Lillia Duran
Though young in years, Lillia Duran has been creating compelling imagery at shows for longer than many. The path forged in her teenage years is one of inherited familial passions and unrelenting work
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/160 sec at F2.8, ISO 10,000
A Waking Dream
Those who adopt their creative pursuits through family lineage take on more than a pastime. A unique vision cannot be handed over, and the skills of those around us do not negate a demand for tireless work – but a sense of tradition is an undeniably emotive force. It is inspiration, connection, and so much more.
For Lillia Duran, a dedicated music photographer, her interest comes by way of her father. “My dad has been in a band since I was a kid,” she recalls. “He’d take me to see him rehearse and, growing up, I went to a lot of live shows. Many of the most meaningful performances I’ve seen are because of him.”
At a young age, photography became Lillia’s own means of expression, and an opportunity to document the scene she had become so attached to.
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/160 sec at F2.8, ISO 10,000
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/8000 sec at F2.8, ISO 640
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/8000 sec at F2.8, ISO 640
“Dad was an amateur photographer when he was young, so he was always very supportive of me pursuing that. I took some photo classes in high school, got my first DSLR for Christmas, then it all kind of snowballed. I snuck my camera into an Arctic Monkeys show when I was 14, hidden in my sweater. After that, I never stopped.”
Lillia continued her photographic studies at junior college, but after covering a series of festivals and seeing her first images in print, she decided to follow her own path.
“I just wanted to see how far I could take it on my own,” she muses. “I get to photograph shows I’m very into personally, so they’re work, but they’re also passion projects. It’s nice to do something you have a lot of love for.”
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/100 sec at F3.2, ISO 1600
As fate would have it, Lillia came across her biggest opportunity to date: Students of Storytelling. Selected as one of three deserving winners, the photographer was awarded with FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, alongside near-limitless access to Desert Daze Festival. Under the hot California sun, she began to create.
“Stylistically, I’ve always gravitated toward airy, dreamy visuals that feel a little farther from reality,” Lillia shares. “I love using color palettes as a form of expression, and I like to photograph or edit light in a way I wouldn’t consider traditional.
“A lot of people are interested in photography, and concert coverage isn’t any different. Naturally, you tend to see a lot of similar images being made, so I always wanted to be able to do something that stood out. Whether or not the masses liked it as much, I wanted to give them something that’s unlike what they’ve seen before. I have such a great appreciation for the photography everyone does – just, for me, it resonates strongly to document moments in a less accurate way. It’s a style of work that feels authentic to who I am as a person.”
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/100 sec at F3.2, ISO 1600
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/125 sec at F2.8, ISO 1000
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/125 sec at F2.8, ISO 1000
Specular highlights, multiple exposures, and film-like hues begin as creative intentions, but are brought to life by imaging tools. As a first sashay into X Series and mirrorless systems more broadly, Lillia’s time with X-H2S was nothing short of revelatory.
“I typically achieve many of my techniques in post-production, but at Desert Daze, I didn’t have to. The camera body let me do everything I wanted,” she explains. “I could play with color palettes by adjusting white balance and choosing different Film Simulation modes. It took the look exactly where I wanted it.
“When it came to light effects, I used a black mist lens filter and prisms that I had from years past. The festival was such a dreamy, other-worldly experience, and I wanted to create a sense of that. The double exposure feature was my favorite. The way X-H2S showed the images as they were being layered was so helpful, because with other systems, I’ve never been able to see if I was getting the right combination. It was exciting to have my visions brought to life right in the moment.”
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/160 sec at F11, ISO 160
In addition to XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, Lillia bought FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR ahead of the festival, to expand her reach. No investment is made lightly for any flourishing creative, but the telephoto zoom facilitated an essential part of the process.
“I enjoy more of a portraiture style, or a framed-in image, with live music. I think homing in on details helps me showcase more emotion,” Lillia reveals. “When you contain those details in such a tight frame, it forces a viewer to see them – there’s nothing to distract. It also speaks to the intimacy of a live performance. Regardless of the venue size, a show is a performer sharing something meaningful with people that it means a lot to. When I’m in the photo pit, I’m right in the middle of this incredible shared experience, and it’s such a beautiful process to document both sides of it: artist and audience.”
Undoubtedly, Lillia is better placed than most to understand the intrinsic nature of live music. Beyond simply stirring the feelings of a viewer, her approach carries a sense of duty.
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/160 sec at F11, ISO 160
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/640 sec at F6.4, ISO 640
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/640 sec at F6.4, ISO 640
“I have such a profound connection as a fan,” the creative enthuses, “but I was also raised by a musician. I grew up seeing firsthand how much performance means to them. That’s why, for me, it’s so important to photograph these moments in an authentic way. Visual accuracy is subjective, but the beauty of an experience needs to live forever.”
An experience of this magnitude is educational by its very nature – but more direct tuition from seasoned image makers is second to nothing for one in Lillia’s position. Throughout the festival, FUJIFILM Creators Giulio Meliani and Tom Baumgaertel were joined by industry giant Robin Laananen, to help shape their students’ eager minds.
“I was most excited about the mentorship, among all the incredible opportunities. I always want to grow, and there’s so much to learn from others.
“I spent virtually a whole day with Tom. He’s so incredible with color and multiple exposures. I really wanted to hear about his philosophy, the way that he sees things, and how he chooses to photograph moments,” Lillia notes. “Since the festival, I’ve definitely heard his voice in the back of my head at shows. He taught me about making color palettes more interesting in an efficient way.
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/15 sec at F2.8, ISO 2500
“Meeting with Robin was amazing, because she’s lived the experience I want so badly in life,” Lillia continues. “She tours, manages, and creates amazing images. Being able to ask questions about her experience, how she got into things, and how she works, was so valuable. When I asked questions like: ‘How do you photograph someone on tour for months at a time and still be interesting?’ – she had answers. So, I learned a lot with her.
“With Giulio, I got to learn about something I struggle with, which is still scenes that aren’t moving and unpredictable. I’ve always found it hard to present those moments in an interesting way, but he helped open that door for me. Walking through the festival and finding images that I’d see as stagnant, he had such an impressive way of making them artful and intentional. It was exciting to grab some of that and put it in my toolbox.”
With both figurative and literal dust settled, Lillia has found time to reflect on her experience in the broadest terms – and, importantly, think of the promising road that lies ahead of her.
“I’m 100% sure Students of Storytelling has impacted the way I create. I believe that in ten years’ time, I’ll look back and see my experience with Fujifilm at Desert Daze as the pivotal moment that sent my career on the trajectory I wanted it on since I was 14,” Lillia concludes. “The things I learned here are never going to leave me.”
Shop FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR today. Learn more and read the full specifications here.
Photo 2022 © Lillia Duran | FUJIFILM X-H2S and FUJINON XF50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1/15 sec at F2.8, ISO 2500
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