Victor Liu is an adventure and landscape photographer whose passion for his art is born out of a love for the outside world. Based close to the Canadian Rockies, he is never short of visual inspiration and, when combined with his love for the arts, the result is award-winning photography that possesses a certain poetic quality. For this project, Victor wanted to visit some of the world’s most rugged landscapes to test the FUJIFILM GFX 100’s durability, portability and, of course, image quality. Here, he speaks to us following trips to Canada, Iceland, Antarctica, and Patagonia.
In order to achieve such striking landscape photography, Victor Liu often travels into some of the world’s most unforgiving environments – and this comes with obvious challenges. “My style of photography is extreme adventure photography, mostly landscape artworks,” explains Victor, who was specifically interested in the GFX 100’s weather-sealed magnesium alloy body and its 102-megapixel back-side illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor.
“My trip presented two huge challenges for the camera; the severe weather conditions and the grand landscapes. When combined, they test both the camera’s robustness and the level of detail in its renditions,” he says.
GFX 100 + GF23mmF4 R LM WR – 1/13 sec at F11 ISO 100
Victor draws on his extensive experience of hiking, mountain climbing, and kayaking for his expeditions and with this extensive knowledge, he knows firsthand the importance of traveling light. When he first heard about the GFX 100, he wasn’t sure how well a camera with a sensor of this size would travel, but these concerns soon disappeared. “It was surprisingly not too bulky and heavy. When I needed to carry it to high mountains, I found it relatively light,” he reveals. “I paired up the camera with the GF23mmF4 R LM WR and made it to the top with minimal accessories.”
Victor is no stranger to larger sensors, with the FUJIFILM GFX system as his usual setup. He tells us that he was initially attracted by the exceptional image size and quality that can be achieved with the system. The fact that the GFX 100 takes this high quality to the extreme proved to be one of his favorite features of the camera. “When I imported the images to my laptop, I realized just how great the image quality is,” he says. “Nothing can beat such intricate details for a grand landscape shot.”
GFX 100 + GF23mmF4 R LM WR – 1/4 sec at F20 ISO 100
In addition to the image quality that can be achieved with the GFX 100’s groundbreaking BSI sensor, Victor also named durability and power efficiency as his other two favorite features. “I work in harsh conditions all the time, so weather resistance is very important to me, and with such remote shooting locations, battery life also plays a huge part,” he says, telling us that the GFX 100 delivered on both fronts.
The GFX 100’s body is weather sealed at 95 points to defend it from even the most adverse weather conditions, while its built-in vertical grip provides space for a second battery to maximize shooting time. Both of these factors helped Victor to ensure he was in the right place at the right time in order to achieve stunning results. “In a lot of cases, the images were shot after long and difficult climbs, and often involved waiting for up to an hour in cold temperatures wearing wet clothes,” he recalls. “But it is always worth it when that magic moment shows up,” he adds with a smile.
GFX 100 + GF23mmF4 R LM WR – 20 sec at F9 ISO 250
This determination to get the perfect shot is a characteristic that Victor feels is important for his particular style of photography, especially when documenting the beauty of our fragile environment. “I’d like to be remembered for my dedication to adventure and photography as a means of capturing nature’s beauty and documenting it for future generations” he tells us, concluding that the GFX 100 is certainly a camera that can help him build such a legacy.
“I would use the GFX 100 for my hard-core photo adventures in the future for sure. I think it’s a top-notch camera.”
Victor Liu is a compensated FUJIFILM X-Photographer. To see more of Victor’s work, visit his website.
Learn more about the FUJIFILM GFX 100 and read the full specifications here, or contact your nearest FUJIFILM Authorized Dealer.
GFX 100 + GF23mmF4 R LM WR – 1/2.5 sec at F16 ISO 100