6 minute read

Fujifilm Helps Chinelle Rojas Chase Her Photography Goals

Rojas credits X Series and GFX50S II for supporting her creative process

While building a successful career as a birth photographer, Chinelle Rojas dreamed of becoming an ambassador for a camera brand someday.

Frustrated by the lack of diversity and representation among the faces of major brands, Rojas was determined to develop an impactful partnership. So, she decided to contact the brand whose photography equipment she was already using to start the conversation.

“I reached out, and I heard nothing. I felt so small and unseen in that community, and it didn’t feel like it was worth staying there,” Rojas said.

Everything changed when Fujifilm reached out to her. “There seemed to be a lot of buzz happening around Fujifilm gear, but in order for me to get the Fujifilm camera, I would have to sell all of my other stuff,” she said.

Photo 2021 © Chinelle Rojas | FUJIFILM GFX50S II and GF45mmF2.8 R WR, 1/280 sec at F2.8, ISO 100

At the time, it felt a bit daunting, but she was eager to try out mirrorless gear, which would be new territory for her. Rojas took the leap in 2017, sold all of her gear and purchased an X-T2. The transition, she says, was smoother than she could have imagined, and she felt far more welcome in Fujifilm’s community.

“From the beginning of this journey, I’ve felt like I was part of the family – a family of insanely amazing creators whose work is breathtaking in their own right. No one is unreachable, and I’m always reminded that my creative voice matters,” she said.

Add to that experience, a camera that just felt natural, and Rojas was hooked on Fujifilm.

“After creating images with X-T2 in the birth setting, I fell in love with it. I loved all the dials, and I felt like it was very intuitive and easy to use.”

Over time, she added X-H1 to her repertoire which became her main camera body, especially for creating video content. Within just a few years, Rojas achieved her goal of becoming a brand ambassador, joining Fujifilm’s Collaborator team in 2020 and earning recognition as a Creator and later as an X Photographer. It was through this community that she decided to try X-T4 – little did she know, it would be a major turning point for her career.

“Getting an X-T4 was a game changer for me,” she said. “Throughout my photography journey, I’ve always made a lot of self-portraits. When I got my hands on the flip-out screen on X-T4, it was like, ‘Where have you been all my life?’ It really made things so much easier.”

Photo 2022 © Chinelle Rojas | FUJIFILM GFX50S II and GF110mmF2 R LM WR, 1/180 sec at F2.0, ISO 320

Rojas conceptualizes, styles and produces distinct and creative self portraits. The flexibility offered by X-T4’s vari-angle LCD touchscreen and interval timer allow her to create those self portraits with ease – so she can focus on styling and posing in the moment, rather than running back and forth to the camera.

By mastering X Series and cultivating relationships within Fujifilm’s community, Rojas became a significant part of the team; exchanging suggestions and techniques for video and stills, as well as being featured on podcasts and at events.

“We have partnered up and challenged each other to step out of our comfort zone. I’m constantly learning new things from them through their channels and reaching out and answering questions,” she said. “I love getting to connect with the family via our zoom meetings.”

These exchanges led to her interest in the large format sensor that, up to now, hadn’t been on her radar, anticipating hardware upgrades, cost outlays and a giant learning curve.

Chinelle said once she realized GFX was so similar to X Series with its menu set-up and dial layout, it was no longer a stretch to imagine what she could produce. Easier still was the realization that she didn’t need new tools, software or a huge financial outlay to support her expanded concepts on her craft. Simplifying her thinking about a large format sensor, she said, made her fearless in her approach.

“I felt like this would change everything for me, and I would have super amazing images that I could blow up to billboard-size if I had the opportunity,” she said.

Rojas reflects on how working with GFX50S II has encouraged her to explore her creativity in new ways. She had paused her work in the birth photography space, and was focusing more on self portraiture as well as her other business ventures, like custom logo designs for small businesses. Using GFX50S II pulled her out of her comfort zone even more.

“I think it forces me to sit down and think about what I want to create. It makes me want to produce quality over quantity, to get a really good image over a bunch of images. It causes me to slow down,” she said.

Photo 2021 © Chinelle Rojas | FUJIFILM GFX50S II and GF110mmF2 R LM WR, 1/1800 sec at F2.0, ISO 100

Eager to push herself further, she used her creativity to experiment with landscape imagery, traveled to the Great Smoky Mountains and booked a sunset helicopter ride to build a portfolio of striking landscape aerials. The images she made speak for themselves – rich with depth, featuring vibrant, natural hues and layered, moody detail.

When creating images, whether of expansive vistas or close-up portraits, attention to the finest details is always the goal, and Rojas said the GFX50S II exceeded her expectations.

“Sharp images make me happy, and I was able to get all of those details sharp and in focus, so that if I ever wanted to get them blown up and printed to hang on the wall, they’ll look amazing,” she said.

The latitude GFX50S II provides is extensive, and Rojas has found that even when she may have missed focus, the files have capacity for full recovery. When the RAW files are so robust, it makes processing and editing a dream.

“I’ve missed the focus a few times on some pretty great self portraits, but when I pulled those pictures into my AI sharpening program, the amount of recovery that happened was like magic, how it was able to take the information from the images and justify it,” she said.

That recovery has allowed Rojas to create unique images from what otherwise might have felt like a missed opportunity.

“A lot of times I’m just trying things out and hoping for the best. I leave myself open to be inspired by anything around me. It leaves the door open for all kinds of creativity.”

Chinelle says GFX50S II was built for just those moments. It’s there for expanding your ideas and capabilities as well as when unexpected, creative opportunities arise.

“It makes me look like I’m a superhero who knows what I’m doing all the time,” she said.

Photo 2022 © Chinelle Rojas | FUJIFILM GFX50S II and GF110mmF2 R LM WR, 1/50 sec at F2.8, ISO 320


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