to see how well the lens would perform and also wanted to freeze movement so I had the model constantly free-flowing and each shot was captured at the moment and not planned.

It delivers impressive image quality. While maintaining sharpness, contrast and aberration control is stellar. Using a lens wide open for really nice bokeh and a razor-thin depth of field is game-changing in a Medium format camera, The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart & this Fujifilm system has been wonderful, rewarding & taken my work to the next level of imagery.

GFX100 & GF80mmF1.7 R WR

Weighing in less than 800g it’s easy to handhold with the GFX100 body. I am just blown away by the lightness of the lens – how fast it allows for autofocusing and the bokeh falls off. It’s the dreamiest I have ever seen!

GFX100 & GF80mmF1.7 R WR

The Aperture just outshines in low light situations and allows me to shoot at much higher shutter speeds during the day. Shooting with the GFX100 – in terms of quality output along with the Clarity and easeful operation of the lens just makes for a faster shooting experience as well. 

I am delighted by the outcome of the images – I’m in love with the bokeh fall off and the sharpness of the photos and excited to add this incredible prime lens to my kit!

GFX100 & GF80mmF1.7 R WR