6 minute read

The Perfect Marriage

Petronella Lugemwa on how the small size and high quality of FUJIFILM GFX100S is proving an ideal partner for her wedding work

For wedding photographers, choosing a new camera is a lot like tying the knot. To make a commitment, you have to be completely sure that this is ‘the one’. And for experienced pros, such as Petronella Lugemwa, an important consideration is how a camera helps her connect to subjects and photograph unrepeatable moments. Did FUJIFILM GFX100S have her promising to forsake all others?

“I had questions, and a few doubts, maybe,” she admits. “But ultimately, I absolutely loved using GFX100S. I normally use FUJIFILM X-T4 and FUJIFILM X-S10 for my wedding and engagement work, but I had photographed with the original FUJIFILM GFX100 a few times, too. After using GFX100, I remember thinking: ‘This is beautiful.’ But at the same time, the size and weight made it feel like something I would only rely on for really big moments.”

Photo © Petronella Lugemwa | FUJIFILM GFX100S camera and GF110mmF2 R LM WR lens, 1/160 sec at F2.2, ISO 10,000

Nonetheless, any concerns about the GFX system soon disappeared when she got the chance to try out GFX100S. “I was capturing an engagement in New York City near the Empire State Building,” she recalls. “One of my biggest questions immediately was: ‘Can I use this camera like I use my X-T4?’ X Series cameras are very unassuming. They’re never in the way, and that’s exactly what you need when photographing a proposal. It’s a unique situation: the goal is to preserve an element of surprise and to frame that special moment as it’s unfolding for those two people. It’s certainly not about you, and it’s not about your camera either. The size and weight of GFX100S immediately reminded me of X-T4, and it let me approach my subjects in the way that works for me.”

It’s the vital nature of those moments and connections that Petronella has built her photographic career on, and she sees them as even more important in the present day. “Sure, it’s been a rough year for us wedding photographers, but people are still getting engaged and they’re still getting married,” she explains. “Weddings just look a little different. I photographed for a couple last week, and it was just them and 20 of their closest friends. It was all over in a couple hours, but I actually liked it better than a lot of bigger weddings. It was more intimate – and maybe better because of it.”

Photo © Petronella Lugemwa | FUJIFILM GFX100S camera and GF110mmF2 R LM WR lens, 1/400 sec at F3.6, ISO 800

Whatever kind of wedding, engagement, or family portraits she’s making, according to Petronella, it’s the connection that is in greatest need nowadays. “I honestly think what I’m seeing and recording now can be a lot more personal and much more about the relationships between people,” she says. “If anything, photos have become even more important – the moments that people can look back on and feel something when they’re apart. Whether it’s a reminder that a certain person means a lot to you, or of a special day, or a memory of a person who’s no longer here with us – right now – photos mean more than ever.”

Back at the Empire State Building, and GFX100S has passed its big test with flying colors. Taking place at night, lit only by fairy lights – and with no second chances – Petronella made the most of GFX100S’s extensive ISO range, as well as the speed and accuracy of its hybrid focusing. “I dialed in ISO 10,000, because the light was so low, and I got ready to record the scene as it unfolded. You have to be invisible initially, but then move very quickly, because you’re looking to frame that reaction. But most importantly, you need to be sure you’re going to get the image, because you can’t exactly ask people to back up and do it all again!” Petronella explains.

Photo © Petronella Lugemwa | FUJIFILM GFX100S camera and GF110mmF2 R LM WR lens, 1/100 sec at F2.8, ISO 10,000

“The camera performed so well,” she enthuses. “The focusing was perfect every single time. Putting that into context, when I document a proposal, I’m normally photographing right through the moment – just to cover everything. Usually, I know there’s going to be a bunch of throwaways, because focus is never exactly nailed. But I didn’t find myself doing that with GFX100S. The process was more about finding individual moments and expressions than worrying about image quality. Each time, I got it – even the close-up photos with the ring.”

As far as Petronella is concerned, a lot of that comes down to how she was able to physically cover the situation with GFX100S. “I’m a mover,” she says, smiling. “That’s just part of my style, and everyone always says that I can’t stay in one spot for longer than two seconds. I like to find a picture, and then get to the next one. Whether it’s a wedding or a proposal, there are a lot of angles to cover: her reaction, his reaction, the vulnerable moments, an image of them together, or the guy down on one knee. It’s a lot to get through. But I found GFX100S to be a perfect marriage between the size and weight of X-T4 and the power of the GFX100.”

Photo © Petronella Lugemwa | FUJIFILM GFX100S camera and GF110mmF2 R LM WR lens, 1/100 sec at F2, ISO 8000

Just as with the size and weight, the handling of GFX100S proved a hit with Petronella.
“I don’t think that’ll be different for any wedding photographer,” she says. “You never want changing settings to be a barrier to your observation or get in the way of you seeing those golden moments. You don’t want anything to remove you from the scene, because it’s all about reading the subjects and their relationships, discerning the decisive moment, and finding that authenticity. I found GFX100S to be cleaner in layout than GFX100 and a lot more intuitive – even though I hadn’t spent that long with it.”

The thought of switching cameras often throws up another question regarding workflow. And in this sense, Petronella had also asked herself how GFX100S might affect her projects. “I did have some questions before I tried GFX100S out,” she confirms. “How much work is it to edit the files? How good is the color? And, as someone who focuses a lot on multicultural couples, how does it deal with different skin tones?” Nonetheless, the camera dealt with all of these queries with aplomb. “GFX100S was incredible. For instance, because of the great dynamic range, I noticed how easy it was to see the texture in darker Afro-Caribbean hair. It’s very significant, and you really don’t want all that to be lost in a mass of shadow. My multicultural weddings also have these very vibrant and juicy colors. I’m confident it can handle that with ease,” she asserts.

Photo © Petronella Lugemwa | FUJIFILM GFX100S camera and GF63mmF2.8 R WR lens, 1/500 sec at F3.2, ISO 400

So, is Petronella now wedded to GFX100S? “For sure,” she says confidently. “I think that anybody who’s looking to refine their craft should be, too. I’ve been working professionally for nine years – I have my own flow, but GFX100S fits in with that perfectly, and the images it produces have that next-level quality. The bokeh in the background, the soft fall-off of focus, and the separation you get gives everything this three-dimensional quality.” She concludes: “Let me be totally honest, I wasn’t sure I was going to love this camera, but now I know it’s going to be part of my life for sure.”

FUJIFILM GFX100S is coming soon to your nearest FUJIFILM Authorized Dealer. Learn more and read the full specifications here.

Photo © Petronella Lugemwa | FUJIFILM GFX100S camera and GF110mmF2 R LM WR lens, 1/640 sec at F3.6, ISO 400


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